Sun International Closes Flamingo Casino

Sun International ended operations at the Flamingo Casino in Kimberley as of 03:00 on the morning of 1 November 2026. The casino had been in service for more than 24 years. The closure followed a prolonged decline in revenue and operating losses.

According to financial data reported by Moneyweb, Flamingo recorded an adjusted operating loss of 9 million rand on revenue of 38 million rand in the first six months of 2026. Revenue fell 21 percent during this period. Revenue had declined by 13 percent in 2025 and by 10 percent in 2024. The casino also posted an adjusted operating loss of 7 million rand in 2025.

The casino opened in 2002 and cost about 110 million rand to build. It had 250 slot machines and seven gaming tables. Sun International holds a 71.4 percent stake in the property. The remaining share belongs to the Teemane Consortium.

In July, the company announced that it had started a consultation process under Section 189A covering four smaller casinos: Flamingo, Golden Valley, Meropa and Windmill. A lower-cost structure known as the Casino Lite model was planned for Golden Valley, Meropa and Windmill. Flamingo was excluded from this programme. The company said it would provide support to affected employees and customers following the closure. The number of affected employees was not disclosed. The property employed 173 people in 2019, but this figure is reported to have fallen sharply through later restructuring.

The closure also highlights the pressure that South Africa's land-based casino sector faces from online betting. According to data from the National Gambling Board, casinos' share of gross gambling revenue fell from 78.4 percent in 2012/13 to 22.3 percent in 2024/25. Over the same period, betting's share rose from 12.4 percent to 69.8 percent.

With the closure of Flamingo, the Desert Palace in Upington is now the only licensed casino left in Northern Cape. Sun International has not yet announced its plans for the former Flamingo property.