Online casinos are booming in South Africa. Almost every adult has one or more casino and bookmaker accounts which they use to place a bet or gamble a bit every now and then. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing popularity of mobile gaming, new online casinos are opening their virtual doors daily.
However, sometimes it can be daunting to sign up and play casino games or place bets for real money at a website you’ve never seen or played at before. For this reason, we will cover how to find the best online casinos in South Africa in this comprehensive guide.
By following the steps outlined in this guide, signing up and making your first deposit at an online casino or bookmaker will be a very straightforward and utterly hassle-free process. We will also break down what to look for in an online casino, how to spot casinos you want to avoid, and what games to play.
Without further ado, let’s start with the most important thing: choosing a reliable online casino to play at.
Playing at a Reliable Online Casino
As a South African player, you are literally spoilt for choice. With thousands of online casinos and bookmakers available and accepting South African players, it can be hard to find the right one. After all, all these casinos offer fantastic games, attractive bonuses, and accept virtually every payment method you can possibly think of.
The most important thing to do when choosing an online casino to play at is to make sure you’re dealing with a reliable, trustworthy, and licensed online casino. Luckily, 99% of all online casinos you’ll encounter are honest online casinos. However, there are a few bad apples, so-called rogue or scam casinos, that fleece their players and punters out of their money, never paying them out or imposing very strict bonus terms and conditions.
So, logically, the first step to ensure you’re cybersafe would be to choose a licensed online casino that is operating under a valid gaming license issued by a reputable institution like the Malta Gaming Authority, or the UK Gambling Commission.
This way, you know that you’re dealing with a reliable casino, as these casinos don’t want to lose their license. They will always pay you out accordingly and won’t tamper with the random number generators of the games. Most of the time, these licensed casinos work with well-known and respected payment providers as well, like Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal. Additionally, they only offer games from popular casino software providers like Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Play ‘n GO.
Compare the Game Offerings of Different Online Casinos
Once you’ve found a few legitimate casinos to play at, it is time to compare their game selections. Are you looking to play classic retro slots, or do you prefer the latest 3D video slots? Maybe you’re into poker, bingo, or scratchies instead? Not every casino offers all these games of chance, so it pays to check out the casino game lobby of the casino you want to play at before signing up and depositing your hard-earned money. Nothing is more frustrating than having gone through an entire sign-up process only to find out that the casino doesn’t even have your favourite game(s)!
Compare the Casino Bonuses Offered by Several Gambling Sites
When you have found a couple of online casinos or bookmakers that offer the games or sports that you prefer, it is time to compare their bonuses. Over the last few years, the height and quantity of online casino bonuses have surged dramatically, which is obviously a good thing, but don’t let those big numbers trick you!
Although a high welcome bonus in the form of a deposit bonus might certainly look appealing, it is the fine print you want to study. Before accepting any casino bonus, it is wise to read its terms and conditions fully. Almost every online casino or bookmaker bonus comes with so-called ‘wagering requirements‘, which you must play through before being able to cash out any winnings to your bank account or e-wallet.
This means that if a casino bonus is, let’s say, 100% up to 10,000 ZAR, you deposit 10,000 ZAR, and you will start with a balance of 20,000 ZAR. However, you will have to wager the extra 10,000 ZAR bonus money between 20 and 40 times before being able to submit a withdrawal request. In some cases, you cannot even withdraw your own deposited money, so be very careful before accepting a casino or bookmaker bonus.
Check Which Payment Methods are Available
Before making your first deposit, we recommend checking which payment methods are available. Some payment methods have lower transaction fees, whilst some are excluded from receiving any deposit bonuses. The most popular payment methods available for South African players at online casinos are BCashy, Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay, Neteller, Skrill, and EFT. Note that some newer online casinos and bookmakers even accept cryptocurrency deposits like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.
Apart from checking which payment methods are available, you should also check what the minimum and maximum deposit limits are. You don’t want to deposit tens of thousands of Rands when you just want to play with small amounts. The same counts for withdrawal limits. Ideally, the casino or bookmaker you will be playing at has low minimum withdrawal limits so that you can withdraw even the smallest winnings to your bank account.
Signing Up at an Online Casino
When you have found an online casino that has your games or offers your sports, has favourable bonus terms, and that accepts your preferred payment method, it is time to sign up for an account. Unless your chosen casino is a so-called Pay ‘n Play casino, you will have to go through a short procedure that will take around 5 minutes of your time in order to start playing.
Most of the time, the signup process at an online casino involves filling in your personal details, such as your full name, address, date of birth, and email and phone number. Once you’ve done this, you will receive a link or code by email or SMS that you enter at the online casino in order to verify your registration.
Although you can often now already make your first deposit, there might be cases where you will have to identify yourself first by supplying the casino with a copy of your passport, driver’s license, or national ID card. Additionally, the casino may ask you for proof of residence. A recent utility bill, rental agreement, or bank statement not older than three months will do.
Making a First Deposit at an Online Casino
Making a first deposit at an online casino can be a bit daunting. However, this is a very easy and straightforward process. To do so, simply navigate to the cashier area of the casino. Here you click or tap on the desired payment method. Once you’ve done this, you specify the amount you want to deposit and apply a bonus, promo, or coupon code if needed to activate a certain bonus.
After you’ve followed the on-screen instructions and confirmed your deposit, the transaction will go through, and money will be withdrawn from your bank, e-wallet, or cryptocurrency wallet and added to your casino account. In most cases, any welcome bonuses will be automatically applied. If for whatever reason, you haven’t received your welcome bonus, we recommend contacting the customer support of the casino you have signed up for and made your deposit.
