Sun International has set itself an ambitious target: double SunBet’s online market share in South Africa within the next five years, even as the entire sector is poised to roughly double in size. With just 4.5% of the market currently, the company sits fourth among online operators in a market forecast to grow from $3.3 billion in gross gaming revenue this year to nearly $5.9 billion by 2030. The challenge is significant. But CEO Ulrik Bengtsson, who took the helm in July 2025 after leading William Hill and Betsson in Europe, believes the pathway is clear: overhaul the technology, rebuild the product, and leverage Sun’s formidable land-based presence.

A Candid Assessment of the Competition Gap

Bengtsson doesn’t shy away from acknowledging SunBet’s current shortcomings. The product, he admits plainly, is “nowhere near as good” as those offered by market leaders. That kind of assessment might sound damaging coming from a new chief executive, but it reflects a refreshingly honest diagnosis that underpins the company’s turnaround strategy. Rather than chase market share through acquisition or aggressive marketing of an inferior offering, Sun International is investing in fundamental product reconstruction.

The restructuring goes well beyond cosmetic updates. Leslie Peters joined as chief technology and product officer in November, bringing deep experience from Derivco, an iGaming infrastructure platform where he served as CTO. Under their joint vision, Sun International is moving significant portions of its tech stack in-house rather than relying on external vendors. The goal: achieve the “best in class” product performance necessary to compete at the top tier.

Frontend First: Where the Real Work Begins

The specifics reveal where Sun International’s focus lies. In the casino vertical, the company is developing an entirely new frontend and lobby experience, recognising that discovery, navigation, and accessibility are where many players form their first impressions. The sportsbook side presents different challenges, even though SunBet uses Kambi’s platform. Bengtsson points to interface, homepage, and lobby improvements as immediate priorities, but he also identifies a deeper operational issue: Sun International has historically approached sportsbook with a casino mindset, treating it as a relatively static product rather than something that evolves minute by minute and day by day.

This distinction matters. It’s not simply about making things faster or more stable, though those basics remain essential. It’s about understanding that sportsbook requires different operational rhythms, different content refresh cycles, and different user expectations than casino games. That kind of strategic rethink doesn’t happen through vendor relationships alone; it requires internal ownership and expertise.

Organic Growth, With M&A as an Option

Bengtsson frames Sun International’s expansion strategy as “mostly organic” for now, with acquisitions held in reserve as a possibility further down the line. Once the company has strengthened its technology foundations and product capabilities, M&A could accelerate market consolidation. For the moment, though, organic growth is the priority because a weak product platform would make any acquisition difficult to integrate effectively.

The foundation for this digital push is remarkably solid. Sun International operates 11 land-based casinos across eight of South Africa’s nine provinces and commands nearly half of the nation’s brick-and-mortar market. Despite a 6.3% decline in the land-based sector’s overall GGR during FY2025, Sun actually increased its market share by 0.7 percentage points to reach 46%. That brand strength and customer loyalty create a natural bridge to digital channels.

The Brand Advantage

Bengtsson repeatedly returns to brand as a strategic asset. Sun International has operated for 60 years, building trust and familiarity across South Africa. That’s not a minor competitive advantage when players are evaluating where to place their money online. Combined with a genuinely competitive product, that brand equity could accelerate the path to doubling market share as the overall market expands.

The timeline and the math are both compelling. If South Africa’s online gambling market does indeed double by 2030, and if Sun International successfully doubles its share within that growing pie, the company could move from a supporting role in its own digital strategy to one of the sector’s major players. It’s an outcome that hinges entirely on whether the internal technology rebuild and product transformation actually deliver. For an operator with Sun’s financial strength and operational expertise, the pieces appear to be falling into place.