The South African Rugby Union governing body (SA Rugby) has renewed and expanded its multi-year partnership with sports betting brand Betway for a further four years.
In expanding the deal, Betway will now sponsor both the men’s and women's South African national teams, as well as the men’s and women’s national rugby seven teams.
This sponsorship will also continue to see Betway branding feature on the back of all shorts worn by South African national teams.
Betway has partnered SA Rugby since 2021, and the renewed deal will be inaugurated on June 28 when the men’s national team takes on the Barbarians select side at the 55,000-capacity DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
Speaking on the partnership renewal, SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer commented: “Without sponsors, sport would struggle and we’re fortunate that we have a partner such as Betway that is passionate about growing rugby."
The Springboks are the reigning world champions, having won the Rugby World Cup a record four times, with two of those in 2019 and 2023 while sponsored by MTN.
While losing a premium sponsor, SA Rugby remains in a strong financial position, with its sponsorship income exceeding its broadcast revenue for the first time in the professional era.
According to news outlet Rapport, the value of the Springboks’ sponsorship portfolio has increased from around R420 million (US$23.2 million) last year to around R800 million ($44.3 million) in 2025. The Bok jersey value has also increased from R78 million to R160 million over the past six years.
In March, for example, the body significantly expanded its commercial tie-up with First National Bank (FNB), while also bringing in heavyweight retailer Pick n Pay as a new sponsor.
In terms of other recent SA Rugby commercial activity, mid-February saw deals secured with cement and concrete company AfriSam (a renewal), and energy drink Monster Energy (a new tie-up).
Betway, for its part, is a strong supporter of South African sport, most prominently by its partnership with the SA20 cricket tournament (of which it is the title sponsor), the PSL domestic soccer competition (which it title sponsors also), and in the past was a partner of the Cricket South Africa body.
