Canada
Rivalry Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results; Rivalry Token Drives $1.7 Million in Additional Revenue, Accelerating Crypto Expansion Efforts in the Third Quarter
Successful Margin Growth Efforts Drive Jump in Net Revenue; Company Gains Early Traction Among Crypto and High-Value Players with Rivalry Token; Positive Early Signal from VIP Efforts, a Key Area of Strategic Focus
Betting handle of $87.8 million1.
Net revenue of $4.7 million was up 3% from Q1 2024 and up 22% YoY from Q2 2023.
Company achieves record net revenue margin of 62.5%, highlighting the continued impact of its margin enhancement efforts, driving more net revenue per dollar wagered.
Rivalry Token drives new global audience of crypto bettors and high-value players; Token customers exhibiting twice the value of average non-crypto users.
Rivalry Token delivers $1.7 million in revenue subsequent to quarter-end, validating crypto strategy and product potential. Expected to remain a revenue stream for the business throughout the remainder of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter.
Crypto payment and technology development supporting strategy shift toward growing VIP player base; anticipated to deliver growth while maintaining current operational expense levels, driving profitability.
Rivalry Corp., the leading sportsbook and iGaming operator for Gen Z, today announced financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2024. All dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars.
âAt Rivalry we have narrowed our focus primarily to two areas that are showing the highest potential for growth in our history: crypto expansion led by tokenization, and VIPâs. Alongside these focused efforts, we are tightly managing working capital, rationalizing our teams, and cutting spend in areas that fall too far outside of these priorities,â said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. âOur efforts to improve margin are also driving results, achieving record margin levels for two consecutive quarters.â
âLast quarter marked a broader expansion into crypto with the pre-release of Rivalry Token and we have seen very motivating early results,â Salz continued. âRivalry Token is uniquely positioned to serve a number of our near and long-term goals to expand our geographic footprint and acquire and retain high-value players, which we are beginning to see signals of. In just a few months, Rivalry Token has attracted new customers who are twice as valuable as our average user and marked the most successful reactivation campaign in the Companyâs history. Behaviorally, we see that Rivalry Token users are more active and engaged, and we are confident in the opportunities being unlocked through this technology. We have an extensive roadmap ahead for Rivalry Token, including new social-based products and games to drive more connected wallets and create engagement loops for players that will extend our momentum in the crypto gambling segment.â
âRivalry has also been shifting resources toward VIPâs, which is closely aligned with our push deeper into the crypto segment. This emphasis on VIPâs marks a course correction of our historical strategy which delivered exceptional outcomes for the vast majority of our player base, but under-indexed on the small percentage that drives the lion’s share of revenue in an online gambling business. I have extreme conviction that the significantly above-market KPIâs we have driven for that majority of players, led by our obsessive dedication to their success, when now directed toward the smaller percentage of high-value players, that within this industry drives multiple times the value, will lead to a sizeable change in Rivalryâs business outcomes.â
Second Quarter 2024 Highlights
Betting handle for Q2 2024 was $87.8 million, decreasing by $6.9 million or 7% as compared to $94.7 million in Q1 2024, and by $24.4 million or 22% from $112.2 million in Q2 2023. As Rivalry prioritizes margin, it can negatively impact betting handle as players turn over their balances less.
Gross gaming revenue (âGGRâ)2 was $7.4 million in Q2 2024, decreasing by $0.3 million or 3% from $7.7 million in Q1 2024, and by $1.0 million or 12% from $8.5 million in Q2 2023.
Net revenue3 was $4.7 million in Q2 2024, increasing by $0.1 million, or 3% from $4.5 million in Q1 2024, and by $0.8 million or 22% from $3.8 million in Q2 2023. As a percentage of GGR, the Q2 2024 net revenue margin of 62.5% was the highest in Company history and compares to 58.5% in Q1 2024 and 45.0% in Q2 2023. As a percentage of betting handle, the net revenue margin of 5.3% was the highest of the past six quarters. The improvements reflect ongoing initiatives to increase margins through innovation and adjustments to the product offering.
The Casino segment continues to be a strong contributor, generating 60% of betting handle and 24% of GGR in the quarter. Segment results reflect the ongoing expansion of Rivalryâs casino product line, including the original game Cash & Dash released in the second half of 2023.
Net loss was $5.4 million in Q2 2024. Net loss includes $0.52 million in interest expense accrued on the convertible debenture, that is not due until the end of 2025. The Company therefore considers the $4.8 million loss from operations in Q2 2024 as compared to $6.2 million in Q2 2023 a better representation of its working capital management.
The Company had $4.6 million of cash as at June 30, 2024.4
Rivalry drove strong upticks in user activity for higher margin product offerings including Pre Made Combos, which has driven over 500,000 wagers since its release in January 2024, supporting ongoing net revenue growth.
