In 2021, Forbes reported that Africa is the fastest-growing continent. Nairobi, Kenya, Cape Town, and South Africa are among the most developed African countries. South Africa is the third largest country and the most technologically advanced. That is why it is considered a lucrative market by investors in the iGaming industry.
A popular form of gambling among residents of South Africa is the lottery. However, many people also enjoy placing bets on sports. At the moment of writing, online and land-based sports betting is legal in South Africa. A crucial thing to mention is that only licensed bookmakers are allowed to accept bets from South Africans.
Operators and punters who violate the law will be prosecuted and can face some harsh penalties. If you want to learn more about the legal status of sports betting in South Africa, be advised to read this article.
Best Sports Betting Sites in South Africa
Placing a wager on your favorite sport is legal in South Africa as long as you use a licensed online sportsbook. The National Gambling Board (NGB) is the authority responsible for regulating gambling. South Africa has nine provinces, including Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape. Each province has its own regulator responsible for issuing licenses to operators.
But it is the NGB that determines how many licenses each province can award. South Africans can pick from a healthy range of licensed sports betting sites that provide everything to correspond to all punters’ preferences. Here you can find a list of the best South African online sportsbooks.
Best Sports Betting Bonuses in South Africa
In light of heavy competition between bookmakers, it is not unusual for online sportsbooks to offer various mouth-watering promotions. Of course, some bookmakers are more generous than others. But remember that too generous promotions are often tied to steep wagering requirements. And you will not be able to cash out your profits unless you meet the wagering requirements and comply with other conditions such as minimum odds, qualifying bets, and expiry date.
Match Deposit Bonus 
Free Bet 
Enhanced Odds 
Cashback Match Deposit Bonus
Many online sportsbooks offer lucrative promotions to new registrants. To qualify for a match deposit bonus, you must make a qualifying deposit. Note that an opt-in or promo code may be required to claim a given promotion. If you benefit from such a bonus, your first deposit will be matched by a specific percentage. Note that match deposit bonuses have a cap, meaning your deposit will be matched up to a specific amount.
Free Bet
Many online sportsbooks pamper their newcomers with a free bet bonus. Some bookies give free bets to new signees who have verified their accounts. Others require punters to make a deposit or wager a specific amount before they unlock the free bet bonus. If you benefit from a free bet bonus, you will receive a small amount that you can use to wager on your favorite sport without risking your funds. Assuming your bet settles as a win, you will collect the profit from the wager. Given that your bet loses, you do not lose anything.
Enhanced Odds
Some bookies offer enhanced odds on specific markets to attract new punters and stimulate existing users to place a wager. Bookmakers deliberately increase the usual betting odds of a selection, providing sports fans with the opportunity to win more money for the same amount of risk. Punters can benefit from enhanced odds on specific betting markets as designated by the operator.
Cashback
Many reputable sportsbooks geared toward the South African market feature cashback promotions. The cashback bonuses provide punters with the peace of mind that even if they lose, they can get a percentage of their losses back. Usually, the cashback amount is credited in the form of free bets, meaning punters must use the free bet to place wagers.
Betting Regulation in South Africa
The main piece of legislation that governs South Africa’s gambling industry is the National Gambling Act of 2004. Under its provisions, online sports betting is legal as long as punters use the services of locally-licensed bookmakers. Sports fans who dare to use a foreign-licensed sportsbook will face a hefty fine of up to R10 million and can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. Operators who violate the country’s law are also prosecuted.
Back in the day, things were not as straightforward as now. For decades, all forms of gambling except horse racing were outlawed. In 1994, a new democratic government was elected, and only two years later, the country implemented the National Gambling Act, which legalized land-based and online gambling and sports betting. The legalization of all forms of online and land-based gambling was prompted by the idea to open up a new revenue stream.
Amendments to the National Gambling Act were introduced several times. In 2004, lawmakers decided to ban all forms of online gambling except online sports betting and horse racing. In 2008, some lawmakers tried to legalize online gambling and regulate the market. Unfortunately, their attempts failed. In 2010, changes to the National Gambling Act were introduced to effectively prohibit foreign operators from accepting punters and casino enthusiasts from South Africa. Financial transactions to sportsbooks that run their operations from overseas were also blocked.
South Africa’s gambling law explicitly prohibits the use of unregulated online sportsbooks. The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board is the main licensing authority. Bookmakers who want to acquire a license can submit their applications at the provincial gambling offices or sites. License costs vary between the different provinces and the entire process may take up to 3 months. On average, operators must pay an initial fee of R120,000 and a renewal fee of R80,000.
Nascent Changes to South African Gambling Law 
Important Sports Betting Restrictions Nascent Changes to South African Gambling Law
In 2022, the Democratic Alliance introduced a bill in an attempt to regulate online gambling in South Africa. At the moment of writing, the bill is not signed into law, meaning online gambling is still not regulated in South Africa.
The Remote Gambling Bill has five key points – protecting minors and vulnerable people, ensuring compliance with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA), regulating online gambling advertisements, regulating license issuance, and providing procedures related to objections to issuing licenses.
Important Sports Betting Restrictions
South Africans who want to place a bet on their favorite sport can do so only if they are 18 years old or above. Individuals below the legal sports betting age are not allowed to engage in sports betting activities. At-risk punters who cannot control their gambling urges can turn to the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF), which offers free and confidential treatment.
South African punters should know that they do not have to pay taxes on their winnings. However, if you enjoy wagering on horse races, you must pay a 6% fee on your winnings.
Some of the sports that South Africans often wager on include football, rugby, cricket, and athletics. Betting on horse races is also a popular form of entertainment among punters from this country. A crucial thing to mention is that betting on blood sports is illegal in South Africa. However, the sad reality is that many people bet on dog fights.