Sunbet Drives Growth for Sun International After 36% Revenue Increase in H1

Sunbet recorded revenues of ZAR1.2 billion (£56 million) in the first half, solidifying its position as the growth engine of Sun International after increasing its turnover by 35.5% year-on-year (YoY). This performance surpasses the growth rate of the South African online market, estimated at 19%. The sports betting segment increased its revenues by 10.9% YoY, while the online gaming vertical saw a notable increase of 43.2% compared to the first half of 2025.

Sunbet and the Group’s Digital Strategy

Sun International's management highlighted Sunbet as the centerpiece of its technological transformation, especially following the rollout of a new user interface in South Africa and Botswana. CEO Ulrik Bengtsson emphasized that this interface is part of the first proprietary technology developed in-house for the operator’s technology stack, designed to accelerate player interaction and lay the groundwork for sustained growth.

Role of Artificial Intelligence in the New Platform

The development and launch of Sunbet's new platform was made possible, according to Bengtsson, by employing artificial intelligence in key phases such as automated testing. The executive explained during the results presentation:

"Like any well-managed company, we use AI in numerous areas. The proprietary frontend for Sunbet was launched in what I would call record time. Two years ago, that would not have been possible, and the use of AI tools for testing was crucial to achieving it." He also mentioned the integration of a new data platform with Databricks, which allows for natural language queries on reports and democratizes access to information across the group, enhancing management visibility.

Operational Indicators and Increased Active Players

The launch of the new stack coincided with a 17.5% YoY increase in first deposits, reaching 330,000 new players. Additionally, the "unique active user days" grew by 32.3% annually, totaling 5.1 million for the semester. The adjusted EBITDA for the online segment rose by 42.1% year-on-year, standing at ZAR415 million and representing nearly a quarter (24%) of the group’s total EBITDA for the period.

Bengtsson underlined Sunbet's significance by stating:

"Sunbet, the growth engine of the group, has once again performed strongly, with revenues 35.5% higher than the previous year, surpassing the national online market, which grew around 19%." He asserted that growth continues to be driven by the slots and casino customer base, although the sports betting vertical is beginning to gain traction.

Technological Innovation and Omnichannel Integration as Drivers

During the semi-annual meeting, Bengtsson – former CEO of William Hill and Betsson – emphasized the value of physical-digital convergence in the global strategy. He mentioned that a significant portion of in-person customers also play online, but not necessarily with Sunbet, identifying a relevant opportunity for omnichannel integration. In March, during the Capital Markets Day, Sun International announced its goal of achieving an 8% share of the online market in South Africa by 2030.

Performance of Sun International by Segments

The Sun International group increased its total revenue by 7.4% year-on-year to ZAR6.6 billion. Physical casinos remained the main segment with ZAR3.4 billion in revenue. Nevertheless, the online channel continues to gain weight, both in revenue and profitability within the group's structure.

Expectations and Next Steps

Management believes that the preliminary results of the new platform and the technological direction are "promising" and increase confidence in the proposed five-year plan. The objective is to continue reinforcing the digital stack, data analytics capability, and to drive conversion and retention of customers in both online and physical channels. The group's expectations, in Bengtsson's view, are focused on maintaining a growth dynamic above the national average of the sector.