South Africans, like most people, enjoy playing at the Casino for different reasons. While some may gamble to catch for fun and connect with people, others do it to solve their financial problems.

Today, gambling houses now host their games online. As a result, South African players can invite their friends to play along and enjoy mobile casino gambling from anywhere. 

So, if you’re new to the world of online casinos in South Africa, you’re in the right place.   

This article will discuss online casinos in South Africa, how they work, start playing, make money with online casinos, and lots more. 

Let’s dive in. 

online casino south africa

What are online casinos in South Africa?

Online casinos in South Africa are the virtual version of traditional brick-and-mortar casinos. These virtual casinos allow players to wager on games and withdraw their earnings from anywhere in South Africa. 

The top online casinos in South Africa host hundreds of games. From the classic 3D online roulette, video poker, slots, and craps to unique arcade and Asian games, these casinos offer a fun and gratifying experience. 

Some online casinos publish their payout and win percentage ratings on their website so that potential players know they are legit and what to expect.

Now that you know what Online Casinos in South Africa are, let’s talk about how they work. Shall we? 

How online casinos in South Africa work

Like everywhere else, online casinos in South Africa are internet-enabled gambling houses. They are hosted on the internet, allowing players to play different games against each other.

The best online South African casinos are either web-based online casinos, download-based online casinos, or both.

A web-based casino is powered by your web browser’s plugin, making it ready to play without you downloading any software on your devices. 

However, to enjoy a smooth gaming experience on web-based casinos, you need a fast internet connection to load the graphic components quickly. 

Download-based casino games, on the other hand, are played on mobile and desktop devices. To play these games, you need to download and set up the casino app. 

Also, software components like the graphics, sound, and user data required to play the game are stored on the device’s internal storage. As a result, download-based casino games may run smoother and faster than web-hosted casinos. 

The web-based and download-based online casinos use a technology known as a random number generator (RNG). Popular South African casinos like Springbok Casino and Thunderbolt Casino use this technology.

The RNG is designed to turn out a sequence of numbers that you cannot predict. Therefore, the numbers make up your winning combination for table games like blackjack. 

Is online casino in South Africa legal?

It is illegal to own or participate in online casinos. In 2010, the National Gambling Board (NGB) in South Africa enacted a strict policy against online gambling.

Nevertheless, hundreds of online casinos outside the country allow South Africans to play and make money without problems.  Some of these offshore online casinos are advertised as South African owned. 

As a result, online gambling and casinos are booming today in South Africa, with hundreds of people registering daily. 

Most of the time, the NGB can only take action against the operators- but they are not residents in the country. 

It is important not to process your payment via the local banks to play safely in South Africa. That is because local banks in South Africa are not permitted to carry out transactions with online casinos outside the country. So instead, use digital wallets to fund your casino accounts. 

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What South Africans should know before registering on an online casino

There are hundreds of casinos on the internet for South Africans. They all put up flashy web pages advertising enticing promotions and bonuses, which is not bad. 

Since the country has banned online casinos, you may fall victim to fake offshore sites seeking to exploit you. As a new player, you may easily fall for a scam on some websites. Or worse, have your personal information and credentials stolen. 

To avoid a red-face moment like that,  these are the five most important things you should check before playing online casino games. 

✅ License and registration 

The best online casinos in South Africa hold an operating license and are regulated by an official body

These operators know that having a license gives them an edge because players trust them more than their unlicensed competitors. Because of that, they would happily display a license badge on their website. 

Therefore, a casino website with no license is potentially harmful, so you know you should not deposit your money or input your personal information on such a website. 

✅ Website Safety

“Is this website safe?” 

This is another question to ask before spending your money on an online casino. 

Even though a casino website itself may not want to harm users, hackers can break in and steal user information and money if it is not adequately protected. 

A quick way that we recommend for you to quickly screen out unsafe websites is to check if the website has SSL encryption enabled. 

Think of this SSL certificate as a digital certificate showing that a website is secure. With this certification, you can rest assured that information sent between your browser and the website cannot be read by someone else. 

Secured online casinos for South Africans have a padlock displayed before their  URL in your browser to show that they are safe to use.  

✅ Quality of games

Even if a casino website is safe and licensed, it will be of little benefit if your chosen game is not available.  Therefore, an online casino committed to its players’ satisfaction should offer all types of games. 

