Sun City Casino

Sun City is arguably sub-Saharan Africa's most famous resort destination, a self-contained entertainment city that rises improbably from the scrubland of the Pilanesberg volcanic crater just two hours north-west of Johannesburg. Conceived by hotelier Sol Kerzner and opened in 1979 — deliberately sited in the nominally independent homeland of Bophuthatswana to circumvent apartheid-era anti-gambling laws — the resort has evolved over four decades into a world-class destination drawing over a million visitors per year.

The casino complex houses more than 850 slot machines and 40 table games including blackjack, roulette, poker, and punto banco, spread across a grandly styled gaming floor. Beyond the casino, the resort encompasses four hotels (including the Palace of the Lost City, widely considered one of Africa's finest hotels), the Valley of Waves water park, two Gary Player–designed championship golf courses, a wildlife interface with the adjacent Pilanesberg National Park, and a state-of-the-art entertainment arena.

Sun City is operated by Sun International, South Africa's largest casino group, and has for decades been both the benchmark for African gaming and a cultural touchstone — it was the destination Frank Sinatra, Queen, and Elton John controversially played during the cultural boycott of apartheid-era South Africa.