Online Betting in South Africa | How To Bet on Different Sports

Online Sports Betting

Many South Africans like to have a bet, so it is no surprise that online betting is on the rise in SA. Despite ongoing confusion over online gambling laws in South Africa, betting on sports such as horse racing and soccer betting remains very popular around the country.

While casino gambling is not permitted in South Africa, there are no laws against sports betting sites in the country, which means it is 100% legal to have a bet on the game of the day.

While online betting attracts more people in South Africa, lots of sports fans in the country may still be unsure about how to get started or sign up for a betting site account. Our complete guide to online betting in South Africa covers all of the bases, so read on.

How To Start Online Betting in South Africa

Online betting can look complicated at first, but it’s straightforward once you know the steps. With mobile apps, you can even place bets on the move. Follow this simple sequence:

Online Betting Welcome Bonuses & Offers

Betting sites try to attract players by offering various types of bonuses and promotions. New users are usually eligible to receive welcome bonuses when signing up for betting sites. The bonus type varies, but it tends to be either free bets or deposit match bonuses.

These bonuses usually come with these requirements, so keep in mind that they're not just free money:

• Minimum deposit
• Wagering requirement
• Bonus expiry
• Eligible game/bet

Visa

Most South Africans tend to use debit or credit cards as a payment method for online betting. Visa is one of the main providers of debit and credit cards in the country. Benefits of using Visa include that fees are not usually charged on transactions using their cards. Deposits should be made instantly, but withdrawals can take a few days to be processed using Visa. To use a Visa card to make a deposit, users will have to enter the card details into the betting site.

Mastercard

For debit and credit cards, the main rival to Visa is Mastercard. Many people in South Africa who want to bet online will already have a Mastercard, which makes this a solid choice. Like Visa, Mastercard transactions do not normally have any fees charged. Mastercard has been a force in the payments industry for some 50 years, so it is very trustworthy.

EFT

Standing for electronic funds transfer, EFT is the main alternative to using debit or credit cards as a payment method for online betting in South Africa. This Rand-based option acts as a middleman between a betting site account and a user's personal bank account. To make transactions using EFT, South Africans will have to select their bank - from options like Nedbank, FNB, ABSA, Capitec, Investec and Standard Bank - and proceed with the EFT. Using EFT for deposits and withdrawals from South African online betting sites is considered safe.

OZOW

Among the secure EFT payment services that can be used as a payment method at South African betting sites is OZOW. Secure online payments can be made directly into a bank account by choosing OZOW, which claims to be the future of payment in South Africa.

Vouchers

A low-tech method of funding betting site accounts online is through vouchers, such as 1Voucher and OTTVoucher. These can often be purchased at bricks and mortar betting shops as well as other outlets. By using vouchers, users can easily control how much they are spending on online betting. There are not usually any transaction charges attached to using vouchers but they might have an expiration date, so money on them will have to be used before the voucher expires.

E-wallets

Many people who bet online opt to use e-wallets to fund their accounts. Popular e-wallets include Zapper, Capitec Pay and SnapScan. PayPal isn't available directly for depositing and withdrawing, but there are other ways to use it. It is often the case that a few different e-wallets are included on the list of payment methods that can be used at a South African online betting site. One of the big plus points of using e-wallets is that it is one of the fastest withdrawal methods, but it is not always possible to claim welcome bonuses when signing up for betting site accounts by depositing with e-wallets. Another key benefit of e-wallets is they usually allow a variety of different currencies to be used.

Bank Transfer

Direct bank transfers from the likes of Nedbank, FNB, ABSA, Capitec, Investec and Standard Bank are usually possible at betting sites in South Africa as well. For many, this will be the safest way to transfer money into and out of a betting account. However, a drawback here is that withdrawing via bank transfer can be quite a bit slower than the alternative options.

Cryptocurrencies

This is a relatively new banking option in online betting in South Africa, but there is only 10bet that accepts cryptocurrencies now. What's great about crypto is its low transaction fees and quick processing speed. It also excels in keeping your details private, which makes it a perfect option for punters who want to keep their gambling activities incognito.

Online Betting Laws and Regulations in SA

Keeping track of online betting laws and regulations in South Africa has not always been easy, with a lot of changes being made to the rules that are in place in the country over the years.

The Bottom Line Today

How Online Betting Laws Changed

• 1673: Early laws prohibit gambling in South Africa.
• 1965: The Gambling Act bans all gambling, except betting on horse racing.
• 1990s: A new government legalises most forms of gambling. The National Gambling Act also establishes the national lottery and drives growth in licensed casinos.
• 2000s: A new National Gambling Act bans “interactive gambling” (internet-based casino games, poker and bingo). This creates the current position: online sports betting is the only permitted form of online wagering.

A proposal to legalise broader online gambling was introduced a few years ago but faced strong opposition, including from land‑based casino operators, and did not pass.