If you are a South African player completely new to online casino gambling this is the perfect place for you to start when you visit us. This page is a beginner’s guide to online casino gambling for South African players. We provide you information about the different aspects of online casino gambling in a manner that is simple, easy to understand, and effective. This page is also great for those of you who have a basic idea about online casino gambling but are looking for more details.

We start with some basic information about online casino gambling, and then provide a comparison of play in land-based casinos and online casinos. We discuss the important factors to consider when choosing the right online casino. Next, we look at the different ways of playing once you have signed up with an online casino that accepts South African players. Another area we cover, a small but important area, is the difference between playing in practice play mode and in real money mode.

We bring to you a range of articles as well; they cover in depth the different aspects of online casino gambling that you will need to consider. Topics covered include different types of games available, the importance of strategy and how you can maximize your chances of winning, discussions on important issues like the house edge, and also a glossary of common online casino terms. In the next section, we start off with providing you with a list of the top 10 online casinos for South African players.

The following are the top 10 online casinos to consider if you are a new player from South Africa looking to play and win at an online casino that accepts ZAR.

TOP SOUTH AFRICAN CASINOS FOR BEGINNERS

#	Casino Review	No Deposit Bonus	Bonus Package	Games / Payouts %	Play Now
1	Springbok	R500 Free Coupon : NDC500	R11,500 Free	300+ / 98%	Play Now
2	Thunderbolt	R350 Free Coupon : NDC350	R10,000 Free	300+ / 96%	Play Now
3	ZAR Casino	100 Free Spins Coupon : SAC100	R15,000 Free	340+ / 98%	Play Now
4	Punt Casino	R350 Free Coupon : SAC350	R10,000 Free	350+ / 97.7%	Play Now
5	Yebo Casino	R350 Free Coupon : SAC350	R12,000 Free	350+ / 98.1%	Play Now
6	African Grand	R350 Free Coupon : 350NDC	R10,000 Free	290+ / 98%	Play Now
7	Casino Tropez	R100 Free Bonus Credited Automatically	R5,000 Free	300+ / 97%	Play Now
8	Tusk Casino	R100 Free Coupon : SAC100P	R5,000 Free	400+ / 97%	Play Now

Online Casino Gambling

The Basics

Playing at an online casino is fun, exciting, and also rewarding. You get access to some fantastic games and also loads of bonuses that you can use to play them. There are payment methods available for depositing funds and withdrawing winnings, and also customer support for any help you may need while you are at the casino.

While getting started at an online casino is easy – all you need to do is open an account, deposit funds into it, and start playing – there are a few things you must be aware of before you start:

The final truth is the house edge

One truth stands supreme at an online casino – the house edge. You must know that the casino – or the house – always has the edge over you. The use of random number generators and math ensures that the casino always has an advantage over you. What this means is simply this: in the long run, the casino will always win more than you do. The house edge can be lowered to an extent in games like blackjack, but even then the truth is you will always lose more than you win.

You will win too...

While it is true that the house will win more than you, it doesn’t mean you lose all the time. There are a number of times you will win; the only thing is you will really not have much control about the outcome. There are also games like the progressive jackpots that boast of huge payouts; win one of them and you could be set for life.

Luck rules over skill

Casino games are ultimately games of chance: luck definitely has a role to play in determining whether you win or lose. Even in a game like blackjack that involves skill, the skill is in working out which move to make based on the hand you are dealt; you cannot alter the value of the hand itself.

Luck rules, but you could still win

While it is true that luck is the big decider when it comes to online casino gambling, there are a few other things that could work in your favor. One could be to play games with low house edge. Another could be to play games like blackjack, where strategy too has a role in determining if you win or lose, not just luck.

Play mode can make a difference

Another factor to consider is whether to play in real money mode or free play mode. Free play is a good option because you do not lose anything, but on the flip side you win nothing, either. Another thing to consider is whether to play in download or instant play mode: the download mode in many providers has the full complement of games, while the instant play mode has fewer games. Some providers nowadays have the same number of games in both modes, however, so researching that aspect will be important.

There are a few more things to be aware of. When you decide to play at a casino – land-based or online – you must be sure that the objective is not to win quick bucks. If that is the objective you need to be adequately skilled as well and know the games to pick, and that is something a newcomer is not likely to have. It is good to be aware that you are likely to lose more than you will win, especially if you want to do this over time. It is, therefore, good to be able to look at it as an evening of fun and games and put a limit to the amount you are willing to spend before you sit down to play.

Land-based Casinos vs. Online Casinos

Now that we know the basic things to be aware of before playing at an online casino, we come to another important question – what exactly is the difference between playing at an online casino and a land-based casino? There are quite a few differences actually, some really big, some trivial, and all equally important.

➤ Land-based casinos require you to travel to visit them while online casinos bring the gambling action right into your living room; all you need is a computer with an Internet connection.

➤ Land-based casinos give you the feel of the glitz and glamour of a high-end gambling experience. Online casino gambling is more mechanical, as it is just you at home against the cards dealt or wheel spun by software.

➤ You do not spend anything on overheads when you play at an online casino. All you spend is on your Internet bill. That is not all; you are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking an online casino because of the large numbers available. When you visit a land-based casino there are additional expenses apart from the money you spend at the tables. You need to book your tickets and also hotel rooms. You may get good deals and discounts but it is still expense. And the game range may not be as vast. And even if you decide to visit a place like Las Vegas, there are only so many casinos you can visit, and play just one at a time.

➤ There is another small but significant difference between playing at a land-based casino and at an online casino. At a land-based casino you play for real money. Only at some casinos do you get the option of playing at practice tables. On the other hand, when you sign up at an online casino you get to play all the games for free in the practice play mode. This is a very good option, especially if you are looking to hone your game or familiarize yourself with the casino’s real money play environment.

