New Pretoria Casino Finds Opposition with Residents

A planned new casino in the Pretoria suburb of Menlyn Maine has hit upon problems as local residents groups outline their opposition to the plans. The casino, due to be run by Sun International, would replace the Marula casino as the city’s only casino license holder.

The Marula casino has struggled in recent times after a new road system nearby made entrance to the casino difficult, and Sun International says plans to close it will continue even if the new casino in Menlyn Maine – due to be named Time Square – fails to get off the ground.

This new piece of South African gambling news isn’t likely to be positive for potential investors. With the South African government operating very strict guidelines on casinos and gambling within the country, and problem gambling seen as a major problem, this latest set back is a very unwanted piece of news.

South African gambling laws still prohibit online gambling, yet a majority of the adult population are still said to gamble in one form or another.

One of the main issues surrounding the planned Time Square casino is the proximity to a local school. In fact, it was only the metro council’s rezoning of the land on which the new build will sit that made these plans possible, with a school sitting right next door. With alcohol likely to be sold on site, as well as the potential for South African poker rooms for serious players, residents are worried about the effect it could have on school children.

With such tight regulations on building casinos, despite an obvious desire for more gambling sites, casino gambling in South Africa has not spread its wings. With illegal limited payout machines spread throughout the country, a lot of South African gambling is unregulated, and the gambling authorities would like to change that, despite potential opposition.