SunBet’s CEO Simon Gregory has outlined an ambitious plan to significantly expand the operator’s share of the South African online betting market, aiming to double it from its current 4.5% within the next five years. This strategy follows Sun International's Capital Markets Day earlier this year when CEO Ulrik Bengtsson first shared the comprehensive plan.
SunBet made headlines recently with its launch in Namibia, contributing to its overall growth. Sun International reported a remarkable 35.5% year-on-year increase in online revenue for the first half of 2026. In spite of this growth, Gregory recognizes the challenge ahead in achieving their target market share, stating, "Doubling market share in South Africa is super ambitious," but he remains undeterred. "Setting big targets and ambitions is important. It’s a journey, not a target."
The clarity on SunBet's current status in the competitive landscape is somewhat limited, as Gregory noted that only Sun International and its rival Betway, part of Super Group, are publicly traded online operators in South Africa. Nevertheless, he believes SunBet has made progress since the strategy announcement, despite facing competition from giants like Betway and Hollywoodbets. "With a small online market share of around 3% to 5%, there is still a lot of potential growth ahead of us," he remarked, referencing the substantial market dominance of established players.
Gregory insists that technology is critical to SunBet’s strategy moving forward. At the Capital Markets Day, Bengtsson emphasized a commitment to being "more aggressive" in capturing market share through technological investment. Gregory reiterated this focus, highlighting that to win in these markets, SunBet must provide a product that is not only technically efficient but also user-friendly and scalable.
He elaborated, "Being world-class on a technical level is essential, and creating those innovative solutions takes time. Our aim is to significantly enhance our technology and product offerings. There’s a difference between being good and being popular, and we need to be both — first, we must excel, and then we will become popular."
Investment will primarily target improvements in SunBet’s technology infrastructure to enable quicker decision-making and product development. "We need to be highly efficient, have an excellent user interface, and a wide array of products and functionalities," he said.
SunBet’s current offerings show a notable bias toward casino games, with roughly 90% of revenue stemming from this segment and only 10% from sports betting. Acknowledging this imbalance, Gregory stated, "We’re certainly under-indexed on sport, mainly due to our casino roots. However, we are now focusing efforts on enhancing our sportsbook."
Recent upgrades to the sportsbook include new software and improved user experiences anticipated for completion by early December, aiming to make the platform more attractive to bettors.
As for expansion plans, SunBet’s recent entry into Namibia marks its third operational market after South Africa and Botswana. Although the operator has licenses in Ghana, Zambia, and Kenya, it has not yet begun operations there. Gregory expressed a cautious stance toward further expansion, stating, "We are focused on growth in Namibia for now. Many European operators have come to Africa, invested heavily, and failed to gain traction."
Bengtsson has previously mentioned that the company is on the lookout for potential inorganic growth opportunities, yet they maintain stringent criteria for investments that promise measurable growth. Gregory sees potential for mergers and acquisitions, especially if these opportunities involve gaining a significant foothold in target markets with strong customer bases.
In addressing how SunBet plans to balance its market share goals in South Africa with broader expansion, Gregory concluded that the two objectives can coexist effectively: "Both goals are achievable; it’s a matter of resource allocation."
