South Africa Legal Online Casinos Guide For 2025
Modern South African online casinos offer some advantages that make them appealing to players. With the recent advancements in technology, you can basically play anywhere there is an Internet connection on your computer or mobile device.
South Africa gambling laws prohibit gambling over the internet even at legal offshore licensed and regulated sites and if caught players risk having their winnings confiscated and could possibly face criminal prosecution. Offshore casinos offer their web services to SA punters providing players with a variety of available options including, blackjack, slots, roulette and live dealer games among many others.
Online casinos are very clear that they place the burden of understanding regional legal restrictions squarely on the player. If you gamble over the internet at a casino and are confronted by the authorities, any applicable criminal charges will be brought against the player and not the online casino operator.
For those players who feel they want to take the risk, we have compiled information to help ensure you reach destinations that are legally licensed and regulated, and that provide a secure, high quality gaming environment for their players. Though you’ll be playing at your own risk, at least you will be doing so at a legitimate and safe destination.
Best Legally Licensed Online Casinos
Accepting South African Players In 2025
| Casino Name | Bonus Offer | Payout Speed | SA | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 100% Max $3,000 | 24-48 Hours | Play Now |
Is Online Casino Gambling Legal In South Africa As Of 2025?
No, there is no legal online gambling in South Africa according to section 11 of the National Gambling Act; a person must not engage or make available an interactive game unless authorized in terms of this act or any other national law. This does not include the legal South African sports betting or horse betting which are both permitted.
The National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008 was authored with the intent of licensing and regulating interactive games but was never signed or passed into law. In 2010, a North Gauteng High Court ruling deemed online gambling offered through offshore servers was illegal as a result of the jurisdiction of online gambling transactions.
It is important to note that only a few people have ever been convicted of online gambling in South Africa and those individuals were not necessarily patrons of legally sanctioned offshore gambling destinations. Licensed offshore online casinos do offer their games to South African players despite the laws set forth by the National Gambling Board. The burden of adhering to jurisdictional regulations lies with the player. The chance of being confronted by authorities is unlikely, but not 100% impossible.
Are There Land Based Casinos In South Africa?
Yes, each of the 9 provinces of South Africa has their own gambling board and land-based casinos which they regulate. The legal gambling age is 18 and as of this writing there are currently 38 licensed and regulated brick-and-mortar casinos located throughout the provinces with most of them residing in Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Cape Town. It is reasonable to say that the brick-and-mortar casino market in SA is quite healthy.
Licensed And Legal Online Casinos That Accept South African Players
There are overseas online casinos that are legal, licensed and regulated in their local jurisdictions that offer web based casino games to South Africa. South African punters that currently play offshore casinos risk their winnings being garnished if caught and SA banks are not allowed to process payments from unlawful gambling.
Recently in 2017 the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced they seized R1.25 (USD 97k) in unlawful winnings from several internet players. This is of course just a drop in the bucket of all the gambling transactions that take place among SA players, and there are multiple deposit method options that do not involve local banks.
If you are going to play real money casino games over the internet, these are the destinations to consider. They are legally sanctioned and are regarded as reputable, trustworthy online casino brands that provide a secure and high quality gambling experience.
Which Casino Games Can I Legally Play Online For Real Money?
There is a healthy variety of online casino games that are offered to players in South Africa. Here are some common interactive games you will have access to playing on your computer or mobile device.
- Poker
- Slots
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Craps
- Baccarat
- Live Casino Games
- And many more
Are There Mobile Casinos That Accept South African Players?
Yes, there are a multiple sites that offer their services to SA players and most of them utilize responsive web-based mobile optimized applications so that you can play on any mobile device without the need to download additional programs or apps. In most cases the only thing needed is a good internet connection.
The sites we suggest offer mobile play for SA residents and are legally licensed and regulated in their own respected jurisdictions by legitimate gaming boards.
Are Online Casino Bonuses Legitimate?
Yes, many online casinos will offer bonuses to their account holders or potential account holders. These bonuses are wide spread across the internet and sites use them to entice players to sign-up. Restrictions and requirements do apply to get the bonus deals so make sure you check the fine print before you sign up.
Most bonuses are structured as deposit match bonuses, example; if a casino offers a 100% match bonus with a max of R100, then a player that deposits R150 would get an addition R100 added to their account when they make a deposit, bringing the total deposit to R250.
Here are a few bonuses you will commonly see playing web based casinos: Sign-up bonus, Re-load bonus, Loyalty bonus, and many others.
Do Online Casinos Accept South African Rand?
Yes, the legitimately licensed and regulated offshore casinos accepting South African punters almost always process transactions with SAR. Should you come across a destination that does not, you will find that they provide currency conversion services for their players. Several of SA friendly deposit methods also provide this service.
How Can I Fund My Online Casino Account?
Our suggested sites offer a slew of deposit and withdrawal options. Here is a list of what options you can expect to find while playing on your computer, tablet or mobile device.
- Visa/Mastercard
- Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum And Other Cryptos
- Money Orders
- E-wallets: Skrill, Neteller
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Cashier’s Check
Will I Be Required To Pay Taxes On My Winnings From Gambling Online?
Based on the current legal status of online gambling, any report to income tax of winnings could result in confiscation, penalties or prosecution. If you choose to play online casino games, make sure you know the gambling laws and all the risks involved. We suggest that you only play at legally licensed and regulated offshore sites for the sense of security it brings to the player. Identity theft and stolen wagers are very real.
Also, South African legal online casinos are well versed in how to legally claim your winnings.
Can I Get Into Legal Trouble For Gambling At Offshore Online Casinos?
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently warned punters engaged in illegal internet gambling activities that their winnings could be confiscated, and they could expose themselves to criminal prosecutions and fines up to R10m. Is it likely that this will happen? No. Is it impossible? Absolutely not. You can get in trouble for gambling on the internet. Should you choose to participate in online casino gambling, you do so at a risk.