Ponta
From Sega Retro
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Ponta (ポンタ) (deriving from "Point Terminal") is a Japanese points service operated by Loyalty Marketing, Inc. since 2008. Like many points systems across the world, it is an additional form of currency - if a customer uses a Ponta card when making a monatary purchase (if the seller supports the system), he/she will gain "Ponta points", which can be cashed in at a later date for goods or services. As a loyalty service, it is a means of encouraging customers to buy more from specific venues.
Sega's Japanese game centers (and indoor theme parks, such as Joypolis) have supported the Ponta system since November 2013. Ponta points can be used with modern UFO Catchers (in this case, 1 Ponta point = ¥1), and can be used to purchase medals for medal games.
There are also Ponta terminals located in many of Sega's game centers, which offer the user the chance to win Ponta points. By using a Ponta card, the machine will either reward 1 point, 10 points or 100 points at random, which will be placed in the user's account the next day. The system can only be used once every 24 hours, and much like medal games, circumvents Japan's strict gambling laws as Ponta points cannot be converted (legally) into real currency. On special occasions, these terminals can also be configured to award more points.
Over the years, Ponta's mascot (also called Ponta) has become popular enough to receive his own merchandise, some of which have appeared as prizes in the very same UFO Catcher machines that promote the system.
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