After years of delays, JSE-listed casino and leisure group Tsogo Sun has received the green light from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board to relocate its Caledon casino licence to Somerset West.
The approval paves the way for a new gaming and hospitality development in the Helderberg area – bringing direct competition to Sun International’s GrandWest Casino, currently Cape Town metro’s only fully-fledged operation.
Tsogo Sun hailed the decision as “a positive development for the Western Cape and the group,” promising world-class casino and hotel infrastructure in a region it says has been underserved for too long.
Tsogo Sun gets green light for Somerset West casino
The approval ends a protracted regulatory stalemate. Tsogo Sun has repeatedly criticised the board’s handling of the licence transfer, arguing that its Somerset West and Strand project had been stalled 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 now, Sun International’s GrandWest remains the dominant player in Cape Town’s casino market, but the arrival of a Tsogo Sun-backed competitor signals the most significant shake-up to the city’s gambling and leisure sector in two decades.
