When it comes to online gambling in South Africa, not everything is as beautiful as its natural environment. With the NGB making online gambling illegal, players can even face criminal charges for their sessions. But there’s a simple solution to this issue. South African crypto gambling sites.
They allow players to regain control and enjoy under-the-radar gambling with no restrictions. In the following article, you will find out the best crypto gambling sites available for South African residents, how to pick the one that suits you best and everything you need to know before signing up.
Even though conventional online casinos are banned in South Africa, crypto gambling is the best way to circumvent the current regulations. To make things easier, we have selected a list of the top crypto gambling sites in South Africa where you can sign up with low KYC and get juicy bonuses along with instant & anonymous transactions. It is constantly updated and with some extra functions, you can get the best one for your needs. let you enjoy your casino & sports betting action away from the prying eyes of the state, with less strict KYC and more juicy bonuses.
Since South African law keeps a tight grip on gamblers, many of them seem to prefer offshore gambling sites for their activity. As a result, the state keeps losing more and more tax revenue from these players. Even with this in mind, the regulators don’t seem to ease off the strict legislation any time soon.
This is why bitcoin gambling is starting to thrive in South Africa. With a loose approach to KYC and the low-profile nature of cryptocurrencies, players will be able to enjoy their game without having to wait for ages for a solution. If you are looking for a crypto gambling site, keep the following facts in mind before signing up.
Trending Brands in South Africa
No of Cryptogambling Sites
5
Top Site
Anonymous gambling sites
4
Most Secure
Provably fair casinos
2
Most Games
Instant Withdrawal Sites
5
Fastest Payout
Stablecoin gambling sites
5
Most Networks
How is gambling regulated?
The state of gambling in the Republic is pretty straightforward. In 2004, after exhaustive legislation was voted on, the National Gambling Board(NGB) was founded. This marked the end of a major part of online gambling as it was declared illegal, with sports betting remaining the only lawful option. In 2010 the hammer fell for offshore gambling sites too. This led to many international bookmakers taking the legal road, and obtaining local licenses, to provide their services to natives. Nothing significant has changed since. If anything, it has become harder for locals to gamble online. This has rightfully made players look for better alternatives.
Traditional vs. crypto gambling sites - What to know
South African gambling sites are notorious for requiring Source of Wealth documents, sometimes even from the signup process. Although the motive behind this measure is to prevent acts like fraud and money laundering, this is unfair to the majority of recreational gamblers. That’s how cryptocurrency casinos come to the rescue.
The often relaxed KYC requirements mean that, in most cases, you won’t have to give away everything about yourself to an online casino and protect your identity. Despite the fact that offshore casinos are effectively banned by law, no one will ever stop you from opening an account.
South Africa bitcoin gambling facts
1
If you are used to placing your wagers with ZAR instead of USD, make sure you find an operator that has ZAR available as a display currency for your balance. Even though it’s a less popular currency, many gambling sites will offer it for their South African Players.
2
In order to avoid the unfair exchange rates that some third-party payment processors have, you can find a casino that supports a crypto wallet instead.
3
The legal age for gambling in South Africa is 18 years old. This is pretty standard in the gambling world and if you are a major, you will have no issues.
4
As most crypto gambling sites are not licensed in South Africa, they will often hold overseas licenses like Curacao or Costa Rica.
5
Always do your due diligence before signing up with a gambling site. Genuine user reviews from other players and a great social media presence are two signs of a valid operator. If you want to dig deeper, check if they have a Discord or Telegram that they use to communicate with the users.
Which is the best cryptocurrency casino in South Africa
One thing South African players are dearly missing out on is a proper online casino experience. Cryptocurrency casinos give locals the opportunity to enjoy over 4,000 games ranging from endless slot options of all the major studios, live tables and game shows, while taking advantage of the perks of cryptocurrencies like superior transaction speed and anonymity. If you are searching for a new online crypto casino in South Africa, check our recommendations below.
Once you feel like you are ready to start enjoying some casino action, do not forget to keep some of the following points about crypto casinos in mind so you don’t fall for any trick by dodgy websites.
Given that many South African gamblers are not used to online gambling, it is quite easy for someone to be overwhelmed by the plethora of games offered by online crypto casinos. So don’t get fooled by websites simply offering thousands of games. Instead, make sure you look for the ones offering slots from gaming giants like Pragmatic Play, Play n’ Go, Netent and Playtech, to name a few. As for live gaming shows, games from Evolution and Playtech are on the list of every legit crypto casino. The providers mentioned above work solely with legitimate brands, and you can trust them.
