Top 10 South Africa Casinos

Casino Sites in South Africa

South Africa is a gorgeous country and a top exotic destination for tourists all around the world. It has beautiful places, a rich history and culture, but unfortunately for gamblers, this is not the country you would want to live in.

The gambling market is far from being a paradise, and there are only a couple of land-based casinos which are legal in the Republic. This is actually the only form of legal gambling in the country, as all forms of online gambling have been strictly forbidden.

It doesn’t seem like things will change any time soon as the government shows no interest in listening to demands from the players.

Under these conditions, African gamblers rely heavily on off-shore online casinos that accept players from this country, but that doesn’t come without risks because the government has issued severe punishment for those that break the law, both operators and players alike.

To be able to gamble, South African players use VPNs and a couple of alternative casino transaction options like e-wallets, mobile wallets and cryptocurrency. 

Best South African Online Casinos

Since the current legislation in the country is not friendly towards any form of gambling, the best South Africa online casinos are operated offshore. 

Gambling in this country is completely illegal, and those that play offshore risk severe punishments. If you decide to play at any international casino, we have compiled a list of the best gambling websites that accept players from South Africa.

On this page, the casino list is sorted by top rated, and it will display the best South Africa online casinos according to other real players’ reviews. You can also use the filters to increase the odds of finding a platform that suits your needs.

Keep in mind that before we list any casino on our site, we take into consideration the most important criteria like:

• Customer service availability
• Payment options selection
• Games collection
• Licenses and regulations

If, instead, you are more interested in gambling websites that have been released in the last 12 months in the hope of claiming a great bonus or finding a no deposit bonus, you can always check the New Casinos’ page.

Most Popular Software Providers for South Africans

With online gambling being illegal in South Africa, residents have to rely on off-shore websites. The selection of games depends strictly on the choice and partnerships of each individual online casino.

Based on our community’s ratings, the most common gambling platforms are those that contain games from Microgaming, Playtech and NetEnt. You can check the dedicated page for each individual software provider to discover the casinos that have partnered with your favorite game development company.

Find Your Favourite Games to Play at Online Casinos in South Africa

Even after so many years, there is no form of gambling allowed in South Africa, not even horse betting, which was legal before.

If you enjoy table games, you can easily join Keno, Baccarat, Roulette casinos or even  Blackjack sites. Still considering that domestic gambling is illegal, you must join an offshore international casino. The same rule of thumb applies for sports betting.

There are plenty of slot lovers in South Africa, and international casinos offer thousands of slot machines of all shapes and sizes in their catalogue. You can find anything from retro three-reel slots to the most modern video slots and even some excellent progressive jackpot titles. 

Another main attraction for South African players consists of live dealer casinos powered by various software providers. Players who wish to feel like they are playing in a real casino without having to actually be there will love these rooms.

South African Casinos with No Deposit Bonus

A casino bonus is great in any part of the world you may be. It’s an amazing way to start on the right foot as you get to gamble more without actually spending your own money.

Basically, the casino gives you an amount of cash that you can use to gamble and potentially withdraw if you manage to win and complete the wagering requirements.

Most gamblers are actively looking for a South Africa no deposit bonus casino, but this can be pretty challenging. This free bonus requires no deposit to claim, and offers you a chance to test the platform risk-free and decide if you want to invest real money.

Still,the most common bonuses you will encounter will be the match-up offers. For example, a casino would offer a 100% match up bonus for $100. You make a $100 deposit, and you get another $100 to gamble.

On 10Casinos, you can find a list of all the casinos that offer your preferred bonus type, by using the filters to refine your search. However, don’t forget that no deposit offers are not spared the playthrough requirements. 

Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in South Africa

Gambling at land-based casinos is legal in South Africa, and there are quite a few of these establishments around the country. Unfortunately, online gambling, both local and offshore, is forbidden.

If in other countries, gambling is not truly illegal but falls more under a grey zone, that’s not the case for South Africa. Here illegal actually means that, and the government has severe punishments for those who break the law. 

Anyone from casino operators, individuals, banks that allow payments for online gamblers and even internet service providers may be subject to a fine and up to 10 years of imprisonment. Players from SA that gamble offshore must do so through VPN and at their own risk. 

