Virgin Bet Makes First Move Outside Of UK; Similar Challenges Posed

Virgin Bet has made its first move outside of the UK, expanding into South Africa, according to reports. Indeed, Virgin Bet aims to replicate the success it achieved on these shores when it formally launched in 2019.

Operated by the LiveScore Group, which has already established a footprint in Nigeria, South Africa represents the largest licensed betting market in Africa. And Virgin Bet has laid out its intentions to ensure it makes a splash.

Framework and objectives of expansion

Virgin Bet’s new platform, Virginbet.co.za, is part of LiveScore Group’s wider strategic plan to create a bigger presence in Africa. One of the expansion’s focal points is to foster responsible gambling. A range of player protection tools, such as deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion features, will be placed alongside age verification tools to ensure they meet compliance standards.

Not only that, but Virgin Bet will look to roll out a greater mix of sports betting markets and exciting promotions to engage with players. Football price boosts have proved to be popular for UK bettors, but among the other crowd favourites are Virgin Bet Fives, a free-to-play game where you get to reveal a Premier League player, and a spin of the wheel can lead to a lucrative cash bonus.

Delivering ‘standout experiences’

To support long-term growth, Virgin Bet has created a local leadership team. There has been a hiring spree, and that has included the appointment of Gail Odgers as Head of Marketing. And Odgers has revealed what makes the South African market such an attractive proposition for Virgin Bet.

She said:

“Launching in South Africa is a proud moment for us. At Virgin Bet, we believe that ‘A Good Bet’ means delivering standout experiences for our customers, while also taking our responsibility to players and communities seriously.

“South Africans care deeply about sport. Whether it’s football, rugby or cricket, sport is part of everyday conversation. That passion is what makes this market so exciting for us.

“Our role is to enhance that experience responsibly. We’re focused on building trust and introducing Virgin Bet in a way that South Africans can feel confident in.”

Testing time for the regulated industry

News of Virgin Bet’s launch in South Africa is fascinating, given the current challenges facing the regulated industry. Data presented by the National Gambling Board of South Africa estimates that 66% of adults are engaged in online gambling, representing a serious surge, given that the figure was at 30% in 2017.

This is driving the government’s desire to introduce a gambling tax hike, where they have proposed upping the national tax on online gambling profits to 20%.

The problems faced in South Africa bear some resemblance to the UK, where the November budget presented a series of tax changes, including an uptick in general duty paid on online sports betting, increasing from 15% to 25% in April 2027.

Moreover, there has been a ripple effect in the UK, with operators undertaking restructures to adapt to the new gambling landscape. This included Paddy Power, which is pushing ahead with changes to its marketing team as they try to absorb the impact of the tax hikes.

As far as South Africa is concerned, a rise in tax on online gambling profits, according to data published, could help the government double revenues from the sector to around £459m annually.

Although Virgin Bet will come under greater scrutiny in South Africa, they still have a chance to make a telling difference.