Online Gambling in South Africa

Our sole focus at gamblers.africa is to guide South Africans through the complicated online gambling sphere. Our team of online gambling experts always puts the interest of players from South Africa first when assessing available sports betting sites and casinos online. 

When evaluating online gambling sites, we focus on essential components such as reputation, gambling licence, safe gambling practises, banking options, rewards and promotions and available gambling options. We take linear actions to ensure that every online gambling site we recommend checks all boxes. We will not advise players to register at a site short of vital gambling offerings. 

Sports Betting Sites in South Africa

Sports betting sites on our list are: 🔒 Licensed & Verified

🔥Multi-award Winning Betting Operator, Popular Deposit Methods
🎁Up to R1,000 as a first deposit bonus!

18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Top Rated Sports Betting Site, Generous Ongoing Rewards
🎁Up to R5,000 in first deposit bonus + R50 Free Sign-up Bonus!

18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Great Bonuses & Promotions, Ozow & Kazang Available!
🎁Up to R1,000 as a first deposit bonus!

18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Over 20 Years of Betting Experience, Mobile Friendly!
🎁Free R25 Sign Up Bonus!

18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

Online Casinos South Africa

🔥Multi-award Winning Betting Operator, Local Deposit Methods

🎁Up to R1,000 as a first deposit bonus!

T&Cs Apply
18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Renown South African Online Casino, Generous Ongoing Rewards

🎁Up to R12,000 in first deposit bonus!

T&Cs Apply
18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Top Rated South African Betting Site, Generous Ongoing Rewards

🎁Up to R5,000 in first deposit bonus + R50 Free Sign-up Bonus!

T&Cs Apply
18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

🔥Great Bonuses & Promotions, Ozow & Kazang Available!

🎁Up to R1,000 as a first deposit bonus!

T&Cs Apply
18+ | Terms & Conditions apply | ResponsibleGambling

By Nonso.

Nonso has almost a decade of hands-on experience from the iGaming world. He is focused on content writing and enjoys creating engaging news articles and reviews to keep readers in the loop on what’s trending in the gambling world.


Introduction

Since 1673 the laws involving any form of gambling in South Africa have been strictly regulated. The Gambling Act of 1965 banned all forms of gambling. The exception to this law was betting on horse racing. These regulations were in place until 1994, when the new democratic power came to power and legalized gambling. The legalization happened two years later through the passage of the 1996 National Gambling Act.

In the same year, The National Gambling Board was established. They became responsible for the supervision and regulation of the gambling industry. Some years later, they also oversaw the sector while moving to the online world. However, land-based casinos are operating legally across the country. In 2004 National Gambling Act banned all online casinos and online casino games.

Many loud voices request to regulate the online casino market and make it legal. Several international operators are already offering South Africans their services illegally. And the government haven’t been able to establish working measures banning these.

Sports betting is not affected by these laws. Online sports betting is still allowed and remains popular across the nation.

Gambling Regulations General Overview


> Online Sports Betting in South Africa
There is a licensing board located in each province across South Africa. The primary regulator is the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. Currently, there are 32 licensed online betting operators at which South Africans can wager legally.
 
> Online Casino in South Africa
For online casinos in South Africa, the story is different. Offering online casino games in South Africa is still prohibited. A 2011 report found that online casinos should be legal, but nothing has been executed so far. There have been promises from the South African government and Trade and Industry Ministers that online gambling will be made legal.

South Africans are, in other words, still banned from playing at operators offering casinos online. The country’s Department of Trade and Industry maintains the right to confiscate winnings from anybody caught illegally playing at an online casino.

Gambling in South Africa Today Summarised

Despite a weak South African economy and growing competition from illegal online casinos, the legalized gambling industry continues to see positive improvements. The casino segment generates the most significant share of the total gross gambling revenue. However, its market share has declined as bingo, betting, and limited payout machines have become increasingly popular.

Even though most South Africans play with licensed gambling operators, both land-based and online, a quarter of the gamblers still engage with unlicensed operators. This significantly impacts the licensed gambling market, which suffers enormous revenue losses.

The gambling industry generates many jobs across South Africa and has a positive impact on the economy as a whole. However, illegal online gambling is increasingly taking a more significant cut from land-based casinos and betting shops, resulting in less government tax revenue and people losing their jobs.

One of the significant contributors to the illegal gambling world is, in fact, online casinos. The various casino operators you can find online offer several benefits compared to a land-based casino, such as accessibility and convenience. These two are the driving factors which has resulted in massive demand for online casinos among the players in the gambling community.

