The preamble of South Africa’s Gambling Act states four reasons why gambling in the country is legal. One of these is: To keep “gambling activities transparent, fair and equitable.” This answers the status of gambling in the largest gambling market on the African continent, where 71% of the polled population plays casino games on their mobile phones.
While online betting is legal in South Africa, the current law doesn’t mention online casino gambling. Because many famous casino sites end with the .za domain and active sportsbooks offer slots and table games, we can say that the government tolerates the legal gray area.
Before online casino sites and sportsbooks made their entry, South Africans’ favorite game of chance was the lotto and slot machines in casino resorts. Today’s norm is to gamble online, which keeps with the upward curve as the number of players is projected to reach 3.5m by 2027.
All this points to the fact that Mzansi is abuzz with SA online casinos and sportsbooks. To put it simply, in South Africa online gambling is legal and people have the knowledge and the means to explore exciting venues like Springbok Casino, Europa Casino, ZAR Casino, 10Bet, Betfred, Gbets, and many others.
Is Online Gambling Legal in South Africa?
With the 1996 National Gambling Act, the government legalized upward of 2,000 illegal casinos across the country. The current Act and its 2008 Amendment legalized SA online gambling, specifically, sportsbooks.
Conversely, licensed companies do offer online slots and table games which the government requires to be tested for fairness by independent labs like eCogra.
Online gambling sites that are well-known to South Africans are those that have passed through the regulatory sieve. Our reviewers have played with and won ZA rands on sports, slots, and casino games – all readily available while using the country’s internet service providers.
Reputable online casino and betting sites for PC and mobile are licensed by government bodies like the UKGC, MGA, and GBGA, but are also tolerated to operate by the country’s national and provincial regulators.
The main legal prerogative of issuing gambling licenses remains with the SA provincial regulatory bodies, like the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board – the largest one in South Africa.
The National Gaming Board, the main regulating body, is strenuous about enforcing the legal gambling age (18+), safe gaming standards, and the advertising of online casinos. It cooperates with the SA Financial Intelligence Centre (FICA) to verify the KYC process of each casino account.
SA Online Casinos
South Africans enjoyed open access to casinos before the COVID-19 pandemic. With the ensuing closures, most people simply continued playing real money casino games online. Simply put, online casino bonuses are too nice to resist and land casinos are notorious for their lackluster promos.
To date, the country has yet to see a single person who has been charged for playing poker online. Online casinos are still in operation and there are roughly 1.7 million people who play online casino games, casually or on a regular basis.
Table and card games enjoy huge popularity in South Africa because of its history with traditional land casinos and hotel-casino resorts. While we don’t have stats on how many people play live dealer games – poker, blackjack, roulette, and the like are readily available at scores of South African online casinos, along with their virtual counterparts.
But if anyone is wondering which online casino games category is the absolute monarch, the honor goes to online slots. Slots offer a huge variety of styles and payout mechanics, as well as bonus features. Add to this the attractiveness of progressive jackpot slots and it becomes undeniable that virtual one-armed bandits resonate strongly with the casual casino player.
The best way to enjoy new South African casinos is by browsing the list of venues on this very page, as it is vetted by quality and reputation. From our own experience, claiming a casino deposit bonus gives the player more funds to use in addition to the deposit.
Because the best online casinos will continue to provide rolling promotions, it’s crucial to check out brands like Springbok, Punt ZA, ZAR Casino and the likes.
SA Sports Betting
South Africans have a strong tradition across a variety of sports. Rugby, cricket, golf, and football are the main attractions, however, the country has players with international reputations in tennis and even in cycling. The SA population will never forget Bafana’s historic World Cup opener in 2010.
With that said, sports are part of everyday life and the pastime is projected to expand with betting the only industry to grow during the pandemic – at an amazing 21.2% year on year.
This is partly because sports betting has had a head start versus online betting for more than a decade. Each provincial government licenses its own official betting operator, like Gold Circle in KwaZulu and Phumelela in Western Cape, PowerBet Gaming, and so on.
Sports bettors don’t expect a huge variety of sports, but the essential leagues and competitions are a must. We are talking about international football, rugby and cricket competitions, the NBA, major boxing matches, as well as major UFC and other premium fighting levels.
Exciting sporting events and betting go hand in hand as do sportsbooks and welcome bonuses. Although South Africans enjoy access to major betting sites, new competitors are always on the horizon with exciting sports betting bonuses offering deposit boosts or free bets.
Brands to look out for include Tusk Casino, Playa, BetOlimp, Sun Bet, Supabets, and others.
