Best South African Betting Sites in 2024

Best Betting Sites in South Africa

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding betting in South Africa due to the National Gambling Act of 2004. One of those misconceptions is that the bill effectively ruined gambling across South Africa, but that’s not entirely true.
Despite the National Gambling Act of 2004 making most forms of gambling illegal in South Africa, there are still several different sports betting avenues available for those who want to enjoy the thrill of gambling without breaking the law.
However, finding the best betting sites in South Africa can be a bit difficult, since the country’s legislation has taken some time to create clear-cut wording everyone can understand. There is a mix of laws that may push many would-be betters away from gambling entirely.
To help you figure out what type of betting you can participate in, and how to find the best online betting sites, we’ve put together this brief guide.
Let’s get started.

Sports Betting is Legal in South Africa

When you first read the National Gambling Act, it seems as if all forms of gambling are banned in South Africa. This is almost true. The law banned casino games and practically every other form of gambling, but sports betting, such as wagering on football or soccer, and other non-traditional sports, is considered to be the exception to this law. Even e-sports events are considered legal, which is good news for those who would rather bet on competitive gaming tournaments.
A lot of bookies have sprung up specifically to facilitate online sports betting specifically for the South African population.

History of Betting in South Africa

Gambling of all sorts has had a complicated history in South Africa. In fact, from 1964 until 2004, it was only legal to bet on horse races, and doing so was considered to be an activity reserved for the wealthiest South African residents.
This changed in 2004 when gambling of all kinds was legalized. This led to the small market of horse racing bookies suddenly being expanded to include everything from traditional casino games to the newly popular e-sports betting that makes up a large portion of the current betting trend.
This market boom increased annual revenue and grew gambling as an industry by more than 500% before it was more heavily relegated and reduced to sports-only betting.
Since the rules were tightened, football and e-sports have dominated the betting scene, bringing in large amounts of revenue each year.

Finding and Using the Best SA Betting Sites

Finding betting sites that cater to South Africans is a bit difficult. The vast majority of sites don’t even have an option to display the text in Afrikaans, and most don’t have the option to deposit ZAR currency or convert other currencies into ZAR upon withdrawal.
Coupled with the strict anti-gambling laws in South Africa, this makes most online sites poor choices for anyone in the region.
However, there are domestic South African betting sites that offer all of those conveniences and more, and you can always trust that a domestic site is following and enforcing the guidelines of the National Gambling Board.
To help you get the best start with finding your preferred betting site, here are the sites we consider to be among the best betting sites in South Africa:
• SportingBet
• Sunbet
• Hollywoodbets
• Betway

There are plenty more, but these four suggestions are all high-quality sites we recommend trying first.

Depositing Funds on South African Betting Sites

Before you can bet on your favorite teams, you have to make a deposit or place funds into your account on every betting site you use. This is pretty easy, but it can be confusing your first time.
For starters, if you use a domestic South African betting site, you can deposit ZAR into your account right off the bat. From there, you can either bet in ZAR or convert to Euros, USD, or any other currency the site accepts, and you can withdraw your winnings in those currencies, too.
You do need to keep in mind that while the best sports betting sites in South Africa allow you to bet and withdraw with multiple types of currency, the value of your wallet will change with each conversion due to the differences in exchange rates.
Finally, before you try to deposit funds into any betting account, it’s important to find an e-wallet that you enjoy using. Options such as NETELLER and Skrill are popular in South Africa, and other options are available that make it easy to make deposits and withdrawals almost instantly.

Enjoy the Best Sports Betting Sites in South Africa Today

The legality of gambling in South Africa has been a bit murky since the mid-1990s, but sports betting is unlikely to go anywhere for a long time. That means now is the perfect time to check out reviews for different sites, compare sites to our list of requirements, and find the perfect home for your sports bets.
Who knows, maybe you’ll win big on a free bonus, or maybe your next football or soccer bet will net you enough to buy a whole new car? Get out there and start playing, today!