Sun International bets on online poker

Sunbet recently announced plans to introduce online poker as its betting platform continues to grow from strength to strength.

Sunbet-owner Sun International recently released its results for its 2024 financial year, which revealed the betting platform as a stand-out performer.

Sunbet is Sun International’s online gaming platform, offering slot games, crash games like the popular Aviator, table and live dealer games, and sports betting.

It was launched in 2013 when Sun International identified online sports betting as a fast‐growing sector within the gaming industry.

Sun International is already a gaming and hospitality giant in South Africa, operating several casinos, resorts and hotels nationwide.

Therefore, Sunbet was launched as a way for Sun International to capitalise on the growing trend towards online gambling and betting.

After researching alternative gaming opportunities, the company acquired Powerbet Gaming, which owned and operated Voltbet.com. The company rebranded and re‐launched the site as Sunbet. 

“We believe that there are good synergy opportunities between this form of gaming, our existing business and the possibility of online gaming in the future,” Sun International’s Michael Farr said at the time. 

“Sunbet provides the group with the ideal platform to allow us exposure to the online environment and accelerate our entry into the online gaming market.”

At the time, Sunbet offered popular sports betting in rugby, cricket, soccer, tennis and US sports, as well as English football, amongst others, and negotiations were underway to include horse racing as soon as possible.

However, when Sunbet first launched, sports betting was extremely popular in many parts of the world, but in South Africa, horse racing was the only activity that received significant volume and interest.

Despite this, Sunbet has proved to be a highly successful venture for Sun International, as the platform and online betting market, in general, have grown tremendously since 2013.

Sunbet has maintained its impressive growth

In the company’s 2024 results, Sun International explained that Sunbet has maintained its impressive growth trajectory, surpassing its five-year targets as set out in its agreed strategy in 2022. 

The platform’s overall income surged by 60.6% to R1.2 billion, resulting in a record-setting adjusted EBITDA, pre-management fees, of R363 million. 

The company said a rise in active players was a key driver of this performance, supported by marketing efforts, the launch of new games and ongoing improvements to the overall player experience.

“While customer acquisition remains key, retention of long-term players ensures sustained profitability for Sunbet,” it explained. 

At the end of 2024, Sunbet achieved substantial growth in its key performance indicators, which included:

• Unique active players up 35.0%
• First-time depositors up 47.2%
• Deposits up 63.3%

“Sunbet continues to present the group with tremendous growth potential, being one of the fastest-growing companies in the online market,” Sun International said. 

In 2024, the company acquired new licences in Mpumalanga, North West and Botswana. It also launched a number of new offerings, including Aviator and slot games from new operators.

“Additionally, we have invested in a new website front-end design that showcases our key verticals in a modern, eCommerce-based environment, accompanied by a marketing campaign that ties in the iconic Sun City to complete our brand relaunch,” it said. 

“These improvements ensure that our customers can interact with Sunbet seamlessly, positioning us well operationally for strong growth.” 

The company explained that it intentionally and strategically leverages the Sun International brand, its broad market presence, and its loyalty program to attract new players while retaining its existing customer base.

“Our goal is to establish Sunbet as the leading and most trusted online gaming operator in southern Africa,” it said. 

“In an industry where commoditisation is prevalent, our key differentiator is our ability to enhance our offerings through the vast resources of the group.”

In its 2024 results presentation, Sun International also revealed that it has several projects in the pipeline for Sunbet.

One project is the launch of online poker, although no further details were given on the planned launch date.