South Africa Online Casinos & Legal Gambling
South African players gamble more than residents of any other African country. This trend is also reflected in the huge number of brick-and-mortar casinos in SA.
But more and more people want to jump on the online gambling bandwagon and benefit from the ease and convenience provided via online casinos.
This brings us to one key question – is online gambling legal in SA? The short answer is Yes, but partially. Online casinos are yet to receive the green light, but we are here to help you pick from the persistent online gambling sites accepting SA players.
Our task is more important than ever due to the lack of a dedicated gambling authority to regulate online casinos for you.
Are online casinos legal in South Africa?
Although you would expect a yes/no answer to this question, things are not that simple when it comes to gambling in SA. We’ll take everything in turn, starting with the laws introduced over the years.
Firstly, gambling at physical venues is legal in the country since 1965.
Most forms of gambling received the green light in 1996 via the National Gambling Act. This permitted pretty much all forms of online gambling including bingo, sports betting, and keno.
The first advancement to the initial law came in 2004 with the National Gambling Amendment Act. This bill came to regulate online casinos and poker in SA, to bring in profits through taxes, and also protect South African gamblers by handing out licenses to vetted online casinos.
However, a 2010 High Court decision overruled most of the forms of online gambling permitted through the NGA, until some were again legalized in 2011.
As you can see, the online gambling landscape in SA is a rocky one. Ultimately, you should remember the following:
- All forms of physical gambling and betting are legal in South Africa.
- Online sports betting, lottery, keno, scratchies, bingo, etc. are also legal in SA.
- Online casinos and poker sites fall within a grey area. If services are provided from offshore online casinos with a legit license (i.e., MGA, UKGC), then you shouldn’t worry about playing there from SA. Still, online licenses are still not provided to SA online casinos, so technically they are illegal.
- The Government hasn’t prosecuted any gamblers nor offshore gambling sites accepting SA players or offering Rand payments. However, the current bill states that fines up to R10 million and jail time up to 10 years can be applied as a punishment to either party. The purpose of this act is to provide the South African authorities the right to prosecute online casino operations from within the country.
- The Remote Gambling Bill is likely to pass in the future and simplify the situation; it did face a lot of opposition when first introduced in 2022.
For now, you must pick SA online casinos carefully. Our team works around the clock to review operators and we have listed legit and safe operators that accept payments in South African Rand and players from SA.
List of legal online casinos in SA
There is no shortage of operators accepting players from SA.
Most offshore gambling sites with licenses from Curacao, Panama, and Costa Rica primarily targeting the US also accept players from SA. Some notable names include:
- Slots.LV Casino
- Miami Club Casino
- BetOnline Casino
- Vegas Crest Casino
Then, you have a few Australian-first online casinos that are open to SA players, including:
- FairGo Casino
- Ripper Casino
- Ozwin Casino
- Uptown Aces
Your third option, and by far the best, is joining European online casinos licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, Government of Gibraltar, or the UK Gambling Commission:
- PlayOJO Casino
- Mansion Casino
- Casino.com Casino
- Genesis Casino
- 10Bet Casino
- Tusk Casino
- FatBet
- ThunderBolt Casino
- MrFortune Casino
Ultimately, there are some offshore online casinos dedicated to the SA market. These sites not only accept players from SA, but support ZAR banking methods, provide bonuses in Rand, and are often branded around this market. These include:
- Casino Tropez – R30,000 (best high-roller bonus)
- ZAR Casino – R30,000 + 30 Free Spins (best welcome package)
- Europa Casino – R24,000 (top 3 offer in SA)
- Springbok Casino – R11,500 (players’ favourite)
- Yeti Casino – R3,333 (instant payouts)
- Jeet Play Casino
- Silversands Casino
- Yebo Casino
- US Players Accepted
- Instant Payments
- Payout Speed: 0-5 days
Deposit / Withdraw:
+1
Promo code: OCC
$2000
Welcome bonus
Min Deposit: $25
- 300% Welcome bonus
- Up to $2000
- Deposit $25 - play with $100
★★★★★ 5/5
- US Players Accepted
- Instant Payments
- Payout Speed: 0-15 days
Deposit / Withdraw:
+8
Promo code: CAWELCOME100
$6000
+100 Free Spins
Min Deposit: $20
- 1st Deposit code: SS250
- 2nd Deposit code: SS100
- Same day payouts
★★★★★ 5/5
- US Players Accepted
- Instant Payments
- Payout Speed: Instant to 15 days
Deposit / Withdraw:
+10
Promo code: WILD250
$5000
Welcome bonus
Min Deposit: $20
- Promo code: WILD250
- Huge range of banking methods
- Multiple bet types
★★★★★ 5/5
- US Players Accepted
- Instant Payments
- Payout Speed: 0-15 days
Deposit / Withdraw:
+20
Code: BETCASINO
$3000
100% Bonus
Min Deposit: $25
- 500 online games
- Huge range of banking methods
- Fastest payouts
★★★★★ 5/5
- US Players Accepted
- Instant Payments
- Payout Speed: 0-10 days
Deposit / Withdraw:
+8
Code: CAS150
Promo code: CAWELCOME100
Promo code: WILD250
Promo code: WILD250
Promo code: WILD250
5 best SA online casinos
The lack of an official iGaming body in South Africa creates a real challenge for new players in finding a decent online casino. Games and bonuses aside, we benchmark online casinos across a range of areas to recommend only the best.
