Casino games Guide
We all visit online casinos listed in South Africa for different reasons, but the common denominator is always one: online casino games. Since online casinos hit the internet in the early 90s, game providers have gone back to the drawing board, hence competing with one another to launch the ultimate casino game, the one online casino gambling game that breaks the gambling scene and becomes the talk of the town. We have seen many games reach the peak of gambling, some include Mega Moolah the progressive jackpot slot by Microgaming that promises to turn South African players into millionaires with one simple spin. Mega Fortune by NetEnt is another game that has risen in popularity, with top online casinos offering the game and more.
So what catches the eye of SA online casino players? Traditional casino games such as online slot machines and the instant gratification that they offer? Is it live casino games and the thrills that live dealers offer? Or is it the availability of binging on non-live table games, with games such as Roulette, Poker, Blackjack and other popular game tables available to wager on?
The best online casinos in South Africa offer top casino games for you to choose from, wager in and play. Via this games casino review, we aim to highlight the top real money games for your playing casino games online gambling sessions, along with how to filter the best South African online casinos and best sites.
By Adiela de Bruyn - Last modified 2024/04/23 - Estimated reading time: 19 minutes.
Table of contents
Best Casinos offering huge game collections
- GamesAmount of games offered900Jackpot PokiesAmount of slots with jackpot option2518+. New customers only. Minimum deposit R10. T&C apply.
- GamesAmount of games offered400Jackpot PokiesAmount of slots with jackpot option2218+. New customers only. Minimum deposit R25. T&C apply.
- GamesAmount of games offered225Jackpot PokiesAmount of slots with jackpot option1718+. New customers only. Minimum deposit R100. T&C apply.
- GamesAmount of games offered5000Jackpot PokiesAmount of slots with jackpot option2218+. New customers only. Minimum deposit R400. T&C apply.
- GamesAmount of games offered425Jackpot PokiesAmount of slots with jackpot option3418+. New customers only. Minimum deposit R345. T&C apply.
South African Real Money Casino Games
We are indeed spoilt for choice in the casino games department at online casinos in South Africa. If you are looking to wager money and play popular casino games with real money, you have a vast selection of games to choose from and binge on. Today, we look at some of the most favorite games for you to enjoy at gambling sites in South Africa, which you can play for free or to win real money.
Online Slots
Dubbed and branded as the best online casino game to enjoy and binge on, online slots have always been a powerhouse, dominating the casino scene from their very launch. Before we had online slot games to enjoy, we had slot game cabinets which you can still find and play today. Nowadays, there is no need for you to dress up, suit up and make your way to a landbased casino to spin the reels of a slot machine, you can simply head over to South African online casinos, and find the best online casino slot games to immerse yourself in.
The good news is, that game providers test the boundaries and exhaust the limits to make your gaming experience worthwhile, with developers competing with one another to bring you top online slot machines to enjoy. Below we take a closer look at what type of slot games you can locate and play at SA online casinos.
Classical Slot Games
Classical slot games are the original games that provided a platform for today online casino slots. A classical slot is now available to play also online at major casinos, but be warned, classical games normally shy away from bonuses, and give you less elaborate gameplay than the slot games we enjoy today. Most of the symbols that compose classical slot machines include lemons, oranges, grapes, bells, cherries and Lucky 7s. Wild and scatter symbols are not easily found in classical games, yet the gameplay this type of slot machine offers is priceless and throws you back to the days when slot machines were launched. Classical slot machines offer a vivid walk down memory lane of your gambling journey.
Welcome bonus package Slots
The first time you join a new online casino in South Africa, you are welcomed with a welcome package that will see you get started at the casino site. The best casinos offer you a set amount of free spins to compliment your welcome and get you playing the best casino games available on the site. Free spins are normally credited in batches if the casino site grants you big free spins packages, with various slot games available to redeem your spins at.
Bonus Buy online slot machines
An extra small wager real money wager, can see you skip the base game and head directly to the bonus game when you play bonus buy slot games. Not all game providers offer these types of slots, but the ones that do know very well that gamblers worldwide are always itching to land the bonus rounds play so why not give online gambling enthusiasts the possibility of heading over to the bonus games with no need to spend time at the base game?
To locate Bonus Buy slot machines, you would need to head over to the online casino lobby and click on the Bonus Buy Games section. Some notable Bonus Buy Games include Roar of the Bear Megaways by iSoftBet, 25 Coins by Wazdan and Ragna Ravens by Yggdrasil.
