Sport plays a major role in South African culture, with Rugby, Cricket, Soccer, and Tennis matches attracting thousands of fans to the stadiums, while millions catch the action on television or via live stream.
Since the legalization of sports betting in the late 1990’s, sports fans have been able to enjoy land-based betting at betting shops across the country.
Since 2008 and the implementation of the National Gambling Amendment Act, locally based online bookmakers have been able to provide high-quality online sports betting to bettors across the country.
- Honest reviews of the most popular betting sites in South Africa
- Find out if sports betting is legal in South Africa
- Learn more about the best South African welcome bonuses
- Check out which exciting local sports you can bet on
- Find out how the FICA process works
So join us as we look closer at the increasingly growing market of online sports betting in South Africa. Betting via computer or mobile is becoming more and more popular as new licenses are granted to local operators, and African Betting Guide is here to tell you all about South African gambling market and the exiting world of online betting.
TOP BETTING SITES IN SOUTH AFRICA RIGHT NOW
🎁 100% up to R1000 Welcome offer
🌐 Wide range of betting markets
✓ Licensed in South Africa
R1,000
Welcome Bonus
On your first deposit. T&Cs apply.
R10,000
Welcome Bonus + R50 Sign-up Bonus
On your first deposit and bet. T&Cs apply.
R2,000
Welcome Bonus
On your first deposit. T&Cs apply.
R25
Free Welcome Bonus
Valid for 24 hours. T&Cs apply.
POPULAR QUESTIONS ABOUT ONLINE SPORTS BETTING IN SOUTH AFRICA
Many punters are still not used to the possibility of betting online, which means the majority of sports betting i South Africa still takes place in physical betting shops around the country.
There are many question marks to be straightened out, and we at African Betting Guide will do our best to help you answer your questions about online sports betting in South Africa.
🔖 Is sports betting legal in South Africa?
Sports betting in South Africa is 100% legalized and regulated, although other gambling activities online is deemed illegal. Technically speaking, South Africans can be said to be legally using an online gaming site if they use it only to bet on horses and sports events, not on casino or poker games.
🔖 Is online gambling allowed in South Africa?
It is currently deemed to be illegal to gamble at an online casino in South Africa however some online betting sites have been given licenses allowing them to accept wagers from citizens and residents of South Africa.
🔖 Can you gamble in South Africa?
Yes, sports betting in South Africa is regulated and operators can apply for licneces to legally offer their services in the country.
So always make sure to check that the operator had acquired an licence from the governing gambling body in South Africa.
🔖 Are sports betting winnings taxable in South Africa?
Gambling winnings such as lottery, casino winnings or sports betting etc. If you are like most of the gambling population (i.e. you have a day job and only gamble every now and again for fun) then your winnings won’t be taxable, but you should still declare to SARS as non-taxable income.
🔎 Why Betway South Africa
R25 SIGN UP BONUS
Without a doubt a in our minds, we highly recommend Betway for South African punters. We put Betway on top as one of the best betting sites in South Africa. You might wonder why? Well, Betway is a internationally established sportsbook who brings a lot of know-how and technological solutions to the South African market. With top odds on popular South African sports such as soccer, rugby and cricket – Betway has already established themselves as a household name in S0uth Africa. On top of that, they also offer a great welcome bonus and the possibilities to bet on eSports.
Learn more about online betting in South Africa
The National Gambling Act restricts South Africans to sites that operate with licenses granted by one of the provincial boards. As such, there are not as many international operators to choose from compared to countries in Europe, New Zealand or South America.
Nevertheless, there are a decent number of sites that offer world-class service and a huge range of betting markets, and Africa Betting Guide has rounded them up for you.
The advantage of having locally based operators is that they all provide transactions in South African Rands, with telephonic and web-based customer support.
⭕ Gambling regulations in South Africa
South Africa has a chequered past when it comes to gambling. In 1965 all forms of gambling were banned in the country, with the exception of horse racing betting at the track. In 1996, the National Gambling Act was introduced, allowing land-based casino gambling, lotteries and other forms of gambling to be licensed and regulated inside the country.
In 2008, steps were taking to legalize online interactive gambling activities, however, land-based operators opposed the motion, which has yet to be granted. By 2010, all forms of Internet gambling were deemed illegal, with the exception of sports betting sites licensed by provincial authorities within South Africa.
The Western Cape Gambling and Racing board is the largest provider of online bookmaker licenses. To date, they have only granted a handful of licenses to international operators such as Betway and Sportingbet.
