NBA to roll out virtual sports betting game next season

The National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced Wednesday the launch of a virtual sports betting game which uses NBA highlights and footage from recent seasons to tell a story of what plays out during the 90 seconds.

'NBA Last 90' was created in partnership with virtual sports betting developer Highlight Games. The game will drop contestants into the final 90 seconds of a simulated matchup between two NBA teams and offer wagering propositions on what transpires during the ending of a fictitious game.

"Virtual sports betting is incredibly popular in regions around the world and we’re looking forward to giving fans another innovative way to engage with the NBA," said Scott Kaufman-Ross, Head of Fantasy & Gaming, NBA.  "With NBA Last 90, Highlight Games has created a new spin on virtual sports basketball and delivered an authentic gaming experience utilizing real NBA content."

Contestants will be able to wager on several outcomes, including which team will win, who will score on the first possession and the total points scored by both teams. A random number generator, similar to what's used in slot machines, will determine the outcomes.

The NBA, NBPA and specialist gaming supplier, Highlight Games Limited, announce innovative partnership. Link: https://t.co/ptmFkIUPzo pic.twitter.com/v9D9djtArD

— NBPA (@TheNBPA) 19 de junio de 2019

"We are extremely excited about this partnership and the potential future opportunities for our players in the virtual gaming space," said Josh Goodstadt, Executive Vice President of Licensing for THINK450, the commercial arm of the NBPA. "We look forward to working with the NBA and Highlight Games to create a unique gaming experience that will help to grow the popularity of the players and the league worldwide."

The game will be distributed to licensed gaming operators in multiple regions across the world, initially launching in Europe and will expand to include the United States later in the 2019-20 NBA season. Fans can expect to see NBA Last 90 across multiple channels, including retail locations, online and in mobile applications.

"I’m delighted to announce this groundbreaking partnership with NBA and NBPA," said Tim Green, CEO Highlight Games.  "Highlight Games has an ambitious strategy to enter the nascent US sports betting and virtual sports market, and this collaboration is the first important step on that journey. NBA Last 90 features real NBA stars and real NBA highlights, differentiating it from any other virtual sports product on the market.  We’re confident that players around the world will be instantly engaged with NBA Last 90."