Top Online Casinos South Africa
South Africa is home to a couple of prominent land-based casinos. Naturally, with the development of technology and the success of the online casino industry, you would think South African online casinos are a common thing in the country.
Unfortunately, since the law changed in 2010, online casinos have become illegal. With such a strict stance on online gambling, not many international (or offshore) casinos provide their services to South African players.
We’ve seen quite a number of unreliable and shady online casinos, so we decided to present the best South African casinos that are available to you. Below, you will see our selection of carefully picked online casinos:
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Online Casinos in South Africa
Our goal is to create a guide and find the best South African online casino that can cater to your every need as a player, which is why we’ve decided to explain the process to you in more detail. Here, you can read which boxes an online casino needs to tick in order for us to take it into consideration. Let’s dive in.
The first one is — licensing. We won’t even look at a South African online casino that isn’t licensed and regulated by a body of authority. Currently, there are two choices — the Malta Gaming Authority and Curacao.
After we’ve found licensing and regulation info, we move on to the casino games they offer. To be considered legit, a casino should feature a vast selection of diverse casino games so that every South African can find something to play.
Next up are the bonuses and promotions — the most important section, according to some players. When looking at bonuses, we want to see that they can motivate a player to join the platform. What we don’t want to see are the big wagering requirements or high deposit limits.
Then, we move on to payment options and player security. We do it last because we need more time to go through all the relevant information and so double-check it. We would never recommend a South African online casino we didn’t think was reliable and trustworthy.
Popular Casino Games to Play Online
Generally, when you want to register in a real money casino, you want to see a rich offer of casino games for you to play in the casino. In addition, what we noticed while reviewing online casinos is that the players’ first choice was always some type of online slot game. Whether you’re a fan of the classic fruit slot machines, masterpieces called video slots, or a fancy roulette table, you will have hundreds of options to choose from.
Aside from these games, players enjoy: Jackpot slots that can lead to huge wins, craps which is a land-based casino classic, as well as video poker that has reached new levels of popularity. Live dealer casinos are becoming more present as Internet connection gets more stable and more accessible to the majority of South African casino players.
Online casinos base their game selection on players’ preferences. Since not all players enjoy playing the same games, the casinos make sure to diversify their offer by featuring a big number of options to choose from. In the next couple of paragraphs, we will discuss the casino game options you’ll find in South African casinos.
Online Slot Games
It’s no surprise that online slots are such a big hit in South African casinos. They are fairly simple to play, their design is superb, and you might get some pretty big wins. All you have to do is have a bit of luck and spin the reels.
Given that the number of software providers is still on the rise, if you don’t know what you’re looking for in a game, you may spend a lot of time in search of the perfect game. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose an online casino that offers free play — an opportunity to play games for free, without any deposits. This allows you to find the game you like and see if it is worth your money and your time.
Casino Table Games
While online casinos might be illegal for South African casino aficionados, land-based casinos, on the other hand, are thriving. Because of that, table games are always a great choice. Of course, that has translated into one of the most popular choices in online casinos as well.
Therefore, when you open an online casino, you will be greeted by a vast selection of table games and their variations — roulette, video poker, craps, blackjack, baccarat — and these are all top choices among South Africans.
Before you start playing for real money, feel free to do a bit of browsing, and always make sure whether you can play in a casino for free. Maybe you have a knack for these types of games, or maybe you will realise table games simply aren’t your cup of tea.
Live Dealer Games in Online Casinos
Live dealer casinos give players an opportunity to feel the thrill of the real casino without having to leave their homes. It’s much faster to visit an online casino and open the live dealer game section than it is to go to the land-based casino, and all you need for that to happen is a good Internet connection.
Up until recently, a stable Internet connection has been a big issue in the country. However, things have started to change for the better, and now you have a chance to enjoy a live dealer game of roulette, blackjack, and poker streamed in real-time. It goes without saying that these types of games will take your casino adventure to a whole new level.
Different Types of Online Casino Bonuses
When choosing which casino to play in, South African players look for a platform that has a wide array of promotions. Everyone loves a good bonus. It gives a boost to your bankroll, an opportunity to win more cash prizes, and some might allow you to test the game risk-free. So, let’s see what types of bonuses you’ll come across in a South African casino online.
No Deposit Bonus
From what we could see, this one is South African players’ favourite bonus, which is mostly due to the fact that the payment system in this country can be a little tricky. Once you indulge more in the South African online casino scene, you will see that numerous online casinos offer no deposit bonuses to their players.
