South Africa’s casino operators are planning legal action to block the government’s plan to issue a new casino license.

Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Rob Davies recently announced that the government would issue a new casino license in the North West province, the first time that the number of casinos has increased since the country legalized gambling in 1995.

Davies said the National Gambling Policy Council had justified the new venue because recent changes to municipal demarcations meant the North West’s Morula Sun Casino – a Sun International property – was now in neighboring Gauteng.

Davies also argued that, while the Gambling Review Commission had concluded in 2009 that 40 was indeed an appropriate number of casinos, the National Gambling Act “does empower consideration to increase the limit” should the government decide expansion was desirable.