Japanese pachinko hall operator Okura Holdings Ltd says it anticipates a return to profit for the six months to 31 December 2020, boosted by improved customer traffic through the latter stages of the year.
Providing a business update on Friday, having previously reported a loss of JPY6.77 billion for the six months to 30 June 2020, Okura said it expects to record a profit of up to JPY40 million for the second half of the year, “attributable to the partial recovery of customer traffic at some of its pachinko halls following the resumption of all pachinko hall operations since June 2020.”
However, the result still represents an 88% year-on-year decline compared with profit of JPY335 million recorded in 2H19 with the company still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group also anticipates impairment losses on property of around JPY40 million for the period.
Okura operates 17 pachinko halls in Japan, with locations including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Hyogo and Fukuoka. All 17 closed their doors from April to June 2020.