How Sun International will double its online share in South Africa

Throughout Solar Worldwide’s Capital Markets Day presentation in March, group CEO Ulrik Bengtsson revealed that its SunBet on-line model held a 4.5% share of South Africa’s on-line playing sector.

This places it fourth in a market that Solar additionally expects to roughly double in measurement to roughly R100 billion ($5.98 billion) GGR by 2030.

This progress would largely align with the newest information from H2 Playing Capital, which estimates South Africa’s complete interactive market will rise from a gross win of $3.3 billion in 2025 to $5.88 billion by 2030.

Bengtsson additionally introduced the corporate deliberate to double its on-line market share.

Bengtsson joined Solar Worldwide as CEO in July 2025, following an extended profession in gaming in Europe and the UK, the place he was CEO at Evoke’s William Hill and Betsson earlier than that.

“It begins with technique and the actions we’re taking to drive in the direction of our financial purpose, which we additionally outlined on the Capital Markets Day,” Bengtsson tells iGB when requested how Solar Worldwide deliberate to realize its purpose of doubling on-line market share. 

“However then it comes fairly shortly right down to individuals and capabilities and ensuring that throughout the organisation we have the proper set of capabilities to take us within the path we have to go. The manager staff, so the individuals round me, we’ve got principally put a brand new staff in place. However in fact, there’s plenty of work nonetheless to be achieved in varied elements of the enterprise to be able to go according to that technique.” 

As a part of this technique, Leslie Peters joined Solar as chief expertise and product officer to steer its digital turnaround in November final 12 months. Peters had a robust background in software program improvement, earlier than changing into CTO at iGaming infrastructure platform Derivco in 2017.

Product enhancements wanted 

By way of particular areas Solar Worldwide wants to enhance on to succeed in its on-line purpose, Bengtsson says it’s “all about product”. He admits the Sunbet product is at the moment “nowhere close to pretty much as good” as these of the main operators in South Africa. 

A part of this product focus will centre round bringing the tech in-house, rebuilding a lot of Solar Worldwide’s stack. “In an effort to be a critical contender for a prime place out there, you really want to have a product that’s near greatest in school,” Bengtsson explains. “And in order that’s actually principally the place the main focus is, constructing a greater on-line product supported by expertise.” 

Requested particularly what concerning the Sunbet product wants addressing, Bengtsson appears to be like past the fundamentals of velocity, stability and fee strategies, and into how Solar Worldwide truly leverages its product, notably by front-end enhancements.  

“Merchandise are so many issues,” Bengtsson says. “If you consider the on line casino area, the first issues we’re engaged on are a complete new entrance finish and a brand new foyer for our on line casino [to improve] that entire expertise round discovering, navigating and accessing the video games.” 

Turning to sportsbook, Bengtsson notes the product makes use of Kambi however once more factors to front-end modifications. “The interface, the homepage and the foyer want enhancements by way of the feel and appear and velocity,” he says.  

“However then it’s additionally how we work with the merchandise. In sportsbook, for instance, we’ve got very a lot labored with sportsbook as if it was a on line casino. And, you realize, on line casino is sort of static. It modifications, nevertheless it doesn’t change by the minute and by the day [like a sportsbook]. So it’s additionally a approach of working and operationalising a special mindset.” 

Natural progress first, M&A later 

Bengtsson at the moment views Solar Worldwide’s path to assembly its market share purpose as being a “principally natural” technique, though acquisitions could comply with. Whereas the main focus is on updating its tech in-house within the close to time period, there is also a possibility for M&A exercise sooner or later.  

“After all, as soon as we’ve got a number of the parts in place that we should always have in place by way of expertise, that opens up the chance to do acquisitions differently,” Bengtsson says.  

“We’re not fairly there but, however that’s a possible situation as soon as we get a bit of bit additional down the highway.” 

Belief within the model 

Solar Worldwide’s transition to changing into a digitally-led enterprise is supported by a particularly robust land-based proposition. The corporate, which operates 11 casinos throughout eight of South Africa’s 9 provinces, accounts for practically half of the nation’s land-based market.

Solar elevated its market share by 0.7% in 2025, taking its complete to 46% in FY2025 regardless of the sector’s GGR dropping 6.3% throughout the identical interval. 

Bengtsson believes Solar Worldwide has a “very dependable, reliable model”, which helps its goal to develop according to the on-line market by 2030. “We’ve been round for 60 years,” Bengtsson continues. “Individuals can belief that issues work at some institution or at Sunbet.  

“After which it’s product once more, ensuring that the product is aggressive. The market can develop at an unbelievable tempo, but when you’re not positioned along with your product to capitalise on that, it’s not going to occur. It comes again to product once more, and naturally to some extent, additionally the model.” 