Jackpot Games
Jackpot games have always been the go-to games for many online casino players. One spin of the reels could see you become an instant millionaire. What is there not to like? Before you can spin jackpot games, it is good to understand what types of jackpot games you will be able to play for real money at online casinos in South Africa.
Fixed Jackpots
Fixed jackpot games will see you enjoy slot machines that offer you 3 fixed jackpots, with the amount of the jackpot not increasing over time. You will have 3 jackpot amounts that you can land when playing real money jackpot games, with a new fixed jackpot amount readily available when one of the jackpots is landed.
Progressive Jackpot
A progressive jackpot game will have an increasing jackpot amount that will increase with every spin taken by players worldwide. The bigger your stake is when playing a progressive jackpot game, the better chances you have of landing the jackpot. Notable progressive jackpots available at the best casinos in SA include Ancient Fortunes: Poseidon Megaways (Microgaming) and The Goonies Jackpot King by Relax Gaming.
Linked Jackpot
Link jackpots will see a set amount of slots offered by the same provider, all joined up and linked to offer one lucky winner a massive jackpot win. Most link jackpots are found at tournaments that are offered by game developers in conjunction with South African casino websites.
Sports
Sports plays a massive role in the everyday culture in South Africa. The nation has top-tier sports teams for cricket, soccer, athletics, and rugby, that have competed at an international level, and many athletes hailing from SA. Possibly this could be the reason that sports betting has taken a major push in SA, with many online casino sites now offering a dedicated sportsbook section, ready to take in and cash in your sports wagers.
Whilst slot games do not require you to have much knowledge to spin and win, sports betting is a completely different world, where knowledge and strategy will give you the edge you need when betting on your favorite games or sportsperson.
To check if an online casino hosts a dedicated sportsbook section, head over to a South African online casino, and lookout for an icon that says 'Sports'. Once you click on Sports, you will view all of the sports and their respective sporting markets available for you to place wagers on. Eg - if you click on Boxing, you will be provided with all of the upcoming boxing bouts, and their betting markets including the fight going the distance, who KOs who first and which fighter will be saved by the towel. Various betting markets and options apply to a variety of sports, with cash-out options also available.
Live Casino Games
A niche of South African players within the gaming industry enjoy the thrills that live games offer. Live games are table games that you can enjoy at online and mobile casinos, with all the games manned by live casino dealers. By clicking the Live Casino section at online gambling sites, you will be transported to a virtual land-based casino, where you can play online casino games live.
Most live dealer games offered at casino sites are brought to you by Evolution Gaming, a company that dominates the live casino games scene in the current gambling market. Some of the live dealer games that you will enjoy at online gambling sites in South Africa include the following:
Live Roulette
Live Roulette involves the same basics applied to traditional roulette table games, with the only exception of the game being offered live. Some Live dealer Roulette games that you will be able to sit at and play at casinos online include Lighting Roulette, High Roller Roulette, Party Roulette, Mega Fire Blaze Roulette and more. If you want to enjoy an exclusive roulette game, Leo Vegas offers a dedicated Leo Vegas Roulette that is only available at the Leo Vegas SA site.
Live Online Blackjack
You can also sit at live blackjack tables when visiting casinos in South Africa. Just like other table games, Blackjack Live comes along with many variants, that will add some added spice to your live dealer games gameplay. Blackjack variants to enjoy include Royal Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, Blackjack Sports Arena and more Blackjack table options.
Other Live Games
Other live games that you will be able to enjoy at live casino sites offering live dealer games include Gonzo's Quest Live, Monopoly Live, Travel Fever, Live Baccarat and more. Just keep in mind that live casino games are not available to play for free or via demo. When you sit at a live casino game table, you play with real money and win real money.
Blackjack
If you have ever visited a land-based casino site in South Africa, chances are you have already played the majestic game of Blackjack. The game is a simple card game, that involves you playing against the bank (the live dealer) with both you and the dealer, aiming to reach the perfect score of twenty-one first. If you have never played a game of Blackjack, worry not, as we will give you a brief rundown of the game and how you can win big while playing Blackjack casino games online.
Once you have chosen your online casino in South Africa, deposit funds into your real money account. The next step is choosing the Blackjack table to sit at and wager in, and you can do so by clicking on the Table Games section at the online casino site and clicking on Blackjack. Now that you have located your table, setting your real money wager is the next step, and once that is complete, let the Blackjack games begin!