⭕ Popular South African banking methods
There are a number of ways to fund your online betting account in South Africa. The traditional bank transfer method is available, although it is not that common, as customers have to go into the bank itself, and funds can take up to a week to transfer.
Most sites also offer credit card deposits with all Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club cards accepted. Credit card deposits are instant and offer a high degree of security with 3D secure technology. Internet banking transfers are perhaps the most commonly used option, with sites holding accounts with the four major banking institutions; Nedbank, Absa, FNB and Standard Bank.
Since each site holds an account with these banks, deposits are instant unless your bank is not on the approved list. Mobile payments can also be made with SID and i-Pay. These are instant EFT apps that can be accessed via desktop or mobile app. Simply select your bank, enter the account number you want to move funds to, and you will be redirected to your Internet banking login page. On completion, your funds will be instantly transferred to the account holder. Some sites also offer web-wallet payments such as Skrill and Neteller and these services can be signed up for, online.
⭕ Available online gambling bonuses in South Africa
Just about every South African betting sites offers free bets or bonuses in some form or another. These bonuses are incentives given out to customers when they register for a new account and make their first deposit.
The most popular bonus is the deposit cash match offer, which means the site will double your first deposit up to a certain cash limit. Other sites offer a free bet on certain markets. With both options, it is important to read the terms and conditions, as the offer may be more enticing at first glance but come with strict wagering requirements.
⭕ Mobile sports betting
Mobile technology has seen rapid growth over the past years. As such, the best online sports betting brands have developed mobile-ready sites and apps for South Africans who want to wager at home or on the go.
Mobile-ready sites are easy to use and can be accessed through your smartphone or tablets web-browser. Simply type the web address in and you will be directed to the mobile site. The sites are optimized for smaller screens with all the same functionality as the main platform.
Mobile apps can be downloaded directly from a betting site or the app store. These are specific software installations that you can install on your Android phone or tablet, or iPhone and iPad. The app gives you instant access to all the most popular sports markets, banking facilities, and industry news. As long as you have an active Internet connection, you can place wagers wherever the mood strikes, and African Betting Guide is here to help you out, every step of the way.
⭕ Online gambling safety in South Africa
Due to the highly regulated nature of licensed bookmakers, the security standards of South African betting sites is quite high. All licensed operators are required to run security encryption technology across all their platforms.
SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology is used, with 128-bit encryption being the industry standard. Some sites have enhanced 256-bit encryption, which adds an even higher level of safety. As with all Internet-based activities, customers are encouraged to keep their login details and banking information private when betting online.
⭕ Latest South African sports betting news
Make sure to not miss out on the latest betting and iGaming news that concern the South African industry. Our authors and African Betting Guide make sure that you never miss out on any of the latest news that might effect or interest you.
COMPLETE LIST OF BETTING SITES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Below we compiled a list of the sites in South Africa that we recommend highly, so have a look and make sure to read every review before you make up your mind. All these South African betting sites have been tested by our experts and have passed all the tests.
🎁 100% up to R1000 Welcome offer
🌐 Wide range of betting markets
✓ Licensed in South Africa
R1,000
Welcome Bonus
On your first deposit. T&Cs apply.
R10,000
Welcome Bonus + R50 Sign-up Bonus
On your first deposit and bet. T&Cs apply.
R2,000
Welcome Bonus
On your first deposit. T&Cs apply.
R25
Free Welcome Bonus
Valid for 24 hours. T&Cs apply.
🏆 SOUTH AFRICAN FAVORITES
→ Betway South Africa
Betway has been around for many years and they have also established them as a well-known betting site in Africa. One of Betway’s target markets has been South Africa and they are offering the people of South Africa a great platform for online betting. Betway South Africa probably got everything you looking for, great odds and a mobile friends website.
→ Hollywoodbets
One of the most popular betting sites in South Africa is Hollywoodbets and they offer a great platform, both for mobile and laptop, for anyone who would like to bet online. Hollywoodbets are always on top of things in regards to banking options and odds – and they also offer the possibility to bet on anything from horse-racing to football and rugby.
→ Supabets
A popular betting site in South Africa is the well-known betting site Supabets, which also is available for anyone in South Africa. This smooth betting site has a great mobile betting platform for anyone who likes to bet from their smartphone. Supabets is a great South African betting site for anyone who wants to enjoy safe a smooth betting online.