Below, you can see the ones that passed the test and ranked in the top 5.
ZAR Casino – most established online casino in SA
ZAR is South Africa’s most popular operator. It was established in 2006 and remains one of the predominant choices. You can make ZAR payments and enjoy over 200 games from Rival, Betsoft, Saucify, RealTime Gaming, and even live casino games.
New players can start with an R30,000 and 30 free spins welcome package. Just enter the code ZARCASINO to get started. More promos await existing players.
Casino Tropez – best gaming variety in SA
There’s an exquisite range of games at Casino Tropez, reaching near to the 2,000 mark. The platform is big on Playtech casino games and slots, which include classic video slots and the multi-million Age of the Gods jackpot network. There are live dealer games, game shows, and classic video casino games to pick from whatever your preferences.
You can make deposits and withdrawals at Casino Tropez in ZAR via 20+ banking methods. New users get a 100% welcome bonus of up to R30,000. Other ongoing offers include its daily free spins hunt, VIP program, and referral bonus.
Springbok Casino – renowned RTG casino amongst SA punters
Springbok is another very prominent SA online casino. Players who sign-up and make a qualifying deposit are entitled to an R11,500 welcome bonus, with additional promos reserved for all follow-up weekly and monthly deposits.
In terms of games, it is a RealTime Gaming casino with nearly 200 games from all popular categories. Pick from 170+ online slots, including progressives, or place your bets on video poker, roulette, and blackjack tables. Specialty games are not missing either. Keno, online fish games, scratchies, and bingo are included. The only downside is the lack of a live casino.
The good news is you can also access the site through a downloadable app, on top of its instant play version.
Europa Casino – fastest payout casino in SA
New punters joining Europa Casino can redeem a 100% welcome bonus of up to R24,000. You can use these funds to play Playtech slots and live table games. It doesn’t get much better than this.
The operator is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and holds a valid certificate from GLI. Payments can be conducted via multiple eWallets, cards, and prepaid vouchers. Although not exclusively a SA casino, Europa Online Casino has established itself as one of the best operators in the market.
Silversands Casino – best no deposit SA casino
New players joining Silversands can redeem an R200 free no deposit bonus to play slots without spending a dime. Silversands doubles up with its 200% welcome bonus of up to R1,000 when depositing at least R50. Other offers include its ongoing slot tournaments and cashback promo codes.
This is the oldest casino on our top five list, with its services dating back to 1999. It’s owned by Paxson Marketing Ltd and is licensed by the Kahnawake iGaming authority. You won’t find a huge range of games, since it is exclusively by RTG. However, it maintains a quality lobby for SA players who join.
Finding the right online casino in SA
Want to learn more about our rating process and selection criteria? You can view them below and also use them to evaluate SA online casinos before joining.
🏦 Banking in South African Rand
Want to learn more about our rating process and selection criteria? You can view them below and also use them to evaluate SA online casinos before joining.
🔐Safety Aspects
Due to the lack of an official iGaming body, we always ensure all security and safety features are met before we list an online casino. Areas such as SSL encryption, fair terms and conditions, gambling help and support, offshore gambling license, and more must be ticked by an operator to get a spot on this page.
