South African gambling and hospitality company Sun International is bringing in UK casino veteran, Mark Sergeant, as its newly-created COO of gaming.
He will be responsible for revenue at the physical casinos, in a move that Sun says will strengthen its digital ambitions.
Sergeant’s appointment follows that of gaming veteran Leslie Peters last November as the newly-created chief technology and product officer, to drive execution of a digitally-focused strategy.
In addition, the company earlier this month announced that Nomzamo Radebe would become COO for hospitality and sales as of next Monday.
Sergeant, who will report to CEO Ulrik Bengtsson, has more than 25 years of leadership experience across all spheres of Sun International’s operations, from gaming to leisure and hospitality, having led two of the UK’s largest casino groups.
Sun International says Sergeant will bring international experience to its gaming business, with a focus on improving casino profitability, sustainable growth and stronger engagement across retail and digital channels.
The listed gaming company has publicly stated it wants to shift the business towards strong digital and omnichannel growth in gaming, with a particular focus on expanding its online gaming and betting platform, SunBet, and integrating digital channels with its physical casino operations.
In a statement, it says Sergeant’s appointment is “another giant leap forward” in its digital play.
While the international gambling company has yet to provide specific details about its digital transformation, Bengtsson has said his focus “is on the long-term competitiveness of Sun International as a digitally-led, market-leading omnichannel gaming company of scale”.
Global shift
Sun International’s 2024 annual report states its “omnichannel approach will gain momentum as we focus on product alignment, a single customer wallet, and a seamless customer experience across our urban casinos, resorts, hotels and SunBet”.
Internationally, a move towards blending of digital and physical gaming channels – often called digital-retail convergence in gambling – is reshaping how casinos organise their services, according to SCCG Management.
“No longer are online gaming, mobile betting and on-site casino play separate business lines; they are converging into a holistic offering. Practically, this convergence means integrating technology and operations: shared player accounts, unified wallets, synchronised loyalty programmes and real-time data exchange between systems,” it explains.
SCCG notes that almost three-quarters of casino players expect digital conveniences like mobile apps and online portals as part of their casino experience.
Bengtsson, who took over the helm of the JSE-listed company last July, has said Sun International wants to improve its mobile customer experience and also has several ongoing projects to make better use of artificial intelligence.
He has also said the gaming company is focused on customer-centric and product-driven growth, powered by fit-for-purpose technology.
International experience
As the group MD of Genting Casinos, Sergeant oversaw a portfolio of 35 casinos across the UK, an international casino operation in Cairo, a UK integrated gaming and leisure resort, and two online gaming businesses.
Bengtsson notes that Sergeant “brings all the right skills to drive our gaming operations forward, as well as a fresh new perspective for how we can continue to build world-class capabilities”.
Sergeant has been “widely recognised for building high-performing teams, developing future leaders and cultivating service-driven cultures that will ultimately deliver exceptional customer experiences,” says Sun International.
Throughout his career, Sergeant successfully managed large, complex operations with revenues exceeding R7 billion and workforces of more than 4 000 employees, Sun International notes.
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