The main issue with the online casino industry in South Africa is that most players do not know, nor realize, that this type of gambling is illegal according to South African regulations and laws.

Efforts are being made to further regulate licensed gambling with a new proposed National Gambling Amendment Bill by the minister of trade & industry, which focuses on the online casino segment. However, talk has been cheap so far, and we are still waiting for this matter to proceed.

To better understand the gambling scene in South Africa, it is vital to apprehend which gambling segments are popular. In South Africa, there are four mains groups, however games like bingo

Sports Betting

South African sports culture runs deep. Rugby, cricket and horse racing are some sports that are a part of the country’s rich history. This has resulted in a big sports betting market where punters like to bet on both local sports as well as on the international sporting scene.

Land Based Casinos

Across South Africa, you will find some of the world’s finest brick & mortar casinos. From GrandWest Casino in Cape Town to Sun City, about 2 hours outside Johannesburg – and even BoardWalk Casino in Port Elizabeth. They all offer a wide range of exciting slot- and video poker machines and table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker and other exciting games of luck.

Lotteries

At the beginning of 2000, the South African National Lottery was introduced to the people of South Africa. It started as a single weekly Lotto draw but has since evolved. Now it is divided into a bi-weekly Lotto + Lotto Plus draw (Wednesdays and Saturdays) and a bi-weekly Powerball + Powerball Plus draw (Tuesdays and Fridays) with enormous jackpots.

Online Casinos

As mentioned previously, the government of South Africa has yet to legalise online casinos. Which means it is currently illegal to own and operate online casinos within the borders of South Africa. Although South African authorities have yet to prosecute anyone for doing so, please be aware of the regulations and follow all rules set by the government.

ZA Betting & Casino Revenue ZA Gambling Stats

> Casino in South Africa
Casino gambling still dominates South Africa, accounting for 64% of total gross gambling revenue in 2018. The casino market is mature and faces competition from other legal gambling outlets and illegal gambling operations.
Projection: Casino GGR to grow at a 2.0% compound annual rate from R18.4 billion in 2018 to R20.4 billion in 2023.

> Betting in South Africa
Betting was the fastest-growing category in 2018, with a 20.7% increase in GGR, principally fuelled by continued growth in legal sports betting, which increased 33.8% in 2018.

Projection: Overall betting GGR, including horse racing, will expand at a projected 12.6% compound annual rate, increasing to R11.1 billion in 2023.

A Growing Online Gambling Interest

The interest in gambling in South Africa has always been tremendous, and land-based casinos never lack visitors. Even though the appeal of online betting has remained stable throughout the years, a noticeable increase in interest in online casinos has been identified. This has again shed light on the online gambling regulations in the country.

Responsible Gambling in the Crosshair

For most people, gambling is harmless recreational fun—a form of leisure and entertainment. Many people in South Africa enjoy going to horse races and betting on sports events, and they don’t spend more money and time than they can afford.

However, for a small number of people, gambling does become a massive problem in their lives. And it is because of these people government need to establish solid regulations and provide clear guides to the operator on promoting fair and responsible gambling.

With an increasing gambling interest in South Africa comes a lot of responsibilities from both regulators and operators. The South African Gambling Act must be revised. Decisions need to be made, and clarity must go with it – either legalise and regulate online casinos or provide the tools to handle all illegal gambling activities better.

While the responsibility lies with the issuing gambling board to ensure strict responsible gambling measures, authorities such as Gamblers.Africa is here to promote and assist with responsible gambling.

Casino Association of South Africa

The Casino Association of South Africa was established in 2003 and represents the interests of 36 of the 38 legal land-based casinos operating in the country. CASA’s emphasis is on playing a constructive and positive role in the evolution of good public policy and good governance in respect of the casino industry.

Committed to transparency and openness, CASA conducts and publishes an annual survey of the industry and all members subscribe to an agreed code of conduct.

More Responsibility by South African Gambling Operators

Even though online gambling is nowhere near the same popularity as betting in shops and land-based casinos, South Africa generally lacks responsible gambling. Many people are aware of the potential harm gambling can have. Still, the general attitude towards it – is turning the other cheek. Studies show it might be a result of not knowing what tools and measures are in place to assist players in betting safely.

As with any business, online gambling operators are also directly responsible for their activities and must ensure that regulations and responsible gambling principles are adhered to. And with a growing interest in online gambling, this is more important than ever.