💰 Variety of Bonuses
SA online casinos need to become inventive to stand out in this crowded market. The inclusion of a no deposit bonus adds to the overall service. A large and fair welcome bonus is also essential. Promo codes for existing players must be included at least twice a week, otherwise, we drop the contenders.
🧑💻 Customer Service
A responsive and easy-to-reach support team is very important to us. Problems will certainly arise at some point in your gambling journey, and you must be able to ask for help without going through hoops.
🎲 Gaming Options
The reality is that SA online casinos are kind of limited in terms of games and gaming providers. Nonetheless, we weigh each operator ensuring you get a good enough range of each type, including online slots, table games, and a live casino.
Getting started with SA online gambling
The hard step of gambling in SA is finding a good online casino. If you pick one of the listed operators, you are good to go. You’ll need to complete a 2 – 5 minute sign-up process, which will look like this:
Hit the Register button and enter the required details.
ZAR casino sites will ask for your country, address, legal name, age, and email.
After you provide these and any secondary steps, you’ll receive a verification email. Click on the link to confirm your new account.
You can now log in and access all demo games or redeem the casino no deposit bonus and play for real money. The latter is not available at all online casinos.
Alternatively, you’ll need to visit the cashier section, choose an option, and deposit the minimum amount permitted to begin playing.
Setting up an account is simple, and you can then play all the online casino games provided. Keep in mind that you’ll be asked to verify the information through official documents before your first casino withdrawal. The legal gambling age for most operators is 18.
Casino games to play in SA
The gaming options available to players from South Africa will depend on each operator.
If you pick localized online casinos licensed by Curacao, you will most likely have 200 games at your disposal. Such casinos are often powered by Rival, RealTime Gaming, or Betsoft.
Online casinos operating with an MGA or UKGC license host much larger gaming libraries, including titles from Playtech, NetEnt, Microgaming, and other big names. You will have over 2,000 titles to pick from at these casinos.
In general, you can find thousands of online slots, roulette, poker, and baccarat variants. Each casino will also offer a minimum of three live casino rooms and a few progressive jackpot slots. Other common gambling options include keno, fish games, scratchies, bingo, and Slingo.
Banking methods at SA online casinos
We generally recommend players avoid using their credit or debit cards when gambling from SA. That’s to dodge having your name linked to online gambling or having to deal with blocked payments.
Most ZA online casinos accept cryptocurrencies and eWallets that you can use as a safer alternative. You can transfer South African Rand to PayPal, Skrill, or your crypto wallet and enjoy instant deposits and withdrawals with minimal fees. Prepaid cards are another common banking option.
Minimum deposits and withdrawals at SA online casinos will usually range between R15 and R300.
Mobile gambling in South Africa 📱
All online casinos we have listed are compatible with mobile devices for gambling on the go. You can use the casinos’ features, like banking and customer support, and also play the majority of supported games via your mobile browser. And all this occurs instantly.
Download casino clients are slowly disappearing, and some operators instead develop progressive web apps. You won’t find SA online casino apps in Google Play or the App Store due to the current anti-gambling laws, but you can get the apps, when supported, from the official casino sites.
Ultimately, the choice is in your hands – gamble from a desktop, mobile, or casino app.
Best SA casino bonuses for this month ⭐
Each online casino that made it to our top five list will welcome you with a large welcome bonus. That’s usually a 100% or higher match of your real money deposit as a bonus. Free spins or no deposit bonuses might be also provided.
Other promotions include reload bonuses, free chips, table game bonuses, high roller promos, VIP rewards, and seasonal offers.
All player types, new or existing, will have at least two bonuses when gambling at these online casinos.
We have already ensured their associated terms and conditions are fair, but we recommend reading the fine print to avoid breaking any rules.
Brick-and-mortar casinos in South Africa
Compare and play at the best online casinos in SA!
This guide to online gambling in South Africa should have provided you with the know-how to begin playing. Not only have we listed the best bonuses and operators to gamble with ZAR, but we also gave you all the necessary information to weigh and compare online casinos before settling for one.
Joining various online casinos means more bonuses for each real money deposit. That’s a rare opportunity only possible via online gambling, and we recommend taking it.
Bookmark this page to stay on top of new gambling laws, bill amendments, new casino bonuses, and the latest operators accepting players from South Africa.
