Online Casinos South Africa: A Complete Guide
Discover the latest online casinos South Africa has to offer. We have done the hard work for you by trying and testing hundreds of online casinos. What’s left for you is to choose one of the casinos from our shortlist, read the review, see if it has what you’re looking for and then sign up through this page.
These online casinos will let you transact in the South African Rand and welcome you to large game portfolios, attractive bonuses, and great customer service. Below is a complete guide to gambling online in South Africa. We provide our shortlist of the recommended online casinos in South Africa, review the gambling laws in the country, and provide our criteria for finding the best platform. Let’s get right to it!
The Best Online Casinos South Africa
South Africa online casinos have much to offer. This includes a thrilling games selection, attractive bonuses for new and existing players, mobile casino compatibility, broad banking sections, and reliable customer service. Here is our list of the top sites for gambling online in South Africa:
- Minimum $10 deposit
- 35x wagering requirement
- Multiple other deposit bonuses
- Minimum €20 deposit
- 30x wagering
- Minimum €20 deposit
- Available across 5 deposits
- Free spins spread across 10 days
- Welcome bonus: 200% up to $2000
- 35x wagering
- Valid for 30 days
- 100% deposit match up to €2,000
- 40x wagering
- Regular promos
Gambling Laws in South Africa
Can you gamble in South Africa? Yes. Certain forms of gambling are legal in the country and overseen by the relevant authorities. In South Africa, gambling is regulated at the provincial and national levels. Each of the nine provinces has a regulation body with jurisdiction to issue licenses for land-based casinos, racing, gambling, and wagering.
On the national level, the National Gambling Board (NGB) oversees and evaluates the performance of provincial licensing authorities (PLAs) and the licenses issued by the PLAs for compliance with national norms and standards.
Legal Gambling Activities in South Africa
In South Africa, the following are the legal gambling activities:
- Casinos: The government has issued 41 licenses to land-based casinos.
- Limited payout machines (LPMs) were introduced as slot machines and permitted outside casinos. They allow a maximum bet of R5.00 and a maximum payout of R500.00.
- Bingo: Played inside and outside casinos. Gauteng province introduced electronic bingo terminals (EBTs), which offer a technologically advanced game.
- Betting (horseracing and bookmakers): Betting on horses is allowed, three tote-system operators are licensed by PLAs (Phumelela, Gold Circle, and Kennilworth Racing), and two operators are licensed as bookmakers to collect horseracing bets (Phumelela and Gold Circle)
Illegal Gambling Activities in South Africa
The following are classed as illegal gambling activities in South Africa:
- Online gambling, including online casinos
- Poker, including online poker
- Sports betting
- Greyhound racing
- Dice
- Betting on lottery results through bookmakers
In summary, the legality of gambling in South Africa depends on the form. Online casinos are illegal in the country. This means you cannot own or operate online casinos in South Africa or participate in online gambling. However, the authorities have yet to prosecute anyone participating in the activity. For now, gambling online in South Africa is solely through offshore casinos.
Physical Casinos
Land-based gambling is legal in South Africa. The country hosts among the best land-based casinos in Africa, with the government issuing 41 licenses. Currently, 38 land-based casinos are in operation, with the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga Gambling Boards yet to issue their final licenses for their provinces. At the same time, the North West has yet to allocate its new license. These casinos offer a solid selection of slot and video poker machines, with players looking to play table & card games offered roulette, blackjack, and baccarat options. Below is the distribution of casinos per province:
- Eastern Cape: Five licenses, with four already operational
- Free State: Four licenses
- Gauteng: Seven licenses
- KwaZulu-Natal: Five licenses
- Mpumalanga: Four licenses, with three already operational
- Limpopo: Three licenses
- Northern Cape: Three licenses
- North West: Five licenses, with four already operational
- Western Cape: Five licenses
Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in South Africa. They are not regulated or licensed by the Provincial Licensing Authorities or the National Gambling Board. However, despite online gambling being prohibited in the country, many online casinos accept South African players. These sites allow SA players to sign up and play with South African Rands as they enjoy massive casino game portfolios and attractive bonus deals.
At present, not one person has been prosecuted in South Africa for conducting or participating in online gambling activities. It is safe to say online casinos operate in a grey area in South Africa. At Slotsia, we have compiled a list of the top online casinos South Africa offers. Narrow it according to your specific game preferences, and you will be ready to begin!
Future Changes
Substantial efforts have been made to legalize online gambling in South Africa, with the latest bill introduced by the Democratic Alliance, the country’s opposition party. The Remote Gambling Bill (B11-2024) seeks to regulate remote gambling in the country by setting out several rules. These include introducing a new licensing system with three types of licenses: manufacturer, maintenance supplier and employment licenses.
Other rules include protection measures for problem gamblers and proposed regulations for operators, though the bill has yet to be debated in parliament.
