Imagine that a simple coin flip could tell you whether your future would be good or bad. Anime has a way of giving even the simplest games very high stakes.Animehas brought gambling into its world, which is full of exciting, high-risk bets and endless chances to win it all.
From the rush of adrenaline that comes with flipping a coin to the nail-biting tension of high-stakes poker, the gambling world in anime creates a world that fans can’t get enough of. Many anime series have depicted gambling experiences that have fans on the edge of their seats; however, the wheat must be differentiated from the chaff when it comes to the greatest gambling anime series.
Updated June 13, 2025, by Oluwatokiloba Folami:When it comes to giving fans amazing thrills, gambling anime series do it best. As a genre, gambling has grown in the anime community with the themes of high stakes and unexpected turnarounds it portrays. While shows likeKakegurui,Akagi, andUsoguiremain at the top in terms of gambling anime series, some lesser-known shows have proven to provide as much nail-biting tension as their predecessors in their own unique style. These hidden shows portray gambling in a unique light, whether it be through mahjong or air racing sports, all while keeping fans hooked with psychological battles and unpredictable outcomes.
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Mardock Scrambleis an anime trilogy show that is well known for its themes of cyberpunk, existentialism, and redemption at its core. Despite that, the gambling aspect of the show, particularly in the first anime film,Mardock Scramble: The First Compression,is a beautiful piece.
Rune Balot, a girl left for dead by Shell Septinos, a die-hard gambler, is saved and turned into a cyborg. Seeking revenge, Rune investigates Shell’s shady life and has no choice but to infiltrate the casino he’s known to regularly visit. In the casino, the various poker and card games often have high wagers. Whether it be one’s freedom or lifelong earnings, losing a gamble could mean losing everything—including one’s very soul.
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As seen in shows likeSakiandAkagi, a simple game of Mahjong could mean the rise or fall of an empire or if an individual gets to live another day. WhileMahjong Hishouden: Naki no Ryuuis relatively unknown due to its release between 1988 and 1990, the show stands out in terms of the gambling theme, with how it focuses on mahjong high-stakes gambling and mind games among the players.
The protagonist of the series is known for winning his mahjong games with a unique style in which he counters his opponents through a move called ‘ron’. With four video game adaptations, this series is for hard-core gambling anime enthusiasts with a liking to the thrills that come with playing mahjong.
Netflix
This anime is a great mix of gambling, thriller, adventure, and mystery. Initially, the series portrays Edamura Makoto, Japan’s self-proclaimed greatest swindler, barely living from day to day through pickpocketing and minor scams. Soon after, Edamura’s feelings are hurt when he’s easily swindled by a random foreigner.
To prove himself, Edamura finds himself with a fellow con man who’s not satisfied to merely pickpocket like Edamura but to go after the big dogs through various forms of gambling and organized crime. Quickly inserted into a world of high stakes, gambling, and conning, Edamura Makoto must become an ultimate swindler who frequently gambles with his life on the line.
TheKakeguruianime series is undoubtedly among the legendary gambling anime out there. Rather than continuing to portray Jabami Yumeko at the center of its gambling genius, theKakeguruifranchise brought out something new—Kakegurui Twin, which has six episodes of high-stakes gambling.
Kakegurui Twintakes place before Jabami Yumeko joined the Hyakkaou Private Academy and portrays thelife of Mary Saotomeand how she crawled herself through various gambling games to establish her name. On joining the school, Mary fought not for herself but to free her childhood friend, Tsuzura Hanatemari. However, being a threat to the already established hierarchy, the elites of the student council set their eyes on her.
TheBus Gameranime series has companies battling against each other with their corporate secrets on the line. For these battles, random individuals are grouped into teams of three in which they must steal or protect a case of a company’s corporate secrets. From afar, members of the company involved gamble and place stakes as they watch the teams duke it out.
The protagonists of the series, Toki Mishiba, Kazuo Saitoh, and Nobuto Nakajyo, are recruited to participate in a bus game with the promise of being handsomely rewarded should they prevail; however, their lives and safety will not be guaranteed. While this is a risky play, all three are drawn by the promise of large amounts of money and decide to participate in a game where even their lives aren’t guaranteed.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
TheYu-Gi-Oh!franchiseis widely known, with various anime and manga to its name. Of the various series in the franchise, the originalYu-Gi-Oh!portrays themes of gambling with dark and twisted high-stakes battles as its characters involve themselves in battles that rely on luck and manipulation.
The protagonist of the show, Yugi Mutou, is primarily known to be a weak boy who bullies often target. However, as the series progresses, Yugi develops an alternate personality that challenges various characters in a shadow duel with something on the line. Shadow duels often involve both players dueling in alternate dimensions, where they summon monsters via cards. The very nature of the shadow duels the characters face can be attributed to gambling, as they involve both luck and skill, and the stakes are incredibly high.
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This anime series is more about the manipulation of people and countries from the shadows than gambling as a whole. The show portrays the D Agency, an imperial Japanese Army’s intelligence branch that focuses on raising spies to infiltrate other countries. As World War 2 is about to erupt, eight intelligence agents have been dispatched to all major countries in the world to gather intel on their social and economic situation. Operating under the motto ‘don’t die, don’t kill’, these agents must find ways to get what they want through sheer manipulation and skill rather than brute force.
WhileJoker Gamedoesn’t have gambling as a central narrative, gambling and similar themes of deception and cunning are portrayed throughout. The series portrays a world ofspies, mystery, and political upheavalsthat make it an interesting watch.
Alice in Borderland
Based on theAlice in Borderlandmanga written by Haro Aso, this series follows the lives of Ryohei Arisu, Daikichi Karube, and Chota Segawa. These three friends are suddenly transported to another world called Borderland after they witness blinding fireworks that cause them to close their eyes. Once they open their eyes again, the trio are in a world where they must survive by playing deadly games.
With one game after another, Arisu and his friends put their lives on the line as they try to find a way to leave the apocalyptic world they find themselves in. With each game featuring high stakes and incredible cutthroat risk, Arisu and his friends are put into a world where surviving is a blessing, thriving is non-existent, and taking risky gambles is the only option.
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Rio Rollins is also called the Goddess of Victory. While already a skilled dealer, Rio is not satisfied and seeks to become the best dealer in the world to surpass her mother, who was a widely known legendary dealer. To do so, Rio must collect all 13 cards known as gates, as whoever has them will be recognized as the greatest dealer of all.
Dealing in the Howard Resort Hotel, Rio combats other dealers to determine who the best is as she gathers the legendary cards that will grant her what she seeks. With comedy and intense gambling, this anime series portrays a dealer who seeks to be the best. With 13 episodes of gambling and comedy, this anime series is one to check out.
One Outs
Unlike other gambling anime series,One Outscombines baseball and gamblingin a story that has made it widely renowned. Produced by Madhouse Studios, this series follows the life of Toua Tokuchi, a prodigy who uses his immense baseball skills for gambling. Playing One Outs — a type of one-on-one showdown between a batter and a pitcher — Tokuchi has made a name for himself after 499 consecutive victories.
However, after joining a team under a special contract, each match can lead to immense benefits or great losses for the baseball gambler. He could gain $5,000,000 or owe $50,000,000 depending on how his throws turn out. With each episode portraying Tokuchi taking a risk with each match, fans of both gambling and sports anime will find this fascinating.