The best online casino games in South Africa host all games, including traditional titles like Poker, Roulette, Baccarat. Bingo, Keno, BlackJack, and Slots.

The slot is the most widely played casino game online because it’s easy to learn and doesn’t require complex calculations in games like Poker. 

✅ Welcome Bonuses and Promotions

Welcome bonuses are like a birthright for all online gamblers, that is why online casino bonuses have become common. Casino websites know that giving you an excellent first impression through enticing welcome bonuses goes a long way to determine how much time you commit to playing their games. 

There is a vast number of South African online casinos offering great deals and bonuses for new players. 

To ensure that these welcome gifts are fair and realistic, you should also read a couple of reviews from South African players about the casino website. 

✅ Easy Deposits and Withdrawals 

There is no point playing online casinos if you cannot trust the casino website to send your winnings as scheduled. 

An internet casino with a reputation for slow deposit and withdrawal may not be worth your time. 

However, popular casinos for South Africans mentioned in this article seamlessly process their players’ earnings and support the South African rand. 

Also, knowing the restrictions on online casinos in South Africa ensures using a supported banking method to avoid problems.

✅ Reliable Customer Support Service

An online casino platform that is committed to supporting its users will not compromise on its customer service. 

The best online casinos for South Africans have a reliable support network through live chat, emails, FAQs, Online calls, etc. 

In that mind, you should be able to file a complaint and get instant feedback any time of the day or week. 

✅ Device Compatibility

You should be able to wager on a game anywhere at any time as long as your mobile device is compatible with the network requirements of online casinos. 

Most South African online casinos support Android and iOS smartphones and Windows operating systems. 

So you don’t have to sweat yourself about that. 

✅ Suitable payment method

An ideal casino website will offer its players various methods to withdraw their earnings. 

Do you prefer a cash check, gift cards, coupons, or direct bank transfer? South Africans enjoy the best time on online casinos offering all of these payment methods. Some of them will even allow you to donate to a charity if you’re that kind of person. 

✅ Customer Reviews

No online casino is perfect. But there is a minimum standard for quality service all casino websites should fulfill. 

And it’s only through user reviews you can judge whether an online casino meets these standards. 

The online casinos we recommend in this article are certified by independent regulators, and South Africans recommend them. So you don’t have to worry about that.

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How to get started with online casinos in South Africa

You need to create an account to get started with online casinos in South Africa. Creating an account is free, and you can complete the process in under 5 minutes. Although the registration process for South African casinos may vary slightly, the following paragraphs show what you can expect on most of the sites.

Firstly, after you’ve chosen a suitable South African casinos website to play, click sign up. 

Secondly, input your first name, last name, email address and set a strong password to protect your account. 

The next step is to complete a short biodata form with your street address, gender, mobile number, country,  postal code, etc. 

Lastly, confirm that you agree to the terms and conditions for using the online casino’s website and click “register.” 

And that’s it, you now have a secured online casino website, and you can start playing from anywhere in South Africa. 

Note: Some casino sites require that you deposit money into your account before you start playing, while others allow free play. 

Once you start playing, all your winnings are sent to your account on the website, where you can withdraw them using any payment method of choice. 

Can I make money playing online casinos?

From Cape Town to Johannesburg, you can make money by playing online casino games. 

You can make up to R11,500 on the welcome bonus alone on South African online casinos like Springbok Casino. 

To make the most out of your time, ensure to select a legitimate casino website and choose a suitable game. 

Casino players can regularly make money from slots since they are easy to understand and lower risk. 

On the other hand, those who understand the art of playing high-risk games like blackjack and poker can make thousands of Rands in one game. 

What are the best South Africa online casino?

According to the most reputable online casino guide for South African, Springbok Casino is the number 1 online casino in South Africa. 

Ranked at numbers 2 and 3 respectively are Thunderbolt Casino and Europa Casino. 

Springbok Casino Review 

South Africans started playing casinos games on Springbok in 2012. Since then, it has become the most popular casino website in the country. 

  • License and Certifications

The casino holds the Antillephone Licence of Validation, issued by the Gambling Commission of Curacao Antillephone. This organization is one of the most reliable master license operators within Curacao. 

Moreso, Springbok’s casino website is operated by Enneagon Ltd, one of the many subsidiaries of Quadgreen N.V. 

So you see why it’s ranked first among all casino websites in South Africa. 

  • How it works

Springbok is programmed by RealTime Gaming (RTG), an industry leader in the gaming business operating since 1998. 

