Four of the best online casinos in SA

If you’re looking for the best online casino sites in SA, this review is for you.

Bettors SA, your trusted guide to the world of online betting, has tested various casino sites in SA to find out which ones offer the best gambling experience for South Africans in terms of games selection, casino bonuses, security, mobile play and payment methods. 

Overall winners: four of the best online casinos in 2024

Even though there are many online casinos in SA, only a select few stand out as the best. Bettors SA has its own strict set of judging criteria to guarantee that it only recommends casino sites that uphold a truly excellent standard of quality and player satisfaction. 

Here are its top four picks, plus the welcome offer each of these casinos offers to new players:

1. Betway: 100% first deposit match up to R2,000.
   
   
2. Hollywoodbets: R25 sign-up bonus plus 50 free spins to use on Habanero games.
   
   
3. Jackpot City: 100% first deposit match-up to R4,000, plus a spin on the Big City Wheel spin.
   
   
4. Betfred: 100% first deposit match-up to R5,000, plus up to 500 free spins.

A closer look at the top South African casino sites 

Betway 

Betway launched its operations in SA in 2006. It’s now become one of the leading gambling sites in the country.

It offers an incredible welcome bonus to new players: 100% first deposit match up to R2,000 credited as a free bet or casino games bonus. Ts and Cs apply. 

Betway online casino is renowned for offering high-quality games from some of the industry’s top software providers. The Betway live casino is a particular highlight offering many top-quality live casino games hosted by professional dealers over high-quality streams. 

Games on offer include:

• Slots: There are hundreds of slots to choose from including popular series such as the Big Bass slots games and branded slot titles like RoboCop, Gladiator and Rick and Morty. 
  
  
• Crash games: This is one of the many South African online casinos that offers a large selection of popular crash games such as Aviator and Fly X.
  
  
• Live dealer tables: Betway sources its live dealer tables from leading software providers such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play and Playtech. Expect high-quality live streams with professional dealers and classic casino games including several live roulette and live blackjack options. 

In addition to its extensive game collection, the site offers several ways to conveniently make deposits and withdrawals. You can pay with:

• Visa and Mastercard debit cards;
• EasyEFT;
• SiD Secure EFT;
• iPay; and
• Bank transfer.

Betway also offers a functional app and a fully optimised mobile site that’s compatible with all devices.

Hollywoodbets 

Hollywoodbets has been operating its online casino in SA since 2006, offering high-quality games, generous casino promotions and an excellent overall gambling experience.

The Hollywoodbets casino section has games from many leading providers and the games are fully optimised for mobile. You can play games at this site from developers like Ezugi, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, BetGames and more.

The game library features over 1 000 games including:

• Slots: There are over 960 slots titles available at Hollywoodbets from some of the top software providers on the market. Players can choose from popular titles like Jack Hammer, White Rabbit Megaways and Dragon’s Fire. 
  
  
• Live dealer tables: The live casino offering is extensive with live dealer games sourced from top developers like Evolution, Pragmatic Play and Ezugi just to highlight the pedigree of what’s available to South African players.
  
  
• Crash games: Hollywoodbets offers some of the most popular crash games currently taking the internet by storm. These include Aviator, Big Bass Crash and Taxi Ride. 

Hollywoodbets is one of the few operators that offer South Africans a no-deposit welcome offer, which includes a R25 sign-up bonus plus 50 free spins to use on Habanero games. Ts and Cs apply. There are also regular promotions to reward returning players who log in frequently.

Compared to other South African online casinos, Hollywoodbets also has the most payment options. You can easily deposit and withdraw with:

• Ozow;
• Ownpay;
• Direct EFT;
• PayU;
• Payfast;
• Zapper; 
• Spot Money;
• SiD Secure EFT; and
• Nedbank top-up voucher.

Jackpot City

Jackpot City is another one of SA’s favourite casinos. While the casino is relatively new in SA, it’s long been established in other countries and thanks to that experience it’s able to offer players an eclectic yet well-selected games catalogue that includes slots, crash games, live dealer tables and bet games.

The casino sources its games from some of the best software providers in the online gaming industry including Evolution, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Habanero, Split the Pot and more. By sourcing games from such a large pool of providers the casino can ensure it’s offering the best-quality games from each to its players. 

Games on offer include:

• Slots: The casino offers a wide selection of classic online casino slots including many popular Megaways variants like Divine Fortune Megaways and Gonzo’s Quest Megaways. 
  
  
• Crash games: A highlight of the Jackpot City game catalogue is that there are several crash games you can choose from, but the most popular is still Aviator. 
  
