Online Casinos in South Africa: the Tell-All
Africa is a big market in the global online casino world, with South Africa at the top of the list, and 1 in 10 citizens enjoying online gambling in some form or another. But since 2010, it’s been illegal for citizens to play at South Africa casinos.
That shouldn’t deter you, established platforms continue to offer players the chance to play and win in Rands, and they’re perfectly above board. If you’re keen to flex your gambling muscles, look no further. We’ll help you find the best legal South African online casinos right here, complete with sweet bonuses, reliable payment methods, sports betting and all the casino games you can imagine. Your journey to a safe and rewarding online casino starts right now.
The Best Online Casinos in South Africa
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Online Casinos in South Africa Vetted and Approved by Us
Saffers have a lot of cool options when it comes to online gambling. Our goal at South Africa Casinos is to provide you with details about the best online casino sites in South Africa where you can play for free and for real money.
All the sites that we recommend give you the opportunity to play in Rands (ZAR), collect bonuses in your currency and even get in touch with customer support via toll-free local numbers.
It doesn’t matter if you live in Jozi, Durban or next to the mountain, there are reputable online casinos for you to play at. As a result, you can look forward to the convenience of playing at home or by playing online casino games on your cell phone without trekking off to Sun City or some other gambling resort.
For online South Africa casinos to make our top list, they need to tick all the right boxes. What boxes, we hear you ask? These ones:
Safety measures
ZAR banking
Customer support
Secure software
Fast, safe deposits and withdrawals
Navigation
The games
Fair gambling
Loyalty and VIP programmes
How to Play Online Casino from South Africa
Getting started at the best South Africa online casinos is as easy as throwing a couple of chops on the braai.
- 1Go through our top list of South Africa casinos and find one you like the look of.
- 2Register a new player account and verify your details via the SMS or email link that you’ll receive.
- 3Log into your new casino account and head to the cashier.
- 4Choose your preferred payment method and follow the instructions to make your first deposit.
- 5Claim any welcome bonuses on offer (after reading the terms and conditions).
- 6Choose games to play!
That’s all there is to it. Provided you familiarise yourself with a casino’s terms and conditions, and you take a look at bonus wagering requirements, you’re all set.
We do have a few tips, though, to make sure your gambling experience is the best:
Try the games out in free practice play mode before you play for real money. This gives you the chance to get a feel for the games and the South Africa casinos.Play on Wi-Fi as much as you can, because playing on mobile data will eat into data usage big time. Just make sure you only play on private and secure Wi-Fi networks.Choose online casinos in SA with good deposit bonus offers.
It’s just as good as playing in demo mode, as you can play in real money mode without risking your cash.Always play responsibly. Make sure you have a proper budget in place that you can easily manage and stick to. If things aren’t quite going your way, cut your losses and take a break.When you’re ready to make a deposit at your preferred South Africa casinos online, you’ll likely have to go through a KYC verification process. This is the casino’s way of making sure you are who you claim to be and that your funds don’t land up in the wrong hands.
For the verification process, you need to submit copies of certain documents, either by uploading them to your casino account or by emailing them through to the customer support team. Since the process takes around 48 to 72 hours to complete on the casino’s side, we recommend having your paperwork ready and submitting it when you register your casino account.
Is Online Casino Legal in South Africa?
While land-based casinos are a big hit in South Africa and have been for as long as anyone can remember, owning, operating and playing at South Africa casinos online is illegal in the country, and has been so since 2010.
But it’s a grey zone. Before 2010, it seemed like the country was heading towards legalising online casino gambling, with regular discussions taking place around regulation and legislation. Sadly, there are no specific reasons behind banning online gambling activities and sports betting online remains perfectly legal.
But many offshore online casinos cater to South African players. These are online casinos that are based in another country and while rumours abound that the SA government wants to take action against these international casinos, little has come of that.
As things stand at the time of writing, South Africa casinos based overseas freely welcome SA players to their sites – and often with a generous welcome bonus.
Common documents required by casinos for KYC purposes include:
- ID book or ID card
- Passport
- Phone bill
- Lights and water bills
- Bank statements no older than 3 months
Claim a Casino Bonus in ZAR
Whether you have a couple of Rand or a couple of thousand to deposit into your online casino account, having bonuses to boost your bankroll is always a nice extra. But bonuses come with wagering requirements.
Our reviews of the best South Africa casinos allow you to choose the right bonus that gives you the most bang for your bucks. Most casinos like to change up their offers regularly, so it’s always worth signing up for newsletters and keeping an eye on their Promotions pages.
