Sun International has closed Flamingo Casino in Kimberley for good, ending 24 years of trading. The casino shut at 3am on 1 November after a run of falling income and losses, and it leaves the Northern Cape with one licensed casino.
The last night
Flamingo Casino stopped trading at 03:00 on 1 November, after a final trading day on 31 October. The casino opened in 2002 at a cost of about R110 million, with 250 slot machines and seven gaming tables. Sun International owns 71.4 per cent of it, and the Teemane Consortium holds the rest.
The company confirmed the decision in a short statement: "Following the conclusion of the formal process, the decision was made to close Flamingo Casino."
Three years of falling income
The numbers show why. In the first six months of 2026, Flamingo lost R9 million on an adjusted operating basis, against income of R38 million. Its income fell 21 per cent in that period, after drops of 13 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent in 2024. It also lost R7 million in 2025.
In July, Sun International began a Section 189A consultation, the legal process for large job cuts, covering Flamingo and three other small casinos: Golden Valley in Worcester, Meropa in Polokwane and Windmill in Bloemfontein. The group is giving the last three a cheaper "Casino Lite" operating model. Flamingo was left out of that plan.
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Why casinos are losing ground
Flamingo's story fits a wider change in how South Africans gamble. National Gambling Board figures show casinos' share of South Africa's gross gambling revenue fell from 78.4 per cent in 2012/13 to 22.3 per cent in 2024/25. Betting rose from 12.4 per cent to 69.8 per cent over the same period. A casino with 250 machines in a mid-sized city feels that pull quickly.
The closure leaves Desert Palace in Upington as the only licensed casino in the Northern Cape. Sun International has not said what will happen to the Kimberley site.
What customers and staff should know
Money loaded on MVG loyalty cards can still be used at other Sun International casinos, and loyalty benefits continue at participating properties and on Sunbet. Anyone with vouchers, unclaimed prizes or an open query has been told to contact the company's MVG Desk.
The number of staff affected has not been confirmed. The casino employed 173 people in 2019, but the figure was much lower by the time it closed.
This appears to be the first permanent closure of a licensed land-based casino in South Africa, though we have not been able to confirm that from a second source.
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Frequently asked questions
When did Flamingo Casino close?
At 3am on 1 November, after its last full day of trading on 31 October.
Why did Sun International close it?
The casino lost money in 2025 and in the first half of 2026, and its income kept falling. The decision followed a Section 189A consultation that began in July.
What happens to MVG card balances?
They can still be used at other Sun International casinos. Vouchers and prize queries go to the MVG Desk.
Information, not legal advice. 18+ only. Gamble responsibly.
