Virgin Bet Strengthens Its Position in South Africa

Virgin Bet, a brand operated by Livescore Group, officially launched in South Africa in March 2026, and the company is now focused on increasing its market share. Gail Odgers, who previously held leadership positions at Sportpesa, Sportingbet, and Greatodds, has been heading Virgin Bet's marketing since July 2025. With her transition to the role of CEO, she plans to establish the brand in Africa's largest market. Odgers sees marketing as key to success in the gaming industry.

"I think our business has become largely a marketing business," says Odgers. "Marketing is the foundation for success or failure, especially for an iGaming operator."

Key Aspects of Development

While Virgin Bet's initial steps in South Africa exceeded expectations, Odgers acknowledges that marketing is not the only important factor for further progress. She emphasizes that the product must be good enough to retain customers:

• Attracting new users
• Developing and retaining the customer base
• Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction

Odgers also points out that the Virgin brand is well known, but Virgin Bet is a new brand in the region, so the goals for the first quarter were conservative.

Building Trust

The South African market is crowded with well-known brands, but according to Odgers, it is open to operators with established brands. She notes:

"South Africans are willing to give a chance if you have a well-known brand and a good product."

Her main goal for the upcoming year is to increase market share among tier-two operators and strengthen the customer retention base.

Marketing Strategy and Major Events Impact

During the FIFA World Cup, investors ponder marketing spending for major sporting events. Odgers believes it is important not to spread the budget too thin on short-term events. She states that the marketing strategy should not be built around such tournaments alone.

"You don’t want to spend the bulk of your budget on a major tournament, but you should allocate some funds to acquire customers during such events," she explains.

Thus, finding a balance between long-term and temporary marketing strategies plays a crucial role in Virgin Bet's success.

Conclusion

Under the leadership of Gail Odgers, Virgin Bet is actively strengthening its presence in the South African market, using marketing as the primary tool for building trust and increasing market share.