With RTG software, Springbok hosts more than 400 casino game titles, including all types of slots, table and card games, and real series video poker/slots like Cleopatra’s Gold, Achilles, Bubble Bubble, and lots more. 

  • Compatibility and ease-of-assess

All games on springbok can be played on the web or downloaded on mobile devices. 

Similarly, you can seamlessly play Springbok’s mobile games on Apple, Android, Tablets, and Windows devices from home. 

  • Security

You don’t have to worry about the security of your information because Cloudfare’s SSL certification protects springbok’s online casino. 

  • Average Payout

Springbok boasts an average payout of 98.6%, according to reputable sources.

  • No Deposit Bonus

As we said earlier, a welcome bonus in an online casino is like a birthright, and Springbok takes that seriously. 

On Springbok, you do not need to deposit any money before you earn your bonus. Once you register on the website, a free R350 will be credited to your account. Use this bonus for practice before sending your first deposit.

  • Welcome Bonus

You can earn up to rR11,500 on your first three deposits on Springbok. For instance, your first deposit attracts a 100% welcome bonus.  That is, you will earn a bonus of R100 on a deposit of the same value. 

Your second and third deposits, however, attract a 50% welcome bonus. So, for example, a bonus of R50 will be added to your account if you deposit R100.

  • How Springbok welcome bonuses and deposits work 

Please note that the maximum bonus you can earn is R1500 on the first deposit and R5000 for each second and third deposit. 

Also, you have to wager 30x the total amount of your bonus and deposit amount to withdraw your winnings. 

For example, if your first deposit is R200 and you earn a 100% bonus of R200, your total account balance will be R400. According to the rules, you must have wagered 30x of this balance, which is R1200, before you can withdraw your earnings. 

Lastly, you must deposit R20 or more to play real money games. 

  • Cashbacks bonus

You stand a chance to get a 25% cashback on all deposits wagered without a bonus.  Also, the maximum cashback allowed is R3000, and this bonus is only available on Slots, Keno, Bingo, and Scratch cards.

deposit methods

What Are The Deposit Methods Available At South African casinos?

Popular South African casinos like Springbok and Europa have multiple deposit methods. On Springbok, for example, you can fund your account using the following channels.

  • Visa/Maestro/Mastercard

This payment method requires that you use your local bank credit card to fund your casino account. However, funding your account through this method is free and instant.

Also, your casino account will take a minimum amount of R15O and a maximum of R2000. 

  • Skrill

Skrill is an electronic wallet system that works for most online casinos in South Africa. The minimum deposit with skrill is R20, while the maximum is R2,000, and it is free.  

  • Bitcoin

You can easily fund your casino account with Bitcoin. The minimum deposit  is R250, a maximum of R2,000

  • ecoPayz

ecoPayz is a free-to-use online payment service. South Africans who have an ecoPayz account can instantly deposit a minimum of R20 into their online casino account. 

  • Wire Transfer

If you do not have any of the listed deposit methods, you can use Wire Transfer. It is also an instant deposit channel, but it costs an R200 processing fee on a minimum of R1,500 and a maximum of R2,000. 

What is the standard payout time frames for cashouts/withdrawal?

The payout time frame for cashout varies from one online casino to the next. However, the standard time frame for top South African online casinos is 20 days for bank transfer and 48-72 hours for electronic payment. 

What is the easiest online casino game to play?

If you are new to playing online casinos in South Africa, start with the slots or free spins. 

The slot is the most popular variety of casino games because anyone of legal age can play it. In addition, you do not need any prior knowledge of Casinos to win money at the slot. All you have to do is wager some cash from your budget and click the spin button. 

Although the slot is all about luck like most casino games,  you can improve your chances of winning by large wagering budgets and spinning more often. 

Conclusion

Online casino is a fun way to connect with people and make money online. If you want to get the best South African online casinos, get started on legitimate casino websites like Springbok and Thundercasino. 

Registration is free on these South African casino sites, and you will be treated to enticing offers like welcome bonuses, cashback, and deposit bonuses. 

While the blackjack has a higher odds for large winnings than most games, it may be too tricky for a first-timer. We recommend that you start with the slot and move on to table games as you get familiar with the online casino world in South Africa. 

Once you start winning, you have no worries about withdrawing your earnings because popular online casinos have multiple payment methods suitable for South African casino players.