CASE STUDY: RIVALRY

From securing licenses to contributing to the Island's regulatory framework, Rivalry has carved a distinctive path, leveraging the Isle of Man's robust infrastructure and Digital Isle of Man's support. Join us on a journey through the intricacies of Rivalry's success story, exploring the symbiotic relationship between a visionary betting platform and the Isle of Man's flourishing gaming environment.

Who are Rivalry and what is the vision for the business?

Rivalry is a sportsbook and eGaming operator for Millennials and Gen Z, offering fully regulated online wagering on esports, sports, and casino in more than 20 countries.

Positioned at the centre of gaming and internet culture, Rivalry pride themselves on being the de facto sports betting brand for the next generation of consumers and their distinctive consumption habits. Rivalry’s vision is to define the future of betting entertainment for a generation born on the internet.

Why is the Isle of Man an ideal home for Rivalry?

Rivalry has been licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (‘GSC’) since early 2018 and continues to successfully operate under our globally recognised licensing authority. The Isle of Man provides the highest level of compliance in terms of strict AML/CFT controls and allows Rivalry to be seen as a responsible and trusted gambling operator. 

Throughout Rivalry’s time on the Isle of Man, they have been able to have open communication with the regulator and help shape the gambling landscape by regularly providing feedback and suggestions. They state that they feel valued by the regulator for allowing them to have an open line of communication.

Rivalry takes pride in operating with integrity, ensuring they have the best player protection, responsible gambling tools available for their players, and more to build trust with their customers. While in the Isle of Man, Rivalry were able to establish a connection with Motiv8, a leading problem gambling charity in the island, and intend to start working closer with the charity by not only donating crucial funds, but partnering with the organisation to help those who may be suffering from problem gambling.

What benefits has the ecosystem in the Isle of Man provided?

The Isle of Man is known as a hub for eGaming, and Rivalry has tangibly benefited by establishing an office here. There are multiple key stakeholders which they work with locally to ensure their business is reached by hundreds of thousands globally. Data centre and hosting providers ensuring their service is kept online 100% of the time, while local banking partners ensure reliable and effective payment operations. All in all, the Isle of Man is well-positioned to provide the necessary and quality infrastructure to support an international online business that is growing rapidly. 

How has the support from Digital Isle of Man helped?

Rivalry has been a staunch advocate for the Isle of Man jurisdiction, actively participating in international gaming exhibitions to showcase the quality it has to offer. More recently, they have been working more closely with the Digital Isle of Man team to increase their presence on the Island and have completed the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) grant application which supports businesses located in the Isle of Man to grow. The FAS scheme offers a package of support which can include up to 40% funding towards capital and operating items, covering a range of items, including building expenditure, plant machinery and rent.  Multiple applications are possible as your business grows and also includes an Employee Relocation Incentive of up to £10,000.

Digital Isle of Man introduced Rivalry to a number of agencies who provided a range of rental options for setting up their offices as well as facilitating introductions to other payment service providers, enabling them to further scale their operations and solidify presence on the Isle of Man. 

What has been their favourite accomplishment so far?

Acquiring its Isle of Man license in 2018 marked the initiation of Rivalry's journey. The company's greatest accomplishment lies in scaling its business from that moment to the present day.  This includes welcoming customers from around the world, pioneering a new segment in betting with esports, and redefining an entire product category with a top-notch team representing more than a dozen different countries. Securing the Isle of Man license was the start of Rivalry and what has inevitably led them to the point they’re at today, which they’re incredibly proud of.

What are the future plans for Rivalry and how does the Isle of Man fit in?

Rivalry are continuing to scale their operations and offerings to more customers. They are focussed on creating a one-of-kind betting experience and prioritising the development and launch of new, innovative products for users that set a precedent for the future of betting entertainment.

While they’ve been able to create a distinctive and entertaining betting product, speed and functionality is a critical part of the user experience. The Isle of Man provides Rivalry with the infrastructure and reliability to service its global customer base at scale without disruption so they can concentrate on important initiatives like product innovation, responsible gambling, and more.

If you want to find out more about how we at Digital Isle of Man can support you and your business, you can reach us through the ‘Contact Us’ page or via contact-digital@gov.im.