South African Casino Association concerned over licensing process

The Casino Association of South Africa voiced its concerns after Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies increased the maximum number of casino licenses.

South Africa.- As Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies increased the maximum number of casino licenses allowed in the country, the Casino Association of South Africa believes that this sets “a worrying precedent and creates instability in the industry.”

The association outlines that when gambling was legalised in 1995‚ the maximum number of casino licenses was capped at 40. The association wrote to the minister‚ saying that in 2009 a review commission he had appointed had concluded that 40 casinos were appropriate.

Themba Ngobese‚ the association’s chief executive‚ expressed: “There are still three casino licenses available in other provinces [and this] makes the allocation of an additional license in the [North West] province perplexing”.

On its part, Davies countered that the addition of the new license “is considered special as the North West Province lost the Morula Sun licence as a result of the Gauteng/North West municipal border demarcation process.”