Beginner's Guide to Online Gambling in South Africa

3 Ways to Play at Online Casinos

Once you've chosen a casino, you will be typically offered to play on either the:

1. Instant Play Version (no download)

2. Mobile Device Version

3. Download Version

💻 Instant Play

Instant-play casinos or flash casinos allow you to play free and real-money casino games directly in your web browser; no software download is required! They may offer fewer titles than the download version of the same casino, but you can start playing at them easily and access them from any PC or laptop via your internet browser. Simply click on the “Instant-Play” option on the casino website and register an account!

📱 Mobile

Mobile casinos are the latest innovation in the online gaming industry. Being optimized for mobile play, casino games are now available on the go as long as you have a compatible mobile device and a stable internet connection that is Wifi/3G/4G enabled. All the casinos featured on our website can be instantly accessed from your mobile, with no download needed. Simply select a mobile casino of your choice and you will be redirected to the mobile version of the casino, where you will complete the registration process, log in and access a variety of real money casino games from your iOS iPhone, iPad, Android phone or even Blackberry!

⬇️ Download

As their name indicates, online casinos use software which should be downloaded onto your computer and installed, free of charge. Although it takes more time initially to access casino games this way, downloading casinos, in most cases, provides a better quality of graphics and a wider selection of games. If you are into slots, you should know that slot tournaments are available exclusively to download clients. Follow the easy steps below to download your favourite casino today!

Before downloading any online casino or deciding to play their Non Download/Flash version, do some research and ask yourself the following questions: Is it a newly opened casino or an old one? What is the company owning and running them? Where are they licensed? What are the rules and the different banking policies (deposits and withdrawals)? What is the policy concerning the use of bonuses? Can I contact someone if I need help? It’s a proof of good business practice.

Whichever type of casino you find yourself playing, you will be given the option of playing for free or for real money. Play for free and get a feel for the casino games before playing for real. You may have to set up an account to play for real (don’t worry, they can’t debit your card if you don’t give them the details); this is standard and has more to do with the software than anything else.

Most online casinos today offer various promotions and offers to new and existing players. It’s not rare to see casinos giving out free bonus money of more than R1,000. It's important to read the terms and conditions mentioned on the website or included in your email offer since these casino bonuses are always subject to certain playing conditions before you can cash out.

It is very important to check out how the casino pays out winnings. How long will it take to get your winnings, what methods are available to receive your funds, and will you incur any charges or fees? You might get lucky and hit a Jackpot, so it would be wise to know beforehand what payout options are available to you, the costs to receive the funds (if any) and their time frames.

It’s a very good idea to check first how the casino customer support works and how it handles problems before you sign up and deposit your money. Are they efficient, knowledgeable & helpful? When and how will they be available? You should be able to reach them by phone and email if the casino has live chat support offered, so much better. Do they provide a toll-free number to contact them? The casino’s website should have all this information. Most support centres do operate 24/7/365.

Our PlayCasino team has reviewed a number of online casinos, and we have compiled a complete South African online casino directory. All the information in the reviews is there to help you, so we suggest that you read the reviews for some pointers to help you decide which casino to join. For additional information, feel free to consult our online casino glossary.

Online casino gambling is here to stay — it’s fun, always available, and you have more of a chance of winning than you do at a land-based casino. Good luck and remember this at all times: Winners Know When To Stop.