Lucky South African gamblers can enjoy online casino fun at many top casino brands around the world. The South African experience is somewhat unique though, so read through our guide to familiarize yourself with what to expect when gambling online as a ZA (South African) player and enjoy entertainment at the best online casinos for your region.
South African Online Casinos List
1 | R30,000 + 30 Free Spins on the Big Game slot machine | ZAR Casino | Sign-Up | 18+ | Play Responsibly | BeGambleAware.org | |
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Legal Online Gambling in South Africa
In September 2011, the South African government made it clear that no online gambling services would be allowed within the borders of South Africa. It is technically illegal to gamble online from within the country. These laws are aimed more at the banks who handle the exchange of monies to and from casinos, as well as the casino operators themselves. There is no history of players being prosecuted for online gambling.
Despite the laws, there are still online casinos that openly welcome South African players. They need not be licensed in any particular jurisdiction to do so, but it is advisable that South Africans only play at reputably licensed services, like those from the Government of Curacao, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the UK Gambling Commission, to name a few. These casinos usually abide by strict ethical codes, are frequently audited by their regulating bodies for fairness, and have the fairest terms and conditions with regards to bonuses and withdrawals.
All the operators on our South African Online Casino list are safe and legally abide by all regulations within their regions. It is important to play at such operators, as there is no recourse through the South African government should anything go awry.
Casino Bonuses for South African Players
South African online casino players have access to a long list of casino bonuses on the web, including sign-up/welcome bonuses, free spins, no deposit bonuses, and cashbacks.
Before signing up for any bonus at an online casino, read through the bonus terms and conditions to make sure that there are no player exclusions. Some casinos will accept South African players, but not allow them to partake in the bonus offerings, so make sure that your chosen casino allows you to partake.
Signup Bonus for South African players
Otherwise known as Welcome Offers, Sign-up bonuses are a common promotion offered to first-time gamblers at a particular site. The most offered bonuses are Match Deposits. Here, your real money deposit will be matched by a predefined percentage from the casino, thereby extending you more credits to enjoy casino games with. It is important to notice that this form of offer is a once-off promotion.
Sign-up bonuses will be accompanied by a minimum deposit, wagering requirements of 30x or more before being able to draw funds, and a set time limit to play the bonus money out by. Offers are frequently made available to South African players in Rands, but in the case that the currency is not accepted by the casino, you can opt to play in Euros or Dollars.
Online Casino South Africa Free Spins
Many casinos will offer South African players free spin bonus offers. Much like No Deposit bonuses, they rarely require a deposit amount (some offers do) to claim them, but the wagering requirements are high and the withdrawal limits are low. The main difference is that you are not provided with bonus credits, but rather with free spins on specified slot games offered by the operator.
Free spins will always come with wager limits to avoid bonus abuse. They may also be offered in split batches. For instance, some promotions will offer South African players 50 free spins (an example amount) along with their Sign-up bonus. It is important to note here, that these may not all be given at once, but rather distributed in increments of ten per day over five days. Each batch will need to be played within 24 hours.
Other Real Money Bonuses
Another common bonus found at Online Casinos for South African players are cashbacks. Here, a casino will repay a percentage of the losses you have incurred over a week, or a month, etc. The most common cashback afforded is around 10% of your losses. Be sure to read the terms and conditions involved in the offer, as it usually stipulates a minimum spend limit.
Some casinos will offer South African players the chance to become part of their loyalty rewards programs. In this case, you can earn loyalty points as you spend, which can, in turn, be redeemed for money, casino credits, or other bonuses in the future.
Best Payout Online Casino South Africa
When speaking of the Best Paying casinos for South Africans, we cannot simply look at the size of the withdrawals permitted, but also the terms and conditions involved with payouts.
The best payout casinos are always licensed ones. These operators are governed by strict ethical codes to ensure fairness. Their wagering requirements are not over-excessive, and their terms and conditions are within the realms of global fair practice. Such casinos are transparent about all their practices and will readily divulge the Return to Player (RTP) statistics of every game they offer for play.
Beware of sites without legitimate licensing, as you may walk away from your gambling experience very frustrated.
Online Casino Games for Real Money South Africa
South African players are afforded a great variety of casino games to play at top casinos, including most table games, live casino games, online slots, keno, bingo, and more.
Most of these are extended by some of the best game providers in the market space, including reputable names like NetEnt, Play’n GO, EGT, NextGen Gaming, WMS, Pragmatic Play, Scientific Gaming, Thunderkick, Evolution Gaming, and more.
Unfortunately, Microgaming does not offer South Africans access to their games.
Online Roulette
ZA Gamblers can enjoy many fine roulette gaming options in both the live and virtual table environments where the aim of the game is to bet on where the little white ball will land on the spinning wheel. Whether French Roulette, European Roulette, or American ‘00’ Roulette is your fancy, you will be able to find a great title to suit your needs at most South African Online Casinos.
Roulette offers a large selection of betting options, with RTPs of up to 98%. High odds options can pay you anywhere up to 35:1 on your wagers. With the option for high-figure betting, this game is ideal for high rollers.
Online Blackjack
Blackjack is popular among South African gamblers. You can play the game in both virtual and live casino environments at a host of qualifying casino operators.
The game of ‘21 or bust’ holds the lowest house odds in the business, affording its players up to 99% RTP (depending on the version). Landing a Blackjack hand grants you 3:2 payout odds, while a standard win pays 1:1. Blackjack tables carry various bet spreads, so whether you are a high roller or low roller, you will be able to find your table of interest.