  
• Live dealer games: The table game options at the casino are pretty much completely supplied by live dealer games; you’ll find popular live dealer tables and game shows from major software providers such as Evolution.

Jackpot City offers regular promotions to both new and existing players, and its new player welcome offer is certainly an enticing argument for signing up: 100% first deposit match-up to R4,000, plus a spin on the Big City Wheel spin. Ts and Cs apply.

You’ll find all of the standard payment methods at Jackpot City along with some that you won’t find at other South African online casinos. This includes:

• Visa and Mastercard debit cards;
• Apple Pay;
• Instant EFT; and
• Bank transfer.

Betfred 

While Betfred is primarily known in SA for its sports betting business, it also offers a comprehensive online casino site with various casino games types.

The game library includes:

• Slots: The heart of the casino’s game selection, Betfred features hundreds of titles from renowned providers like Microgaming and NetEnt. Popular titles include Great Rhino, Buffalo King Megaways and Wolf Gold. 
  
  
• Table games: You can enjoy several high-quality blackjack, roulette and poker variants, suitable for both casual and experienced players.
  
  
• Live dealer games: Immerse yourself in a real casino atmosphere with live blackjack, live roulette and game shows hosted by real-life dealers streamed directly to your device.

Betfred also offers a competitive welcome bonus to new players who make the correct minimum first deposit when they sign up to the casino: 100% first deposit match-up to R5,000, plus up to 500 free spins. Ts and Cs apply. 

There are several ongoing promotions for returning players to take advantage of when they log back into their accounts. 

Betfred offers several secure payment methods for South African players:

• Visa and Mastercard debit cards;
• Instant EFT; and
• Ozow.

Breaking it down: best SA online casinos by category

Top three casino welcome bonuses in SA

While compiling its list of the best online casinos in SA, Bettors SA compared the welcome bonuses offered by each casino site. Its research led it to conclude that these are the best welcome offers currently available to South African gamblers:

To be eligible for any of these welcome offers you need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of SA. To retrieve any winnings earned using your welcome bonus, you’ll need to meet the wagering requirements set out by the casino. It’s important to read the full terms and conditions before you opt into any welcome bonus, offer or promotion. 

Top three mobile online casinos in SA

A lot of online casinos in SA have mobile apps you can download. However, because many online casinos’ websites are optimised for mobile play, you can just as easily log into the mobile version of a casino through the web browser on your smartphone.

Here are Bettors SA’s pick of the online casinos offering the best mobile experience:

1. Betfred mobile casino: Betfred boasts a user-friendly, well-organised interface that’s easy to navigate. The Betfred casino app offers pristine mobile optimisation, meaning you can play the entire casino games catalogue at a high-quality resolution without any lag or delays.
   
   
2. Jackpot City mobile casino: Jackpot City offers an easy-to-navigate platform with a well-designed and colourful theme. High-quality graphics and straightforward controls provide a seamless user experience. The casino app has been specially made to work perfectly on Android and Apple devices alike.
   
   
3. Hollywoodbets mobile casino: The Hollywoodbets casino app features a user-friendly interface with simple navigation and easy-to-use controls. It’s impressive, functional and adapts well to any screen size. Download for iOS and Android devices is seamless and quick. 

Top three casinos with the best RTP rate

The return to player (RTP) rate is a very important metric for casino players. It indicates the percentage of money wagered that will be paid back to the player base over an indefinite period of time. In other words, it tells the player what house edge they’re playing against. 

Games with a higher RTP rate offer players a better chance of winning, though this is not a guarantee of success; it’s more an indication of the game’s overall fairness.

The top online casinos by RTP rates^* are:

1. Hollywoodbets with 98% payout;
2. Jackpot City with 97.40% payout; and
3. Betway with 96.84% payout.

^{*Casino payout rates are an average of the combined payout rates of all of the games available at that casino.} 

Best online casinos for different casino games

There are many different kinds of casino games that you can play at top online casinos in SA, including both random-number-generator (RNG) and live dealer games. The most common type of game you’ll come across is slots, but there are many other options to suit every kind of player.

Slots

Slots are the most popular type of casino game you’ll play online. They’re easy to play and don’t have any complex rules. At the same time, slots differ in theme and style and there are many variants that introduce new gameplay elements, such as multiple playlines and free-spins modes that go beyond the standard five-reels, three-rows format of traditional online slots. 

Top pick: If you want to play a diverse set of amazing slot games, try Jackpot City. It has some fantastic slots from top providers like NetEnt, Play’n GO and Microgaming.

Live casino games 

Playing live games online gives you that feeling you get at a physical casino. You’ll get to play with real people, on real tables with real human dealers. You can choose from popular table games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat, as well as game show-style games. 

