The Best Casino Games Guide in South Africa
Nowadays, it is not so easy to choose a casino game that would definitely meet all your requirements. Despite the national ban on playing online, the gambling industry in South Africa is developing very rapidly. In this respect different gaming sites present their services to gamblers, that complicates the search process for the right thing for you.
Our guide can be useful to everyone from novice to casino expert and enrich you with the following:
- Favourable casino games;
- General information about the A-number-1 games:
- Supreme Slots;
- Outstanding Roulette;
- Captivating Poker;
- Fascinating Video Poker;
- Hot Craps;
- Compelling Blackjack;
- Exciting Baccarat;
- Fun Lottery Games;
- How do we test and make our own list of casino games?
- How to find the casino game that satisfy all your needs?
- Comparative analysis between games for a fee and without pay;
- Profound explanations about promotions in casino games;
- Detailed information about well-known casino game developers in South Africa;
- General conclusions on casino games.
Our site has been operating on both European and South African casino markets for over three years. During this time our team of experts has grown and gained a wide experience in gambling and casino games testing. We are constantly honing our knowledge, reviewing new games and searching for appealing deals. As we have been operating considerable time on the market, on our platform we tend to gather the listing of reputable sites with attractive plays and unique offerings for you.
Top-rated List of Casino Games in South Africa
You can be a regular or just one-night stand player, but a wide range of available games of different degrees of difficulty with various options and bets can easily get you confused. What should you pay the most attention to? Which game will be played the first? How much money to bet? What strategy to adopt to win? Which online casino games do South African players prefer the most? In order to find it out, we contacted the gamblers directly, conducted the survey and did the testing ourselves. In this article we have prepared full overview of eight famous games that received the most votes and trust. Read on to discover main pros and cons and hints on how to play. What is the maximum amount of reels in slots? Is there any roulette without a zero-field? Basic difference between poker and video poker and many more.
Online Slots Games
Let’s examine these so-called “one-armed bandits”. t have gained popularity within players since their first appearance in land casino playgrounds. They used to have a big mechanical lever on the side that could help to spin the reel. Now you can play the game using just a big button on the front of the machine or on the screen of your computer. The principle of the game is surprisingly simple. All you have to do is to decide the size of the bet and manage the reels. If the reels, when they are stopped, display the same symbols on the same payment line, the reward is yours. Wild symbols, scattering symbols, free spins and other bonus games will help you to hit the jackpot or make your game sessions funnier. Some basic slot machines have only 3 reels, others slots have 243 paylines and some of them have progressive jackpots. These are the games that South African players like to play more often than others! You can divide slot machines in several categories by number of reels, by type of the game, by number of lines. So let’s run through all options.
Slots by quantity of reels
Three Reel Slots is a term used to define slot machines that have only 3 reels. The game has been widely appreciated by players because of its simplicity and traditional look. Another advantage is that these slots give out winnings much more often due to fewer combinations.
Five Reel Slots. They have 5 reels instead of three like the traditional ones. These machines are widely used among gamblers because of quantity of paylines.
Seven Reel Slots are only becoming popular among fans of this game. The main feature is the lack of bonus symbols and no more than 10 paylines. Three any symbols on one line are enough to get the reward.
Nine Reel Slots have risen in the casino games arena recently. They consist of 3 reels and 3 pay lines. Their main feature is the symbols, which rotate independently of each other, and the unusual direction of paylines as horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
Slots by type of game
Classic Slots are the virtual prototypes of any offline or online slot machine. It has three reels, one payline and classic characters like bells or cherries.
Video Slots were designed recently, but the players are already very fond of them. They have always multiple paylines and specific topic, often with a star character. These slots have amazing sound and video animation, which gives a great rendering.
Slot Machines with 3D technology provide better graphics and sound as well as special game features.
Progressive Jackpot is a distinctive feature of video slots where the overall jackpot increases with each new game before someone wins it. It takes only a small percentage of each bet to make the jackpot bigger. So you see, the more you play the same game, the more valuable the winnings are. Usually several slot games are joined together to form a huge progressive jackpot.
Roulette Online
Roulette is a classic land-based casino game that received its second wave of popularity on the Internet within gamblers of all ages from all over the world. So if you know how to play it, you can win big. The main advantages when it comes to online roulette are: the fact that you can play comfortably at home, there are no location constraints, it is possible to play different variations and several games at the same time, online gaming platforms very often offer gifts. There are also some weak points to be considered. It is important to check regularly the reputation of gambling sites. Also players have to wait a long time before receiving their winnings. In fact, the wait can last up to 72 hours.
Of all the possible game variants, we recommend that you should pay attention to European, French and American. Each type has its own features, but the principle in these games is similar.
European Roulette contains 37 sectors from 0 to 36. Sector zero is green, the others alternate red and black. The probability of falling out of the zero is 2.7%. There is no any option to bet on zero. It’s also the most common roulette in the world, simply because it has the highest payout statistics and is also the easiest to play.
American Roulette has a distinctive feature, there are two zeros green fields on the table, one opposite the other. You can also bet on both of these zeros. But there are no oral betting tracks on the gaming table.
