South Africans search for “online casinos” every day, but the law treats casino games very differently from sports betting. This guide explains, in plain language, what’s legal, what isn’t, and where the law is still being argued.
This is general information, not legal advice. Last updated: October 2026.
What’s legal in South Africa?
General information, not legal advice · October 2026
- Online sports betting at a licensed bookmakerLegal
- Land-based casinos licensed by a provinceLegal
- Casino-style games at licensed bookmakersDisputed
- Offshore online casinosNot licensed
18+ only · Terms apply · Responsible gambling helpline 0800 006 008
On this page
- The short answer
- What the National Gambling Act says about online casinos
- Casino-style games at licensed bookmakers
- Could online casinos become legal?
- Why it matters to you
- Where to play legally
- Latest developments (2025 to 2026)
- Legal ways to gamble
- Can you get in trouble?
- How to spot an illegal online casino
- Frequently asked questions
The short answer
| Type of gambling | Legal status in South Africa |
|---|---|
| Online sports betting at a provincially licensed bookmaker | Legal |
| Land-based casinos licensed by a provincial board | Legal |
| Offshore online casinos (slots, roulette, blackjack) | Not legal; not licensed in South Africa |
| Casino-style games offered by licensed bookmakers | Disputed; see below |
What the National Gambling Act says about online casinos
The National Gambling Act of 2004 prohibits “interactive gambling”, which includes online casino games. An amendment passed in 2008 would have created a way to license online casinos, but it was never brought into force. That means there is currently no South African licence for a standalone online casino, and offshore online casinos that accept South African players are operating outside the law.
Casino-style games at licensed bookmakers
Some provincially licensed bookmakers offer games that look like casino games, such as number draws and slot-style betting games, under their bookmaker licences. Whether this is allowed has been challenged in court. In 2025 the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that a Gauteng-licensed bookmaker could not offer casino-style games such as roulette under its bookmaker licence. Regulators have taken different views on how far that ruling reaches beyond Gauteng, so the position for bookmakers licensed in other provinces is still being argued.
We will update this page as the law and regulators’ positions become clearer.
Could online casinos become legal?
Proposals to regulate online gambling, including a Remote Gambling Bill introduced in Parliament in 2024, have been put forward, and government has said it is reviewing gambling law. None of these proposals is law yet. Until a new law comes into force, online casinos remain unlicensed in South Africa.
Why it matters to you
- No protection: if an offshore casino refuses to pay, there’s no South African regulator to complain to.
- Banking problems: payments to unlicensed gambling sites can be blocked or reversed.
- No responsible gambling safeguards: offshore sites don’t have to follow South African rules on age checks, limits and self-exclusion.
Where to play legally
For casino games, the clearly legal option is a licensed land-based casino. For online betting, use a bookmaker licensed by a South African provincial gambling board. Here’s how to check a site’s licence, and our list of top licensed betting sites.
Latest developments (2025 to 2026)
The Supabets roulette case (Supreme Court of Appeal, late 2025)
In Portapa (Pty) Ltd t/a Supabets and Others v Casino Association of South Africa [2025] ZASCA 158, the Supreme Court of Appeal held that a Gauteng-licensed bookmaker could not offer fixed-odds bets on roulette. Under the Gauteng Gambling Act, roulette is a casino game, not a “sporting event”, so it can only be offered by a licensed casino. The court also said it didn’t matter that the game was streamed from elsewhere: the gambling took place in Gauteng.
Lawyers have pointed out what the judgment did not do. It didn’t ban online sports betting, and it was decided under Gauteng’s law, so it doesn’t automatically apply to bookmakers licensed in other provinces.
The National Gambling Board directive (February 2026)
On 27 February 2026, the National Gambling Board told the provincial licensing authorities to act against operators using sports betting licences to offer casino games. Its position is that the only lawful online gambling in South Africa is betting on external events, such as sport and horse racing. The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board and the bookmaking industry have disputed this reading of the law, so the question is still unresolved.
New legislation
The Remote Gambling Bill (B11-2024) was introduced in Parliament in April 2024, and public comment and committee hearings followed. Government has also said it is preparing its own policy on online gambling. None of this is law yet, and reports suggest any new framework is unlikely to take effect before 2027.
What this means for you: online sports betting with a provincially licensed bookmaker is clearly legal. Offshore online casinos are clearly not licensed. Casino-style games at licensed bookmakers are in a grey area that courts and regulators are still settling.
Legal ways to gamble in South Africa
| Type of gambling | Where it’s legal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sports and horse racing betting | Licensed bookmakers, online and in shops | The clearest legal form of online gambling |
| Casino games | Licensed land-based casinos | No licence exists for a standalone online casino |
| Lottery | The National Lottery | Bets on the National Lottery’s own draws aren’t allowed (2021 High Court ruling) |
| Lucky Numbers | Licensed bookmakers | Fixed-odds bets on international draws. How it works |
| Bingo | Licensed bingo venues | Regulated by the provincial boards |
| Limited payout machines | Licensed sites such as taverns | Regulated by the provincial boards |
Can you get in trouble for playing at an online casino?
The National Gambling Act prohibits unlicensed interactive gambling, and that covers players as well as operators. In practice, enforcement has mostly targeted operators and payment providers rather than individual players. The bigger risks for you are practical ones: an offshore casino can refuse to pay, banks can block or reverse payments, and there’s no South African regulator to complain to.
How to spot an illegal online casino
- It shows a foreign licence, such as Curaçao or Anjouan, or no licence at all.
- It offers a full casino with table games and live dealers, and calls itself an “online casino”.
- It accepts crypto, or asks you to pay through a foreign payment service.
- It doesn’t ask for FICA documents.
- It advertises huge bonuses, such as hundreds of percent or large no-deposit amounts.
Our guide to legal betting sites in South Africa shows how to check any site’s licence in a couple of minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions South African players ask most about whether online casino games are legal. Tap a question to see the answer.
18+ only. Betting should be entertainment, not a way to make money. If gambling stops being fun, call the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation on 0800 006 008 or read our responsible gambling guide.