Solar Worldwide’s edge 

Bengtsson highlights the significance of Solar Worldwide’s land-based proposition in rising its on-line providing – however stresses the connection works each methods. “I don’t assume that Sunbet can be the place it’s at the moment with out the land-based enterprise,” he says. “And I additionally don’t assume our land-based enterprise can be the place it’s at the moment with out Sunbet.” 

Bengtsson describes it as a aggressive edge that Solar Worldwide intends to maintain hammering house. “More and more we’re speaking about one proprietary buyer ecosystem the place we kind of assist one another with varied kind of provides and handle the client inside that platform or ecosystem, if you’ll.  

“I imply, we are able to supply issues for a few of our on-line gamers that nobody else can supply, experiences at Solar Metropolis [casino] or dwell tournaments. So there’s a lot to be mentioned for our land-based enterprise to help Sunbet. But additionally, Sunbet attracts new clients that we then can convey to our properties and expose them to the outstanding experiences that we offer at our properties.”

Fragmented regulatory system and potential tax pressures 

Solar Worldwide operates in Africa’s largest and most mature market. However whereas from a regulatory perspective, South Africa has been largely steady, it’s missing a nationwide gaming framework. 

In late 2025, a dialogue paper on the introduction of a 20% nationwide tax on GGR for on-line playing was printed by the Nationwide Treasury. The deadline for public submissions closed on 27 February.

South Africa is made up of 9 provinces, with on-line playing in every of these overseen by their personal regulator. Whereas nationwide laws units the general framework, features corresponding to licensing and enforcement are dealt with at provincial stage. Nevertheless, Bengtsson notes this differs from jurisdictions like the US, as operators licensed in a single jurisdiction are capable of supply their on-line providers to gamers in a special province. 

Bengtsson views the proposed 20% nationwide tax because the “cart earlier than the horse”, stating South Africa should first discover a path to nationwide regulation, one thing Solar Worldwide would help. However general, he’s optimistic about the potential of harmonised nationwide laws.  

“For those who’re going to place a nationwide tax on this or discover a method to tax this on a nationwide stage, you want a nationwide laws first,” he says. “I believe there are plenty of issues that have to occur earlier than anybody is able to implement a nationwide tax of that magnitude.  

“Now, having mentioned that, I’m hopeful that we’ll get to a spot the place there may be that nationwide regulation sooner or later, and we welcome that. We are a giant proponent, and we expect that’s essential to be very clear on what the principles of the sport are. After which in fact, we’ll see what the tax base goes to be.” 

Tax rise might hurt channelisation

Though Bengtsson is bullish on South Africa’s regulatory future, he stays involved by channelisation and the way excessive tax charges might affect that, as seen in Europe at the moment. “I believe if we find yourself with a tax stage that’s 40% plus, it’s not good, proper? We all know that from the UK. However I’m very hopeful that we are able to keep away from that situation,” he explains.  

“It’s not an enormous drawback in South Africa in the meanwhile as a result of there may be some kind of regulatory framework. It’s giant, however it’s not as dangerous as in the Netherlands, or a few of these actually dysfunctional locations. However sure, we’re nervous that any main intervention into taxes or regulation can have a unfavourable impact and create a a lot bigger offshore market that isn’t wholesome for anybody.” 

South African progress strong however not distinctive

After years of management expertise in Europe, Bengtsson doesn’t view South Africa as a singular progress alternative within the international playing trade, believing it nonetheless has areas to atone for.   

He laments the UK’s trajectory, following an virtually doubling of distant gaming obligation in April. “I don’t assume anybody in the proper state of mind would enter the UK with a brand new model in at the moment’s setting. However there are a couple of different markets which may nonetheless be engaging. After all, these markets are extra aggressive. They’re additional superior relating to expertise and product and progress charges have in all probability tapered off.  

He forecasts a 15% CAGR for South Africa over the subsequent 5 years. “It’s not astronomical,” he admits. “However that’s a fairly good progress price in comparison with many different locations. The world is full of markets which are engaging. It’s not solely South Africa that has a stage of attractiveness to it. It’s not distinctive in that sense, I wouldn’t say.” 

Whereas Bengtsson concedes he didn’t have full visibility of how chaotic the South African provincial regulatory system may very well be earlier than he joined the operator, he believes his intensive expertise can drive Solar Worldwide to its final objectives.

In his expertise, regulation pans out largely the identical throughout various markets, as does the sector’s method to product and gamers. “Many issues [about the South African Market] are much less totally different [to Europe] than individuals would assume,” Bengtsson concludes. “We just about know how regulation goes to evolve. We’ve seen it in so many locations world wide. And the web product we additionally understand how that’s going to evolve. There are some native nuances at all times, however broadly talking, we all know what’s essential.”