Casino Bonuses for Players in South Africa
Casino bonuses are a focus of many gambling fans, even those in South Africa. The best online casinos South Africa welcome players to a range of bonuses to claim from the onset. These bonuses come in different types, from welcome, reload, cashback, time-specific, loyalty, etc. We also ensure that our selection of the best online casinos in South Africa features bonuses with favorable terms like minimum deposit, wagering requirements, and time validity. These bonuses are mainly classed into three groups as follows:
Deposit Bonuses
Deposit bonuses are popular in any online casino. These bonuses depend on your deposit. The online casino matches the deposit by a certain percentage up to a set amount. For example, a 200% bonus of up to 18,500 ZAR means that your deposit will receive a 200% bonus match, and your bonus will not exceed 18,500 ZAR. Sometimes, these bonuses will have free spins attached to use on slots.
These bonuses come with terms that you should keep note of. They include the minimum deposit amount and wagering requirements. The popular deposit bonuses in South African online casinos include welcome bonuses, reload, and weekly/weekend bonuses.
Free Spins
If you enjoy spinning video slots, then free spins bonuses might be what you need. These bonuses will come as part of a deposit bonus, where you receive free spins and bonus funds. In other cases, they are standalone bonuses that activate after a deposit or using a promo code. These spins are exclusively used to spin slots, and the bonus terms will highlight whether they are eligible for all or specific slots.
As with a deposit bonus, free spins will have bonus terms. They include the minimum deposit, wagering requirements, and bonus duration. The wagering requirements apply to the winnings made from the free spins. They generally have a short validity duration compared to bonus funds.
No Deposit Bonuses
As deposit bonuses require deposits to activate, no deposit bonuses will not require any deposit. These are free bonuses, mainly tailored for new customers to welcome them onboard. Instead of activating with a deposit, most no deposit bonuses have a promo code that does the job.
Once activated, you can use them to play all casino games online for real money payouts. However, these bonuses have a few drawbacks. Firstly, they are low in value compared to deposit bonuses. In addition, they may have high wagering requirements and are rare in most online casinos in South Africa.
How We Review Online Casinos South Africa
Our South African players should enjoy the best gaming experience. To ensure this, we ensure only the very best online casinos South Africa make our list. But how do we get here? We thoroughly test these casinos and provide a detailed, unbiased review of the platforms in addition to a rating. This ensures that as you interact with our list, you can also read the review and use our rating as a guide to help you choose the online casino that is best for you. During our testing phase, these are some of the parameters we look out for:
In addition to providing a diverse collection of games, these providers ensure the games offer fair and random results. We check on certifications from independent test bodies like iTech Labs, GLI, and eCOGRA for this.
We check other aspects, such as transactional fees, processing times, and transactional limits. We then list our findings in our reviews to help you make your preference.
Popular South Africa Casino Games
Any top online casino will offer a game portfolio with a solid range of quality titles. These games must be certified by independent test bodies to ensure credibility and transparency in their results. A simple Google search shows that most players are looking for casino games online for real money.
Our best online casinos in South Africa will offer these games in two modes. One is playing for real money, where you join the casino, deposit funds, play your preferred game, and withdraw funds should you win. The other mode is the demo option. This is the mode where you play games for free without risking your funds. To demo these games, log into your account and launch the games in demo mode.
Here are the popular casino games online for real money or demo play in South Africa:
Slots
Slots are the easiest and simplest games at online casinos South Africa. Their gameplay is not complicated, making them the most popular games. Beginners and experienced players are welcome, and the good news is that all are given a fair and equal chance since results are random, thanks to random number generators (RNG).
To play online slots, you will deposit funds to your online casino account, identify the slot you prefer, launch it, adjust your bet amount depending on the range, and spin the reels. You win once the reels stop spinning and land same-kind symbols on a payline.
Slots come in diverse types, from the simplest three-reelers classic slots, video slots, jackpots, megaways, 3D slots, etc. The best slots will offer captivating storylines, engaging themes, and gameplay mechanics, including bonus features, but it ultimately comes down to personal taste.
Table & Card Games
Table & card games are other options when gambling online in South Africa. Like slots, some games like Roulette involve chance and luck. However, they blend some skill and strategy. These games come in various variants as follows:
- Roulette: The objective of the Roulette game is to predict where the ball lands after the roulette wheel stops spinning. You can make outside and inside bets on the most popular variants like European, French, and American Roulette.
- Blackjack: The objective of the Blackjack game is to beat the dealer by getting a hand closer to 21 without exceeding that number. The popular Blackjack variants to bet on at online casinos are European Blackjack, American Blackjack, Blackjack Surrender, Double Exposure Blackjack, and Single Deck Blackjack.
- Baccarat: Bet on the player win, the banker win, or a tie in the Baccarat game. Popular Baccarat variants you’ll find in online casinos in South Africa include European Baccarat, American Baccarat, No Commission Baccarat, and Mini Baccarat.
