Sun International Launches Responsible Gambling Charter With Ad Watersheds

Sun International launched its Responsible Gambling Charter in October 2026, the company said on its responsible gambling page, introducing voluntary gambling advertising watersheds, a 10% responsible-gambling share of gaming advertising content and registration controls that prevent account activation for online customers who select a SASSA social grant or NSFAS funding as their source of income.

The charter covers the group’s casinos and online platforms. The published charter document sets out Sun International’s role, principles, responsibilities and commitments in promoting responsible gambling across the group, acting as a public statement of intent and the governance framework for implementing, reviewing and improving its responsible gambling strategy. It builds on the gambling regulations that apply to the group’s operations rather than replacing them, and it is organised around four principles: player education, protecting players, ethical and responsible marketing, and staff responsibility and training.

The document was compiled by Responsible Gambling Manager Tumelo Mokoena, reviewed by Responsible Gambling Steering Committee member Simon Gregory and approved by Executive Committee member Ulrik Bengtsson, with each endorsement dated September 30, 2026. A disclaimer describes the charter as a voluntary public statement of commitment that creates no legal duty of care or legally enforceable obligations in favour of players or third parties.

Advertising Watersheds and Marketing Standards

Under the charter, the group applies voluntary watershed periods to time-dependent broadcast and display advertising, avoiding the placement of gaming advertising between 06:00 and 08:00 and between 12:00 and 18:00 in order to limit minors’ exposure during school-run and after-school viewing times. The document says the watersheds go beyond regulatory requirements. Advertising must also avoid platforms, channels or programmes where most of the audience is below the legal gambling age, regardless of the time of day, and digital channels such as social media, search advertising, websites, push notifications and email carry separate age-targeting and audience-composition standards.

All gambling advertising, sponsorships and promotions, whether digital or otherwise, must present gambling as a leisure activity rather than a financial solution, use the mandatory wording prescribed by gambling regulations, and display clear warnings about addictive gambling alongside problem gambling helpline details. The group also commits to allocating 10% of gaming advertising content to responsible gambling messaging and safer gambling campaigns, and the charter states that it is not group practice to target minors, vulnerable persons, self-excluded players, players classified as at risk, or players subject to an active responsible gambling restriction with marketing or promotional material.

Account Controls and Player Monitoring

On the group’s online platform, the registration form includes “SASSA social grant recipient” and “NSFAS funding recipient” as selectable options under the source-of-income field, and account activation is prevented where a customer selects either option. Know Your Customer requirements verify each player’s identity, age and address, age is verified at gaming entry points, account registration and withdrawals using a valid identity document, passport or driver’s licence, and each player may hold only one verified account.

Self-exclusion is available across the group’s gaming operations and applying for it is free of charge. The exclusion runs for a minimum of six months and cannot be lifted before that period has elapsed; on the online platform it blocks an account for six months to five years. Cooling-off options run from a minimum of 24 hours up to three months.

Sun International said it uses secure, privacy-conscious data analytics and, where appropriate, AI-supported behaviour monitoring to identify and support players who may be at risk, with trained employees responding through evidence-based customer interaction processes when gambling-related risk indicators are identified. According to the charter, all automated detection and intervention systems are subject to human review and audit, and responsible gambling data is processed in line with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, used only for business intelligence, player protection, gambling-related risk prevention and compliance, and never used to increase gambling intensity or commercial value.

Training, Oversight and External Audits

Relevant staff must complete mandatory induction, annual refresher and role-specific training, including intervention techniques, and employees who need support can access the group’s Employee Assistance Programme through Sun Wellness, its internal wellness programme.

The Social and Ethics Committee, a sub-committee of the Sun International board, oversees responsible gambling standards, while a Responsible Gambling Steering Committee, constituted as a subcommittee of the Executive Committee, oversees implementation of the charter and reports quarterly to the Executive Committee. The group reports to the Social and Ethics Committee against four impact measures aligned with its executive performance scorecard: player protection, training and awareness, responsible marketing, and compliance and certification.

Sun International said it is establishing an annual external audit cycle for its responsible gambling systems, with arrangements for accredited auditors to inspect relevant systems, records and premises, and will report relevant responsible gambling data and activities in its annual Sustainability Report. The company is pursuing responsible gambling certification from an internationally recognised body. The charter is reviewed annually, with the Responsible Gambling Manager drafting and maintaining it, the steering committee reviewing it and recommending approval, the Executive Committee approving it operationally and the Social and Ethics Committee separately endorsing it from a governance and oversight perspective.