Wharton Undergraduate Finance & Technology

What Wharton Undergraduate Finance & Technology does

The firm operates an online gaming and betting platform, established in 2017 and headquartered in Manila, Philippines under a PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) license. The platform serves Vietnamese adult consumers (18+) with a multi-vertical product suite spanning live casino, sports betting, lottery, fish shooting, slot games, and cockfighting, aggregated from 15+ game providers including Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Microgaming, and PG Soft into a library of 2,000+ titles. Operationally, it reports 100,000+ daily platform visits, 10,000+ daily withdrawal requests (99% processed within 5 minutes), and 35,000+ daily lottery tickets sold, supported by a 150+ person 24/7 customer service team with sub-2-minute live chat response times.

The technology stack combines a web platform (dustcloud.io) with dedicated iOS and Android applications, SSL 256-bit encryption for transactions, an international-standard RNG for lottery fairness, and Full HD 60fps live streaming for cockfighting and casino content. Vietnamese localization is reinforced through integration with domestic e-wallets (Zalo Pay, Viettel Pay) and product categories tailored to local preferences such as cockfighting and Vietnamese lottery formats.

The business model is transaction-fee based across all verticals: house edge on casino games, sports betting margins (97% payout rate, 3% hold), and lottery commissions. Customer acquisition relies on a digital-first mix of affiliate/referral programs, mobile app distribution, and promotional incentives (welcome bonuses up to 100% / max 8,888K, daily cashback 1.2%, reload and birthday bonuses). All distribution, marketing, and product design are concentrated on the single Vietnamese market.

Name

Wharton Undergraduate Finance & Technology

Legal name

Sao789

Website

https://wuft.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The firm operates a PAGCOR-licensed online gaming and betting platform serving Vietnamese consumers with live casino, sports betting, lottery, fish shooting, slots, and cockfighting across 2,000+ games, mobile apps, and localized e-wallet integrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Gambling and Gaming

NAICS

Casinos (except Casino Hotels) (71321), Other Gambling Industries (713290)

akta.pro primary industry

Payments Orchestration, Wallets & Alternative Payments Enablement (MPAEAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border Payments & FX for Gaming (MPAEALAH), Online Poker Casinos (Casino + Poker Rooms) (MPAEABAC)

Keywords

• Online casino gaming
• Sports betting platform
• Mobile gaming apps
• Lottery gaming services
• Live dealer casino

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Online Gaming and Betting: Platform generates revenue through commission/take rate on player bets across multiple game categories including casino, sports betting, lottery, cockfighting, and slots
2. Casino Games Commission: Revenue from live casino games with house edge built into game odds
3. Sports Betting Margins: Revenue from sports betting with payout rates up to 97% (house retains 3%)
4. Lottery Operations: Revenue from lottery ticket sales with over 35,000 tickets sold daily
5. Welcome Bonuses and Promotions: Welcome bonuses up to 100% of first deposit (max 8,888K) serve as customer acquisition incentives funded by gaming revenue

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The company operates an online gaming and betting platform (branded Sao789) established in 2017, serving the Vietnamese market with casino games, sports betting, lottery, fish shooting, slot machines, card games, and cockfighting content under PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) licensing. The platform integrates local Vietnamese e-wallet payment methods (Zalo Pay, Viettel Pay), supports deposits and withdrawals, and is accessible via web and dedicated iOS and Android applications, with a content library of 2,000+ games sourced from third-party providers.

