Best Online Casino Real Money in South Africa 2024
It’s been more than two decades since the first online casino for real money opened its virtual gates to South Africans. A lot has happened in that time, and now, by visiting the best online casinos, real money winnings can be yours in minutes.
Online gambling has become much more popular in South Africa; however, this also means more confusion as an overwhelming number of choices surround players. Luckily, you have come to the best place to learn more. This guide contains everything you need to know about real money casinos in South Africa.
Not only do we list the best real money casinos, but we also explain what online casino payment methods are available for South African players. Better yet, we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for bonuses. Check out the guide below to start playing at a real money online casino.
Most Recommended Online Casino Real Money Sites
How We Rate and Review The Best Real Money Casino
We review and rate online casinos for real money in South Africa so that players have essential online casino information at their fingertips – all in one place.
Our best real money casinos ratings reflect casino games, customer service, and reputation. Plus, they cover withdrawals, regulations, bonuses, promotions, and payment options. Find out what we look at below.
Casino License
Real money gambling means it is important that you play at an online casino licensed and regulated by a reliable gambling authority. Essentially, real money gaming sites must create a safe and responsible playing environment for all players and conform to many regulations such as:
- Ensuring that the games are random and fair
- Submitting to regular independent audits
- Paying players when they have valid winnings
Safety and Security
The best real money casinos put players’ safety at the top of their priorities. They use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and advanced encryption technology to keep your details and financial information private.
Real Money Casino Reputation
At BestSouthAfricaCasinos, we also take real players’ experiences into account. Reading reviews and forums helps to answer important questions like:
- How does the site run on different devices?
- Does the casino offer high-quality customer service?
- What are the withdrawal processes?
- Does the casino pay winnings fast or slow?
If an online casino has been operating for a while, players should have given plenty of online feedback.
Casino Games Variety
Most people who play casino games online prefer variety. Even die-hard slots fanatics may head to live dealer casino tables for a round of roulette or blackjack every once in a while. Your favourite online casino should offer everything from slots and video poker to game shows and scratch cards.
Casino Bonuses
Online casinos use the best real money bonuses to attract new players to the site and retain their existing customer base. Some of the most popular bonus types are:
- Welcome bonuses
- No deposit bonuses
- Reload bonuses
- Deposit bonuses
- Free spins
- VIP bonuses
No two casino bonuses are equal. We analyse the terms and conditions of all bonuses when we rate real money casinos online.
Fast and Easy Payment and Withdrawal Methods
Online casinos are fun and exciting because you get to enjoy the games while having the chance to win real money. When you win, you want the withdrawal process to be as painless as possible. The best real money casino will support a range of safe and reliable payment options to accommodate players. These sites will also ensure that deposits and withdrawals are speedy and uncomplicated.
Mobile and Other Devices Compatibility
Many players own more than one device with internet connectivity. If you are one of these players, you know how important it is for sites to be compatible with various devices. The same is true for real money online casinos, most of which are compatible with devices that run on:
- Windows
- macOS
- Android
- iOS
You can easily switch between your computer, cell phone, tablet, or iPad when you play at mobile casinos that run on various operating systems.
Customer Support
Good customer support is the cornerstone of any well-oiled service, including a real money casino. We consider the quality of customer support offered by South African online casinos as a crucial metric in our ratings. When players have issues or questions, we expect them to be resolved in a professional, friendly, and timely manner.
How to Make a Deposit at an Online Casino for Real Money
Most Popular Online Casino Games for Real Money
One of the most exciting things about playing online casino games is that they’re constantly advancing. Game providers are always thinking up new ways to entertain players. New game features, bonus rounds, and winning mechanics are continuously developing. Let’s look at some of the most popular types of games you can play for real money.
Online Slots
Most online casino enthusiasts play online slots. You’ll notice that many video slots have exciting themes, storylines, and innovative features such as cascading wins, bonus games, free spins, expanding symbols, multipliers, and more.
Online Poker
The objective in poker is to have the highest hand at the table. You can play online poker in two ways: against other players or in video poker games. Video poker is available at most online casinos but if you want to play against other players, you will probably have to play at online poker sites.
Online Blackjack
Real money blackjack rules are simple: get a higher hand than the dealer without going over 21. At online casino real money sites, you’ll find regular online blackjack and game variations such as Blackjack Surrender, Multi-hand Blackjack, American Blackjack, Double Exposure, Blackjack Royal Pairs, and European Blackjack.
Online Roulette
There are three main types of roulette: American Roulette, European Roulette, and French Roulette. European Roulette is one of the most popular real money games in South Africa. There is only one zero pocket in European Roulette, which makes the odds favourable.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games are the newest online casino games in the industry. You can play with real people in real-time, and the dealers are expertly trained. Live dealer games at real money online casinos include live table games and card games, but they also include live game shows like Mega Ball, Crazy Time, Deal or No Deal, and Monopoly Live.