Responsible Players;

  • Never chase their losses
  • Never borrow money to gamble
  • Set deposit limits where available
  • Set session limits where available
  • Gamble only as a form of entertainment
  • Close their account when they are spending too much
  • Only gamble with money they can afford to loose

Responsible Operators;

  • Offer responsible gambling tools
  • Allow self-service closing of accounts
  • Provide responsible gambling information
  • Never encourage vulnerable players to bet
  • Don’t allow more than one account per player
  • Don’t use exaggerated claims in promo material
  • Monitor player behaviour to prevent overspending

Online gambling operators across South Africa need to ensure that their players are presented with a clear overview of the terms and conditions and that these are understood correctly by the players.

On top of that, the operator must offer e a wide range of online safety measures to ensure the players’ online well-being. To ensure the player’s safety and promote fair and responsible online gambling, the operator and the software providers must focus on various aspects.

Responsibility Focus

  • Avoid irresponsible gambling by providing players with betting limits and self-exclusion tools.
  •  Avoid underage betting problems by confirming players’ age before deposits can be made.
  •  Have good security tools against online threats and criminal activities to guarantee player data privacy and security.
  •  Always focus on delivering a secure gambling environment to players by integrating software monitoring capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions Announcement

The online gambling scene in South Africa can often appear somewhat confusing. There are many forms of gambling, some legal and others not. The general regulations are not as straightforward as one could hope for.

We will update this section regularly to cover all the most common questions people have concerning the online gambling industry in South Africa.

The National Gambling Act of 2004 banned online gambling in South Africa. However, there are various types of online gambling and currently it is online casino which is illegal.

Online sports betting remains legal in South Africa, as long as you make sure to wager with a licensed online gambling operator.

Gambling within South Africa is highly regulated and is overseen by the National Gambling Board and the local gambling boards from each individual province.

To apply for a gambling license you need to contact your local gambling board and you can find all the contact details here. There are certain conditions laid down by each gambling board that the operator must fulfil to be considered being approved a license.


Responsible Gambling Assistance in South Africa

If you ever feel that you need to talk to someone or need assistance with curbing your gambling and betting behaviour, there’s help to get. In South Africa, several organisations assist South Africans with getting back on track and ending the nightmare of gambling addiction.

Gambling problems can happen to anyone around us. A common indicator of addiction is when your gambling goes from a fun and harmless to an unhealthy obsession with serious consequences, affecting your personal life negatively.

Gambling addiction is nothing to feel embarrassed about. If you are worried that you lost control of your habits, don’t hesitate to contact any of the below treatment facilities.

SARGF.

The South African Responsible Gambling Foundation provides Free and Confidential Treatment and Counselling to those affected by Problem Gambling and their immediate family members.

For the past 18 Years The SARGF has successfully treated more than 18, 500 South Africans. 

To get in touch with SARGF please visit their website by clicking the logo below or call them on: +27 21 674 5830

South-African-Responsible-Gambling-Foundation

Recovery Direct.

Offers a 24/7 hotline for emergencies and their counsellors are able to handle your questions about compulsive gambling, and provide long term treatment.

They focus on holistic treatment models for treating and overcoming Gambling Addiction – and have managed helped a broad range of patients

To get in touch with Recovery Direct please visit their website by clicking the logo below or call them on: +27 87 378 1330


ixande.

Approved by the SARGF and registered with the Department of Social Development and Department of Health of South Africa and SARGF – ixande offering clinical care in a community setting.

ixande is dedicated to providing the best possible addiction care at the lowest possible cost.

To get in touch with Recovery Direct please visit their website by clicking the logo below or call them on: +27 21 761 7348


South African Gambling Regulation

As the rest of the world moves from traditional land-based casinos and betting shops, South Africa is still far behind. The government has yet to make their next big move, but as for now, there is a lot of uncertainty. While the South African government is trying to please gamblers by allowing certain forms of online betting – many are still unhappy.

The opinion on legalising online gambling is still very much divided. The conservative ministers in parliament would rather keep online gambling prohibited. At the same time, the reformers in parliament would like to focus on the future of the online gambling industry and legalise it. There are valid points to justify both parties’ concerns. But there are also good points to overthrow all matters and legalise online gambling.

How about the Regulations for Online Casinos?

