All about online South African casinos

Online South African casinos – apart from being the name of the coolest casino review and news website on the ‘net – are big business. But there are a lot of newbies to the gambling and casino world who may not know all the ins and outs of this digital entertainment format, and a lot of experienced gamblers who are a bit wary about the online version of their favourite hobby.

Online South Africa Casinos (this website not the industry in general) is, as always, here to help. We are passionate gamers, experts of the online casino world, and always looking for new and exciting games and casinos that we can share with you.

For us, the online casino world brings innovation and excitement and risk and reward and thrills and entertainment – and we are absolutely stoked to be able to share all of it with you.

But it also brings some dangers, especially to those who don’t know or are not experienced in the darker areas of the digital gambling realm.

This is why we do what we do, so you can go out and play without having to worry about the dangers. So, let’s take a look at everything online (and mobile) casino with our short list of everything you need to know about online casinos and games.

What is an online South African casino?

An online casino is a digital version of everyone’s favourite gambling destination – the land-based casino.

Online and mobile casinos offer players all the casino games (and we really mean ALL the games) that you would find in a physical bricks-and-mortar casino, but you can play them from the comfort of your home or office or anywhere you may find yourself.

Early online casinos were very much accessed through desktops, and you would need to be in your home or office or study in order to play. With the rise of wireless technology and the massive processing power now available in our mobile devices like smartphones, all you need to enjoy your favourite casino game is a stable and secure Wi-Fi connection.

Mention must be made of the ‘South African’ portion of Online South African casinos. Online casinos are very much territory based. They have licenses that allow them to operate legally and, because most of them are based in offshore territories, often have very set gambling laws and gambling currency. We look for online and mobile casinos that cater to – or even actively look for – South African gamblers who want to gamble using South African Rands (ZAR).

So, in a nutshell, an online South African casino is a virtual casino offering casino games that South African gamblers can visit and where they can gamble using ZAR.

What is an online casino license?

Every LEGITIMATE online or mobile casino MUST be licensed by a recognised gambling authority. It’s the first thing you should look for when visiting or signing up at an online casino.

There are a bunch of territories around the world that offer legal online gambling licenses, The most popular are: Curacao, Malta, Gibraltar, UK, and Italy.

These licenses set out what the online casino may or may not do, and where it may or may not operate. They are difficult and expensive to get and an online casino that breaks any of their rules is liable to huge fines (in the millions) and jail time for operators.

Most legit and trusted online casinos will have their licensing authority and license number prominently displayed at the bottom of their home page, as well as in the FAWs and about sections of their sites.

If you can’t find the license, do not sign up at the casino. It’s that simple.

How do you know the online casinos isn’t rigged?

It’s a question that online casino sceptics are always raising: how do you know you’re not being cheated? And the answer is: because it makes no financial sense. Do you worry that your land-based casino like Montecasino or Sun City or Venetian Las Vegas is cheating you? No, because they make more than enough money by playing by the rules.

The rules? Yes, the rules, laws, and regulations as set out by the gambling authorities. Which is why, as we mentioned above, you have to make sure you’re playing at a licensed online casino.

In addition:

• Online casinos use RNG (Random Number Generator) software so the games can’t be tampered with at all.
• The gambling authorities do regular audits on the casinos to make sure they are keeping to the laws.
• Licensed and trusted online casinos all promote Fair Play principles.

What games can South Africans play at online casinos?

Do you have a favourite casino game that you would normally play at a land-based casino? Then you can find it at an online casino – along with literally thousands of other games.

Land-based casinos are limited by their available floorspace. Online casinos don’t have that issue. Big land-based casinos (like Montecasino) often offer hundreds of slot machines and tens of table games. And maybe something a little different like a Wheel of Fortune or bingo. Online casinos offer 10x that – and you don’t have to wait to play a game, you can just hop right in!

The more prestigious online casinos that cater to South African online gamblers, like PlayLive and Jackpot.co.za, have thousands of slots games and hundreds of table games. And you can even play Live Dealer games where web cam technology brings real dealer, real cards, real wheels, and real tables straight to you – in real time.

What are some of the games you can expect? Well, just for starters:

• Slots
• Progressive slots
• Jackpots
• Video poker
• Baccarat
• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Poker
• Sic bo
• Pai Gow poker
• Keno
• Bingo
• Slingo
• And a host of specialty games like Live Monopoly, mah-jongg, casino patience, and much, much more.

As if that wasn’t enough, all these games come in a huge bunch of varieties as well. Like poker? You can try your hand at pretty much every version you can think of: stud, hold’em, draw, and unique ones like pai gow. Slots your thing? There are so many slots games, and with so many incredible themes and features, that you truly need to set yourself a time limit while you explore the online casino world.

Can I play for real money at an online casino?

Absolutely yes! The online casino industry is set up for real money gaming. With most of the banking channels and methods South Africans are comfortable with (like InstantEFT, Visa and Mastercard, bank transfers, and even Bitcoin) you can deposit money into your casino account quickly and easily.

Just make sure you’re playing at a properly licensed casino!

What about the social side of online casinos?

South Africans are a social people and online and mobile casinos can be a bit of a solo experience. Unless you try out Live Dealer gaming! Live Dealer games (hosted by the real premium casinos) are gaming rooms set up like movie studios with cameras that catch all the action of live, in the flesh dealers using actual, real casino equipment and then brought to you in real time via web cam technology. You can even interact with the dealers and with other players using web chat (although no one can see you and you can only see the dealer).

What is an online casino bonus?

Bonuses are what online and mobile casinos use to entice new players onto their portal. These are most often welcome bonuses that give you ‘free money’ and free spins on selected games.

Be careful though, these bonuses come with very strict terms and conditions known as wagering requirements. If you do take up a bonus offer, make sure you understand the wagering requirements or you could lose all your money.

Casino also offer ongoing promotions that are linked to select games providers or are aimed at regular players (like loyalty bonuses) or are daily, weekly, or monthly specials.

What are online casino games providers?

These are the studios that design, develop, and produce the various online games. Some of the big names are NetEnt, Kalamba, Play’n GO, Wazdan, Playtech, Yggdrasil, and Red Tiger but there are hundreds of them out there working away at bring us the most thrilling online gaming experience possible.

Interesting note: the online or mobile casino only hosts the games. The games providers actually run the games with the casino being a portal that allows you to access and play the games, and to deposit real money to make real bets.

Where do I find the best online casinos and games for South African players?

Right here at Online South Africa Casino. We have an extensive list of online and mobile casinos that we have reviewed thoroughly. Take a look at our most recommended online casinos for South Africans, see what we’ve uncovered about the casinos, find out whether they’re worth your time and money – it’s all right here.