Provably Fair Games
One way smart contracts revolutionized the gambling industry is by introducing provably fair casino games. Simply put, a fairness algorithm that many crypto casinos offer gives players a chance to verify their game results and determine if they were fair and not manipulated. This is very helpful if you are looking for a reliable casino operator and should be on your checklist when searching for a crypto casino.
Live Tables & Game Shows
Something you probably have not seen with old-school casinos is the exciting live game shows. Cryptocurrency casinos in South Africa have partnered with live gaming giants, such as Evolution and Pragmatic play, to provide you with blasting new games like Crazy Time, Monopoly Live and Deal or No Deal. This opens a new gaming world beyond the classic Live Table games also available in crypto casinos.
Bonuses
One way crypto gambling sites encourage players to sign up is through hefty Bitcoin Bonuses and exciting promotions. Although some might sound very juicy, it is best to carefully inspect the terms and conditions first. Most legit brands will have everything laid out and stated as clearly as possible for you, something that scammy ones don’t do. Terms like a fair wagering amount, rollover time and maximum winnings should be on your agenda when searching for a worthy Bonus or promotion.
Crypto Betting sites in South Africa
Due to the fact that sports betting is the only legal gambling option available for South Africans, it only makes sense that most bettors are familiar with online sportsbooks. But what are the perks of using a crypto betting site instead of your good ol’ local betting bookie? Higher odds, better transactions and more frequent Free Bets are only a few reasons. Below you will find an up-to-date list of online bookmakers who offer crypto payments, as selected by our team of experts.
A worthwhile Welcome Bonus is among the bettors’ top qualities when selecting a sportsbook. Thanks to the lower operational fees that crypto betting sites enjoy with cryptocurrencies, they can give bigger Welcome Bonuses, compared to regular online sportsbooks, and even more frequent prizes such as Free Bets and Promotions. Don’t just go for the biggest Welcome Bonus, though. Inspect the Terms & Conditions first and determine if the rollover requirements and the rest of the terms fit your playing style.
Features
It is true that the sportsbook section of crypto gambling sites is often subpar, as most operators focus on casino games. Nevertheless, you should not settle for a website offering fewer betting features. Full Cash Out, a variety of available markets for your favourite leagues, as well as Live Streaming and Bet Builder, should be among the features of a proper crypto betting site in South Africa.
Available Sports
Although most Bitcoin sportsbooks offer broad coverage of the top competitions in sports like Football, Tennis and Basketball, the same does not apply to less popular local leagues. All hope is not lost, though, as our selected sportsbooks offer markets for South African fans in leagues such as the SA Premier Soccer League, the T20 Challenge and the South African Rugby Union Tournaments.
How to deposit to a Crypto Gambling Site in South Africa
Carrying through with some essential information about South African online crypto casinos and sportsbooks, you are probably wondering how you can deposit and start placing some bets. While gambling with Bitcoin might sound like a difficult process, the truth is that it’s as easy as any other transaction method. The process consists of 3 universal steps. These are:
Getting a cryptocurrency bankroll.
Transferring the funds to your crypto wallet.
Depositing the funds to your gambling site of choice.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how you can complete your deposit, let’s have a look, first, at the different types of coins you can use for your gambling. Finding the optimal coin could prove essential for your gambling, so we are going to explore the essential options.
Which are the best coins for crypto gambling in South Africa?
Roughly 4 million people use cryptocurrencies in South Africa and most pick Bitcoin as their crypto of choice. But is Bitcoin the only option? Below we will list all the types of cryptocurrencies you will find in most crypto gambling sites, so you can select the best coin based on your needs as a player.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin & Bitcoin Cash
When it comes to gambling, people still resort to the king, Bitcoin. Hailed by retail investors for over 10 years, Bitcoin(BTC) was the first crypto that made its way into online casinos. Once players understood its power of borderless, no third-party involved transactions, it didn’t take long for other cryptocurrencies to follow suit. Ethereum(ETH), Litecoin(LTC) and Bitcoin Cash(BCH) were picked by operators online and still remain a popular choices among players. But what about the other coins?
