Whether it’s sports betting, horse racing, or casino games, South Africans are quite fond of a flutter. But is it legal to place bets online in the Rainbow Nation? Let’s take a look at the country’s gambling laws and find out which online bookies and casino sites cater to punters in South Africa.
Sports betting at South African bookmakers
Best betting sites for South Africa
#1  |
Best Sports Betting Odds 888 Sportsbook€30 free bet 
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888 Sportsbook Review |
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#3  |
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#5  |
By Players, For Players UnibetGet your money back up to €25
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| New customers only. 18+. Located in UK. Min bet 2/5 or more. Each leg of multi must be over 2/5 for bet to qualify. 3x wagering requirement before withdrawing. |
There are plenty of South Africa-based bookmakers that run online betting services for racing and sport. However, there are also a number offshore bookies – such as the trusted sites above – that offer a point of difference and specialise in global markets.
Top sport and racing markets
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Thoroughbred racing is a very big deal in South Africa, where the sport’s roots go as deep as the 18th century. Online bookies cover year-round horse racing from Kenilworth, Bloemfontein, Greyville and all the major tracks, as well as international meets in Australia, New Zealand, , Hong Kong, Japan, the US and the UK.
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Perhaps only New Zealand can match South Africa’s obsession with rugby union. The Springboks have won the Rugby World Cup twice since returning to the international arena in the 1990s, while the Bulls are regular contenders in the Super Rugby club competition.
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On pure numbers, association football is far and away the most popular sport in South Africa. Kaiser Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are the local power clubs, but bookmakers do much more business nowadays on overseas glamour divisions such as the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.
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South Africa has emerged from the dark days of Apartheid to become a genuine force in world cricket. The Proteas are among the strongest national sides in all formats, while the local T20 Ram Slam competition draws big names from all over the world.
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Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuisen – South Africa has produced some proper golfers down the years. The nation’s stars are regular contenders at the Masters and the other majors, while the Sunshine Tour is one of the strongest circuits outside Europe and the US.
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American sports leagues are growing in popularity all over the world, and South Africa is no exception. Online bookies run extensive markets for NBA basketball, NFL football, MLB baseball, NHL ice hockey and all the major college sports divisions.
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Leading sports bookies also run betting markets for:
- Greyhound racing
- Hockey
- Hurling
- Motorsports
- Athletics
- Bton
- Cycling
- Darts
- Esports
- Formula One
- Rugby league
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Winter sports
Best online casinos for South Africa
Best South Africa casino sites
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Where the big guns fire! Vavada.com100% up to $1500 bonus + 100 free spins!
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#2  |
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Online casinos are illegal in South Africa, so you have to exercise a little caution when looking for somewhere to play slots and table games on the web. The secure casino sites above are all licensed abroad and accept South African players.
Top casino games
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South Africa’s top online casinos carry hundreds upon hundreds of real money slot games for PC, Mac and mobile. These include some of the biggest progressive jackpot slots on the web, as well as popular franchise games such as Aliens, Battlestar Galactica, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Tomb Raider and many more.
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It is getting tougher and tougher to find value in blackjack games at brick-and-mortar casinos, but that is not the case when you play online. The best real money casino sites have dozens of different low-edge varieties, including live dealer blackjack games that are dealt by hand and streamed in real time.
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Unless you have the means to gain entry to the VIP rooms, it is tough to find a single-zero roulette table at a land-based casino these days. Online roulette casinos offer European-style games at all bet levels, as well as multi-table games and a variety of live roulette streams.
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Online casinos put hundreds of real money gaming options right at your fingertips. Other common games include:
- Baccarat
- Bingo
- Caribbean stud
- Casino hold’em
- Red dog
- Sic bo
- Three card poker
- Video poker
- Casino war
- Craps
- Instant scratch cards
- Keno
- Pai gow poker
- Pontoon
Safe banking options at South African gambling sites
One of the most important aspects of gambling online is having easy access to trusted online payment methods. Our top-ranked internet bookies and casino sites a number of convenient options for fast deposits and secure withdrawals, including:
- MasterCard
- Visa
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Paysafecard
- Wire transfer
- Direct bank transfer
Online gambling laws in South Africa
South Africa has an interesting history with gambling. From the 17th century until the mid-1990s, most forms of wagering and gaming were banned outright. The only exception was betting on horse racing, which was considered a sporting activity in its own right.
But with the demise of Apartheid and the rise of democracy, so too came a drastic change to the nation’s gambling laws. The ban was lifted in 1994 and the National Gambling Act of 1996 introduced a regulatory system for casinos, bookmakers and lotteries. This legislation also reclassified wagering on horse racing as a form of gambling.
The advent of online gambling has altered the landscape yet again. South African bookmakers are allowed to operate on the web as long as they are licensed in one of the nine provinces. However, the National Gambling Act 2004 forbids interactive casino gaming and online poker within South Africa’s borders.
I accept laws and regulations of gambling