Horse racing is one of the oldest and most traditional activities in the gambling industry, long regarded as a "middle-class traditional entertainment" in the UK and the US. However, since the millennium, the horse racing industry has faced a significant decline, with a common problem of an aging audience and rapidly decreasing players.
In 2025—2026, an unexpected variable emerged—🔴 the anime game Umamusume: Pretty Derby suddenly became a hit.
This game was initially launched in Japan, personifying real historical racehorses as "horse girls" and giving each character distinct personalities, allowing players to train, nurture, and compete. The game has been operating steadily since its launch in 2016, but it wasn't until the summer of 2025 when the streamer Northernlion broadcasted the game that a large number of European and American players began to pay attention to this "outrageous" horse racing theme.
The game's live viewing numbers soared, social media discussions surged, and even many young people were introduced to real horse racing culture for the first time. Characters in the game such as Special Week, Silence Suzuka, and Gold Ship are all based on real horse racing history, and this "anime + real sports" setting has led many young players to learn about real horse racing stories.
More importantly, in the real world, fans also began to pay attention to real horse racing, visit racetracks, and even donate feed for real racehorses.
➡️ Some events' viewership data also showed significant growth, such as the 2025 Indonesian Derby online broadcast audience reaching about 270,000, nearly three times the approximately 85,000 in 2024.
For the horse racing industry, which has long suffered from "young audience loss," this was an unexpected cultural revival.
💵 What horse racing games would Generation Z be interested in
The explosion of the "Umamusume" game actually aligns highly with the entertainment state of Generation Z.
Traditional horse racing gambling emphasizes odds, pedigree, jockeys, and other professional information, while younger players are more accustomed to entering sports through character stories, as many fans actually become fans of the players first.
The characters in the game carry the legendary stories of real racehorses, such as Gold Ship, known for his "rebellious" presence on the track, or Haru Urara, who became a national idol despite a professional career of 113 consecutive losses.
The cultural revival of horse racing events is the first step, and many suppliers are beginning to take the second step, innovating the gameplay of gambling games.
In the past, horse racing gambling had limited numbers of races, fixed times, and a slower pace. Online gambling platforms can change this through technological means.
1⃣ Virtual Horse Racing
Virtual horse racing systems simulate horse races through algorithms, allowing players to bet as if they were real events. These races can run all day, with a new race every few minutes, even equipped with commentary, track visuals, and odds systems.
For young players accustomed to fast-paced games, this experience is closer to esports events. In fact, some industry reports show that since 2023, virtual horse racing betting has grown by about 35%.
2⃣ Gamified Horse Racing Platforms
In addition to gambling platforms, some products on the market are closer to games, such as virtual horse breeding games (similar to Umamusume), where players can train horses and participate in events. Or similar to Fantasy Sports combined gameplay.
It is even possible to try combining horse racing with competitive modes, such as creating a virtual horse racing event or PvP competition; the next stage of horse racing gambling is inevitably gamification.
💵 The real opportunity for the horse racing industry
For the traditional horse racing industry, the explosion of "Umamusume" has sent a signal:
Young people are not averse to horse racing; they need anime, games, and live broadcasts to provide a new entry point for them to learn. If horse racing can be made into "highly playable content," young users will naturally stay.
In the gambling world, many industries' revival often comes from unexpected cultural entries.
Esports has driven esports gambling, Fantasy Sports has pushed sports betting, and horse racing gambling is undergoing the same process. For Generation Z, as long as horse racing is interesting enough, they have ten thousand reasons to participate.
—————
This is the only gambling industry knowledge channel on TG, targeting gambling industry executives. Produced by "Global iGaming Leader - PASA." Deep content on the past, present, and future of the gambling industry is published daily.
This content is exclusively created byhttps://t.me/gamblingdeep. If you like our content, feel free to forward it.
Follow this channel to receive a free copy of "Gambling Out to Sea Strategy, from Strategy to Practice Guide" report, message @Pasarose_bot after following to claim
More data reports: @pasa_research
Join the member group: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: www.pasa.news
