Rivalry Corp. (the “Company” or “Rivalry”) (TSXV: RVLY) (OTCQX: RVLCF) (FSE: 9VK), the leading sportsbook and iGaming operator for Gen Z, is pleased to announce its 2023 annual letter to shareholders and the filing of its financial results for the three (3) and 12-month period ended December 31, 2023. All dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars.

2023 Annual Letter to Shareholders

To our Shareholders,

This time last year I spoke about Rivalry’s evolution from a market leader in esports to a diversified Company setting the standard for Gen Z betting entertainment broadly.

Today, we have a business with revenue distribution across casino, sports, and esports betting, growing market share in new geographies, with increased velocity in core regions, and the strongest customer KPIs in Rivalry’s history.

In 2023, Rivalry recorded $423.2 million in betting handle¹, up 82% from the previous year. Similarly, gross gaming revenue² and net revenue both saw 34% and 66% respective increases, while the introduction of higher margin products released in H2 such as Same Game Combos and Quick Combos are continuing to improve overall sportsbook hold and guide Rivalry closer to profitability.

Our deepened product suite now includes fantasy, additional sports coverage, and new proprietary casino games. All of which are uniquely driving growth among a targeted customer segment and widening our opportunity set in 2024 and beyond – from a 60% increase in traditional sports betting to a burgeoning B2B game vertical. The potential for how far our brand can go is just beginning to unfold.

The year ahead is rife with new, innovative product releases arriving in Q2 and continuing throughout 2024. We are doubling down on core growth opportunities in sports that resonate with our audience, such as basketball and soccer. Further, we are building on a successful casino segment which already represents 50% of our business, enhancing variety, depth, and accessibility, as well as developing new original games which blur the lines between betting and entertainment. We are in the process of additional geographic expansion, and pursuing new licenses to broaden our total addressable market, positioning Rivalry to own the Gen Z gambling opportunity globally.

While Rivalry’s operations have expanded into new high-growth verticals, our north star has remained the same: to define the future of online gambling for a generation born on the internet.

Online gambling in 2024 is radically different than it was just six years ago when Rivalry launched. In that time we’ve seen gaming and internet culture reshape how consumers engage with technology. That shift is broadening the definition of gambling, where product design is influenced by video games, or it exists fully embedded within social apps like Telegram, where content creators are the new affiliates, and much more.

Over the same period, the rise of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has introduced a new level of speed, access, and security to web-based consumer experiences. Industry estimates now put crypto wagers at up to one quarter of global betting handle³, with 30% year-over-year growth in 2024⁴, and showing no signs of slowing down.

The development of this ecosystem has commercially unlocked online gambling unlike anything since its first transition from land to online many years ago. It has brought in a new global audience, and enriched the customer experience from end-to-end.

Alongside the growth of this technology has emerged new methods of gambling, taking wallet share from more traditional forms at an accelerated rate. The shift in consumer behavior and the signal from our users is clear – interactive, volatile, and crypto-infused product experiences will set the precedent for how the next generation gambles online.

Rivalry, with a brand steeped in internet culture and living at the intersection of this digital economic renaissance, is well-positioned to access this growth opportunity. There is high overlap between Gen Z, gamers, gamblers, and a fast-growing audience of over 420 million crypto users worldwide⁵ organically aligned with our audience and brand. And we believe that more than half of this audience globally is already wagering with crypto.

It will be Rivalry’s ability to understand, implement, and adapt to this shift more rapidly than our peers that we expect to create first-mover advantages for us. It is for that reason that our vision is now bolder than ever for what’s possible in the online gambling category.

Soon, we will reveal plans for a crypto-enabled product set to enhance alignment between Rivalry and its users, increase network effects, and generally deliver a consumer experience that lives on the internet of 2024.

To that effect, the success of our first-party games and their ability to acquire and engage a captive audience of Gen Z bettors online has validated our original game development strategy amongst industry peers. This has unlocked a new commercial opportunity for Rivalry to license its IP, opening up another line of revenue for the business that has great potential for global scale.

The year ahead is poised to be one of our most ground-breaking, with a myriad of innovative product releases across all of Rivalry’s verticals, adding more dimension to our business, operations, and addressable audience, and building on our competitive moat as the market leader in Gen Z betting entertainment.

We look forward to sharing more details about these upcoming initiatives, the opportunities they will unlock for our Company, and delivering on our promise to create long-term shareholder value and reach profitability. Thank you all for your continued support.

Fast Track, the leading provider of player engagement solutions to the online gaming industry, is proud to announce its latest partnership with Playstar Casino, a leading online casino licensed and operating exclusively in the Garden State of New Jersey.

Playstar Casino is renowned for its relentless focus and passion for providing the best player experiences in the market. Understanding this need as core to future success, Playstar sought a partner capable of delivering unparalleled solutions to enhance player engagement through AI-powered customer journeys and build 1:1 experiences at scale for each player and found Fast Track.

Using advanced AI, machine learning and real-time data insights, Fast Track provides the ideal solution to streamline operations and amplify player engagement, enabling Playstar to execute its strategy at scale and increase productivity.

Jon Bowden, Chief Marketing Officer of Playstar Casino, expressed his confidence in their choice, stating, “At Playstar, the player experience is paramount. Fast Track was the obvious choice for us due to their commitment to supporting our growth goals. We’re keen to automate the bulk of our strategy and work with the most advanced technology for personalization and modeling.

Jean-Luc Ferrière, Managing Director Americas at Fast Track, echoed this sentiment, remarking, “It’s always exciting for us to partner with an operator so dedicated to offering an unparalleled player experience. The team is very keen to start collaborating with Playstar to help them achieve and exceed their business objectives.”

The partnership between Fast Track and Playstar Casino marks an exciting chapter for both organizations as they work together to elevate player experiences and drive sustainable growth in the US online gaming market.

Boldplay™, the casino software supplier, has announced its much-anticipated U.S. debut after teaming up with BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, and providing its first set of games Cyborg City, Toro Bravo™, and Gold Metal Ox™.

The new partnership will see Boldplay’s extensive collection of innovative video slots, table games, virtual scratch and keno titles become available to customers in the U.S. market for the very first time, enabling countless players to experience the brand’s signature range of bonus features and jackpots.

Notable highlights to come out of the studio include Boldplay Spins™ – a unique twist on Free Spins that sees the reels spin both vertically and horizontally to create more winning pay lines – and the brand’s flagship jackpot, the Boldplay Superpot™, which gives players of all bankroll levels a chance to win big.

The exclusive nature of the deal will also see BetMGM gain a significant market advantage in the U.S., where it will initially be the only platform able to offer Boldplay™ games. Given these titles have already garnered plenty of critical acclaim from players and operators across Europe, their presence at BetMGM will be a huge draw and will help the platform further enhance its standing in the industry.

This latest collaboration represents another significant step in Boldplay’s evolution from up-and-coming studio to one of the industry’s most sought-after software providers and will allow the brand to extend its reach into new regulated markets – a move CEO, Valli Fragoso, is clearly optimistic about.

“Boldplay™ is thrilled to announce that we’re teaming up with BetMGM in an exclusive partnership that will see our games be made available in the U.S. for the very first time,” she said. “By joining forces with such a prestigious operator, we’ll be able to raise the profile of our brand in the country as we continue to expand and we’re looking forward to what should be a hugely successful collaboration.”