Golden Whale expands into South Africa with PantherBet partnership

The company’s first deployment in South Africa will bring its player-level decision-making technology to PantherBet’s hybrid sportsbook and casino platform

Golden Whale, a specialist in machine learning-powered optimisation and decision intelligence for the iGaming industry, is excited to announce its entry into the South African market through a commercial partnership with PantherBet.

The company’s first deployment in South Africa will bring its player-level decision-making technology to PantherBet’s hybrid sportsbook and casino platform.

Golden Whale’s Foundation platform sits alongside an operator’s existing systems, analysing player data in real time and using machine learning to decide the best course of action to achieve the right outcomes for players.

Its models are bespoke to each operator and keep learning, informing decisions across acquisition, retention, and reactivation. It also removes much of the manual, rules-based decision-making that ties up CRM and marketing teams.

PantherBet will also receive access to BonusPilot, one of Foundation’s most innovative offerings. By analysing behaviour in real time, it identifies the right reward or offer for each player and the best time to deliver it, helping operators control bonus spend and enhance the player experience.

South Africa is one of Africa’s largest regulated iGaming markets. The country boasts one of the industry’s fastest-growing player bases and an increasingly competitive operator landscape, making it an attractive environment for technology providers.

PantherBet went live in South Africa in September 2025, aiming to become one of the country’s leading destinations for online sports betting and casino entertainment. Since launching in South Africa, PantherBet has delivered strong results and continued to strengthen its position in the local market.

Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO of Golden Whale, said: “South Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets in Africa and is a key strategic target for our growth in the region.

“The most successful operators in any market are those who understand their player behaviour and how best to serve them. PantherBet is one of the most ambitious operators in South Africa, and we are delighted to be able to support their growth with decision intelligence built around its own data.”

Andrey Rozhkov, CEO of PantherBet, said: “To remain competitive in South Africa, you need to be able to offer the best customer experiences on the market. Working with a company like Golden Whale will give us the insights and intelligent decision-making to enhance our customer experience.“Our focus is on earning player trust and establishing ourselves as a strong competitor in the South African market, and this partnership with Golden Whale is a significant step forward for that goal.”