All throughout the globe, betting is a popular pastime. Don’t think that gambling is a modern invention! It has been around for thousands of years in a variety of forms. As far back as 300BC, some say that the ancient Indian kings would play a dice game in order to win precious prizes.
Gambling has had an unusual history in South Africa, where it has been legalized and then outlawed many times. Gambling was even banned in South Africa at one point in time.
Online gambling is more difficult to control and police, making it more accessible to participants. Online casinos draw South Africans to their sites by hosting their websites on servers located outside the borders. This is a legal loophole many reputable websites that cater to the South African population use.
Let’s cut to the chase. What kinds of gambling activities are even legal in South Africa? How can you enjoy your favorite hobby and sleep soundly knowing that you’re safe? Thankfully, you can now visit this greatly secure and responsible mobi games casino right from your comfy sofa.
How to play online casino games?
Online casinos may seem hard to use at the first glance, however, you can learn to operate the websites quite quickly. Players have the option of downloading software or playing so-called instant play games through a browser, depending on their preference.
Some casinos provide multiple types of games, for example, both slots and table games, while others focus on just one variety. In order to play and hopefully win some money, you’ll need both an Internet connection and a gaming device.
To be able to make bets and receive wins, you must first create an account on the platform of your choice. You also need to choose a payment method you feel most comfortable with, be it a credit card, bank transfer, or e-wallet such as PayPal. Cryptocurrency is also a great payment option for South Africans.
The history of legal gambling in South Africa
Prior to 1996, luck-based gambling was outlawed. Horse racing was the only type of gambling permitted since it was thought that there was some degree of skill involved in predicting the winners of the races. Horse racing is the sole legal form of gambling in several other nations. State lottery and horse racing events are the only authorized types of gambling in Thailand, for example.
The National Gambling Act was enacted in 1996, legalizing and regulating several other forms of gambling. With this, the National Gambling Association came into being.
South Africa’s new act allowed for the creation of state-specific gambling laws, allowing each province to choose what was and wasn’t permitted in their area. Therefore, in South Africa, each province maintains its own gaming and racing board. Plus, as a result of the new law, only a certain number of casinos were permitted to operate throughout the nation and in each province.
Online betting laws
For online betting to be legal in South Africa, a municipal board must provide a license to the company that wants to offer online gambling.
In 2004, the previous National Gambling Act was overruled and the new one took its place. With this act, all online gambling was made illegal in South Africa. If you’re found gambling online in South Africa you may be risking 10 years of prison or a huge fine.
However, you don’t have to be sad for long. This doesn’t mean that South Africans can’t bet online. Casinos have found a way around this act by moving their servers outside of the nation. Since these casinos aren’t based in South Africa, the laws of the country don’t apply. Therefore, you can sleep soundly knowing that if you play in casinos such as Punt Casino or Springbok Casino, you’re doing so without breaking any laws.
Legal age
The legal age for gambling both on sports outcomes and online in South Africa is 18. If you have kids, make sure to talk to them about the dangers and risks of online gambling.
Another aspect of gambling is how addictive it is. Make sure to always know how much you’re spending on this hobby. Never wager money you don’t feel comfortable losing.
Choose licensed casinos
An online casino operator must be licensed in order to legally provide services. The licenses also serve as a safety net for players since the casino needs to maintain transparent business practices. In other words, if you play at a licensed casino you should know you won’t be scammed out of your money.
