SunBet Leverages Sun International Land-Based Network to Compete in South African Online Market

SunBet is drawing on Sun International’s land-based casino dominance to build its position in South Africa’s online gambling sector. Simon Gregory, SunBet CEO, estimates the operator ranks third or fourth overall, behind Betway which entered in 2017 and Hollywoodbets which launched its online offering in 2006. SunBet operates in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana with plans to double its online market share.

Gregory tells iGB the operator offers a competitive alternative. “We’re not as big as Betway or Hollywoodbets, but we have a solution that is highly competitive with those, and we can offer more rewards and to harmonise their gambling play between the casinos online,” he said. Sun International holds around 50% of the South African land-based market through 11 casinos in eight of the country’s nine provinces. This base supplies a trusted brand and enables harmonised rewards for land-based customers moving online.

Omnichannel Integration Drives Mutual Benefits

Gregory describes the link between SunBet and the land-based business as mutually beneficial via omnichannel capabilities. “We have certainly benefitted, or both of us have benefitted from an omnichannel solution,” Gregory adds. “We’re able to trade off the strong cultural heritage that Sun International has in the gaming space.” The approach echoes comments from Sun International CEO Ulrik Bengtsson on creating one proprietary customer ecosystem for offers and customer management.

Sun International reported group income growth of 7.4% to R6.58 billion ($400.4 million) in H1, driven by a 35.5% year-on-year rise in SunBet revenue to R1.18 billion. The land-based segment returned to growth for the first time in three years. Gregory highlighted the value of the country’s oldest loyalty programme and a large gambler database to convert customers.

Competitive Positioning in a Crowded Field

The strategy underscores how land-based scale supplies brand trust and customer data that pure online entrants must build from scratch. SunBet’s model channels existing loyalty into online play while delivering consistent rewards. This positions the operator to sustain growth in a market where Betway and Hollywoodbets hold established leads, provided conversion rates from the land-based database meet internal targets.

Reporting: iGaming Business (iGB)

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