South Africa: Sun International sells Carousel casino license

South Africa-based Sun International announced Monday that the company has sold its Carousel casino licence, subject to its receiving regulatory approval. 

A regulatory application has been submitted to the North West Gambling Board and this will now follow due process. In the interim, Sun International has appointed a management company to run the casino, as reported by Biz News. The casino, as well as the hotel bars and restaurants, are set to reopen on 15 December.

Sun International CEO Anthony Leeming said: “Earlier this year we said we would not reopen the Carousel Casino after lockdown restrictions were lifted. This remains the case. By having the management company run the casino, we will be protecting the livelihoods of many previous staff who can now be re-employed.”

Sun International does not at this stage want to disclose to whom it had sold this property, nor for how much. Enid Vickers, who issued a statement on the announcement on behalf of Sun International, told the Pretoria News that the new owners did not want to reveal their identity at this stage. “Once the licence has been approved, they will make their own announcement,” she said.

A notice issued by the North West Gaming Board in late September reveals that Sun International – via Sun Carousel (Pty) Ltd – had applied for the casino license to be transferred to Melrose Arch-based Lakama Resorts and Casino (Pty) Ltd, according to Moneyweb. Lakama Resorts registered as a company earlier this year and is linked to the Lakama Group, which is chaired by Mario Morfou, the local news outlet reports.

The group remains the legal owner of the gambling licence until they receive Gambling Board approval for the sale. Leeming said the Carousel Casino will no longer form part of the Sun International Group, and it will not receive benefits from the group’s Most Valued Guest loyalty program.

Carousel Casino is one of South Africa’s oldest casinos and entertainment centres as it opened in 1991 in the north of Pretoria, and the property consists of a 57 room hotel, 369 apartments that formed part of the staff village. It offers 55 000m2 of space for retail development, and 582ha of undeveloped land. Covid-19 lockdown regulations forced the casino to close its doors in April.