Legal Gambling Age in South Africa

The eighteen-year-old mark is applied to both residents and visitors that wish to play at online South Africa online casinos in regions where online gambling is permitted.

If in other countries the restriction for lotteries goes lower to sixteen, in South Africa, everything is tied to the eighteen-years-old mark.
To make sure that you are who you say you are and that you meet the minimum age requirement, online casinos will take you through a verification process when you register a new account and some form of proof like ID, Passport or Driving License will be required.

Language and Currency in South African Casinos

There are over thirty-five languages indigenous to South Africa, and all of them are spoken in the Republic. Ten of them are official, and the eleventh official language is English. The official currency used in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR).

Since ZAR is not a widely used currency like EUR, GBP or USD, players from South Africa may find some trouble when it comes to finding a casino that accepts the South African Rand. Surely, deposits can be made in any currency, but exchange fees will be applied. 

Most international casinos are available in English, and so is their customer support. If you want to see which casinos in our lists accept the ZAR and are available in English or any of the thirty-five languages, you will have to check the country box in the filter system. 

Deposit and Withdrawal at Online Casinos in South Africa

Gambling in South Africa is entirely illegal, which means that there are many restrictions and players from this country have few options at their disposal when it comes to casino transactions.

Bank transfers are restricted to and from any gambling website; therefore, popular choices like credit and debit cards or bank transfers can’t be used at South Africa online casinos. 

Africans who gamble offshore have to rely on alternative casino transaction methods like cryptocurrency and e-wallets. According to our research, in the top preferences of African gamblers we find Skrill sites and Paypal online casinos.

If you're not a fan of international payment method, you can always use one of the three local banking options:

• UKash - This popular payment provider has been recently purchased by the Paysafe Group, so you will find casinos accepting UKash on the dedicated paysafecard casinos page.
• EasyEFT -  Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is a common payment method in South Africa, considering that it is secure and doesn't require you to register or provide a credit card.
• Sid InstantEFT - Similarly to EasyEFT, South Africans can join a SID online casino and make real-time payments straight to the operator's bank account using your Internet Banking services.

To be sure that the South African online casino you wish to play at has the casino transaction method that you prefer, all you have to do is check the Online Casino Banking Options page. 

Here, you need to tap the country “Accepted” box to see all the banking methods available in your area.  

South African Mobile Casinos

The mobile casino market is quickly taking shape, and nowadays, most online casinos are optimised to run smoothly on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. 

There are actually no drawbacks to mobile gambling, apart from the smaller screen. That’s because South Africa mobile casinos will look and act the same as the standard ones, but with some added benefits.

You can play from anywhere, any time you like, and there are even payment methods like mobile wallets that can help you make a transaction in minutes. 

History of Gambling in South Africa

Gambling in South Africa goes way back, hundreds of years ago, but unfortunately, for most periods, it was and continues to be illegal.

• From 1673 to 1996, gambling was completely illegal in South Africa, and the only form allowed was horse betting. 
• Just like in the case of many other countries, an illegal gambling market always opens the door for underground activities, and in 1995 it is believed that there were more than 2000 casinos operating illegally in the Republic. After a suggestion from the Wiehahn Committee, the government started legalising gambling.
• In 2004, the first law was issued, and the National Gambling Policy Council was formed. Its primary objective was to oversee policy alignment. 
• It was also in 2004 when the National Gambling Act prohibited all interactive gambling online casino services, local and international ones alike. By interactive gambling, we count poker and bingo. Online sports betting and horse betting remained legal, however. 
• Four years later, in 2008, the National Gambling Amendment Act was passed but only really came to fruition one year later in 2009 when the Gambling Review Commission was formed to analyse which gambling activities can be introduced in the country. 
• The law became even worse as almost any form of online gambling became illegal, and those that break it would suffer severe punishments and fines.  

The future is uncertain since the government tries to outlaw even penny auctions seeing them as gambling. While there is a vast number of demands for the broad legalisation of gambling in South Africa, the officials don’t really seem to care. 

Now you have all the information you need to start gambling at one of the best South African online casinos. Just select a platform from the list above, claim the bonuses and start wagering right away.