A new casino is coming to the Cape Town metro
Tsogo Sun has obtained approval for its next major casino venture in the Western Cape’s gaming and hospitality sector.
After years of delays, the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board has approved JSE-listed casino and leisure group Tsogo Sun’s request to move its Caledon casino licence to Somerset West.
The approval clears the way for a new gaming and hospitality development in the Helderberg area, setting up direct competition with Sun International’s GrandWest Casino, the Cape Town metro’s only fully-fledged operation.
Tsogo Sun welcomed the decision as “a positive development for the Western Cape and the group,” pledging to deliver world-class casino and hotel facilities in a region it says has long been underserved.
Tsogo Sun gets green light for Somerset West casino
The approval ends a long-standing regulatory deadlock. Tsogo Sun had repeatedly criticised the board’s handling of the licence transfer, saying its Somerset West and Strand project had been on hold for more than a decade.
According to Tsogo Sun, the Helderberg and Overberg regions have lacked access to “convenient, appropriate quality and secure casino and hotel development” despite strong local demand.
The company has also stressed the economic upside of land-based casinos, pointing to job creation and the potential boost to tourism that a new development could bring.
For the moment, Sun International’s GrandWest still dominates Cape Town’s casino market, but the entry of a Tsogo Sun-backed rival marks the biggest shift in the city’s gambling and leisure sector in twenty years.