Altcoins
As blockchain technology kept evolving throughout the years, more cryptocurrencies came to life as a result. To put it simply, altcoins are, for some, the evolution of Bitcoin and Ethereum. With Bitcoin often lacking transaction speed and Ethereum having higher transaction fees, altcoins like Ripple, Solana, Tron and the infamous Doge came as a solution. Players of all kinds use them for their gambling as they provide faster transactions with lower fees, making them suitable for recreational players and high rollers. Tron(TRX), BNB and Solana(SOL) are our go-to altcoins, as their very low fees and almost instant transactions allow us to enjoy playing anytime without waiting for intermediaries.
Stablecoins
Built as a better alternative to FIAT currencies, stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that keep their value pegged to one dollar($1). This comes as a relief for many players who want to enjoy all the perks of gambling with cryptocurrencies without worrying about the price fluctuations of the crypto market. Some of the stablecoins you will often see in online casinos are USDT, USDC, Dai and BUSD. We suggest sticking to USDT and USDC as they are the biggest ones in this category, and you can’t go wrong with them.
Anonymity Coins
Despite the fact that most cryptocurrencies are very hard to be tracked back to you, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. This problem is solved once and for all with anonymity coins like Monero(XMR) and Zcash(ZEC). Thanks to their unique design, all transactions are untraceable, which means you can enjoy an even higher standard of security for your gambling.
If you want maximum anonymity, betting sites without verification will often accept XMR and ZEC, which allows for true under-the-radar plays. You can find our recommendations for South Africa online casinos below.
Deposit on a Cryptocurrency Casino - All the steps
So you have found the best crypto casino, the coin you want to use and you are ready to move on with your deposit. First of all, you will need a crypto bankroll for that. The process for acquiring one is the same for every type of coin described above. The best way is to get one through a centralized crypto exchange.
Finding a crypto exchange
Finding a crypto exchange
There are many options to choose from when it comes to crypto exchanges, but we decided to go with the ones best suited for South Africans. Binance, Luno and Coinbase are our top recommendations you can use as a local to acquire some crypto for your bankroll. Unlike Binance and Coinbase, which are globally known brands, Luno is a trusted South African exchange that natives might enjoy, thanks to its direct ZAR deposits.
Once you have funded your crypto exchange account, head to the trading section and acquire your cryptocurrency of choice. Now that you got your coins, it’s time to create a private wallet. This is a step you must not skip.
Creating a wallet
Creating a wallet
You probably think, ‘I got my coins. What do I need a private wallet for?’. The answer is quite simple. Many crypto exchanges blacklist gambling operators, and you may end up getting your account and funds frozen. Using a private crypto wallet is the best way to deposit, as no one can take hold of it besides yourself.
Even if there are many options available for crypto wallets, we believe a hot wallet is enough for your deposits. Hot wallets are crypto wallets that are always connected to the internet and can come as apps for your phone and browser or programs for your computer. Three of our favorite wallets are Exodus, Metamask and Mycelium, and the best place to find them is always through their official website.
After your wallet is set up, you can send the coins you bought from the exchange to it. Go to the receive section of the wallet, select the coin you want to transfer, copy-paste the address shown on the exchange’s address field, and move forward. If everything is correct, your wallet now has the coins. Hooray.
Depositing to the gambling site
Depositing to the gambling site
Only one step left to get your gambling account topped up. Go to the cashier section of your casino or sportsbook and select the cryptocurrency you are going to use. Paste the wallet address shown in your private wallet’s send function and complete the transfer. Depending on the coin and the confirmations needed from the gambling site, your deposit will be completed in a few minutes tops.
Now that you have everything you need to deposit, we must emphasize the trifecta every player using crypto must remember.
Never do direct transactions between crypto exchanges and gambling sites. Always use a private wallet. Make sure you use the correct network that the operator notes for the transaction.
While this process might look a bit over the top, it becomes a piece of cake after completing a few transactions. Your journey into crypto doesn’t stop on transactions, though. What about the legality of crypto gambling and crypto regulation in South Africa? Should you be worried about taxes on your crypto winnings? Let’s find out.
Although the fiscal approach to gambling is harsh, the same does not apply to cryptocurrencies. South Africans can use cryptocurrencies just like FIAT, which means that transactions with cryptocurrencies are perfectly legal. Thus, we could say that you can use crypto for your online gambling without a problem as long as you stay under the radar. In short, crypto casinos seem to be the only way for South African natives to circumvent the current regulations without worrying. Given that we have a fair grip over the regulation of crypto transactions, this leads us to our next not-so-pleasant point.
