Overview of South African online gambling.
There has been a massive increase in online gambling lately, thanks to a variety of factors that make it attractive to people who used to only play traditional casinos, or who are new to gambling entirely. The convenience of playing at home or on a mobile is one big factor. South Africa has seen a big boom in online players, despite some difficult laws.
Until recent years, South African players struggled to find online casinos which offered suitable services. Finding the right language can be a big stumbling block, making life harder for players who don’t speak English or who simply prefer to feel that a site is aimed at them culturally. Currency is a major issue too, but these days there are plenty of casinos catering to South African players. Though the law prohibits many forms of gambling, South Africans play all the time and contribute a lot to the online slots community.
What is the legality of gambling in South Africa?
The South African law is quite strict concerning gambling. These laws and regulations are created by a body called the National Gaming Board, which was put together to regulate and control gambling in the country. While certain land casinos can legally get licenses, online casinos are officially illegal according to the NGB. Playing at online casinos is similarly illegal. This means that at the very least, players would have to seek sites outside of South Africa to play online.
The good news is that these international boundaries present little problem in the digital age. Players should have no problems finding sites that not only accept South Africans but are made by them and cater to their needs. Though players should always check the laws concerning gambling and do so strictly at their own risk, it is understood that the government rarely prosecutes individual players for online gambling. The huge boom in online gambling in South Africa demonstrates that players are clearly still free to go online and do so regularly.
What else affects online gambling in South Africa?
South African players do have one advantage, which is that winnings from gambling are not usually taxed. For example, money won on the national lottery is not taxed. The fact that online gambling is illegal may cause other problems for South Africans, such as a difficulty in finding new sites. They cannot be advertised as easily, on television for example. This can be remedied with online communities which happily spread the word, or sites like this which find the best comic book slots for you.
South African players may also find that some sites do not accept a full selection of payment methods due to these legal restrictions. However, most will accept the basics like MasterCard and e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller. E-wallets are almost always faster than cards for withdrawing. When sites need ID to approve a withdrawal, you may have to wait a long time to process this, but by and large it is not an issue as people do it all the time. The language barrier is sometimes an issue for South Africans, depending on the individual’s knowledge of English.
What should I look for in a South African online casino?
South African players can find various sites which specially tend to their needs. The first thing to look for is a site which can offer a mixture of languages, ideally Afrikaans. Being able to converse easily with the support team is important if you have any difficulties. Another big factor is the acceptance of ZAR or South African Rand. Being able to play in your own currency makes it easier to know exactly how much you’re spending and avoid nasty conversion fees.
Look also at what methods area available for depositing, such as e-wallets. You should also stick to sites that are licensed, in whatever country it may be, showing that they submit to government rules and regulations. License information is usually at the bottom of a site’s main page. Lastly, game selection is important too! You may have to shop around to find the sites with the best choice. You’ll find several online casinos on this site which offer comic book themed slots.
South African Online Casino Gambling
- SouthAfricanOnlineCasino.com - Guide providing players from South Africa with information on the best options for online casinos that accept SA players and Rand as a form of currency.