French Roulette is containing 37 sectors from 0 to 36, bets will be accepted only before the rotation of the wheel. It allows for oral bets and is distinguished by the fact that external bets on the zero-fall remain on the table for the next round. If they then win, the visitor receives them back, although without payment. This rule also reduces the casino advantage in half.
In all scenarios, players with a lot of experience advise newcomers to follow a number of rules that will help successful play in any type of roulette. These recommendations include:
- maintaining sober mind in various game situations;
- keeping to the chosen strategy and management;
- find a table where the game is played at lower bets;
- do not rush to play back the lost amount on the same day – let your emotions cool from the first defeat.
- Good bonus
- 24/7 support
- Deposit methods are convenient
Poker Online
Poker has always been one of the most played card games of all ages. It is loved by students, seniors, and regulars of online casinos around the world. Throughout its existence, this game has given rise to many variations. For a long time 5-card poker game was the most preferred among the players until Seven-card stud was invented. More recently, after being part of the World Series of Poker, Texas Hold ‘Em and Omaha Poker have become the most popular games in South Africa.
In Texas Hold’em each player receives two cards at the beginning of the game. And the rest of the cards, which are needed to form poker combinations, are laid out later common to all players. There are five cards in total on the open cards table. Each active player has two more cards. But despite the fact that the player has seven cards available, he must make a combination of only five.
Omaha poker game has many combinations and it is liked by advanced poker players. The course of the game, the bidding, the determination of the winner is exactly the same as Texas Hold’em rules, except for two things. During the initial hand, players receive four closed cards each,when forming a combination, the player must use strictly two of his closed cards and three board cards.
The winning poker combination is often preceded by a correctly chosen strategy, mathematical calculations, bluffing and other factors. Even if you have achieved a certain result, you should not stop learning. Preparation for the game should always be based on:
- Setting real goals to be achieved in the next game;
- The study of theoretical material;
- Disassembling games of leading players;
- Individual and group training with the poker coach.
- Top notch security
- Progressive jackpots
- Lots of mobile games
Video Poker
Thanks to the rapid development of digital games at the end of the last century, online casinos began to offer improved or completely new versions of all your favorite old games. It led to the birth in the U.S. of another kind of game – Video Poker. It can only be played at online slot machine, but not at a real table. In video poker the gambler is not fighting for the winnings, neither with the gambling house, nor with other players. In fact, everything depends on what combination will come on his cards. It will be paid depending on the payout table. The options for playing are vast and varied. The most popular is Jack or Better, where the player’s combination is considered to be the winning one if he has a pair of jacks or more on five cards. In this case, the player can make an exchange of one to five of his cards to collect the combination. If you want to play video poker, you should always check RTP – the mathematical advantage of the gambling house. However, in some games it is extremely small, and sometimes may even exceed 100%. So for video poker there are even special strategies – as a player must change cards depending on the combination available to him. To conclude, if you want a simple and fast game that can win big money without having to make too complex decisions then don’t hesitate and chose the one from our list.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game in which participants collect points using combinations of two or three cards. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer by collecting as many points as possible close to 9. There are three options for betting – to win the player, to win the dealer or the equal number of points. The chances to win are 1 to 1, that is, the advantage of the casino is quite low. The game is very popular in Asia, but it is also well-known within south african gamblers. Baccarat has no universal strategies to guarantee winning. But there are rules for players that can increase their chances to win.
- The “banker bets” are the most advantageous of all three types of rates in baccarat. By making this type of bates, you reduce the advantage of online casinos to 1.01 percent.
- A large proportion of baccarat tables show the results of past handouts on a nearby scoreboard. Do not forget the key strategy of any game for money, denying the presence of successful and not very successful gambling series.
- Beginners at online casinos often rely on some bonuses. But do not hurry, examine all the inscriptions in small print before you deposit real money into your account and applying for such bonuses.
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most exciting casino card games in the world. It is usually offered in many land-based gambling houses on the planet, as well as online casinos on the Internet. The basic rules are not very complicated and you can learn to play this iconic game very quickly. The main purpose of blackjack is to get as close as possible to 21 points on your cards, but no more, and/or wait for the dealer to have more than 21 points, which will give the player an automatic win. Since the invention of blackjack, possibly in the 1600’s, until today, players have tried to analyze the game and discover ways to increase their odds against the house. Basic strategy charts explain to players how to play optimally in every possible hand situation in online blackjack, and this helps players to improve their odds. There are also other tips, including working capital management, betting habits, and using advantage to increase winnings. Even a small change in the player’s game may affect whether he can beat the house or stay with nothing.
Craps
The game of craps goes back to 11th century of the time of the Crusades. The basics is based on a medieval English Danger game and French Toad game, which were so loved by European players and then others around the world. Eventually, the dice appeared in South Africa because their simplicity made them universal; all you had to do was throw the dice on the table or on the floor and wait for the result. Online craps was created when online game software developers integrated various betting options into the program, including funny graphics. Today, all players, both European and South African, have the opportunity to log in, learn the game and play online craps at their convenience. Craps is a game that deserves to be known: its rules are not complicated and it offers great opportunities for Internet users.