➤ At land-based casinos, you get comps like discounts on food, free stay, free travel (if you are a high roller), and more. At online casinos you get a range of exciting bonuses that allow you play with a bigger bankroll. There are welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, free spins, cashback bonuses, tournament play, comp points, and also VIP offers like free holidays, entry to exclusive VIP events, and so much more.

Choosing the Right Online Casino

The online casino industry is booming, and things are at their best for South African players, with a large number of top-class casinos accepting them. Each of them comes with a superb interface, a great selection of games, fantastic bonuses, wide range of payment methods to choose from including locally popular ones, and excellent customer support.

With so many good casinos around, it can be very difficult for a beginner to zero in on a good casino to play at, something which is important to ensure a memorable gaming experience. If you are a new player looking to find an online casino that suits your requirements perfectly, there are a number of things you will need to check for. These include, among others:

• The reputation of the casino operator or parent brand: A casino from a reputed operator is always a safer bet to play at.
  
  
• Details about licensing and regulation: It is important to know where a casino is licensed and whether the casino actually displays the information. Display on the casino website adds a degree of transparency to the entire process.
  
  
• The software that the casino uses: It is always safer to play at a casino that uses software from a reputed casino software provider. Knowing the software provider behind the casino also helps you figure out if the games on offer match what you are looking for.
  
  
• The range of games available: A good game range is a huge positive always. A casino with 600 games automatically gives you more options to pick from than a casino with 150 games.
  
  
• Bonuses and promotions: A casino with a good welcome bonus and a range of exciting bonuses for its existing players is a great place to begin, as this means you have more money to play with. However, just a big bonus is not a guarantee of great gaming; you will need to ensure that the terms and conditions attached to the bonuses are reasonable as well.
  
  
• Banking methods: All casinos support a range of banking methods. As a South African player, you will need to see if the casino you are looking at supports a payment method that you are already using. That is not all; another very vital element to check for is the time taken for payments to reach you. There is no point playing at a fantastic casino that takes forever to give you the money that you won.
  
  
• Customer support: This is one of the most critical cogs in the online casino wheel. Good customer support is vital because it means swift, friendly, and efficient resolution of issues. Also important is the number of channels available for contacting the casino’s support team.

One of the easiest ways of choosing the right casino is, of course, to come to us. We have a team of experts who check all the casinos accepting South African players for all the parameters mentioned above, and then some. The ones that make it to our list are the ones that have scored high in all these areas. So all you then have to do is visit us, go through our list, check out the reviews, and pick the one you want to sign up with.

Online Casinos for South African Players: Getting Started

Once you have zeroed in on your choice of online casino to play at, the next step is to get started playing there. The process for this is really easy and can be done on the whole in 3 easy steps.

1. Sign Up with the Casino

The first step is to sign up with the casino. Before we get to that you need to know that online casinos offer software in two modes:

Download: The download mode requires you to download the software to your computer to be able to play the games available. This mode is preferred by many players because a number of casino software providers offer the full complement of games only in the download mode. To play in this mode, you have to download the software, fill in the required details on the form that appears on your computer screen, choose your currency, and hit the Submit button. Of late, a number of casinos are not offering the download option. In fact, a number of leading software providers, e.g. NetEnt, have stopped offering games in the download mode.

Instant play: The instant play mode allows you to play directly from the web browser without having to download any software to your computer. This mode is good for those who play from their Macs. Earlier, the instant play option was lighter and did not have the full range of games; but things are changing now: more and more software providers are offering the entire range in this mode as well. To play in this mode, you can sign up by clicking the Sign Up or Register button on the casino’s home page, fill in the required details, choose your currency, and hit the Submit button.

2. Deposit Funds into Your Casino Account

Once you have opened an account with the casino, the next step is to fund it. You can do this by visiting the Cashier section, choosing the payment method you want to use, and entering the amount you want to deposit. You are taken to the website of the payment method where you provide any additional details required and complete the transaction by clicking the Deposit button.

3. Choose Your Game and Start Playing

Now that you have funds in your account, you are eligible for the welcome bonus. You can now visit the Games section of the casino’s website, choose the game you want to play, place your bets, and start playing.

Online Casino Gambling Do’s and Don’ts

There are a number of do’s and don’ts associated with online casino gambling. Follow them and you are likely to have a safe and enjoyable online gambling experience. The following are some of the things to do when you are at an online casino:

Learn some basic game strategy

Though most games are games of chance, there is basic strategy required there as well, in terms of managing your bets, knowing if there is a way to reduce the house advantage, and so on.

Know the rules of the game

Whichever game you choose to play, it is vital that you know the rules governing it.

Manage your bankroll

Bankroll management is critical if you want to play for long at the online casino. This means you work out the size of bets you want to place – the coin size and number of coins, knowing when to quit, sticking to the bankroll and not overextending in case you run out of funds, and more.

Accept the reality of the house edge

This is very important because you have to know that the house always wins, and the longer you play the truer this is. This also prevents you from panicking and wiping out your bankroll in the hope of recovering whatever you have lost so far.

The following are some things you must never do when you are playing at an online casino

Never try to recover your losses by extending your bankroll. While this may be a very tempting proposition, chances are you will only extend your losses.

Do not put your entire faith on betting systems. You will find quite a few of these claiming how effective they are. The truth is that they aren’t, otherwise everyone would be millionaires and casinos would have to shut shop.

 Do not fail to fulfill the terms and conditions attached to the bonuses available. Most casinos accepting South African players offer loads of cool bonuses. All these bonuses come with conditions attached. You have to fulfil these conditions to be able to redeem your winnings from these bonuses. Failure to do so may result in penalties, including suspension or termination of your account and being labeled a bonus abuser.