Popular bonuses for South African players include:
Welcome bonus
Usually in the form of a match deposit bonus for your first deposit or spread out over your first handful of deposits.
Free spins
A batch of free spins, sometimes included in the welcome package, to play on specific slots and within a certain timeframe.
Reload bonus
A reward for reloading your account at South Africa casinos, usually in the form of a match deposit bonus.
Cashback bonus
A small reward when you’re not having the best day, often in the form of a percentage of your losses.
No deposit bonus
Although rare, some SA online casinos offer no deposit bonuses just for signing up.
Loyalty bonus
these are bonuses awarded to players who regularly play at a site. They can come in a variety of forms, like match deposit bonuses, free spins, exclusive invitations to tournaments and cashback.Claiming a casino bonus is very simple:
- Log into your online casino account.
- Make a deposit with your preferred payment method.
- Claim the bonus (sometimes the bonus is automatically credited to your account, other times you’ll need to opt-in or enter a bonus code to claim it).
The most important thing is to take note of a bonus’s terms, conditions and wagering requirements.
- Wagering requirements are the number of times you must wager real money to release the bonus funds. Expressed as a multiplier, it usually includes the deposit and bonus amount.
- Game eligibility – only certain games at South Africa casinos count towards clearing the wagering requirements. Slots are usually the easiest way to play through your bonus.
- Maximum cash out – this is how much you can cash out from your bonus.
- Expiration – most bonuses are only available for a period of time and must be cleared within a certain timeframe.
- Minimum deposit – the minimum amount you must deposit to claim a bonus.
Top Casino Games for South Africans to Choose From
If online South Africa casinos want to appeal to as many players as possible, it needs to offer a decent variety of casino games.
Here are the most popular games amongst South Africans.
Slots
Who doesn’t love spinning the slot reels? But you don’t need to tweak your rotator cuff pulling the one arm bandit; you can play thousands of themed slots online from home, or on your mobile device. From classic 3-reel variations to the latest and most immersive 3D slots with themes like TV shows, movies, zombies, Egypt and Nordic gods, there’s a lot to have fun with.
Progressive jackpot games
These are games, usually slots, connected to a network and played at tons of different online casinos. A percentage of every bet goes into the prize pool, giving a player the chance to scoop a big jackpot, sometimes in the six-figure range, with just one quick spin of the reels.
Blackjack
This has been a popular card game since casinos became a thing. It’s a basic game, but fast-paced and entertaining. Online casinos in South Africa offer a list of variations of blackjack that range from straightforward to super-exciting, giving you the chance to hone your skills and scoop some wins.Roulette
Log into your favourite South Africa casinos and spin the roulette wheel as you enjoy versions like European, French and American.
Other table games
Offshore casinos that cater to South Africans have tons of classic and modern table games to try, from Sic Bo to craps, keno to baccarat, there’s plenty to try your hand at.Live casino games
Nothing beats the thrill of live dealer games, streamed from a studio in real-time. Practice your table game skills, try your luck at game show-type games and enjoy conversations with dealers and other players alike.
Scratch cards
Who doesn’t enjoy an instant win? You don’t need to “tatta ma chance” in line for scratch cards anymore when you can find dozens of scratch cards online with the chance to win ZAR right away.Bingo
Bingo might not be the most exciting online game, but it does pass the time, and it does come with some incredible wins. If you’re a fan of bingo, you can play at some of the best South Africa casinos online.Lotto
Most lotteries are state-run, like SA’s Ithuba National Lottery games, but you can try your luck at a few lotto games online. Many lottery-type games can be found in the live casino section of online casinos.
Sport events
Saffies are great sports enthusiasts, and wouldn’t pass on the chance to bet on their favourite team.Safe & Secure Deposit Methods for Online Casino Transactions
Every gambler has their preferred method of payment. Whether it’s cryptocurrency or credit card, nobody wants to use a payment method outside of their comfort zone. This is why we list the best South Africa casinos that accept convenient and safe deposit methods.
- PayPal – while PayPal isn’t accepted at every online casino, South African gamblers can use the convenient e-wallet to fund their casino accounts and withdraw their winnings. It’s even easier if you have an FNB bank account, that you can link to PayPal, to receive your winnings quickly.
- SID EasyEFT – this is an easy electronic funds transfer option for SA players. The service connects to your bank account and allows you to wire transfer funds to your casino account. This is an exclusively South African payment method. All you do is choose your bank (Capitec, Standard Bank, Investec, FNB, ABSA or FNB) and you’ll be directed to your online banking profile to complete your casino deposit or withdrawal.
