PMU launches Web 3.0 fantasy horse racing game

• PMU is a pool betting provider for French horse racing industry
• Nearly 5,000 NFTs have been sold in 24 hours

French betting operator Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has launched a non-fungible token (NFT) horse racing game based on the Tezos blockchain.

‘Stables’ gives users the opportunity to purchase digital tokens representing real life horses that can be trained and used in virtual races and other activities to win rewards. Each NFT is based on historic data, with virtual races powered by algorithms trained on more than a decade of results.

The first NFTs dropped earlier this week, with Stables releasing packs including horses, items, the opportunity to acquire exclusive merchandising and attend a VIP event. As is customary with similar Web 3.0 projects, PMU has also created a Discord server in a bid to foster a sense of community.

At the time of writing, nearly 5,000 of an initial tranche of 6,666 NFTs had been sold.

Stables will expand later this year with a wider range of rarity tiers and new pricing options, while there are plans to take the game international in early 2024 with new horses and races from around the world.

SportsPro says…

If you visit virtually any French town or city, it won’t be long before you see a café or a ‘tabac’ shop adorned by the iconic green logo of ‘PMU’.

Founded in 1930, the company’s mission is to support the horse racing industry in France through pool-based betting similar to The Tote in the UK, offering punters the chance to lace wagers at the track, at thousands of ‘PMU bars’ or retail outlets, and now online.

As an organisation firmly entrenched in French culture, which claims to be the third largest pool betting operator in Europe, the operator’s decision to enter the NFT space is significant in what it might mean for both adoption of Web 3.0 and PMU’s international expansion.