Product overview

Sao789 is a comprehensive online gaming and betting platform operating since 2017. The platform provides a unified experience combining multiple game categories including casino games, sports betting, lottery, fish shooting games, and slot machines. The platform partners with numerous game providers and operates under PAGCOR licensing from the Philippines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sao789 Gaming Platform Comprehensive online gaming and betting platform operating under PAGCOR licensing, offering casino games, sports betting, lottery, fish shooting, slots, card games, and cockfighting through web and mobile applications for Vietnamese users aged 18+.
• Live Casino Live dealer casino gaming with over 45 live casino tables from providers including AE Sexy, Ezugi, Allbet, Evolution Gaming, SA Gaming, and Pragmatic Play, with a payout rate 0.2% higher than competing platforms.
• Card Games (Game Bài) Online card games category accessible through a dedicated section on the Sao789 platform.
• Lottery Games (Xổ Số) Lottery gaming category with over 35,000 tickets sold daily, supplied by IBC Lottery and Lucky Gaming, using certified international-standard random number generator technology.
• Fish Shooting Games (Bắn Cá) 3D fish shooting arcade-style games from providers including DreamTech and CQ9, hosted as a dedicated category on the platform.
• Slot Games (Nổ Hũ) Slot machine games category (progressive jackpot slots) from multiple providers including Jili and others.
• Sports Betting Sports wagering covering football, horse racing, cricket, and esports with live data feeds from BTI Sports and Pinnacle, with competitive payout rates of up to 97% (house retains 3% margin) and 0.8% sports cashback.
• Cockfighting Betting (Đá Gà) Live cockfighting matches streamed in HD 60fps from arenas including Thomo Arena and Sv388 Pro Arena, integrated with partner S128 for cockfighting betting.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of withdrawal requests processed within 5 minutes
• +5 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Evolution GamingcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading live casino provider supplying live dealer casino games to the platform
• Pragmatic PlaycoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor game provider supplying slots and live casino content
• MicrogamingcoreTechnology or IntegrationEstablished game developer providing casino and slot games
• PG SoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile-focused game provider supplying gaming content
• DreamTechcoreTechnology or IntegrationFish shooting game provider supplying 3D fish games
• CQ9coreTechnology or IntegrationFish shooting and slot game provider
• BTI SportscoreTechnology or IntegrationSports betting data provider supplying live data for thousands of daily matches
• PinnaclecoreTechnology or IntegrationSports betting odds and data provider
• JilicoreTechnology or IntegrationGame provider supplying various casino and arcade games

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VN88: VN88 is one of the most prominent Vietnamese-facing online sportsbook and casino brands. It targets the same Vietnamese consumer base with sports betting, casino, and lottery products, making it the closest head-to-head competitor to Sao789 in market focus and product mix.
• W88: W88 is a major Asian-facing online gambling operator with strong presence in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. It offers casino, sports betting, and slots via similar affiliate-driven GTM and comparable offshore licensing — directly comparable to Sao789's model.
• Fun88: Fun88 is a long-established Asian-facing online betting and casino platform with significant Vietnamese user base. It operates with similar product breadth (sports, casino, slots) and offshore licensing — a direct comparable in business model and target geography.
• M88: M88 (Mansion88) is an Asia-focused online sportsbook and casino operator with established Vietnamese presence. Its product mix, affiliate-driven acquisition, and offshore-regulated structure closely mirror Sao789's operating model.
• BK8: BK8 is a Southeast Asia-focused online gambling brand with significant operations in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. It offers casino, sports betting, and slots through similar provider partnerships (Evolution, Pragmatic Play) — a directly comparable operator.
• Dafabet: Dafabet is one of the largest Asian-focused online gambling operators with established Vietnamese presence. Its product breadth, sportsbook-led offering, and affiliate GTM closely parallel Sao789's structure, though at larger scale.
• 188Bet: 188Bet is an Asian-focused sportsbook and casino operator with historical strength in Vietnamese and Southeast Asian markets. It operates a similar offshore-licensed, multi-vertical model — a directly comparable peer in product and target customer.
• 12Bet: 12Bet is an Asia-focused online betting and casino operator with established Vietnamese and Southeast Asian user base. Its product mix and offshore-licensing model make it a relevant direct comparable.

Broad incumbents

• 1xBet: 1xBet is a large global online sportsbook and casino operator with significant Asian market presence. While much broader than Sao789 geographically, it operates with a comparable offshore-licensed, multi-vertical, affiliate-driven GTM targeting Vietnamese users.

Regional players

• HappyLuke: HappyLuke is an Asia-focused online casino and slots brand that operates in Southeast Asian markets. While not specifically Vietnamese-focused, its product positioning around casino and slots with offshore licensing is comparable in category, if not in primary geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wharton-undergraduate-fintech-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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