Tax on cryptocurrency in South Africa
It is good to mention a few basic pieces of info before diving into crypto-specific details*. Starting with traditional(in-person) gambling and online betting, players won’t have to pay additional taxes on their winnings as long as it’s done within the country. On the other hand, all winnings from an offshore betting site should be reported and will be subject to Capital Gains tax, which is fixed at 18%. Crypto gains are no different. Based on the transaction volume and the intentions of your cryptocurrency investment, you may have to pay either Capital Gains Tax or regular Income Tax, as stated by the SARS. It should be noted that in a recent bill passed, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are treated as financial products.
As you see, there’s no escaping the taxes, or is it? Considering that crypto transactions are not taxed, and you only pay tax when you convert them into FIAT, one could easily keep his crypto gambling winnings in his private wallet and not worry about taxes. Even though the current tax exemption of 30,000R might do the trick for most players, if you feel this is too much of a risk, you should report your crypto gains/losses and consult a local tax professional.
Nevertheless, if the above sounds a bit gloomy, remember that the proper use of anonymous wallets, decentralized exchanges or centralized ones that require no KYC is your friend when it comes to this activity. You will have no issues if you keep a low profile and do not transfer any funds to your bank account out of the blue.
How is the situation in other African Countries
In most African countries, taxes from online gambling winnings and crypto gains stand in a grey zone, as the legislation has not caught up yet to these recent technological developments. As such, gamblers that are handy with cryptocurrencies can easily gain access to multiple international brands without breaking a sweat.
However, there are some African nations that are more advanced in this sector. Nigeria, a prime example, has specific laws on cryptocurrencies and online gambling. Gamblers opting for Nigerian crypto casinos must be a bit more subtle with their transactions and rely on P2P exchanges.
*Remember, this is meant to be a general overview of the current fiscal situation. Contact a tax professional for your financial inquiries, as errors may lead to significant losses & potential fines. We are not financial advisors
Our final verdict on South African crypto gambling sites
Our final verdict on South African crypto gambling sites
The legislation around online gambling in South Africa is very strict, and it doesn’t seem to change any time soon. While betting online is legal, on licensed operators, it’s only fair for players to feel targeted. The best solution is crypto gambling sites. Thanks to the anonymous nature of blockchain technology and its transactional perks over FIAT, locals can now enjoy both a great sportsbook and a casino product, without having to look over their shoulders. We recommend our local readers check our South African online casinos list and our articles and reviews to stay on top of the game. One thing is for sure, gambling with cryptocurrencies has a bright future.
FAQs
You won’t have to pay any tax if you hold cryptocurrency in South Africa. If you sell them for profit, you will have to pay capital gains tax on the profits. We recommend talking with a local tax expert to be sure about the current tax legislation.
You can find many crypto online casinos that offer a no deposit bonus in our review. Since new bonuses are added daily by casinos, we recommend following their Discord servers and staying up to date.
Yes. Crypto.com is available in South Africa, and it’s even planning on a new ZAR crypto wallet for locals. Being one of the top crypto exchanges at the moment, Crypto.com is one of our recommended exchanges you can use for your crypto gambling. Just make sure you read our guide on how to do it the right way and avoid any problems.
Blockchain has changed online gambling forever. The mostly instant and borderless transactions are becoming a standard. The new concept of provably fair games allows players to inspect for trustworthy bookmakers and the increased anonymity of cryptocurrencies saves the day for players with geo-restrictions.
The only legal form of online gambling in South Africa is sports betting. Since cryptocurrencies are more difficult to track, players can use them for gambling in offshore operators.
Cryptocurrencies are often seen as another form of currency by most regulators. With that in mind, you can legally gamble with crypto as long as the operator is valid in your country and accepts cryptocurrencies in its cashier section.
Most online crypto casinos are completely legal and licensed for operating. Even though many scammy ones offer sign-up bonuses, we recommend sticking to the fully licensed ones.
The options are endless, thus, finding the best cryptocurrency casino can be hard. Thankfully, our extended list will assist you in finding the one that suits you best. Read our extensive guide, select one that fits our needs and gambling style and start playing.