Online Casino Real Money Bonuses and Promotions
Most online casino real money sites offer plenty of promotions and bonuses. It’s essential to read the terms and conditions of bonuses when you claim them since being familiar with the bonus terms can help you to maximise your winning potential.
Welcome Bonus
Almost all of the best real money gaming sites offer welcome bonuses. These are bonuses that are offered to new players. You don’t have to be new to online casinos, but you can’t claim a welcome bonus more than once at the same online casino.
No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus is a bonus that an online casino adds to your balance without asking you for a deposit. Free bonus money increases your balance, lets you play casino games, and allows you to win real money.
Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is a deposit bonus for making additional deposits at an online casino; real money can be in your account much more easily using a reload bonus! Here’s an example:
- 100% Match on your first deposit up to R1000.
- 500 Free spins on your third deposit.
- 50% Match on your second deposit up to R500.
A reload bonus doesn’t have to stop at three reloads; online casinos can add as many reload bonuses as they want.
Match Bonus
Match bonuses are also known as deposit bonuses because you must deposit before the bonus is added to your casino balance. The casino will match your deposit with a bonus equal to a percentage of your deposit. If you claim a 100% match bonus and deposit R200, you will receive a bonus of R200, meaning your balance will increase by a total of R400.
Free Spins Bonus
A free spins bonus is entirely different from free slots. You can’t win money on free slots, but you can win real money when an online casino awards you a free spins bonus. The real money casino will add the free spins to a specific slot game.
Loyalty/VIP Program
Most real money casino sites have a loyalty system, which you can join in many ways. You earn points while you play and can exchange the points for bonuses and deposit bonus offers. VIPs also get extra benefits like access to exclusive rewards.
Pros & Cons: Playing at Real Money Online Casinos
While many advantages are associated with online gambling sites, there are a few drawbacks to consider. Consider these before playing at a real money online casino.Pros
- Online casinos generally offer better odds and return to player percentages (RTPs) than land-based casinos
- An online casino for real money typically has thousands of games
- You can play at real money online casinos wherever you are and you don’t have to wait for other players to finish playing before you can access your favourite game
- Most online gambling sites offer regular bonuses
Cons
- You need to be vigilant when gambling online as some real money casinos are fraudulent
- Most online casinos will ask you to provide 'Know Your Customer' documents before you can withdraw your winnings
- It’s easy to lose track of time and money when you’re playing at an online casino in the comfort of your home
- Bonuses usually have wagering requirements attached
Most Popular Online Casinos Real Money Payment Methods
Players have different preferences for online payments, especially regarding online casino deposits and withdrawals. Online South African casinos know that everyone has different tastes, so they provide players with various alternative payment options. Let’s look at popular SA casino payment methods.
Credit and Debit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are South Africa's most popular credit and debit card providers. To use your cards to deposit at online casinos for real money, you need your card number, expiry date, and the card’s CVV number. These details are found on the card.
Prepaid Cards
The benefit of using prepaid cards is that you don’t have to enter your banking details online. Prepaid payment methods are a valuable tool for budgeting because you can’t spend more than what you load onto the card. Visa prepaid cards, Mastercard prepaid, and Ukash vouchers are the most well-known prepaid methods in South Africa.
PayPal
PayPal is classified as an e-wallet, but you don’t have to deposit money into your PayPal account before you can use it. All you need to do is link your card to your PayPal profile, and you can deposit from your bank account via PayPal. The advantage of using PayPal over your bank card is that you only have to enter your email address when you deposit or withdraw.
Skrill
Skrill is an e-wallet that lets you deposit and withdraw at online casinos for real money. Before depositing at an online casino, you must add funds to your Skrill balance. You will then only need to provide your email address when you make Skrill transactions. It’s an excellent choice for online gambling transactions.
Neteller
Neteller is another e-wallet popular among South Africans and accepted by online real money casinos in SA. Neteller does not support ZAR currency, whereas Skrill does, so if you use Neteller, you’ll have to choose a different currency.
Paysafecard
Paysafecard is a prepaid payment method. It’s similar to the uKash vouchers you can buy at shops in South Africa. When you buy a Paysafecard, you get a 16-digit number that you enter on the deposit page at real money casinos online. Paysafecard is not yet available in South Africa.
Bank Transfers
Bank transfers are still popular at online casinos. You can deposit money from your bank account to your casino account or withdraw money from your casino account to your bank account. Deposits can be done via online banking and are more secure than other payment methods. There are loads of third-party processing companies, like PayFast and EasyEFT, that facilitate online bank transfers.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is becoming a very popular method for playing real money games at online casinos in South Africa. To deposit and withdraw with crypto at online casino real money sites, you need a virtual wallet that can store cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. It's free to register for most crypto wallets.