Live Casino
While virtual games are fun on these casinos, you can play live table & card versions as well. The good news is players will be competing against other players instead of the house. The experience is largely immersive and will involve real dealers who conduct the sessions. The games are streamed live in HD from a studio, and players can chat with each other while playing. These games replicate the experience of land-based gambling facilities, making them popular among gambling fans. Popular live casino games at online casinos in South Africa include Live Blackjack, Baccarat Squeeze, Infinite Blackjack, Lightning Roulette, and Live Roulette.
Online Casinos South Africa Payments
If you join a platform to play casino games online for real money, you’ll need to check the supported casino payment options. At Slotsia, the banking section is one of the parameters we check while reviewing and rating the best sites.
Players in South Africa have plenty of payment options, and the good news is that most of our recommended online casinos SA support these options. They also allow players to transact in the South African rand, the local currency.
As mentioned, our review does not stop on the supported payment options. We recommend online casinos with payment options with fast processing times, high transactional limits, and low fees. Below are the banking options for gambling online in South Africa:
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies have brought a new wave into gambling. They can deposit and withdraw funds in online casinos, including South African ones. They offer high speeds when transacting, charge low to no fees, and are highly secure.
As they use blockchain technology, transactions will not involve third parties like banks, making them fast and secure since no personal information is shared. Popular cryptocurrencies for gambling online in South Africa include Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT.
Digital Wallets
Digital wallets are another common payment method in SA online casinos. These options are intermediaries between banks and your account at the online casino and guarantee fast timelines, low fees, and convenience.
The common e-wallets for playing casino games online for real money in SA include PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz. These options support multiple currencies, including the Rand.
Traditional Methods
The traditional methods adopted in South Africa for gambling are electronic fund transfers (EFTs). They facilitate the transfer of funds from your bank account to your online casino. Among the EFTs are instant online EFTs that facilitate instant transactions. The common EFTs in the country include Payfast PayU, Swiffy EFT, and Smart EFT.
In addition, other traditional methods like bank transfers, checks, credit/debit cards like Visa or MasterCard, and prepaid cards like PaySafeCard exist.
Tips for Choosing Casinos in South Africa
If you wish to find your next online casino in South Africa, this is the right page. Below are our tips for what to consider before signing-up.
VIP Schemes
Beyond bonuses and promotions, check the casino’s VIP schemes. A VIP scheme rewards VIP players for playing consistently on the platform. The scheme features ranks that players climb the more they play and earn points. Each rank has benefits to leverage, including exclusive bonuses, special invites to events, and a personal account manager.
Customer support
An online casino is incomplete without efficient customer service. Check if the gambling platform offers 24/7 customer support and the team is reachable through different options. These may include live chat, phone support, email support, and contact forms. In addition, a comprehensive FAQ page is a pointer to an online casino focusing on excellent customer service.
Games
A great casino game portfolio is a reason enough to join an online casino. However, ensure the games are certified and sourced from reputable game providers. In addition, you will want a betting site that has diverse offerings from slots, table & card games, video poker, live dealer, and other specialties like dice, keno, bingo and crash games – plus sports betting if that is what you like.
A Closer Look at a Recommended South Africa Online Casino
BetandPlay launched in 2022 and is one of the top online casinos in South Africa. The platform features a solid range of slots and games, 30+ banking options, and 24/7 customer service. New casino players can also get hold of a generous welcome bonus that will boost their first deposit.
When you add in the great variety of games and crypto payment options, BetandPlay is certainly our overwhelming choice if you are based in South Africa.
18+. New players only. Minimum qualifying deposit of €20 (or equivalent). Bonus funds are subject to a 30x wagering requirement (deposit amount). Validity period of 7 days applies. Accepted currencies: EUR, USD, BTC, ETH, DOGE, and USDT. Full terms and conditions apply.
Online Casinos South Africa Summary
Here is the summary of gambling online in South Africa:
- Online casinos are illegal in South Africa
- Land-based casinos are legal and licensed by the National Gambling Board
- Gambling licensing and regulation is done at the national and provincial levels in South Africa
- Players can join and play at our recommended offshore online casinos in South Africa
Despite online casinos being illegal in South Africa, you can join our top offshore platforms and play casino games online for real money without any hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is straightforward to find a recommended online casino if you are in South Africa – below we have answered a few questions that you may have.
Gambling at land-based casinos, horse betting operators and bookmakers, bingo, and limited payout machines is legal. However, online gambling, including online casinos, is illegal in the country.
Browse our compiled list of the top online casinos in South Africa to find your next destination. Among the casinos is BetandPlay, which features generous welcome bonus packages, a solid game portfolio, and varied payment options.
You can wager casino games online for real money in South Africa. Join any casino on our list, deposit funds, and play games for real money.
