Skip to content

Complete Guide to Casino Gambling for South Africans

Foreground

Gambling in South Africa was technically prohibited for centuries since late 1600s. However, this does not mean gaming hasn't long been part of the nation's culture. By the time gambling was legalized for regulation in the 1990s, there were thousands of unlicensed casinos running throughout the country, so many that it was difficult to enforce. Today, South Africans can enjoy many forms of legal gambling as they do in other places in the world.

Our Top Recommended South African Real Money Casino Sites

#1 Top rated casino

Springbok Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
500% up to R5000 + 50 Free SpinsBonus
2435 claimed this offer in the last month
Payout1-2 days
Win Rate97.75%
Deposit options include
visa
ipay
sid
absa
fnb
nedbank
standardbank
bankbranch
  • High 98% payout rate (average 96%)
  • Exclusive jackpots up to R19M
  • Fast withdrawals with BTC

2

Lemon Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
R12,000 NON-STICKY Bonus + 200 Free SpinsBonus
1656 claimed this offer in the last month
Payout1-2 days
Win Rate97.65%
Deposit options include
visa
bitcoin
skrill
interac
mastercard
paysafecard
giropay
neosurf
  • Lemon special: Boosted deposit bonus
  • Cash drops on slots
  • Find treasure boxes for extra rewards

3

Yeti Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
100% up to R3,333 + 50 Free Spins on Book of DeadBonus
Read Yeti Review
1463 claimed this offer in the last month
Payout1 days
Win Rate97.01%
Deposit options include
easyeft
visa
mastercard
skrill
banktransfer
ecopayz
  • Bonus on one of world’s top slots
  • Sub-48 hour payouts
  • Recurring 30% promo every Wednesday

4

Yako
za
Accepts ZA players
R999 + 99 Free SpinsBonus
Payout3-5 days
Win Rate96.6%

5

BC Game
za
Accepts ZA players
180% up to $20000 on your first depositBonus
Payout0-5 days
Win Rate98.35%

6

Yebo Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
200% + 50 free spinsBonus
Payout2 days
Win Rate97.64%

7

JackpotCity Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
Up to R4,000 + A Spin On The WheelBonus
Payout1-2 days
Win Rate97.84%

8

Thunderbolt Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
500% + 50 Free Spins on Fortunate BuddhaBonus
Payout3 days
Win Rate96.52%

9

10Bet Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
100% up to R3,000 on first depositBonus
Payout2-3 days
Win Rate97.24%

10

Punt Casino
za
Accepts ZA players
200% + 50 SpinsBonus
Payout2-3 days
Win Rate97.17%

South African Player Information

While lottos, slot machines, casinos, and sports betting are all legalized, regulated, and able to be enjoyed by South Africans at their leisure, gambling online is a far grayer area. Online betting (on horse racing and sports) is legal when using a bookmaker licensed by the South African government. However, online gambling based in South Africa (casino games and all other types of online wagering) is prohibited.

Enforcement of these laws is spotty, however, and many claim that government punishment is aimed more at operators as opposed to individual players. There is always an inherent risk in gambling on the Internet (and doing anything related to money), and players should make smart consumer decisions about what online casino to trust if they choose to do so. Fortunately, there have been recent pushes in Parliament to legalize online gambling.

How many South Africans gamble regularly?

A 2009 NGB report estimated that 29% of South African citizens regularly participated in lotto games. Scratch cards and casino games were both estimated at 6% participation and horse/sports betting at 3%. In a country of 53 million people, these participation numbers contribute about 1% of the nation's GDP.

Are South Africans allowed to play on international online casinos?

While within the country's borders, South Africans are prohibited from gambling with international companies. Players may come across international sites that cater to South African players by accepting the rand, however this does not make these sites legal and choosing to gamble is at the risk of the player.

Can I legally deposit and withdraw money to online casinos?

Not legally, as online gambling in all forms is currently not permitted in South Africa. Players, banks, internet providers, and online casino operators are all subject to large fines and jail time if caught and penalized. Depositing and withdrawing at online sportsbooks is perfectly legal.

Do I have to pay taxes on my gaming winnings?

Yes and no. South Africans betting on sports do not have to pay any sort of income tax on their winnings. However, winnings from horse racing wagers have a 6% Value-Added Tax (VAT) deducted. And because again, online gambling is currently a punishable offense in South Africa, it would probably not be wise to report winnings coming from other forms of online gaming.

Do online casinos offer play in ZAR?

Many sites trying to bring in South African players will honor ZAR. Even if a particular online casino does not explicitly accept rand, it can always be converted into an accepted currency (subject to fees). Playing on casinos that accept South African rand lets you deposit, withdraw, and view your transaction history all in your home currency. All South African Internet sportsbooks will also accept their home currency.

Discover more

Real Money
When you want to play for real money, you can rely on the help of our experts to find you the best deals and best casinos.
Mobile
Whether you play on an iPhone or Android, mobile gambling apps offer top graphics, smooth software and best of all, you can play everywhere.
Paypal Casinos
One of the safest payment methods out there, PayPal has built a strong reputation. The good news is plenty of casinos accept PayPal.

Secure Online Casinos for South Africans

Currently, online gambling is technically illegal in South Africa for fear of taking away revenue from land-based casinos. Although many sites take chances with trying to bring in South African players, know that anyone caught operating or gambling online illegally is subject to a fine of R10m, 10 years of jail time, or both. However, The Remote Gambling Bill is set to be voted on by Parliament in early 2015. Should it pass, online gambling would become legal for South Africans.

Before trusting their money with any online casino (regardless of its legal stature in its home nation), players should do thorough research on the site. The security level of a company can be discovered by looking for seals of approval from organizations such as eCOGRA and Verisign. This means the casino undergoes frequent audits for security and fair play. However, as long as online gambling prohibition exists in South Africa, players should be cautious when playing at any online casino with real money. Reading reviews on sites like OnlineCasinoReports.com can also give good insight into a casino's trustworthiness.

How do South Africans know that their funds are safe?

Players worried about the security of their funds should look for casinos that have a seal of approval from VeriSign or a similar service. Usually found on the bottom of a casino's homepage, this logo signifies that the site uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. This means that when a player deposits or withdraws funds, they are doing so on a secure channel between player and casino that no one else has access to.

Is play fair on the online casinos?

The most reputable SA online casinos use software companies with pristine reputations, such as Playtech or RTG. Any casino licensed by an oversight organization like eCOGRA is subject to regular fair play audits as well.Casinos meeting these standards of quality are ensured to have a fair and up-to-date random number generators for their games.

Does a player have recourse if they suspect unfair activity?

Yes. For online casinos based in South Africa, players can report suspected unfair play or financial practices to the NGB. Issues should also be reported to any other certifying organization such as VeriSign or eCOGRA.

Responsible Gaming for South Africans

The National Responsible Gaming Programme (NRGP) runs counseling, research, education, and industry training programs related to problem gambling in South Africa. The program claims to be "the only of its kind in the world that is jointly controlled by a public/private sector partnership which involves government regulators and the industry."Information about the organization's 24/7 hotline as well as educational information can be found at responsiblegambling.co.za.