South Africa has made online betting legal even though the laws around it have changed over the years. These changes make it hard to understand whether it is allowed or not. In this blog post, we are going to analyze everything you need to know about online betting in South Africa, including the eligibility and the legal elements behind it.
Is online sports betting legal in South Africa?
The first question that comes to someone’s mind concerning online sports betting is whether it is legal. In South Africa, online betting is legalized, but only for those who have a licensed bookmaker from the provincial gambling board. You can bet and withdraw funds legally, which has zero tax in South Africa as long as you are eligible to play.
How is online betting regulated in South Africa?
The National Gambling Board (NGB) has been responsible for regulating gambling since 1966. Besides regulating, they also determine the type of gambling that is within the country’s legal measures. Therefore, before engaging in betting activities, it is always advisable to understand the legal framework and regulations behind these activities.
However, licensed bookmarks are always issued by the respective boards to anyone who wants to offer either retail or online betting. Therefore, there is a gambling and racing board in every province. The largest one is the Western Cape Gambling Board, which provides the largest number of bookmarker licenses in the country. Therefore, every site that is legal will usually display the province where they have obtained their license from at the bottom of their homepage.
The best sports betting sites in South Africa.
There are a number of sports betting sites, and here we are going to analyze some of the top sites in South Africa based on reviews;
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Betway
They are the leading betting brand in the country with a great user experience. Their site is well developed with a wide range of features. However, one may experience limitations in cashing out and there have been issues related to customer support.
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Bet.co.za
This is another site that is known for betting on live games. It also has great features and works efficiently, even on mobile phones. However, there is an issue when it comes to customer support as they are not always available.
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Hollywoodbets
This is the most popular site in South Africa. The site has a wide range of horse racing games and also has various unique features. However, there are limited cash out options.
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Supabets
The site has a welcoming bonus for new clients, which makes it unique. It is also known to allow a number of deposit methods. However, there is an issue with its website design as it gets crowded sometimes.
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Sportingbet
The site has the best odds for its clients, which makes it popular. There is also good experience as it is easy to use by beginners and also has a comprehensive sportsbook. However, there is an issue with limited deposit methods and features.
Other top online sports betting sites in South Africa include 1xbet, Playbets, Palacebets, World Sports Betting, and Yesplay, among others.
Who is legally eligible to bet in South Africa?
Just like any other country, online sports betting has its own legal framework in South Africa. The laws have been changing, especially related to sports betting, until horse racing was legalized in 1965. This was followed by casinos, but all of these had some limitations. Since there are no physical sportsbooks in South Africa, checking licensing first at any betting site is the first thing to do when assessing the legality.
By prohibiting unregulated online and international sportsbooks, there are limited options for online sports betting in South Africa. This calls for the user to do research before betting on any site. By regulation, there are also laws that have been established to protect the user if the provider fails to pay, and this means checking on the legitimacy of the site is essential.
Therefore, online sports betting is heavily restricted and the stringent measures cut across the provider and the user. In that case, only individuals over the age of 18 years are eligible for any form of betting, including online sports betting.
Online sports betting markets
Among various sports, soccer has always been the top sport for betting. This is due to its diversity and a great fan base, especially after the World Cup hosted by South Africa in 2010. The leagues such as La Liga, English Premier League, Serie A, NBA, MLB, and NFL have made the markets diversify and attract more users. Other games that are at the top include cricket, rugby league, and rugby union.
Online betting revenue circulation
Since the official legalization of online sports betting, the country has recorded good revenue, which has increased over time. The revenue is invested back into the gaming industry, therefore explaining why gambling has developed in the country at a high rate recently. Therefore, the country is still working to ensure that citizens embrace the legal methods, which can be beneficial to the country’s economy and help in improving the user’s experience.
How to get a sports betting license in South Africa
The application can be done at the provincial gambling offices or sites. However, the cost may differ from one province to the other and the average duration of the process may take up to 3 months. The online gambling license usually has an initial cost of R 120, OOO and a license renewal fee of R 80,000.
License renewal is usually done annually. To start a betting site, you need to first comply with the legal requirements in the country, and this includes obtaining the license and having a sportsbook. From there, you can proceed to creating the website and also identify the suitable payment provider, among other factors.
Conclusion
Online betting has developed over the years in South Africa. This starts with developing the laws that govern the legality of the process. However, some legal measures have been put in place to ensure that the cons related to the process are well mitigated.
Therefore, every user or online sports betting provider needs to ensure that they comply with the laws set to govern the whole process. When done responsibly, gaming can not only be fun but also have a positive impact on the economy.
Staff writer
expertstrides