Live Casino Games for South African Players
South African players are privy to a large selection of Live online casino games from providers like Evolution Gaming, NetEnt Live, and Playtech. Unfortunately, once again, ZA players cannot access live entertainment from Microgaming.
Players can enjoy a host of titles including options like Blackjack, Roulette, Poker (many variants), Monopoly, Lightning Dice, Baccarat, Dreamcatcher, Deal or No Deal, and much more.
Live Casino games are underpinned my webcam technology, where games hosted by real dealers in real-time are live-streamed to players via their desktop or mobile devices. This form of gambling provides the perfect balance between immersive brick and mortar entertainment and online gambling.
Popular Casino Games for South African Players
ONLINE SLOTS
ONLINE BLACKJACK
ONLINE ROULETTE
Deposit and Withdrawal methods South African Players
There are several safe ways in which South Africans can make deposits and withdrawals from an online casino accepting South African players. These include traditional banking solutions, credit cards, instant banking, and e-wallets. The options include:
- Visa and Mastercard: Both Visa/Mastercard debit and credit cards can be used to deposit to a ZA casino speedily. While depositing is instant, withdrawals can take several days to receive.
- Bank Transfer: Traditional EFT or bank transfers are very safe. The fees involved in the transactions are usually covered by set monthly account costs on the account. Both deposits and withdrawals can take several days to reflect either way. Further costs can be incurred for currency exchange if an online casino does not accept betting in Rands and you are forced to play in Euros, Pounds, or Dollars instead.
- Easy EFT: This is probably the most user-friendly South African payment service available. It is a third-party provider that bridges the gap between your bank account and the casino, facilitating instant payment functions. Withdrawing from the casino can take up to 7 days though. The costs involved in each transaction are small.
- SID Instant EFT: Designed especially for the South African region, this payment solution acts as a third-party service provider between your bank and the casino, offering an extra layer of security for yourself. Most South African banks are supported by this service. The cost of the account is R250 per month with a small additional cost levied at 1.5% per transaction.
- EntroPay: Entropay is a Virtual Debit Card, which allows you to make payments and receive withdrawals in the same way that a credit card does. Deposits are instant, while withdrawals from your Entropay account to your bank account can take up to 2 days. It will cost you between 3.95% and 4.95% to load the card with money. Transactions from Entrocard are free, but withdrawals from the card to your bank will cost you €9.99 each time.
- Neteller: Neteller is an e-wallet designed specifically for the casino industry. Unfortunately, it only deals in Euros, which means that you will have to pay forex charges for conversions from Euros to Rands. Further costs involve a small 1.45% levy on all transactions. The greatest perk to Neteller is speed, as this facility will both deposit and withdraw funds instantly from a casino account. Be aware that many casinos will not allow you to partake in bonus offers with Neteller (read the bonus terms).
- Skrill: Skrill is an e-wallet designed to make instant payments and withdrawals from online sites, like casinos. It will cost you 2.9% of the cost of your deposit to load your Skrill account, 1.45% fee for each transaction, and $5.50 per withdrawal to your bank account. The perk of Skrill over Neteller for South African clients, is the fact that you need not pay any conversion costs, as Skrill accepts Rands. Be aware that many casinos will not allow you to partake in bonus offers with Skrill (read the bonus terms).
- ecoPayz: This is a newer e-wallet platform that comes with the same perks as Neteller. Loading the card will cost you between 1.69% and 6% per time with a €10 withdrawal fee to your bank account.
It is vital to note that South African players will be subject to KYC protocols just like players from anywhere else in the world. These regulations are put on the casinos themselves to minimize cyber-crime and money laundering. You will, therefore, have to prove your identity and your address before your first withdrawal from the casino. This process can take up to 72 hours to complete.
Because online gambling is illegal in South Africa, banking institutions may confiscate your winnings if they recognize that they are coming from an online gambling source. This is why most players from the region make use of third-party payment solutions such as e-wallets to avoid this from happening. If you find that it is taking a long time to receive your funds, you can reach out to the casino’s support department for more information.
FAQ About Online Casinos South Africa
Is it legal to play at online casinos in South Africa?
No, it is illegal to gamble online in South Africa. These laws are sanctioned against online casinos themselves, with no legal repercussions in place for players. For this reason, many online casinos still support South African players.
How do I know an online casino accepts players from South Africa?
Most online casinos use Geotag technology to pinpoint what region you are accessing the site from. These casinos will automatically reject a sign-up from a South African player if they do not accept ZA players. To be cautious refer to the Restricted Countries section of the casino’s terms and conditions section to make sure that you are not blacklisted from the site.
Do I need to pay taxes when I win?
No, gambling winnings are exempt from taxation in South Africa.
Can I deposit and withdraw in ZAR?
Yes, there are various payment and withdrawal solutions available to South African gamblers. These include Visa and Mastercard options, Internet Banking, Easy EFT, CID Instant EFT, EntroPay, Skrill, Neteller, and ecoPayz.
How to make money on South African online casinos?
While gambling always has an element of chance to it with no guarantee of wins, you stand a better chance of rewards when playing games with low house odds. This includes games of skill, such as Blackjack, Poker, Baccarat, and Roulette.
Which is the best online casino for South African players?
There is a long list of top casinos for South African players, so be sure to browse through our CasinoGuide listing to partner up with the best brand to suit you.