The first set of cards are dealt, with the player getting two cards, both of them being face up. The Blackjack casino games dealer also gets two cards, one showing face up and the other one face down. Now is the time for South African players to evaluate if they would like to 'Stay' meaning not getting another card drawn or if they want a 'Hit' meaning getting another card. If either you or the dealer go over the score of twenty-one, the player goes bust and, hence loses the game.
There are no bonus features when playing Blackjack online, but the gaming experience you get chasing the perfect score of twenty-one is fun, with Blackjack online ranked with popular games amongst players hitting online casino tables.
To get started playing Blackjack online casino games, you do need to get some online gambling strategy going, this is why we always suggest that play for free at non-live Blackjack online casino game tables. Many online casinos offer this feature to allow you to build up your Blackjack game strategy and also get used to the rules of the game. To be fair, the rules are quite simple, do not go over the score of Twenty one, however having an idea of the face value of your deck of cards will also assist you in your quest for Blackjack dominance, so, below we list the Blackjack cards that you will be playing with when joining Blackjack tables at online casino game sites in South Africa.
- 2 - 9 playing cards - Offer the same face value
- Jack (J) - 10
- Queen (Q) - 10
- King (K) - 10
- Ace (A) - 1 or 11
Rules of Blackjack
Getting the basics of Blackjack is not a big task altogether, especially since you know the value that each card represents. However, there are some rules to playing Blackjack online at online casino game sites, along with some terminology that we have already mentioned but great to summarise and keep in mind for your next Blackjack online casino game fun.
- Hit - When a hit is mentioned during Blackjack, it denotes the player requesting another card.
- Stand - Stand is mentioned when the dealer asks if you would like any additional cards to your deck. If you stand, it is signalling that you are happy with your hand and would not like to add another card.
- Doubling Down - Once you place your bet, you have the option of doubling down on that bet. When you double down, you double on your initial bet and also get an additional card. South African players that double down will then stand, irrespective of what the denomination of the third added card is.
- 16 or Below Rule (for Blackjack dealers) - There is one rule that applies only to Blackjack dealers, and that is if the dealers hold a total hand value of 16 or less, they cannot stand, and they have to have an additional card drawn out and added to the total hand. This could potentially be very beneficial for players enjoying Blackjack games online.
Roulette
Roulette is deemed one of the most celebrated land-based and online casino games, with players enjoying a good spin of the Roulette wheel since the early 1800s. Today, if you visit the most popular casino games websites in South Africa, you are flooded with Roulette game options for you to sit at, wager in and play. However, before you can chase the pot of gold on the Roulette wheel, it is essential to equip yourself with the basics of how the Roulette wheel works, and how to build up your game strategy in the hopes of landing real money Roulette wins.
Your starting point with Roulette is understanding the Wheel that is online, glossy and composed of numbers marked either in red or in black. Let's say that you are playing a good old game of American Roulette at your chosen SA casino, where you have a total of 38 numbers to choose from and place your wager. Once all of the players place their bets on where they envisage the ball will fall, the dealer will spin the American Roulette wheel, and everyone's bets are recorded. You can continue placing wagers until the dealer announces ' No more Bets, please'. The player that predicts where the Roulette ball falls, wins.
Understanding the Roulette Numbers
The numbers one to thirty-six will feature in the main gaming areas of the Roulette wheel. They are available from left to right. When playing Roulette the following numbers are all represented in red: 1, 3. 5, 7. 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34 and 26. The Black numbers are represented by the 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, and 35.
If you are tempting your luck at the American Roulette wheel, you will also see 2 additional numbers the zero (0) and the Double Zero (00), these are not available when you opt to play European or French Roulette games online.
Betting strategies for your South African Rand Roulette gameplay
Now that you know the basics of the Roulette wheel and how one of the main casino games operates, it is time to talk about betting strategies and types of wagers available for when you play casino Roulette games.
Outside Bets - Roulette outside bets is a bet placed on a selection of numbers of your choosing, as opposed to a specific number. Let's say you place a bet that the next number drawn is even, or the next number landed is either black or red.
Inside Bets - An inside bet is a wager that you place on standalone and individual numbers. Let's say you place a bet that the ball will land on the red number 27. Other inside bets include straight up (wager on one number), Split bet (bets placed on 2 adjacent located numbers)
Corner Bets - Corner bets are bets placed on 4 numbers that are located in a specific part of the roulette wheel close to one another.
Roulette variants at South African casino sites
You have the option of choosing from a variety of Roulette games when playing online at casino sites. Casino reviews will give you an insight into what the casino offers, however visiting the site and having a look for yourself at the lobby would be ideal. Here are some Roulette variants for you to enjoy at top casino sites: American Roulette, 3D Roulette, High Roller Roulette and more.