Different Types of Real Money Casino Sites in South Africa
South Africans can play at three types of real money gambling sites. They are mobile casinos, instant play casinos, and download casinos. All three offer similar advantages, but a few benefits are exclusive to each type, which we explain in more detail below.
Some things stay the same regardless of the real money casino you choose, such as payment methods, the game selection, and access to customer support. These also include Return To Player percentages (RTPs) and the volatility of the real money casino games.
Let’s delve deeper into the unique characteristics of mobile, download, and instant play online casino platforms.
Real Money Mobile Casinos
Most of the online casinos we recommend are available on mobile devices and regular computers. You will use the same account when you play on your mobile phone, tablet, or iPad as when you play on a standard computer or laptop.
In this respect, mobile casinos don’t differ much from regular online casinos, and the games will mostly be the same. The only exception is that casino game developers don’t often bother to adapt unpopular games for mobile devices, so you may be unable to find these.
Instant Play Casino
Instant play casinos are online casinos where you don’t have to download software. Most of the best online gambling sites are instant play casinos. Some of them allow you to download applications, but it’s usually not required since most players use the instant play versions. Since instant play is so popular, it’s available on all devices, including desktop computers, laptops, MacBook devices, mobile phones, tablets, and iPads.
The advantages of instant play real money casinos are:
- Excellent for mobile devices
- Well suited for devices with limited memory, such as mobile phones and tablets
- You can start playing the games immediately
Download Casino
Download casinos are available for most devices, meaning you can download the casino software onto almost any of your devices, regardless of the operating system it runs.
However, online casino sites seem to be moving away from the download model and toward the instant play platform. This is because the download model has many disadvantages, including the following:
- Players need to download the software before they can play
- Casino downloads are large files and unsuitable for players with a slow internet connection
- Downloads take up space on a player’s device, and device space is a valued commodity, especially on mobile phones
Plenty of real money casino platforms still provide download links on their websites; however, the best casinos will usually be available as instant play too.
Real Money Casino Gaming Developers And Providers
Real money casino sites don’t create their games. Instead, they host games from game developers. The phrases ‘game developers’ and ‘game providers’ are interchangeable and mean the same thing because the developers provide the games.
Every country seems to have different favourite game providers since not all game developers are accessible from every country. Some are restricted to specific regions. However, some providers show up on most countries’ top ten lists, and many of these are popular with South African gamblers. These include:
- Play’n GO
- BetSoft
- Rival Gaming
- Gamomat
- Booming Games
- Spinomenal
- Skywind Group
- iSoftBet
- Relax Gaming
- Playson
When players find game providers whose games they enjoy, they tend to stick with them. While we understand this strategy, we think it’s a good idea to also try other providers from time to time. Playing games from different game developers means that you experience a diverse range of game features and RTPs.
Our Final Tips for Playing at Real Money Casinos
We want to help you find safe South African casinos with the best games, bonuses, and payment options. New online casinos appear almost daily, and existing casinos are constantly upgrading their game portfolios with new games.
The competition is rife. Therefore, players in South Africa need to know what to look for to have the best experience. Following our tips, such as reading the terms and conditions of bonus offers before you start playing, ensures you always gamble at a safe and reliable casino.
Choosing a real money casino with a well-rounded portfolio of games, regular promotions, and a license is essential. By doing so, you will have the best experience possible. So, what are you waiting for? Check out our list of recommended casinos today!
FAQs: Online Casino Real Money
What is the best real money casino?
The best real money casino will depend on your preferences. Some people choose their favourite casinos based on game portfolios. Others prefer the best casinos based on how they perform on their devices. However, the best casinos are all licensed like the casinos we recommend.
What casino games pay real money in South Africa?
All the casino games on real money casinos pay real cash. Some real money gambling sites allow you to try the games for free in demo mode. If you want to win real money, make sure you are playing in real mode and not in demo mode.
Is it safe to play at a real money casino?
Yes, playing at licensed online casinos for real money is safe. You need to check with the gambling regulator that issued the licence to be sure the casino is legitimate. Licensed online casinos host some of the most popular casino games.
What is real money gambling?
Real money gambling is when you gamble for real money. You don’t play for free; you deposit real money (or cryptocurrency) before you play and withdraw real money (or cryptocurrency) when you win.
What casino bonuses can I use at a real money casino?
South Africans can take advantage of many different types of bonuses at real money casinos. These include welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, free spins bonuses, reload bonuses, and cashback bonuses.