South Africa Online Gambling At A Glance
| 🎰South Africa Online Gambling | |
|---|---|
| ⚖️Status | Sports betting legal online; licensed online casinos unspecified but tolerated |
| 🏛️Regulatory Body | National Gaming Board + provincial regulators |
| 📜iGaming Licenses | Nine Provincial Licensing Authorities |
| 📖Number of Online Sportsbooks | Around 15 well-established brands |
| ⭐Top Brands | Betfred, Bet.co.za, Gbets, SunBet, Playa, Supabets… |
| 🎰Number of Online Casinos | 10 established brands, upward of 20 known to players |
| ⭐Top Brands | Springbok, Thunderbolt, Yebo, Yeti Casino, ZAR Casino, African Grand, SilverSands |
| 💳Banking Methods | Credit, Debit, E-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, Paypal), M-Pesa |
| 💵Currency | South African rand |
| 📱Accessibility | PC, Mac, Android, iPhone |
| 🎁Bonuses You Can Expect | Deposit match, bonus cash, deposit boost |
Research shows that South Africans of the younger generations prefer to play online, but what about all the classical cats before the internet era? Maybe it is a little-known fact to people from abroad, but ZA is home to Rio Casino – the seventh largest resort in the world.
The province of Gauteng has seven casinos, Western Cape has five, Kwazul-Natal has six, and so on. The official list from the Department of Trade and Industry doesn’t include smaller casinos. In other words, South Africans have plenty of options to play popular casino games offline.
In terms of betting outside the internet, ZA residents can visit close to 950 totalizator and sports betting shops. The advantage of these is that they don’t require a minimum deposit or opening a casino account. On the other hand, players can’t enjoy the significant kickbacks from deposit bonuses.
Bonuses & Promotions For Online Gambling in South Africa
Our casino and betting experts know the ins and outs of the online gambling industry and the importance of bonuses. No, it is not a secret that online venues battle with land. It’s hard to say who’s winning the battle overall, but we know that pro and casual players love bonuses and promotions for online gambling – which shows in the online gambling bonuses on this page.
If you are just about to explore how welcome bonuses work, hang on to get the best scoop of both worlds. In essence, by meeting the minimum deposit, your account qualifies for the welcome bonus. If the bonus is a deposit match of 100%, you get your deposited funds plus the same amount as bonus money.
What is true for both sportsbooks and casinos online is that players can win on real money casino games with bonus funds. The winnings can be withdrawn to your personal account after clearing the play-through rate, also known as wagering requirement.
Online Casino Bonuses
Any casino bonus will put you ahead versus playing without a bonus. You can claim bonuses for bonus cash or free spins. Both can lead to winnings. Some casinos prevent you from playing progressive jackpot slots with bonus funds, but some don’t.
The main type of casino bonuses are obtained when you open a new casino account. Many welcome bonuses on SA casino sites offer bonus cash as the result of a 100% deposit match. Some venues outdo the competitors by offering 150% extra on your deposited funds. Obviously, this suits the players.
Free spins are another popular signup or rolling bonus. This offer type usually relates to a specific online slot – a popular, high-potential online casino game like Gonzo’s Quest, the Big Bass Bonanza series, Book of Dead and the like.
On a rare occasion, SA casino players will come across a really good no-deposit bonus, which is exactly what the wording says – no strings attached. You can claim this type of bonus to receive free cash or free spins, without depositing a rand.
Sports Betting Bonuses
If you want to gamble online in sports, you shouldn’t do it without claiming a bonus first. Our expert punters have sourced an ideal combination of free bets, deposit promos, or a combination of both, plus free spins.
When a sportsbook offers a deposit match for UP TO a specified amount, this means you can deposit half that amount and get the rest as bonus betting funds. In many cases, a casino will add between 25 and 50 rand in free bets. This is a great touch on what is already a great offer.
The missing piece from the South Africa online gambling picture are no-sweat bonuses. These promos enable the player to get back the money from a losing bet. It’d be nice to have this, but for now, ZA punters have three major kinds of sports gambling bonuses at their disposal.
In summary, claiming a betting bonus is legal for ZA residents, as long as you are of age. What’s more, sportsbooks can’t prevent account holders from claiming a bonus at another venue, so our readers are free to use this page as a resource.
How Online Gambling in South Africa Works
Unlike sports betting sites, South Africa online casinos are not available through domestic operators. Nevertheless, both forms of gambling are accessible from within ZA as the regulators allow the top online casinos to operate freely. New players can learn the essentials here before discovering exciting casino games and world-class sporting events for betting.
How to Register on SA Online Gambling Sites
The registration process is typical across the majority of casinos and betting sites. Players in South Africa need to be 18 years or older and demonstrate their age and credentials. After you’ve selected your welcome bonus from this page, the gambling site will ask for your email address, phone and address. Simply follow the easy on-screen instructions and you’ll be ready to play in a few minutes.
Desktop/Mobile play
Coming across a site that doesn’t offer both desktop and mobile access to sports and casino games is virtually impossible. All casinos work on standard web browsers like Chrome, Safari, Mozilla and the like. Some venues, however, do offer their own apps which help streamline navigation and the overall gambling experience.
