Supersport bets on itself!

If January is anything to go by, the year 2024 sports enthusiasts are going to be spoilt for choice. There are so many exhilarating experiences for sports fans. From experiencing their favourite sports live at the venues, their television screens, and even their mobile screens. Any time of the day one can experience their favourite sports on the go.

A big part of the sporting experience historically has always been betting. Whether informally through banter between fans or in more formalized settings where people put their money where their mouths are!

In the last decade or so there has been a boom in the sports betting segment and everyone wants their share. On 5 January 2024 the MultiChoice Group announced that through their partnership with KingMakers (formerly Betking), of which they hold a 49% stake, they will be launching SuperSportBet!

This collaboration between Africa’s premier video entertainment company and leading sports and digital entertainment company has positioned itself as “being the ultimate destination for sports fans, the betting fraternity, and sports lifestyle enthusiasts”.

Their bullish claim is a brave one in the already, some might say, cluttered environment. With players like Betway Group , Bet.co.za , Sportsbet , and the likes of Hollywoodbets it’s sure to be one hell of a ride!

Why would one want to even venture into this space?

When one unpacks a few stats, it slowly becomes evident as to why one would even venture into this territory. Whichever way one looks at it, though seemingly saturated there is still opportunity for growth in this segment and the Multichoice group along with its partners is well positioned to use its size and competitive advantage to take its rivals head-on. The stats below paint a picture of the sheer size and potential of this segment and Supersport’s reach on the African continent puts them in quite a strong position.

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Some Interesting stats:

• According to the?Africa Gambling Market Forecast, a whopping 71% of South Africans?play mobile casino games. Many spend up to 4 hours per day on their mobile devices accessing gaming sites, making South Africa the largest gambling market on the continent.?
• Land-based casinos, of which there are 40 licenced in South Africa, account for the lion’s share of the country’s gross gambling revenue (GGR). According to the National Gambling Board, South Africa’s GGR totalled R34.4 billion in 2020/1, with?R3.2 billion in tax revenue collected. These figures exclude online gambling totals.
• The projected total revenue for the casino games segment for 2022 was $26.4 million, with downloads of between 8-29 million and?in-app purchases totalling $16.72 million.? According to the?Africa Gambling Market Forecast, a whopping 71% of South Africans?play mobile casino games. Many spend up to 4 hours per day on their mobile devices accessing gaming sites, making South Africa the largest gambling market on the continent.?
• Land-based casinos, of which there are 40 licenced in South Africa, account for the lion’s share of the country’s gross gambling revenue (GGR). According to the National Gambling Board, South Africa’s GGR totalled R34.4 billion in 2020/1, with?R3.2 billion in tax revenue collected. These figures exclude online gambling totals.
• The projected total revenue for the casino games segment for 2022 was $26.4 million, with downloads of between 8-29 million and?in-app purchases totalling $16.72 million.

Strategic partnerships:

Beyond the sheer size of the segment, the Multichoice Group through Supersport has managed over the years to entrench itself in the hearts and minds of sports lovers across South Africa and the rest of the African continent.

A major part of this brand affinity is the long-standing partnership with the Premier Soccer League and their massive broadcasting deal. The product offering has been one that has resonated with football lovers and has made the channel a fixture in many homes in South Africa.

When SuperSportBet took the step to partner with the country’s biggest brands Kaizer Chiefs Football Club and Orlando Pirates Football Club the move has already given them an edge over some of their competitors as they have the stamp of approval from the Soweto giants!

More than a sports channel:

Multichoice as a group through the SuperSport platform has transcended sport. Their partnerships and stakes in KingMakers as well as Moment (innovative payment platform), have the group players in the Gambling as well as FinTech space. It would be interesting to observe how the group leverages its various touchpoints to grow this SuperSportBet offering.

In terms of passion-point marketing and experiences SuperSport is far ahead of any of its competitors in South Africa, of which to be fair there aren’t any. It will be interesting to see how other players on the rest of the African continent react to this move and compete with them.

Until next Week!

#TheMatchUpTV

#Broadcasting Barrie Swart Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) Sandrine Nzeukou, MBA SuperSport Nicolas Chambaud T+W Lilitha Musi

References:

1. https://supersport.com/football/dstv-premiership/news/dc2b9012-212a-4dd2-87a1-32e793572eda/supersportbet-becomes-official-betting-partner-of-pirates-and-chiefs
2. https://supersport.com/generic-sport/general/news/4707eee4-7ee2-496a-bfe9-e0f224e75a91/multichoice-partners-with-kingmakers-to-launch-supersportbet
3. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gaming/520797-supersport-launches-sports-and-casino-gambling-service.html
4. https://techcentral.co.za/supersportbet-multichoice-sports-betting/237453/?
5. https://www.playcasino.co.za/blog/supersportbet-to-launch-in-south-africa
6. https://www.playcasino.co.za/blog/online-casino-payment-methods-south-africa
7. https://www.onlinegamblingsa.co.za/news/supersportbet-in-southafrica
8. https://www.skysports.com/mobile/bet
9. https://iafrica.com/multichoice-partners-with-kingmakers-to-launch-supersportbet/
10. https://supersport.com/genericSport/general/news/7805c1a7-b440-461c-b361-a66d84899bd1/supersportbet-reveals-legendary-ambassadors-alongside-new-magazine-show