Virgin Bet steps up South Africa push with ‘A Good Bet’ campaign

Virgin Bet has launched ‘A Good Bet’, its first major brand campaign since expanding into South Africa, marking the next phase of its strategy to establish the brand in its first market outside the UK.

Launching on August 21, the integrated campaign will run across television, out-of-home, digital, social and cinema, alongside sports programming and football sponsorships. Developed by Joe Public and produced by Darling Productions, it has been created specifically for the South African market.

The campaign focuses on the entertainment and shared experience surrounding sport and casino rather than solely on winning, as Virgin Bet looks to differentiate itself in the country’s competitive betting market.

The initial phase will concentrate on building brand recognition and familiarity before Virgin Bet places greater emphasis on its products and propositions. The operator said its channel mix could subsequently expand to include TikTok, X, radio and podcasts.

“We’re taking a considered approach to building Virgin Bet in South Africa,” said Gail Odgers, General Manager of Virgin Bet South Africa. “Right now, it’s about establishing the brand, building familiarity and giving people a clear sense of what we stand for.

“Once we’ve built that foundation, we can start to place greater emphasis on our products and propositions, giving consumers more reasons to choose Virgin Bet. ‘A Good Bet’ is an important first step in that journey.”

Virgin Bet entered South Africa earlier this year in its first international expansion since launching in the UK in 2019. The move also extended parent company LiveScore Group’s presence in Africa, where LiveScore Bet already operates in Nigeria.

Virgin Bet South Africa operates under licence from the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator.