What's the online gambling situation in South Africa and how do you determine the best online casino in South Africa? Unfortunately, these are not easy questions to answer thanks to the difficult and constantly changing laws in the region.
However, don't worry! Right here you'll find everything you need to know about South African online casino sites in terms of the current situation and what's expected in the near future.
You'll also get some excellent tips and advice on how to pinpoint the best South Africa online casino for you by checking out important factors like welcome offers, range of games, mobile compatibility and more.
Read on to learn more about the top casino sites available for SA players.
| Rank | Casinos | Rating | Bonus | Safe Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Whilst there are legal restrictions in place, that doesn't mean that there aren't any online casinos that serve new players in South Africa!
Which is the best paying online casino South Africa residents can play at? Look at our list of top South African online casinos and see which one suits you best:
Want to learn more about online casinos in South Africa? Read our comprehensive coverage of everything there is to know about the South African online casino industry, and you'll be fully clued up about the current legal situation, how to play at online casinos as a South African resident, what kind of games you can play, and much more.
With over 40 South African online casino sites available, gambling from the comfort of your home has become a popular pastime, with 2 million South African players participating monthly. Here is a list of the top ten online casinos in South Africa:
Operated by Enneagaon Ltd. for nearly a decade, Springbok Casino offers various games from different developers. South African players can access an excellent collection of games developed by Real Time Gaming without a casino account. Slot games are their primary focus, and jackpot games are also included. Table games such as European Blackjack are featured in the table games section. Video poker games are also offered. It can be accessed via desktop and mobile devices.
Yebo Casino has been operating for over six years. Their developer is Real Time Gaming. Slot games, table games, and video poker are limited. Games such as Plentiful Treasure are included in the slot game category. Video slots, classic slots, and jackpot games are also available. Blackjack, card games, craps, scratch cards, slot machines, and roulette are the top table games. Video poker is offered. The mobile version is only accessible through an Android device. No license information is available at this time.
Full Yebo casino review.
Launched in 2019 in South Africa, the Zar casino platform offers games from four different providers. Their slot game collection is of high quality. There are also many blackjacks, Roulette, video poker, and baccarat versions in the table game section. Zar Casino does not offer a mobile app but can be accessed via a web browser. Encrypted technology is used, but no licensing information is available on the website.
Full Zar casino review.
A well-known international online gambling site, Casino Tropez offers 400+ games developed by Playtech. A VIP Club is available for loyal players. Games include video, instant play and classic slot games, table games such as baccarat, and video poker. A live casino feature is available, featuring blackjack, baccarat and more. Flash casino games are offered via desktop or mobile devices. Casino Tropez operates with a license from the Malta Gaming Authority.
Full Casino Tropez review.
Europa Casino has been operating for more than ten years, growing in popularity. Developers include Playtech, Red Tiger, and many more.
The slot game collection offers giant classic games and jackpot slots. Their range of table games is not extensive. The live casino feature is easy to navigate. Europa Casino can be downloaded onto a PC, and games can be played in a phone or tablet's web browser. The Malta Gaming Authority licenses Europa Casino.
Full Europa casino review.
Relatively new to the online gambling scene in South Africa, Punt Casino offers a decent range of games developed by Real Time Gaming. The slot game category is the most extensive. The table games include popular games such as 21 Blackjack.
Progressive jackpots and video poker are also available. Punt Casino can be accessed on mobile devices via the app or web browser. An SSL server is used to ensure safe transactions for South African players. No licensing information is provided.
Full Punt casino review.
The Silver Sand Casino has been offering about 200 online slot and table games for over twenty years. The website appears a bit old-fashioned but provides a selection of classic slot games and progressive jackpots. The table game collection is smaller, but players can access blackjack and Roulette. There is no mobile app, but games can be played via a web browser. Their license has been obtained from Kahnawake, Canada.
Full Silver Sand casino review.
Launched in 2015, Thunderbolt Casino offers a vast collection of 200+ slot and table games, video poker and speciality games provided by Real Time Gaming. Blackjack, poker and roulette form part of the table games category. There is no app, but players can access games via their browser. 123-bit SSL encryption is used to ensure safe transactions. License information is absent from their website.
Full Thunderbolt casino review.
Barely in operation for a year, Tusk Casino offers players in South Africa a high-quality platform in English and German. Their game collection is provided by nearly 50 developers, such as Red Tiger. The slots games section offers various titles. Table games include a live dealer option. Tusk Casino is compatible with your mobile via the web browser. The government of Curacao holds their casino license.
Full Tusk casino review.
Since 2016, White Lotus Casino has offered players a collection of slot games and video poker games by Real Time Gaming. Its table games and specialities are minimal.
Popular slot games include Eternal Love, Voodoo Magic, and many more. White Lotus Casino does not provide a mobile app, but its platform can be accessed via your web browser. A secure server is used to ensure your data is safe. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission provides their gaming licence.
Full White Lotus casino review.
If the thought of trawling through hundreds of online casinos to find a legitimate one is available to South African residents, offers an excellent welcome bonus, hosts loads of quality games, presents players with rewarding promos and allows deposits using your favourite payment methods, fills you with dread, then you're in the right place!.
Please take a look at the legitimate and respectable online casinos that have made our coveted list. We've scrutinised these casinos thoroughly to ensure they are trustworthy places to play. Take your pick from any of these, and we're confident you'll have a positive casino experience:
| Ranking | Casino | Number of Games | Average Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Springbok Casino | 920 | 96.3% |
| 2 | Europa Casino | 2000 | 92.8% |
| 3 | Rich Casino | 600 | 95.6% |
| 4 | Yeti Casino | 1200 | 92.7% |
| 5 | Yako Casino | 2000 | 94.2% |
If you want to learn a little more before you get stuck in, keep reading for more info on payment methods, the legalities of online casino gaming in South Africa, top games as judged by South African players, and lots more.
While welcome bonuses, ongoing offers and game selection tend to be the top factors in everyone's mind when looking for a suitable online casino to play, the availability of compatible payment methods is one of the most important. After all, what good is an online casino if you can't deposit at it?
As a South Africa resident, you'll probably be looking for online casinos that allow you to deposit using the methods with which you are most familiar. You'll be pleased to know that online casinos are indeed out there that accept payment options commonly used in South Africa.
Perhaps the most common payment method in South Africa and Johannesburg, as in other parts of the world, is Visa, followed closely by Mastercard, and these are commonly accepted at online casinos. Several different payment methods found worldwide widely used in South Africa to play online casino games include Entropay, Skrill, Neteller and ecoPayz.
In terms of more South Africa specific payment methods, you'll find online casinos offering EasyEFT and SID Instant EFT, which allow you to quickly and easily transfer funds from your South African bank to your online casino of choice.
PayPal has won multiple awards and is viewed as a faster and easier way to pay online. Nowadays, it is also a preferred payment method for online gaming. It is currently available to players from the following countries: UK, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. PayPal comes with many advantages including low risk, convenience and optimisation for any device.
Paypal is supported by 278 casinos
Online casinos are adopting new payment methods at an increasingly rapid pace. The fast advancement of mobile technologies has increased the demand from players all over the world for faster, more secure online gaming payment methods. One of the most secure methods to make an appearance in the last decade is Apple Pay, with many online casinos now adopting this payment technology.
Apple Pay is supported by 95 casinos
MasterCard and Visa credit cards are the easiest and most widely used direct payment method. Amex cardholders can use their American Express card at most US Online Casinos. A casino that offers Visa and MasterCard can be deemed as a secure and trusted casino. Certain fees may apply with every transaction or on a monthly basis, depending on which company you use.
Credit / Debit Cards is supported by 380 casinos
Bitcoin is the payment method of choice for the tech-savvy among us who also really value their privacy. Being able to withdraw, deposit and play on your favourite online casino really matters, so we've assembled a list of casinos which let you get your fill of bitcoin gambling by using your BTC wallet.
Bitcoin is supported by 349 casinos
The South African online casino sites offer a wide variety of top-quality games from some of the biggest providers in the industry. These range from vibrant video slots with multiple paylines and an abundance of themes, to traditional table games with outcomes determined by RNGs, to the most exquisite live streaming real dealer games.
Here are a few of the favorites enjoyed by South African players:
So how do you go about finding the best online casino in South Africa? Firstly, you have to consider what makes an online casino the best. Some will say it's the range of games on offer, while others will claim it's the most generous welcome bonus determining an online casino's reputation.
However, in reality, it comes down to a combination of several factors, and each of them may carry more or less weight with you. Please take a look at the following five factors we think you should consider when deciding whether or not to try an online casino. You may find that some of these are more important to you than others, but an online casino that scores highly in all of these areas should make your shortlist.
One of the factors that people tend to give a lot of weight to is the range of games on offer at the online casino slot site in question. This might be tricky at first, but a good start is to check the bottom of the website for the intro text, as that will usually mention how many games are in their collection.
However, it's not all about quantity! Having tons of games to explore is all fine and well, but not so great if those games are all of poor quality. One way to prevent signing up at an online casino with masses of poor-quality games is to look for the providers that contribute their creations to the games collection.
You want to see a good range of well-known providers such as NetEnt, Evolution, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Microgaming, Play'n GO, etc. Their games are top-notch, guaranteeing you an excellent gaming experience.
Also, look at the types of games on offer. Slots are usually the most common games available. Still, a sign of an excellent online casino operator is the presence of classic table games, too, not to mention a live dealer games collection. You may even find other games such as bingo, keno, dice games, and virtual sports.
Support is one of those things that only tends to come into sharp focus when you run into difficulties, so it pays to check out the standard of support on offer before you sign up at an online casino. But what should you look out for?
Support can come in many forms, but the first step that most players take is consulting the site's FAQs section to find answers independently. Look for a detailed set of questions and answers in various categories, including deposits and cash out, and check you agree with them before signing up.
No one wants to contact customer service, but sometimes it's inevitable. If the need does arise, it's essential to reach someone in a way and at a time that best suits you; therefore, most casinos offer customer support 24/7. Should you need to contact the customer support team, there are multiple ways of doing so:
You can find out which customer support methods your preferred casino offers on the contact us/ customer support page.
Online casinos tend to put a lot of focus on their welcome bonus or package, and it's for a good reason as this can be the deciding factor when joining an online casino. Welcome bonuses come in all shapes and sizes. Some consist of a bonus amount as a percentage of your first deposit, others offer free spins, and others present a combination of these. You might even be lucky enough to find an online casino South Africa no deposit bonus offer, where you don't even need to deposit to get funds to play with!
When it comes to welcome bonuses, you need to think about what kind of player you will determine what type of bonus will suit you best. For example, if you prefer to play live dealer casino, a welcome bonus that gives you free spins on deposit will not be of much use to you! On the other hand, a welcome package offering a bonus and free spins might be perfect if you're into playing a wide range of games.
As you consider a site's welcome offer, be sure to also pay close attention to the terms and conditions, as these will tell you what you can and can't do and what you must do before you can withdraw your winnings.
How do you determine if an online casino is running good quality software providers? It can be tricky, but there are a few ways to find out. Firstly, take a look at the bottom of the site in question and see if the name of the platform provider is featured there. Though it often isn't, the platform provider can offer you some insight into the performance of the games.
Another way to judge the performance and quality of an online casino is to play the games! This may seem like a no-brainer, but many players sign up before even trying to see if they play as expected.
To help you test the site's software, many online casinos allow you to play the games for free without signing up first. Use this to your advantage by playing several games in demo mode and observing how they work, from how long they take to open to how the gameplay performs.
Also, take note of any difference between desktop and mobile casino versions of the site.
Speaking of mobile gameplay, the ability to play online casino games on your smartphone or tablet is becoming increasingly more common as a reaction to increased demand. Both games developers and online casino platform providers have worked hard to keep up with changing trends in this respect.
As a result, you'll find that nearly all modern online casinos allow you to access the site and play the games directly from your mobile devices simply by visiting the website. Responsively designed websites give you an optimal performance based on the device you're visiting from without the need to download anything.
On the other hand, if you prefer to have a standalone app that you can download and install on your Android or iOS mobile device, many online casinos do have that option. Standalone apps tend to have mobile-friendly designs with larger buttons and are more accessible to access menus for a more streamlined experience.
Many titles are supported when playing the games on smaller devices, thanks to developers creating their games in HTML5 and other mobile-supported formats. You can even access all the banking features on your mobile devices so you can quickly deposit, play and withdraw all in one place.
Gambling in South Africa has traditionally been frowned upon, with heavy restrictions since around 1673. In 1965 South Africa's Gambling Act was passed, officially banning all forms of gambling except betting on horse racing, which was regarded as a sporting activity. Of course, an outright ban just drove the industry underground, and by 1995 an estimated 2,000 illegal casinos were operating in the country.
In an about-turn, the new government in 1994 legalized all forms of gambling, with licensed casinos and a national lottery arriving in 1996 under the National Gambling Act.
This led to the establishment of the National Gaming Board to oversee the gambling industry regulation. Amendments to the 1996 legislation were made in 2004 and 2008, with the latter promising online casino activity would be made legal. Though it was passed, it was never enacted, leaving the issue of online casino gaming is something of limbo.
Despite the 2010 amendment ruling that offering and playing online casino games at online casinos outside of the SA jurisdiction was also illegal, there is hope that the 2008 Act could still come into effect after a high court ruling appeal is heard.
So here's the big question! Is it legal to play at online casinos in South Africa? When you consider that gambling at land-based casinos in South Africa is perfectly legal, it is easy to assume that online casinos would be accepted in equal measure. However, this is not the case, as online gambling is illegal within the borders of South Africa.
However, this kind of wording has resulted in a few offshore online casinos, those not based in South Africa, offering the ability to play in Rand and accepting players from South Africa. It should be noted that following a 2010 amendment, this was also deemed to be illegal by SA.
While it's a bit of a tricky question to answer, ultimately, the decision is down to you. The SA government has threatened to start taking action against offshore online casinos that accept South African players, but it hasn't happened yet.
On the plus side, an amendment to allow online casino gaming was passed in 2008. Still, it was never enacted, which leaves many players feeling hopeful that the freedom to choose will be available shortly.
Safety is paramount when it comes to playing at online casinos to prevent your sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands and potentially resulting in loss of money. There are several ways you can avoid this from happening, ensuring a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience!
The first thing to check is the law in your country, specifically regarding online gambling. We'll take a closer look at this about South Africa in a separate section later. Still, it's recommended to brush up on the legal aspect of top online casinos in South Africa, so you know where you stand and exactly what the law dictates.
Various other factors can help you ascertain the safety of an online casino, including whether the site in question holds a legitimate license from an issuing authority if they offer trusted banking options, such as e-wallets, accepting south African rand, whether or not they carry out player ID checks to prevent fraud and if they have a proper set of T&Cs, a Privacy Policy, and a complaints procedure.
The safest online casinos tick all of these boxes and more, providing a safe and secure environment to play and win!
There are 12 land-based casinos in Croatia. Click on read more to find the complete list.
Is it legal to gamble in South Africa?
Unfortunately, it's not a straightforward answer! The National Gambling Board of South Africa currently oversees the regulation of 40 licence holders across the various provinces of the country, which were issued following the National Gambling Act in 1996. However, it's important to note that a distinction is made between sports betting and other forms of gambling such as casino, poker and bingo, with sports betting being a legal form of gambling in SA while the rest are not.
Which is the best South African online casino?
The best South African online casino is the one that ticks all your boxes! Look for an online casino that offers a wide variety of quality games from a healthy selection of top games providers. You'll also want to make sure that the online casino in question holds a proper authority issued licence. Make sure only trusted payment methods are accepted and that the casino makes efforts to check player ID to prevent fraud.
Can I play with real money at South African casinos?
Many online casinos offer you the chance to test their games for free, but of course, if you want the chance to win real money, you need to be able to play with real money! A good South African casino will allow you to deposit in Rand using payment methods with which you are familiar and let you play the games with real money too.
Which games pay real money in South Africa?
Some of the best games you can play for real money in South Africa are online slots, online roulette and blackjack games.
Is Springbok casino legal in South Africa?
Springbok is not only legal but one of the most trusted South African online casinos.
Is Europa Casino legal in South Africa?
Yes, Europa Casino is legal in South Africa.
How much is a gambling license in South Africa?
The licensing fee for a gambling license in South Africa is is R120.000, while the fee for license renewal is R80.000.
