July 3, 2025

How you can tell if a South African casino is licensed

The South African online casino industry is one of the most regulated and secure in the world. In South Africa, it is only legal to play at licensed and regulated casinos and sportsbooks that hold gambling licenses from a provincial gambling board. This means that it is illegal to use any offshore platforms or casinos that have international licenses.

In this guide, Minimumdepositcasinos.org explore the current legal landscape in South Africa for online gambling and unpacks the signs to look for when identifying licensed South African casinos. Remember, in South Africa, playing at online licensed casinos is compulsory to ensure player protection, responsible gambling and legal compliance.

Why South African Licensing Matters for Online Gambling

The rule is simple in South Africa: you can only sign up and play with licensed and regulated South African online casinos. If any international brands come into the South African market, they must hold a local gambling license from one of the provincial regulators.

If you play at licensed and regulated South African online casinos and sportsbooks, you are protected by law should there be any issues regarding fair play, incorrectly settled winnings, or missing withdrawals. If you use a VPN or play on any unlicensed platforms, you have no player protection, and should there be any issues, you cannot go to the national regulator or provincial gambling board for assistance.

Understanding South Africa’s Gambling Regulation

As mentioned, gambling is legal in South Africa, including online gambling at online casinos and sportsbooks. Currently, as per terms of the National Gambling Act of 2004, a regulatory board was created to oversee the industry.

The Act established the National Gambling Board (NGB) to oversee and regulate the South African gambling sector. The NGB is the highest authority in the country’s gambling industry and works with provincial gambling regulators to ensure all players are treated fairly. As per gambling laws in South Africa, all online casinos ZA sites and bookmakers, such as sportsbooks, must be licensed by a provincial gambling regulator and regulated by the NGB.

A common misconception among many players and bettors in South Africa is that they can lodge disputes with the NGB about any problems with online casinos and sportsbooks. However, the NGB does not deal with any disputes between players and operators, and players should submit all complaints directly to the provincial gambling regulator.

Generally, in South Africa, disputes concern the settlement of bets, missing withdrawals and terms and conditions regarding bonus offers. If the player and operator cannot resolve the issue, the player must lodge an official complaint with the provincial gambling regulator. The dispute will be heard, and an outcome will be determined. The legal costs of appearing before the provincial gambling regulator will be paid out of each party’s pockets.

The Role of the NGB:

Ensuring uniformity, harmonisation and integrity of the South African gambling industry.
Conduct research to better understand the size and shape of the industry.
Monitor the socio-economic consequences of regulating gambling.
To promote responsible gambling for all stakeholders.

As mentioned throughout this page, the provincial regulators play an important role in South Africa. All South African licensed casinos and sportsbooks must be licensed by a provincial gambling regulator and regulated by the NGB. South Africa has nine provinces, thus, there are nine provincial gambling regulators. 

South African provincial gambling regulators
Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board
KwaZulu-Natal Gaming and Betting Board
Free State Gambling and Liquor Authority
Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board
Mpumalanga Economic Regulator
Limpopo Gambling Board
Northern Cape Gambling Board
North West Gambling Board
Gauteng Gambling Board

It is tough to acquire a gambling license in South Africa, and there are strict protocols for online casinos and sportsbooks to adhere to. Gambling licenses can only be applied through a provincial regulator in a province where the operator resides. Each provincial regulator has different application procedures and fees for gambling licenses.

The gambling laws in South Africa prohibit operators from getting a license solely as an online casino, so betting operators work around this by getting a bookmaker license, which allows them to provide South African players with sports betting and online casino products.

Identifying Legitimate South African Licensed Casinos

Should you access an online casino or sportsbook and not find any information about their gambling license, immediately stop playing and report them to the NGB and provincial regulator. Below are different steps that you should follow when identifying legitimate South African licensed casinos:

Access the online casino and head to the footer of the homepage. Here, there should be information about the licensing.
You should also visit the About Us page for additional licensing information, including a PDF copy of the original gambling license.
Legitimate licensed online casinos and sportsbooks in South Africa will have detailed licensing information, including official licensing badges, seals and logos from both the NGB and provincial regulators.
Besides looking for the licensing images, verify the license number and the name of the issuing South African provincial gambling authority. You can do this by visiting the provincial regulator’s site and verifying that the online casino is on its list of licensed platforms.

Red Flags: Recognizing Unlicensed Online Casinos

If you do access an online casino and are not sure about the licensing information that it is best not to play there, or try to get additional information. At minimumdepositcasinos.org, we are happy to share what red flags you should recognize at any unlicensed online casinos:

If there is a lack of clear South African licensing information or vague details about regulatory oversight, don’t use these online casinos.
If online casinos actively promote foreign licensing boards, such as Curacao. Remember, it is illegal to use online casinos that have foreign licenses instead of South African provincial regulator licenses.
If there are unrealistic bonus terms, foreign deposit and withdrawal methods, and no local contact numbers, these are signs of an unlicensed online casino.
Finally, if there are no responsible gaming tools, then the site is unlicensed. In South Africa, it is by law to actively ensure responsible gambling tools and practices for all users.

The Key Benefits of Using South African Licensed Casinos

Playing at licensed and regulated South African casinos provides a multitude of benefits for users. Below are the main advantages of using South African licensed casinos:

All player funds, personal information and withdrawals are protected and not shared with outside parties.
Fair gaming practices are assured, with fair and random outcomes for every spin. Regular audits and monitoring by South African gambling authorities.
You can contact provincial regulators for any disputes with operators.
Access to responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits and self-exclusion periods.
Players are provided with fair bonuses and no hostile marketing campaigns.

Licensing vs Illegal Casinos in South Africa: The Facts

We have detailed the current gambling laws in South Africa and shared why using licensed and regulated online casinos is important. Below is a round-up of the key facts of the South African gambling industry:

South African gambling laws prohibit players from suing offshore casinos with international licenses.
You can only play at casinos with a provincial license.
There are nine provincial gambling regulators, and the NGB regulates the industry.
Licensed ZA online casinos provide all users with secure gaming options.
If you have any disputes with ZA licensed online casino sites, you can lodge a dispute with a provincial regulator.
You have no legal protection if you use unlicensed online casinos and sportsbooks. If your funds go missing, you cannot contact the NGB or provincial regulators.

Minimumdepositcasinos.org is your source for licensed online gambling in South Africa

If you want to find a list of the licensed and regulated South African online casinos and sportsbooks, use minimumdepositcasinos.org. We only negotiate with licensed online casino sites in South Africa and provide all readers with objective casino reviews and the latest industry news and bonuses. Remember only to use licensed South African casinos!