Rivalry expects to enter a licensing agreement for its first-party casino games in the coming months, establishing a new revenue stream for its B2B vertical.
Rivalry adjusted its onboarding experience to materially reduce friction for VIP users in global markets while remaining in compliance with regulatory requirements.
The Company maintains its H2 2024 profitability guidance.
Rivalry Token
In May 2024, the Company announced Rivalry Token, a native cryptocurrency to be integrated across Rivalryâs product suite to elevate the overall user experience, expected to launch in H2, subject to a number of market and product related considerations. Prior to the productâs full release, customers have been able to engage with Rivalry Token by connecting their digital wallets, earning rewards through on-site activity, and more recently off-site through a mini-experience called a âfaucet,â with more to come in the near future. Since May, Rivalry Token has gained meaningful traction among Rivalryâs user base, drawing a geographically diverse audience of high-value players and creating engagement loops which are driving upticks in site activity.
Subsequent to Q2 2024, Rivalry Token has delivered $1.7 million in revenue5, accelerating the Companyâs expansion into the crypto segment. This is expected to remain a revenue stream for the business throughout the remainder of the third quarter and into the fourth quarter.
Rivalry Token is capturing higher value players, where opted-in users are twice as valuable in terms of revenue potential and deposit nearly twice as much as non-opted-in users.
More than half of customers that opted-in to receive Rivalry Token are reactivated users while another 15% are new, marking the Companyâs most successful reactivation campaign.
Rivalry Token customers are more engaged users and play consistently during all days of the week with casino driving two-thirds of betting handle.
Rivalry released a Rivalry Token web-based complement product to its on-site pre-farming, called a âfaucet,â in mid-August to drive connected wallets and acquire new players. The Company is in the process of developing a social-based product expected to arrive in September to further expand its geographic footprint and audience capture within the crypto segment.
The Company will release more information in the coming months as Rivalry Token continues to develop.
Canada
Revolver Gaming Partners with Blazesoft to Expand in the Social Sweepstakes Market
Revolver Gaming, a leading developer of premium online slot games, is excited to announce its latest partnership with Blazesoft, a leading provider of online social casinos with sweepstakes elements. This partnership will see Revolver Gamingâs acclaimed portfolio of slot games delivered to Blazesoftâs brands, enriching their offering and providing players with cutting-edge entertainment.
Blazesoft is a well-established leader in the social sweepstakes market with leading brands in Fortune Coins, Zula Casino, Sportzino, Yaycasino.com who deliver engaging and compliant gaming experiences to players. By introducing Revolver Gamingâs innovative titles, Blazesoft strengthens its position as a prominent group operating the largest online social casinos in the U.S. and Canada for players seeking immersive and high-quality content.
As part of the collaboration, players on Blazesoft social gaming platforms will gain access to Revolverâs top-performing titles, including Badlands, Irish Coins, and Thor of Asgard. These games, celebrated for their stunning visuals, unique features, and dynamic gameplay, align perfectly with Blazesoftâs mission to offer exceptional entertainment to its users in North America.
Ryan Lazarus, CEO of Revolver Gaming, commented:
“Weâre thrilled to partner with Blazesoft, a standout operator in the social sweepstakes sector. This collaboration highlights our commitment to bringing top-quality games to players in innovative and growing markets. The social sweepstakes space is booming, and Blazesoftâs platforms provide the perfect home for our titles to reach and engage new audiences.”
Yuliya Ivanisova, Chief Commercial Officer at Blazesoft said: “With Blazesoftâs established reputation and Revolverâs innovative content, this collaboration sets the stage for enhanced player experiences and strong market performance.”
The partnership underscores Revolver Gamingâs dedication to supporting operators in the social sweepstakes gaming industry, a market that continues to experience tremendous growth. With Blazesoftâs established reputation and Revolverâs innovative content, this collaboration sets the stage for enhanced player experiences and strong market performance.
Canada
Ballyâs Interactive Launches the New Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino App in Ontario
Ballyâs Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Ballyâs Corporation, has launched the all-new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app in Ontario, Canada. This latest release marks another significant milestone for the company, following the recent app update in New Jersey and a series of successful app launches in the past year, including the introduction of Bally Bet Sportsbook across multiple states and Bally Casino in Rhode Island.
The updated Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app represents a major step forward, as it combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino app and Bally Bet Sportsbook app into one comprehensive platform. Powered by White Hat Gaming, this new app allows players residing in or traveling to Ontario to conveniently place wagers on both sports and casino games using a single app, account, and universal wallet.
âWe are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Ballyâs. This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalize the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet,â said Robeson Reeves, CEO of Ballyâs Corporation.
Canada
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
âScratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but theyâre not for kids,â said Ryan McCarthy, BCLCâs Director of Player Health. âThe research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.â
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
âWith the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,â said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. âOur research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.â
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
âOpen and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,â said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kidsâ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
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