Top pick: Hollywoodbets offers the best live casino games in SA, making it a must for any players looking for an authentic gambling experience.

Blackjack

Blackjack is a classic casino game that’s loved by players in SA and the world over. The game has the most favourable RTP of any casino game, giving you the best possible odds you can find at an online casino.

Top pick: Betway is recommended for table games like blackjack. The casino has a good number of RNG and live dealer variations of this classic casino game available.

Roulette

Roulette is another classic casino game that remains popular at online casinos in SA. In South African casinos usually you will have a mix of RNG variants and live dealer tables with the live roulette games being offered in a greater number than the computerised versions. 

Top pick: Betfred has some very good roulette games for South Africans. You can play the classic version or any of the different variations on offer.

Baccarat

This is another card game you can play at online casinos in SA. To win at baccarat, you have to land a hand close to nine. If you exceed this number you lose the game. The game includes two or three cards and players are expected to beat the dealer. Most South African casino sites only offer baccarat as a live dealer game.

Top pick: Baccarat is popular at South African casinos, especially on Betway. You can play both the classic RNG version and live casino baccarat at this casino.

Crash games

Crash games are the hot new thing in online gambling. Essentially, they are accumulator games where the value of your bet rises and you need to pull out before the value of the bet crashes. Obviously the longer you wait it out, the more you can win, but there’s always the risk that the game will crash before you can take your earnings. The most popular variant of these games is Aviator, which you will find at many casino sites. 

Top pick: Jackpot City has an entire section dedicated to Aviator and similar crash games. 

Judging criteria: what makes a casino one of the best?

Combining years of experience, the editorial team at Bettors SA has devised specific judging criteria to determine which online casinos qualify as being named among the best in SA. If a site fails to meet these criteria, it will not be recommend.

That said, here are the factors Bettors SA considers when reviewing an online casino: 

1. Security and licensing: All South African online casinos must have a valid gambling licence and encrypted websites to ensure player safety. 
   
   
2. Bonuses and promotions: Bettors SA looks for casino sites that offer the best welcome bonuses and promotions so players can get the best value for their money. 
   
   
3. Games selection: Online casinos must offer a varied selection of high-quality casino games including slots, roulette, blackjack, live dealer tables and crash games such as Aviator. 
   
   
4. Payment methods: Online casinos must offer secure payment methods for making deposits and withdrawals. 
   
   
5. Mobile play: The best online casinos should offer dedicated mobile casino apps for all mobile devices. 
   
   
6. Customer support: Any good casino will at least offer 24/7 live chat support to its customers, while the best casinos will also have phone and email channels with professional customer service agents. 

FAQs about South African online casinos

What is the best online casino in SA?

The best online casinos have a large and varied selection of high-quality games, and offer competitive welcome bonuses to new players. Bettors SA regularly updates its lists of the best South African online casinos to reflect these qualities. 

Is online gambling legal in SA?

Gambling is generally legal in SA as long as the activity is approved by the National Gambling Act 2004. Online casinos must hold valid gambling licences and follow South African gambling regulations. 

Do I need to register to play?

Yes. You need to sign up and verify that you are at least 18 years of age and a resident of SA before you can start playing at South African casino sites. 

How do I get started at an online casino in SA?

It’s easy to get started at your favourite online casino in SA. Most of these sites require you to register with them before you can access their games.

Here’s how you can play at Bettors SA’s recommended online casinos:

• Step 1: Choose your favourite South African online casino.

• Step 2: Sign up and create an account.

• Step 3: Make your first deposit (make sure it’s the correct minimum amount to claim your welcome bonus).

• Step 4: Start playing popular casino games in SA, including crash games like Aviator or slots like Starburst and Immortal Romance.

What payment options are offered by South African online casinos?

Here are some of the payment methods commonly offered by the best online casinos in SA, plus the pros and cons of each:

What are the most popular games?

Slots are by far the most popular casino game at gambling sites in SA, however live casino games and crash games are extremely popular among players, and you will find them on offer at all the best online casinos. 

What is the age requirement to play at an online casino?

You must be at least 18 years old to register and gamble at any online casino. 

This article was sponsored by Bettors SA.

^{No people under the age of 18 years are permitted to gamble. Winners know when to stop. National Responsible Gambling Programme: 0800 006 008. Warning: Gambling involves risk. By gambling on the Betway, Hollywoodbets, Jackpot City and/or Betfred website, you run the risk that you may lose.}

^{Bettors SA is owned by the Better Collective, a sports betting and online casino media group that's an affiliate of Betway, Hollywoodbets, Jackpot City and Betfred.}