Some say it is legal, others claim it’s prohibited. But what’s the state of online gambling in South Africa? Can you play casino games like slots, poker and blackjack legally in the country?
Here’s what the law states and how to enjoy casino gaming online.
Nine Gambling Boards
South Africa’s nine provinces govern sports gambling activities locally. Each province has a gambling regulator and that means the country’s laws vary depending on where you live. Most online casinos, however, get their licenses from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board.
The regulator licenses sports betting because it’s the only form of online gambling that’s legal in the country. There have been numerous attempts to legalize casino gaming over the years. But to date, the government still considers interactive gaming illegal.
South African casino players don’t tax on their wins unless when they bet on horse racing, in which case they are taxed 12% of their wins.
South African Online Casinos
Although the government outrightly considers online casinos illegal, its laws target online casinos and banks. In the 2010 Act that banned both domestic and foreign online casinos. The government set a fine of R 10 million to casinos that provided their services to South Africans. It also made the same threats to local banks and media stations that facilitate online casino gaming.
To the millions of South Africans that love to play slots and table games, they have two alternatives. They can visit land-based casinos like the Rio Casino Resort or play online at local or foreign gambling sites. South African laws don’t threaten casino players, meaning you’ll never be arrested for gambling online.
Around the world, tens of well-respected online casinos accept South Africans, including some that are customized for South Africans. When you play at Yebo Casino, for instance, you use ZAR for both deposits and withdrawals. You can fund your account using SID, Bitcoin, Visa, EasyEFT and other payment options convenient for South Africans.
Avoiding Casino Scams
Because South Africa doesn’t permit online casinos, you can get duped on foreign casinos and not receive assistance from the government. You also can’t sue some foreign casinos, probably because they don’t have real addresses where you can find them.
If you decide to try out online gaming, use the following criteria to find legitimate gambling sites for South Africans.
- Accepts South African Players
Not every foreign online casino accepts South Africans, so confirm you are allowed to play and withdraw money before joining any gambling site. Otherwise, some platforms allow you to deposit money and play their games. But when the time comes to cash out your wins, they withhold your money on the excuse that they don’t allow players from your country.
When playing on Casinos known to accept South Africans, you can be confident any amount of money you win will be yours to keep. You could win R 1000 or R 100,000. Foreign casinos that accept South Africans payout consistently.
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- Offers Your Favorite Games
Many online casinos provide a wide variety of games to cater to different players. Despite that, you should examine the games carefully to confirm the games you love are provided. If you love to play slot machines, find out which software providers supply games to the casino.
If you prefer to play live dealers, learn whether Evolution Gaming or different provided suppliers these games. If you love to play minor games like scratch card games and lotteries, you might not find them on all casinos. You must dig deep into the world of gambling sites to find a casino with such games.
- Bountiful Bonus Promotions
Some online casinos give players bonuses regularly, and these are the platforms you should join. No matter how little you plan to spend, a good casino will give you free spins or betting money. Usually, you must at least R500 to receive decent bonuses in return.
If you can spend more, some casinos will give you up to R15, 000 in bonuses. You can use the money to play most games offered by the casino, albeit for a few. The best bonuses can also be withdrawn but you need to fulfil some wagering requirements.
While still looking for bonuses, read their terms and conditions. Seldom will you receive free spins and betting money without a catch. In many cases, you will be required to wager a specific amount of money in the casino before you can cash out bonus wins.
- Reliable Customer Support
Customer support is an essential department in any business. In the online casino industry, you’ll need good customer support more than anything else. At times, your payouts could be delayed and you will want to get clarification from the casino. At other times, you could experience a technical hitch and that leads to losing your bets.
With a reliable online casino, you get assistance in real-time, usually through a chat feature. You could also contact the company via phone or email. But most people prefer to chat live because of it easy and convenient.
- Safe and Trusted
Safety is the first thing you should ascertain about a casino. An unsecured website is a breeding ground for viruses and other malware types that could attack your computer. It’s also a sign of a scam casino.
These days, it’s also important to be careful when using an unlicensed casino. Some of them are legitimate but many of them could easily become rogue. Another safety measure is to check if the casino is audited to verify their games are fair. It’s not a compulsory measure but verified casinos tend to be more transparent in everything they do.
To Conclude
Despite sports betting being legal in South Africa, the government prohibits online casinos that offer slots and table games. Luckily, the government’s laws target businesses that provide the service and not players. If you join a foreign casino that accepts South Africans and wins money, you can cash it out with no issues.
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