Banking methods
Besides readily accepting Visa and MasterCards, casinos and sportsbooks also accept E-wallets like EcoPayz, Neteller and Skrill, as well as the ZA processor EasyEFT. Additionally, some operators, like Springbok Casino and Punt Casino accept BTC and other cryptocurrencies.
Types of betting options
With sportsbetting being ubiquitous and in high demand across the country, there is no question about the diversity of the bets; these can range from parlay, over/under and spreads, to sports-specific bets as in golf and tennis.
The norm for online slots and popular casino games at the top South African online casinos is set by leading game providers (NetEnt, Pragmatic, Blueprint, etc.). Live dealer games, as well as virtual games, are on the menu too, leaving no want of choice even for the choosiest players out there.
Verification/withdrawals
As we mentioned above, the regulators are very serious about the KYC process, especially regarding money withdrawals. Before your winnings are delivered to your payment method of choice, you will need to provide an official photo ID, copy of a utility bill and even a copy of your credit/debit card. All copies must be legible, so it is best to follow the particular instructions to avoid delays.
Support
Licensed online casinos and sportsbooks are obliged to provide customer service by law. 24/7 phone and live chat support is typical for leading venues while all others may provide asynchronous or live chat and email. The contact link is usually a tab on the menu, but it can be found in the website’s footer.
Tips To Find Legit Online Gambling Sites in South Africa
Our website receives lots of requests from casinos but we can only accept those that fulfill our criteria for legitimacy and reputation. South Africans that want legit offshore casinos and sportsbooks will find the following:
- Bonuses and promos that enhance the casino experience
- Operating licenses from UKGC, Malta, Gibraltar and the similar
- Fair terms, as in, legit winnings are honored no questions asked
- Independent lab-tested online slots and casino games
- Competitions, VIP programs, prize drawings, birthday bonuses and other perks
- Objective customer reviews and reputation in the online casino industry
- Safe-gambling is promoted along with safety mechanisms
On aggregate, we are always looking for the best experience that embodies the above, and so should the visitors who use our resources.
Why Gambling Promo Codes?
People who have earned betting and casino experience will agree that bonuses offered by online operators are more competitive compared to national or provincial operators. The main question here is how do you find the best of the best?
Our South Africa hub always presents the cream of casino bonuses for licensed venues. We have thousands of visitors from ZA who bookmark the page because of the steady stream of promo codes that you can claim at any time.
FAQs
Is gambling legal in South Africa?
Sports betting online was legalized with the 2008 amendment to the South Africa Gambling Act. Although the same act doesn’t mention online casinos, the legal gray space is overseen by provincial regulators who do allow licensed online casinos to operate in the country. So, in brief, gambling is legal, but with this added consideration regarding casino sites.
What is the minimum gambling age in South Africa?
South Africa’s gambling regulating bodies have agreed on a universal legal gambling age across the country. 18 years or older is the required age that needs to be proven during the KYC process when signing up on online casinos or sportsbooks.
What casino games can I play in South Africa?
South African casino sites offer a rich selection of online slots, which dominate in number over card and table games. The latter category is divided in two: virtual and live dealer games, which include unique game of chance adventures like Monopoly live, Dreamcatcher, Football Studio, various styles of roulette and more.
Are there legal betting sites in South Africa?
The second-best economy on the African continent has had notable experience with sports betting which gave way to online betting. SA’s residents can legally bet on sports in official totalizator stores, official government-licensed domestic sites, as well as famous offshore sportsbooks.
How can I find a good online gambling site in South Africa?
The internet space is filled with casinos and sportsbooks, many of which are sub-par or outright scammy. Because it takes considerable experience in recognizing the latter, online betting and casino experts recommend finding legit operators through reputable aggregators. You are looking at one that has scores of best online casino sites and sportsbooks, along with signup bonuses.
Which are the best South Africa gambling sites for casino and betting?
Are you looking for the best of the best betting and online casino South Africa? There are many exciting venues, however, our experts have enjoyed the best games, service and bonuses on the following: Gbets, 10bet, Betfred, Supabets, Springbok Casino, Tusk Casino, Punt, Yebo and the rest that are available on this page.
Are there bonuses for gambling online in South Africa?
Like in most countries where it is legal to gamble online, operators in South Africa offer casino and betting bonuses. Because these can range in quality and terms, your best bet is to check out the set of sizzling signup bonuses on our page dedicated to South Africa.
Is online gambling safe in ZA?
Big winners and casual players alike always point to the same conclusion: gambling is fun, but you need to play it safe. Unless you do, there is a risk that you may end up spending more than you can afford. Thankfully, licensed South African casinos and sportsbooks offer self-exclusion and problem gambling hotlines, among other mechanisms to promote safe gambling.
Can I win real money gambling online in South Africa?
Licensed betting and online casinos in South Africa accept the world’s leading payment processing companies, ranging from Visa and Mastercard to e-wallets like Skrill and Paypal. In other words, yes, ZA residents can play and win prizes in their native rand currency, as well as crypto in some cases.