- Cryptocurrency – cryptocurrencies have skyrocketed in value, and while not all online casinos accept this payment method, there are plenty of top South Africa casinos that do. Bitcoin and Ethereum make up for a type of crypto casinos that we’ve encountered on this market.
- Internet bank transfers – most of the online casinos in South Africa process payments through regular EFTs. Just login to your banking app, add the casino as a payment beneficiary and deposit funds into your casino account. Take note, though, that it can take up to 48 hours for deposits to clear.
- Neteller – if you’re not a big fan of having casino transactions show up on your bank account, an e-wallet is a great alternative for online gambling transactions. Unlike credit or debit card or wire transfer, e-wallets charge hefty fees to process payments. You can open up a Neteller account in ZAR, though, so you don’t have to worry about currency exchange fees.
- Ecopayz – this method also allows accounts in South African Rands, so you can ditch the 2.99% conversion fee. You will incur some fees, though, on deposits and withdrawals. But it’s free to make payments and request withdrawals at the online casinos. The biggest downfall is that you can only send R3,000 per transaction until you’ve gone through the KYC process of verifying your identity and proof of residence.
- Pay by phone – the shift towards mobile gambling at South Africa casinos has seen an explosion in mobile casinos for South African players. As a result, you can deposit quickly and effortlessly at online casinos using your cell phone. This is a deposit-only option that allows you to confirm your deposits by entering a unique code that is sent via SMS. Your casino account is then funded and the amount is deducted from your cell phone bill at the end of the month or from your pay-as-you-go balance. Whether you prefer Vodacom, MTN or Cell C, this is a great option for on the go gambling.
- Skrill – this is another popular e-wallet option at South Africa online casinos. You can open a Skrill account in ZAR, but the fees tend to be a little higher than for accounts with popular currencies. There’s a 2.5% top-up fee as well as a 7.5% withdrawal fee. What’s more, you can only withdraw via your bank account or Visa card.
- Credit cards – the majority of top online casinos that we recommend accept MasterCard and Visa for deposits, but only some allow these methods for withdrawing your winnings. So check out our credit card casino reviews first to make sure they have what you need.
To Sum it All Up
One of the biggest downfalls when it comes to playing at South African casino sites is that not many allow you to play in ZAR. So, you’ll need to navigate a foreign currency when making bets, and that means you’ll incur conversion fees when you deposit into your casino account and when you request a withdrawal.
Here at South Africa Casinos, you’ll find a list of the top online casino sites that do accept South African Rands, and if they don’t, they make it as easy as possible to convert your gambling bankroll.
Something else we want you to be aware of is taxation. In reality, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) doesn’t tax online gamblers who play for entertainment. But they do tax players who make a living out of their winnings.
But if you’re a casual punter, and your gambling activities don’t constitute a form of income, you don’t have to pay tax on your winnings, regardless of whether you’re having a flutter on horse races or playing your favourite online casino games.
In theory, though, winnings obtained from offshore South Africa casinos may be liable to capital gains tax. If you’re in any doubt about your requirement to pay tax on your casino winnings, we suggest talking to a tax professional for further clarification.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa Casinos
Provided they are licensed and make it on our top list, South Africa casinos online are completely safe.
Yes. When you register an account at South Africa casinos on our recommended list and transfer funds, you can play all the games in the lobby for real money, and that means you can win real money, too.
It’s a grey area. Online sports betting is legal, but when it comes to online casinos for South Africans, gambling is prohibited. However, you can safely play at offshore casinos based outside of the country, some of which accept ZAR.
South Africans love to gamble, and that includes lottery games, sports betting, table games, slots and live dealer games.
Yes, all the South Africa casinos we recommend are optimised for mobile play – be it through your device’s web browser or by downloading a native app to your iOS or Android device. Just make sure you have a secure 4G or Wi-Fi connection when gambling on the go.
It’s all a bit complicated when it comes to SARS. Lottery winnings, for example, aren’t taxed, but you do need to notify the SA Revenue Service if you win. When it comes to casino winnings, you need to declare your winnings on your IRP5 tax returns, but they won’t be taxed. If you’re a professional gambler who makes a living playing at South Africa casinos, you will be taxed on your winnings, but it’s not likely when you play at offshore casinos.
Our recommended South African online casinos accept major credit and debit cards, e-wallets, EasyEFT and cryptocurrency. The best casinos also accept payments like SID, which is supported by Nedbank, Absa, FNB and Standard Bank. You can also use e-wallets to fund your online casino account.
Yes, most of the top online casinos in South Africa allow you to try the games under the free play or demo option. All you do is pick a game and start playing. When you’re ready to try your luck at winning, you can swap over to playing for real money.