Gauteng has seven licensed casino complexes overseen by the Gauteng Gambling Board. Together, they generate more than R9.5 billion in gross gaming revenue, over 40% of the national total. Venues span Johannesburg, the East Rand and Pretoria, with hotels, theatres and arenas alongside gaming floors.
Choosing a Gauteng casino
Emperors Palace: Free 5-min shuttle from O.R. Tambo terminals. 4 hotels, Theatre of Marcellus, premier national poker festival stops.
Montecasino: Tuscan village design, The Teatro (Lion King, international musicals), 3 luxury hotels, Bird Gardens wildlife.
Time Square: Menlyn Maine green district, 8,500-seat SunBet Arena, cutting-edge modern glass gaming architecture.
Licensed casinos in Gauteng
| Casino Property | Operator & Loyalty | Floor Inventory | Signature Leisure Facilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montecasino Fourways, Sandton |
Tsogo Sun (JSE: TSG) Tsogo Rewards |
1,700 Slots 80 Live Tables |
The Teatro (1,870 seats), Palazzo Hotel 5*, Montecasino Bird Gardens, Piazza |
| Emperors Palace Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni |
Peermont Global Winners Circle |
1,750 Slots 67 Live Tables |
Adjacent to OR Tambo (free shuttle), D'oreale Grande 5*, Centre Court arena |
| Time Square Casino Menlyn Maine, Pretoria |
Sun International (JSE: SUI) Sun MVG |
1,750 Slots 60 Live Tables |
SunBet Arena (8,500 seats), The Maslow Time Square Hotel, Penthouse Privé |
| Gold Reef City Ormonde, Joburg South |
Tsogo Sun (JSE: TSG) Tsogo Rewards |
1,450 Slots 50 Live Tables |
Victorian gold rush theme park, underground gold mine shaft tours, Lyric Theatre |
| Carnival City Brakpan, East Rand |
Sun International (JSE: SUI) Sun MVG |
1,400 Slots 55 Live Tables |
Circus Big Top styling, outdoor go-karting, Big Park family precinct |
| Silverstar Casino Krugersdorp, West Rand |
Tsogo Sun (JSE: TSG) Tsogo Rewards |
900 Slots 32 Live Tables |
Outdoor fountain square, open-air cinema, Barnyard Theatre, luxury spa |
| Emerald Resort & Casino Vanderbijlpark, Vaal River |
Tsogo Sun (JSE: TSG) Tsogo Rewards |
430 Slots 22 Live Tables |
Vaal riverfront resort, Aquadome climate-controlled indoor waterpark, safari park |
In-Depth Profiles: Gauteng’s Flagship Gaming Complexes
Montecasino
Montecasino in Fourways, Sandton, welcomes over 9 million visitors annually. The complex has a Tuscan village theme, a painted indoor sky, cobbled streets, historic-style facades and piazzas. Its gaming floor has 1,700 smart-card slots and 80 tables. Other attractions include the 1,870-seat Teatro, Pieter Toerien Theatre and Montecasino Bird Gardens, which houses over 60 bird and reptile species.
Emperors Palace: Imperial Roman Splendor & Tournament Poker
Located directly adjacent to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Peermont’s Emperors Palace is styled on classical Imperial Roman grandeur, featuring towering Corinthian columns, statues of Caesar, and marble fountains. The complex operates four distinct hotel properties, anchored by the 5-star D'oreale Grande. For competitive gamers, Emperors Palace is the historic spiritual capital of South African tournament poker: its Theatre of Marcellus frequently transforms into a 60-table championship poker arena, hosting major national festival series in partnership with ShuffleUp Poker and the Monster Jam Poker Tour (MJPT).
Time Square Casino: Pretoria’s Modern Mega-Arena
Opened by Sun International in Pretoria’s Menlyn Maine green city development, Time Square has modern styling, glass rotundas and a multi-level gaming floor housing 1,750 slots and 60 tables. The property is anchored by the 8,500-capacity SunBet Arena, which hosts concerts, esports and boxing events in Gauteng, attracting international touring artists and sold-out championship boxing matches.
Gauteng Floor Protocols: Weekend Minimums, Airport Shuttles & FICA
- Weekend Table Minimum Surges: Live tables across Montecasino, Emperors Palace, and Time Square experience peak congestion from Friday 19:00 through Sunday evening. Blackjack minimums on main floors rise from daytime R25/R50 to R100/R200. Recreational bankrolls should plan daytime or midweek visits to access low-stakes action.
- Free Airport Shuttle Access: Emperors Palace operates a complimentary, continuous shuttle service departing every 20 minutes from the O.R. Tambo public bus and coach terminal (behind the InterContinental Hotel). The transit takes approximately 5 minutes.
- Parking Discounts via Loyalty Cards: Public parking fees across Gauteng casinos range from R20 to R40. Members of Tsogo Rewards, Sun MVG, or Winners Circle receive subsidized or free parking by scanning their active loyalty cards at payment terminals prior to returning to their vehicles.
- Gauteng Gambling Board (GGB) Dispute Recourse: The statutory regulator for all seven Gauteng properties is headquartered in Bramley, Johannesburg (Tel: +27 11 581 4800). Unresolved on-floor disputes can be submitted for official arbitration within 7 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions: Johannesburg & Gauteng Casinos
Q: Are casinos in Gauteng open 24 hours a day?
Yes. All major metropolitan casinos in Gauteng (Montecasino, Emperors Palace, Time Square, Gold Reef City, Carnival City) operate their slot floors and main table pits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Certain specialty dining venues and cash game poker rooms operate on dedicated daily schedules (typically from 12:00 to 04:00).
Q: Can I take the Gautrain directly to any casino?
While no casino has an integrated Gautrain platform inside its lobby, Emperors Palace is 5 minutes from the O.R. Tambo Gautrain station via the free airport shuttle. Montecasino can be reached via Gautrain feeder buses or a 10-minute Uber ride from the Sandton Gautrain station. Time Square is a 10-minute rideshare from the Hatfield Gautrain station in Pretoria.
Q: What identification documents are accepted at Gauteng casino Cash Desks?
Under FICA regulations, Cash Desks strictly require original government-issued photo identification: a green barcoded South African ID book, a South African Smart ID card, or an unexpired foreign passport. South African driver's licenses are accepted for basic entrance verification but are legally insufficient for high-value FICA cashouts over R50,000 without additional proof of address.