also: しょばだい
noun
stall fee; space fee
Slang term for money paid to secure a spot, especially for street stalls, vendors, or illegal operations. Often associated with yakuza or underground economy contexts.
露天商は組合にショバ代を払わなければならない。
Street vendors have to pay a stall fee to the association.
ヤクザがショバ代を徴収しに来た。
The yakuza came to collect the space fee.
ショバ is slang for 'place' or 'spot', possibly from 所 (sho) + 場 (ba). 代 (dai) means 'fee'. The exact origin of ショバ is uncertain, but it is widely used in underworld and street-vendor contexts.