Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors battles for the ball with DeMarcus Cousins of the Golden State Warriors during the 2019 NBA Finals. (Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The NBA is turning to virtual sports betting to appeal to European fans in a market where continental rival the EuroLeague is already successful.
Last month, the NBA announced a betting game called Last 90 that will allow users to make a variety of predictions on outcomes of a simulated matchup. Those outcomes could include which team will win, who will score on the first possession, or the total number of points scored by both teams. Last 90 is set to debut in Europe at the start of the 2019-20 season. The NBA plans to launch it in U.S. gaming markets at a later date.
The 90-second simulated games will be compiled using actual NBA highlights and footage from past games. The outcomes are chosen at random by an automatic number generator similar to the kind used to power slot machines.
In a recent interview with SportTechie, NBA director of international fantasy and gaming Kuljeet Sindhar said the NBA decided to launch Last 90 as part of ongoing efforts to get the game and the league’s content in front of more fans, particularly those in Europe where the EuroLeague has a strong, competing foothold.
“When we were looking at the gaming space, we looked at sports betting and we also looking at: What are the other popular gaming mechanisms around the world? We saw how popular virtual sports was in the U.K. and Italy in particular. It made sense with basketball products already existing in that space that we could bring an authentic experience to NBA fans,” said Sindhar. “It makes sense in markets where our games are played at more inaccessible hours in the middle of night.”
Sindhar said virtual sports represent “another way” for the league to “access fans.”
“We’re always looking ahead. In the last year we’ve engaged the sports betting space, and this [virtual sports deal] occupies an interesting niche where we’re trying to put our content in front of fans and bring NBA experiences to fans with games held around the world,” he said.
The National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association have partnered with gaming supplier Highlight Games Limited to create Last 90.
The NBA was quick to move into the sports betting space after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned PASPA and enabled states to legalize gambling. The NBA tapped MGM Resorts as its official gaming supplier in 2018.
The NBA has played regular season games in London over the past eight years, though it doesn’t consider itself a competitor to the EuroLeague. Last 90 gives it an opportunity to engage European fans with actual game footage they can consume at their convenience.