Video Poker
Video Poker incorporates the mechanisms of a slot game coupled up with poker, with your main goal being, landing the best possible winning combo on your video poker reels. While video poker is not as popular as slot games and online slots, it is one of the most enjoyed games at casino sites, with many South African players enjoying the simplistic gameplay that video poker offers.
How to play Video Poker online
To locate Video poker games, simply head over to the casino of your choice and head over to the casino lobby. If the site does not host a dedicated Video Poker section, most probably the games can be located either near the slots or in the other games section. Once you find the game of your choice, funding your casino account with real money is key to start placing video poker wagers. When the game kicks off, you will be dealt with 5 initial cards using a random number generator. Once you review all of your cards, you have the option of changing cards in hopes of landing better winning combinations. The next cards being drawn will determine your final hand and if a win is secured.
Types of Video Poker Games
Although video poker is in demand, only a few variants of the game exist, with top games available at SA casinos including Jacks of Better, Video Poker Live, and Deuces Wild.
Baccarat
Baccarat is not an easy game to master, however, once you grasp the rules and build up your strategy, you will be the next James Bond, playing Baccarat and hopefully winning. Head over to the tables games section at an SA online casino, and type in Baccarat, this is where all the games are located for you to play Baccarat.
Once your wagers are set, you will be dealt with 2 initial cards, with the banker also landing 2 cards. Since both hands (banker + player) are face up, you have the option of placing bets on your hand or that of the banker. During a game of Baccarat, all of the deck face cards and the Ten cards offer 0 points, lower deck cards are worth their face value and the A is worth only 1 point. The hand that is the closest to a total of 9 wins the hand. If the hand is not over the total of 9, the player can opt to get an additional third card dealt or stand.
Basic Baccarat rules to keep in mind
The rules of Baccarat are complex, but once you grasp the basics and have enough knowledge, you will be able to head over to both non-live and live Baccarat games available at casino sites. Here are some Baccarat rules to keep in mind.
- Stand: Just like Blackjack, you have the option to stand if your card's total value is that of 9 or closest to. (If the total hand value is 6, 7, or 8)
- Draw: Drawing a card is possible when your total value is far away from reaching the 9 goal, hence you ask to draw a card. (If the total hand value is 5 or less)
You have the option of playing Baccarat both non-live and at the live tables via SA online casinos. Here are some Baccarat versions for you to binge on: Live Squeeze Baccarat, Lightning Baccarat, and No Commission Baccarat.
Craps
If fast payouts and fast gameplay are what you are after, you will enjoy playing online Craps. The simplistic dice game has been around for decades and is now available to play online at major and top casino sites.
Due to its simplicity, Craps has been a fan favourite for many years, however, if you have never indulged in a game of online Craps yet, it would be ideal to get the basics of the game before chasing the big wins and wagers. So, let's give you a rundown on how to morph yourself into a Craps player.
Two dice compose your Craps game, with your ultimate goal being that of envisaging and guessing where the dice will fall. Initial bets are placed, where you will be asked if the Craps game will pass the line (landing on 7 or 11) or not pass (landing on 2,3 or 12). The dice are rolls, and initial bets are checked to see if a win is secured or not. Passing the land grants immediate wins, whilst not passing will see you wait for additional Craps dice rolls. This is where the Craps point is established (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), the game proceeds until either the number 7 is called or the point number. The dice will continue rolling until this is established, with additional bets also taken at this point.
Types of Online Craps Games to enjoy
You will not find an abundance of Craps games (like Sic Bo) at online casino sites, but you will find enough to test your Craps strategy and also gameplay. To check out if the South African casino hosts Craps games, head over to the Table games section and type in 'Craps; in the search function. Alternatively, you can check out Craps tables offered live at live casinos.
Conclusion
South African players looking for a great time can enjoy the casino games we discussed today. Once you sign up to a casino of your choice, fund your casino account with funds, and search for the casino game of your liking. Do you enjoy spinning the reel of slots, or do you enjoy chasing the perfect score of 21 at the Blackjack tables? Or possibly you want to finally master how to play Craps online? We also recommend looking at the Return to Player rates for each game you play.
All of our endorsed South African casino sites host an array of games for you to enjoy. Decide on the game of your choice, check if any bonus package offers are available and wager away. This is the future of South African gambling, with a variety of games to enjoy, on mobile versions, desktop and any time.