The Jade Casino introduces a world-class, authentically Chinese gaming and hospitality experience to Johannesburg — a first for the African continent
Emperors Palace has opened the Jade Casino: Africa’s first dedicated Chinese luxury gaming lounge, and a significant milestone in the evolution of premium hospitality and gaming on the continent. The opening reflects a deliberate, long-term investment in an authentic Chinese luxury experience — one designed with cultural depth, world-class gaming credentials, and a clear understanding of the community it was built to serve.
Situated at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, minutes from OR Tambo International Airport, the Jade Casino brings to Johannesburg a level of dedicated Chinese luxury gaming that has previously been available only in the world’s foremost gaming destinations. For South Africa’s established Chinese community, and for the growing number of Chinese business travellers and tourists who pass through Johannesburg each year, the Jade Casino represents something genuinely new — and genuinely theirs.
“The Jade Casino is personal to me. I have spent years building relationships with our Chinese patrons, understanding what matters to them — the culture, the ritual, the level of service they expect. This room is our way of honouring that. It is not just a casino floor; it is a destination experience designed for guests who know what world-class looks like.”
— Sikhulile Dlamini, Tables Manager, Emperors Palace
A CONSIDERED INVESTMENT IN AUTHENTIC CHINESE LUXURY
The Jade Casino is the product of a significant capital investment — a complete architectural and experiential redesign conceived from the ground up as an authentic expression of Chinese cultural luxury. Not a themed environment. A considered, deliberate statement of respect, investment and welcome.
From the hand-crafted moon gate entrance and koi floor projections to the bamboo ceiling, 3D koi wall sculptures, traditional lattice screens and enclosed private gaming rooms, every element has been realised with cultural intention and material quality. The room was benchmarked against the world’s leading dedicated Chinese gaming environments — and built to stand alongside them.
The Jade Casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is not an activation or a seasonal offering. It is a permanent, year-round Chinese luxury gaming destination within Emperors Palace — built to grow with the community it serves.
| JADE CASINO — AT A GLANCE— 7 Baccarat tables — 4 on the main floor, 3 in enclosed private gaming rooms— — 2 American Roulette tables— Dedicated smoking Privé — access-controlled, high-end player environment— Dragon Bar & Dragon Bowl — authentic Chinese hospitality within the casino— Open 24 hours, 7 days a week— Located at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park — minutes from OR Tambo International Airport |
LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMERS — THE STORY BEHIND THE JADE CASINO
The Jade Casino did not emerge from a trend report. It emerged from years of listening. The Chinese patron community has been a cornerstone of the Emperors Palace premium gaming floor for many years — loyal, sophisticated and increasingly clear about what they want from a luxury gaming experience. The Jade Casino is the answer.
South Africa’s Chinese community is established, growing and commercially significant. Beyond the domestic community, South Africa receives a substantial and increasing number of Chinese business travellers and tourists annually, with Gauteng as the primary gateway. China is one of South Africa’s most important trading partners, and the deepening of commercial, diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries creates a real and growing demand for premium, culturally authentic hospitality in Johannesburg.
The Jade Casino positions Emperors Palace as the premier Chinese luxury hospitality destination in South Africa — one that speaks directly to this community in a language they recognise and respect.
| “We are positioned at the gateway to Africa — minutes from OR Tambo, at the heart of a city that is increasingly connected to China through business, tourism and culture. The Jade Casino is a signal to every Chinese visitor arriving in Johannesburg that there is a world-class experience waiting for them here. We built this to be a destination — one that drives people to Emperors Palace specifically, and keeps them coming back.”— Sikhulile Dlamini, Tables Manager, Emperors Palace |
SETTING A NEW STANDARD IN PREMIUM GAMING
Global premium gaming has shifted decisively toward cultural immersion and curated experience. The world’s leading dedicated Chinese gaming environments demonstrate that the future of luxury gaming is experiential — guests expect not only exceptional table offerings, but the full theatre of arrival, service, atmosphere and cultural authenticity.
Baccarat has seen sustained global growth as the game of choice for high-net-worth players. Three private gaming rooms, table limits ranging from R200 to R300,000, and a dedicated smoking Privé environment give the Jade Casino the credentials to attract and retain serious players — locally, regionally and internationally.
The Jade Casino was designed to meet that standard. Everything from the architectural language to the cultural programming — the tea ceremony, the calligraphy, the Chinese entertainment — was chosen not for effect but for authenticity. Guests who know what the best looks like will recognise it here.
LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMERS — THE STORY BEHIND THE JADE CASINO
The Jade Casino did not emerge from a trend report. It emerged from years of listening. The Chinese patron community has been a cornerstone of the Emperors Palace premium gaming floor for many years — loyal, sophisticated and increasingly clear about what they want from a luxury gaming experience. The Jade Casino is the answer.
South Africa’s Chinese community is established, growing and commercially significant. Beyond the domestic community, South Africa receives a substantial and increasing number of Chinese business travellers and tourists annually, with Gauteng as the primary gateway. China is one of South Africa’s most important trading partners, and the deepening of commercial, diplomatic and cultural ties between the two countries creates a real and growing demand for premium, culturally authentic hospitality in Johannesburg.
The Jade Casino positions Emperors Palace as the premier Chinese luxury hospitality destination in South Africa — one that speaks directly to this community in a language they recognise and respect.