No deposit bonuses are the perfect opportunity for you to explore the game selection, learn how to play a certain game, or simply see whether online gambling is something you’re interested in. Of course, before claiming a bonus, read the terms & conditions carefully. That way you will know if there are any additional wagering requirements or whether you need to use a specific payment method to collect your winnings.
Matched Deposit Bonus
Unlike a no deposit bonus, a matched deposit bonus requires you to make your initial deposit. Once you do that, the casino will match the amount you deposited up to a certain percentage. Still, with this bonus, you need to be aware of the minimum deposit you can make in order to activate this offer.
Free Spins
Who doesn’t love free spins? Some online casinos offer this type of bonus where players can try out games using free spins, and they are usually not required to make a deposit. However, wagering requirements can be high and cashouts are capped, so make sure to read the T&C before you add any free spins to your account.
Wager Free Spins
This one is a rare find in online casinos, not only in South Africa but all over the world. This bonus that comes without any wagering requirements has quickly become popular among South African players. However, beware of the maximum cashout — online casinos need to have some control over the cash flow, so you will most likely come across some limits when it comes to wager-free spins.
Cashback Bonus
If you ask any South African player about the favourite bonus, you will definitely learn about the cashback bonus. This type of bonus is popular because you can make a deposit, and if you meet certain requirements, you will get some amount of cashback added to your account. Therefore, more money means more games to play!
Payment Methods
When it comes to making payments to your account, you will have a wide range of options. When you’re deciding which payment method you’d like to use, you should take these things into consideration:
Check if there are any extra fees when it comes to using that certain payment option;
Learn how reliable that banking option is;
See whether you can easily use it online.
Online casino platforms use a special encryption method that ensures all your information will be stored safely and won’t be misused in any way. So, before starting to play in an online casino, it’s important that you feel comfortable using a specific payment option. Let’s take a look at banking options that are at your disposal:
- Credit/debit cards
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Web Money
- Skrill
- Bitcoin
- Bank Transfer
- Cheque
- Ukash
- EcoPayz
- EntroPay
- EasyEFT
Before you select a payment option, know that some e-wallets such as Neteller accept only EUR and not ZAR, so you might come across some additional fees. However, given the laws and regulations in South Africa, a safer option might be to use a third-party banking method, such as Skrill, Neteller, or PayPal. If you opt for one of these methods, always ensure that the online casino you selected accepts it in the first place. Also, make sure that you can use this banking method when you want to cash in on a bonus.
Data Protection and Security
Since online casinos are banned in South Africa, and the only form of online gambling sites available to South African players are offshore casinos, data protection and players’ security are a top priority.
The laws are very strict, which is why NRGP (the National Responsible Gambling Programme) supervises and oversees the work of SARGF (the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation). These two organisations work closely with online operators providing services to South Africans, and the mutual goal of their close collaboration is to keep their players safe.
Each online casino includes the Responsible Gambling section on their platforms where players can inform themselves and get help if needed. Additionally, in order to increase security, online casinos use modern encryption technology that ensures all the information is encrypted and safe. That way, South African players can rest assured that their information is kept safe and that they can go on with their search for the perfect game and enjoy playing it once they find it.
South African Online Casino FAQ
In case you have any more questions regarding South African players and online gambling, take a look below. We have answered the most common question players usually have on this specific subject.
Is online gambling legal in South Africa?
At the moment of writing the article, online gambling is illegal. Generally speaking, gambling isn’t illegal, but ever since the changes in the law in 2010, online forms of gambling have become illegal. Whether that will change in the future, we can’t say. We can only wait and see.
Can I play online casino games for free?
A large number of the best casinos will offer the opportunity for free play. This means you won’t have to create an account or make any deposits. You could simply select a game and play it for free. These free games are the best way to learn the rules and see if you like the game. After that, you can decide whether you want to stop playing for free and play in the casino for real money.
Are online casino games rigged?
Online gaming platforms implement an RNG (random number generator) which ensures all games are completely random and fair.
How old do I have to be in order to be able to gamble in South African casinos online?
If you want to access online gambling platforms, you need to be older than 18. Online casinos don’t allow players who are under the age of 18 to play games or participate in other gambling activities on their platforms. At some point, you might be required to provide an ID to prove you are over 18.
