Sun City owner changes the game as retrenchments loom

Johannesburg – Sun International has reportedly started formal consultations that could result in job losses as the group moves to a lower-cost, more centralised operating model, despite reporting stronger financial results for the first half of 2026.

According to Daily Investor, the owner of Sun City has begun consultations under Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act, although it has not disclosed how many employees could ultimately be affected.

The company said the restructuring forms part of its “Casino Lite” strategy, aimed at improving the profitability of smaller, underperforming properties through cost optimisation, productivity improvements and the centralisation of certain functions.

“We are implementing a lower-cost, more centralised operating model,” CEO Ulrik Bengtsson said, as per BusinessTech.

He added that the process was intended to “enhance operational efficiencies and the profitability of our underperforming assets.”

The latest move follows an earlier retrenchment process identified by Moneyweb, which reported in July that the restructuring was limited to Sun International’s four smallest casinos: Golden Valley in Worcester, Meropa in Polokwane, Windmill in Bloemfontein and Flamingo in Kimberley. The group said at the time that it would be wrong to speculate on the number of affected employees while consultations were under way.

Sun International employed 7,222 people at the end of 2025, while employee costs amounted to R2.6 billion during the year, according to Moneyweb.

The retrenchments come despite a stronger first-half performance. The group’s income rose 6.4% to R6.58 billion, while its online gaming business, SunBet, grew income by 35.5% to R1.18 billion. Its land-based casino income increased 1.5% to R3.42 billion.

Sun City itself performed strongly, with revenue increasing 9.9% to R1.07 billion, helped by domestic leisure demand, conferencing and an improved food and beverage offering.

The group said employees would be consulted throughout the process and that, where possible, affected workers would be “retained and redeployed to other areas of the business.”