Virgin Bet Expands to South Africa: Marketing Expert Gail Odgers Leads Business

The iGaming industry is keenly watching developments in South Africa. Virgin Bet, a brand under the LiveScore Group, successfully entered the market there in March of this year. As of July 1st, Gail Odgers has taken on the role of General Manager for Virgin Bet South Africa. She brings a wealth of marketing experience, having previously worked in senior marketing roles at Sportpesa, Sportingbet, and Greatodds before joining Virgin Bet as Head of Marketing in July 2025.

Odgers’ marketing background is set to help Virgin Bet establish itself in a competitive market. Her conviction is clear: in online gambling, marketing is the cornerstone of success or failure. Initial results in South Africa have already surpassed company expectations. This demonstrates that the strategy of leveraging a well-known brand and a strong product resonates with South African players.

Numbers and facts

South Africa is considered Africa's largest gambling market. Figures from the National Gambling Board show total stakes of 1.5 trillion Rand for the 2024/2025 financial year, an increase of over 30 percent compared to the previous period. Sports betting accounts for approximately three-quarters of these activities. Casinos contribute nearly one-fifth, while smaller segments like limited payout machines and bingo make up the remainder. The industry also supports more than 34,000 jobs nationwide. Virgin Bet was launched in the UK in 2019. Data from industry analytics platform Blask shows that Virgin Games and Virgin Bet are the 12th and 19th largest brands in the UK market, respectively, based on their Brand Accumulated Power metric. Virgin Games holds a 2.1 percent share, while Virgin Bet holds about 1.1 percent.

Gail Odgers has ambitious goals for Virgin Bet in South Africa. She aims for a spot among the top percentage of tier-two operators. Customer retention is particularly important to her. She is convinced that a high retention rate is a crucial indicator of success.

“I think many people will echo the sentiment that our business has largely become a marketing business. In iGaming as an operator, marketing is a cornerstone to the success or failure of your operations, and oftentimes having a non-marketing background can hold you back from that investment.” - Gail Odgers, General Manager at Virgin Bet South Africa

Background

With its launch in South Africa, Virgin Bet is expanding outside the United Kingdom for the first time. Before taking on the new role as General Manager, Gail Odgers served as Head of Marketing for Virgin Bet, and prior to that, held senior marketing positions at Sportpesa, Sportingbet, and Greatodds. The Livescore Group operates the Virgin Bet brand. South Africa is a significant strategic move for the company to expand its global presence. Virgin Bet emphasized that responsible gambling is a central feature of its South African operations. This includes deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion. Strict age verification protocols and dedicated local customer support teams are also provided.

The discussion about marketing expenditure during major events is a constant in the industry. Ed Birkin, Managing Director of H2 Gambling Capital, previously stated that while it could be argued that the industry spends too much on marketing as a whole, failing to do so could lead operators to lose share of voice. Odgers takes a nuanced view. She believes that an annual marketing strategy should not exclusively depend on four-week tournaments.

“I don't really believe in a four-week tournament defining your whole marketing strategy for that year. You certainly should have an uplift in your focus, but to create a whole campaign around a four-week tournament, I think, is maybe short-term visionary.” - Gail Odgers, General Manager at Virgin Bet South Africa

She warns against rapid “ad fatigue” and advocates for a more long-term planning approach that also considers regular league seasons.

Why it matters for German players

German players are more familiar with such expansion strategies in a national context than an international one. In Germany, the online gambling market has been heavily regulated since the Gambling State Treaty 2021 came into force. Providers like Virgin Bet, who have primarily been active in markets such as the UK or South Africa, must adhere to the strict requirements of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) if they wish to obtain a license here.

This means, among other things, a maximum stake of 1 Euro per spin on slot machines. The monthly deposit limit of 1,000 Euro, monitored via the central LUGAS system, is also mandatory. Bonus systems are also severely restricted to ensure player protection. The GGL's focus is clearly on combating illegal gambling and protecting players from gambling addiction. Platforms legally operating in Germany can be found on the GGL whitelist. For these, expansion into new, less regulated markets is often more attractive than adapting to German conditions. South Africa, with its high growth rates and regional specificities, offers different opportunities. German players should always ensure they play exclusively with providers holding a valid German GGL license to guarantee safety and player protection. Offers from casinos with MGA or Curacao licenses are illegal in Germany and offer no protection under German law.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For GGL-licensed casinos, international expansions by competitors like Virgin Bet primarily mean one thing: the global online gambling market is fiercely competitive. While German providers must adhere to strict regulations, internationally operating brands in regions like South Africa can often pursue more flexible marketing and product strategies. This may initially seem like a disadvantage. However, in the long run, the focus on player protection and responsible gambling, strictly supervised by the GGL in Germany, pays off. Credibility and transparency are crucial factors here.

GGL casinos must adapt their marketing strategies to German requirements. This includes restrictions on advertising and bonus offers. At the same time, they can build trust with German players through the GGL license seal. A challenge remains, however, to compete in the global market without violating local regulations. Developments in South Africa show a thriving market with high growth potential, which is not available to German providers due to strict regulation.