SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Rivalry has leveraged the gamification services of UK-based developer Low6, which has produced a free-to-play NBA fantasy basketball app for the Canadian sportsbook. 
Active in the Canadian and Australian regulated betting markets, Rivalry has a traditional focus on esports but also offers wagering on traditional sports – such as basketball – and is eyeing an expansion of its operations in this area via the product.
In line with the group’s approach of engaging with Gen Z and millennial audiences, the app fuses elements of ‘trading card culture, collectibles, and pack openings’.
Users create lineups to compete in weekly competitions, winning prizes such as NBA merchandise, gift cards and redeemable betting and casino promotions. 
Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO, Rivalry, said: “Rivalry Ultimate Fan applies our Gen Z playbook to the world of fantasy sports to engage the next generation of basketball fans and strategically position our brand within a new vertical.
“Expanding further into the traditional sports segment enables us to introduce the unique betting experience we’ve built to a new community of players and realise the operating leverage we see in other parts of the business among a broader audience.
“Low6 has delivered an innovative free-to-play product that fits well into this strategy and builds our presence in an important category.”
Also covered in Rivalry’s partnership with Low6 is the Birmingham-headquartered firm’s Ultimate Fan product series, with the sportsbook conducting pack openings throughout the 2023/24 NBA season.
From the outset, the product fits well with Rivalry’s MO of appealing to Gen Z and millennials – speaking to SBC following the products launch back in 2021, Low6 Co-Founder Jamie Mitchell emphasised how Ultimate Fan does so using a ‘unique player experience’.
Lastly, Rivalry plans to release a physical collection of Booster Packs featuring NBA player trading cards, complete with QR codes to claim additional prizes. To further engage with the basketball community, the group will also fund refurbishment of neglected courts.
Commenting on Low6’s NBA product for Rivalry, Mitchell remarked: “Rivalry’s expertise and understanding of Millennial and Gen Z customers is very much aligned to Low6’s product development.
“We’re confident our award-winning fantasy game will drive acquisition and engagement for Rivalry among a new audience while maintaining their commitment to innovation and one-of-a-kind experiences in betting.”
