South Africa Casino Bonuses

Welcome Bonuses

One of the best-known and most popular casino promotions is the deposit bonus. Also called match bonuses, these offers grant you bonus funds that correspond to the amount you deposit into your casino account.

Free Spins

Free spins are also excellent casino perks. They are among the most straightforward bonuses available, because when you claim such an offer, you receive a set number of free games to use on a specific slot.

Cashback Bonuses

Some promotions simply reward you with cash, while others provide cashback, which is essentially a partial refund of your losses.

VIP Bonuses

We must also emphasize that casino promotions are not exclusive to new players. Many gambling websites offer VIP bonuses for loyal clients, and referral promotions are popular as well.

Bonuses T&Cs

As great as promotions can be, players should keep several factors in mind before choosing a specific bonus. Most offers come with conditions such as minimum deposit amounts and maximum bet sizes. Rollover requirements are also common, and other stipulations may include excluding certain banking methods or limiting free spins to specific games. These rules vary from casino to casino, so always read the bonus terms and conditions carefully.

History

The Gambling Act of 1965 marks a pivotal moment in South Africa’s gambling history because it rendered nearly all forms of gambling illegal, with horse racing as the sole exception. This, however, did not stop South Africans from indulging in the pastime. The period between the mid-60s and the mid-90s saw the emergence of hundreds of small, illegal gambling venues, and enthusiasts eagerly took advantage of any opportunity to play. As a result, a sizable gambling sector developed, remaining largely untapped by the government for quite some time.

To address this situation, the South African government enacted the Gambling Act of 1996. This legislation legalized games of chance, sports betting, and lotteries, and it established the National Gambling Board to oversee land-based gambling establishments.

At the time, the online iGaming sector was still in its infancy, which explains why the 1996 Act did not cover remote gambling. This was later addressed by the National Gambling Act of 2004, which officially prohibited almost all forms of interactive gambling. Sports betting was excluded, and sportsbooks may still operate in South Africa provided they have obtained a license to do so.

Overview of the Current Gambling Regulations in South Africa

As noted, sports betting is currently the only form of online gambling permitted in South Africa. Other gambling activities are confined to brick-and-mortar venues, and all nine of South Africa’s provinces have the authority to issue gambling licenses. The introduction of official licensing has reduced the overall number of venues, but the legitimate establishments that remain now provide a far superior gaming experience compared with what was available before the 1996 legislation.

Overall, land-based gambling is thriving in South Africa, yet remote gaming involving games of chance remains at an impasse. Several attempts to legalize interactive gambling – including the National Gambling Amendment Act of 2008 and 2014’s Remote Bill – have not succeeded.

South Africans are prohibited from engaging in remote gaming, and online casinos are not allowed to operate within the country or, in the case of offshore operators, offer services to South African residents. Consequently, players do not have access to online casinos licensed by a South African regulatory body.

The silver lining is that, although South African residents could technically face legal consequences for playing online, the law is not enforced. Likewise, offshore gaming websites continue to welcome South Africans without facing prosecution.

The primary obstacle South African players have encountered in recent years is financial institutions blocking transactions to online casinos. Even this, however, can be circumvented through VPNs, digital wallets, cryptocurrencies, and similar methods.

Furthermore, 2022 saw yet another proposal for a bill that would legalize online gaming. If passed, it would allow domestic and offshore casinos to obtain official remote gambling licenses and would ensure that all operations comply with the country’s Financial Intelligence Centre Act.