Operator Virgin Bet has announced its entry into the South African gambling market, launching its new online platform in the nation as it marks its first ever international expansion outside of the UK.
Indeed, players in South Africa can now access Virgin Bet’s online platform following regulatory approval from the nation’s gambling regulator – the National Gambling Board of South Africa. Owned and operated by LiveScore Bet, which also yields an active presence in the Nigerian market, the operator is now looking to expand on its UK foothold with this latest endeavour.
For LiveScore Bet, this latest launch also seeks to extend the brand’s reach across the African continent, following its full withdrawal from the Bulgarian market in December, which the operator attributed to rising costs related to imminent gambling tax increases in the UK.
Speaking on this latest release via LinkedIn was Virgin Bet’s Head of Marketing Gail Odgers, who said: “Tremendous amount of hard work and effort behind the scenes – from some of the industry’s best and brightest – went into this launch.
“Thanks to our growing team in South Africa, our supportive teammates within the LiveScore Group, our wonderful partners at Virgin, and all our business collaborators who have helped us get to this point. Now, let’s get a good bet started!”
This latest development comes following Virgin Bet’s partnership with TNT Sports in September 2025, which saw the operator secure a sponsorship agreement for the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League in the UK and Ireland.
The National Gambling Board of South Africa estimates that online gambling engagement amongst adults has risen from 30% to 66% of the population since 2017
