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What is Scratchem?
Sun International’s adjusted EBITDA (excluding TBH) edged up 2% to R1.59 billion in H1. Revenue growth was at the “upper end of expectations”.
H1 growth was driven by Sun International’s online division, with revenue from SunBet surging 35.5% year-on-year to R1.18 billion.
Sun International CEO Ulrik Bengtsson noted SunBet’s revenue growth of 35.5% outpaced the 19% South African online market’s overall growth of 19% during the period,
What is Scratchem?
The two related businesses are associated with entrepreneur Nic Brereton and had only recently started operating under their own licences. BresBet was licensed in February 2025, while Bet St George received its licence in December and launched in March this year.
At launch six months ago, Brereton told iGB that Bet St George would use the experience he gained applying advanced data models in the medical sector to improve the customer experience in betting.
“Sometimes what data tells you is uncomfortable because it’s challenging the norm,” he said at the time. “For me [it’s about] where we can make some marginal differences by using player data and challenging the perspectives of what the industry thinks should and does happen.”
About Scratchem
If Bernstein’s $10 trillion prediction market turnover forecast is realized or exceeded, it’d likely prove significant in revenue terms because the research firm previously estimated that $1 trillion in yearly activity could generate as much as $10.8 billion in revenue for operators.
As has been widely documented, sports event contracts are currently the lifeblood of the prediction market industry, but Bernstein notes that won’t be the case on a permanent basis. In fact, the research firm estimates that sports derivatives’ share of industry volume will decline to 35% in 2035, indicating that the aforementioned volume increase will be led by other categories.
The research firm estimates that by 2035, financial derivatives, including event contracts linked to commodities, cryptocurrencies and stocks, will account for 49% of turnover on yes/no exchanges, topping sports to become the largest volume driver. The research firm sees event contracts tied to key performance indicators (KPIs) leading the charge.