The government has deemed all online casinos illegal and targeted online casinos and banks. The 2010 Act banned domestic and foreign online casinos from offering any casino games to the people of South Africa. The government set a hefty fine of ZAR 10 million to be paid by online casinos that provides their services to South Africans. It also threatened local banks and media stations that facilitate online casino gaming in various ways.

South Africans have raised concerns over being unfairly treated and that they should be free to choose whether to gamble. By altogether criminalising online casinos in South Africa, many are left breaking the law by playing on offshore online casinos.

Anti Legalization

Officials in parliament with conservative views would like to see the online casino business in South Africa as illegal. They believe the legalisation of the industry can lead to an overall negative effect on the health and financial well-being of many South Africans.

Pro Legalization

Reformists want to see the legalisation of online casinos in South Africa. They believe it will create tax revenue which in turn can be used to assist South Africans with healthy gambling. South Africans that want to play – will find a way to play legally or illegally.

Regulatory Changes on the Horizon

As we already know, the South African gambling industry is heavily regulated, and the various gambling boards strictly control licensing. The gambling regulatory framework is set to shift when the proposed National Gambling Amendment Bill is hopefully approved.

In its current form, the bill provides for new offences and the forfeiture of illegal winnings, revised definitions covering bingo, limited payout machines, online gambling and advertising, the restructuring of the National Gambling Board into a National Gambling Regulator and the introduction of a self-regulating body for the horse racing industry.

This and other regulatory changes such as the Liquor Amendment Bill, the proposed gambling levy and proposals in Gauteng to change casino tax may change the fortunes of some casino and betting operators.

South African Regulatory Bodies

The National Gambling Board (NGB) is responsible for the national online gambling legislation laws. In addition to this, they are responsible for the oversight of the regulation for the gambling industry in South Africa.

An additional 9 provincial boards are responsible for the provincial legislation for each respective province. These provincial bodies also aid in enforcing the national act, as well as publishing additional provincial legislation.

For bookmakers and operators that are interested in applying for gambling and betting licenses, must apply through the provincial boards. The NGB does not issue any gambling licenses of any sort.

national-gambling-board-transparent

The Provincial Boards

For more in-depth information about the various provincial gambling boards, please click here.

Gauteng Gambling Board
Gauteng Gambling Board
Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board
Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board
Eastern Cape Gambling & Betting Board
Eastern Cape Gambling & Betting Board
Free State Gambling & Liquor Authority
Free State Gambling & Liquor Authority
Kwazulu Natal Gaming & Betting Board
Kwazulu Natal Gaming & Betting Board
Mpumalanga Gambling Board
Mpumalanga Gambling Board
North West Gambling Board
North West Gambling Board
Limpopo Gambling Board
Limpopo Gambling Board
Northern Cape Gambling Board
Northern Cape Gambling Board

Challenges for the Gambling Industry in South Africa

Many future battles will be fought in the South African gambling arena. And many areas where improvements can be made. Experts have raised their voices, and here are some of the concerns and challenges that we at gamblers.africa believe must come into focus;

  • CLARITY. Regulations regarding online gambling are not clear enough, and the Gambling Act needs to be amended. The regulatory frameworks need to be reworked to avoid operators taking advantage of regulatory limbos, e.g. illegal online operators targeting and offering online gambling to the public while licensed elsewhere. This resulted in money leaving the Republic of South Africa and no benefit to the government in terms of creating jobs and taxes paid.
  •  UNITY. The lack of uniformed norms and standards across the provincial gambling boards quickly confuses and must be addressed.
  •  GUIDELINES. Lack of guidelines on how law enforcement can deal with unfair gambling practices and a lack of responsible gambling.
  •  EXPERTISE. Creation of expert gambling boards that focus on fair and responsible gambling and implementing guidelines and technology to ensure that these areas are taken care of.
  •  TECHNOLOGY. Technological advancements pose a challenge to the gambling industry in South Africa.

South Africa – An Important part of Gaming Regulators Africa Forum

South Africa plays an very important role in Gaming Regulators Africa Forum (GRAF) which was established in 2003 with the intention to protect communities and citizens trough the adherence of gaming regulatory laws applicable to each of the member states.

It aligns matters that affect the gambling industry and ensures that Africa does not become a dumping ground for old and degenerating gaming technologies. It implements initiatives that are aimed at curbing problem gambling and ensures counselling and education for the affected.

graf_logo


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Sources

  • wikipedia.com
  • casino.org
  • askgamblers.com
  • gamingregulatorsafricaforum.com
  • ngb.org.za
  • casasa.org.za