- Various withdrawal methods
- Many slots
- Progressive jackpot
Lottery-like gambling games
Online Bingo has a huge success among players because of its easy rules and access. The goal of the game is to fill in the numbers of your virtual card. Although there are many versions for your enjoyment, but the south african players prefer only 3 of it: 75-ball games, with 80 balls and with 90 balls. It offers players many benefits, the most obvious of which is that you can play as you like, where you like and as many times as you want, all at once.
Keno is a game of chance. It was introduced to the West in the 19th century, when the Chinese crossed the Pacific Ocean to help build the first transcontinental railway. Keno is based on the drawing of numbers which the player then matches to the numbers on his or her grid. Players must choose numbers from 1 to 80, after which 20 numbers are drawn randomly. The more numbers the player has chosen correctly, the greater the winnings.
The principle of all Lottery games is based on simple rules: a ticket or lottery ticket should to be filled in, and a number draw determining the game results. Whether you play the traditional lottery or online, the system remains the same for this purely random game, with a draw always carried out by a random number generator.
Everyone knows the Scratch card principle. Quick and effective game: you scratch the corresponding space and reveal symbols little by little: you need 3 identical symbols. But it is always recommended to start by reading the rules, then to bet and after you should scratch; to do this, you move your mouse over the scratch zones, sometimes there are automatic modes, and there the computer scratches directly for you. So all you have to do is look at it and wait for the result.
How do we review and choose the best online casino games for South African gamblers?
You may wonder why you should follow our guide instead of any other. But the answer is quite simple. We use very specific criteria to provide you with objective and quality reviews of the games. To do this, our GreatCasino team of experts works tirelessly to meet the different expectations of our loyal players. In order to offer you useful content, we take into account different aspects:
Convenience and the game interface. We rank the game sites according to the quality and quantity of games, taking everything into consideration, including the diversity of games, graphics, game interface and themes. To get the most out of online casino games, convenience is a key issue. To make sure you can play on mobile phones in good conditions, we prefer sites that offer outstanding applications for smartphones and tablets, or mobile platforms without downloads.
Slots popularity among South African gamblers. We constantly monitor game libraries for updates from reliable developers. After the appearance of new products on the casino market, from our side we also conduct tests, collect the feedbacks from other players and only then add it to our database.
The reputation of the game developers. The number of developers in casino does not make it the best. More important for game operators to possess a good reputation. We take into account the popularity of game developers. We distinguish the most famous such as Microgaming, Netent, ISoftBet, Playtech whose performance is well proven, consider theirs games library and players reviews in order to provide you with the most trustworthy games.
The welcome offers and promotions that we collect for you. Our team takes the time to compare the bonuses available at the new and the reputable best casinos. On paper, all casino bonuses are great, but the reality can sometimes be different. To ensure transparency, we carefully review the rules of promotions to make sure the offers are clear and trustworthy.
RTP is another important factor that we consider when we add the game to our list. It is statistical rate of total winnings divided by the total amount of money invested. The Player Payback Rate, also known as the expected return or casino payout rate, is an average percentage of the casinos payout to players in the same online or land-based casino.
How to find the right casino games for yourself?
How to pick your ideal casino game up? This is the question you should ask yourself in case you want to enjoy future gaming time. Indeed, this decision will determine the conditions under which you will play. The issues that should be taken into account relate to game quality, reliability and integrity.
Before you start entertaining yourself at a gambling establishment, we suggest you to set up a budget and stick to it no matter what the situation is. You should also establish loss and win limits that can not be exceeded under any circumstances. This allows you to reduce the risk to play to pieces. And while it’s true that luck plays a big part in the success of your casino gaming sessions, there are several questions you should keep in mind in order to increase your level of play or boost your chances for winning.
- Why should I pick a game up? To win, it is not enough to know the rules of the game. It is important to be a strategist and psychologist. Know your strengths and weaknesses. The combination of personal qualities and abilities will help you to find the right game, the outcome of which will depend entirely on you.
- What should I consider before making a choice? Find out what type of players you belong to: strategist or lucky player. Pay attention to games that require control skills or where winning is more likely to depend on luck.
- What about Poker? To win big money in poker you need to spend a lot of time, do a cold calculation, make a lot of passes and apply your psychological tactics.
- What kind of game will boost the adrenaline? Of course blackjack! The game is suitable for those who like pure gambling. The pleasure is achieved through emotional contact with the other players or the dealer.
- Maybe should I choose a roulette? Three types of game, two zeros, one win. You can choose Roulette if you know the rules and are ready to watch the ball take up the field with your number.
- Everyone’s talking about baccarat. What should I know about it? If you are ready to trust in the will of chance, choose Baccarat, because there is no need to play a tactical combination during this game.
- Are there still slot machines? Of course, this is the best option for those who do not want to go into the rules of card games, as well as for those who want to spend time alone with themselves and perhaps to hit the jackpots.
It’s still hard for me to make a choice. What’s your advice?
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- Play only if you feel you are at your full potential. You should not bet when you feel tired or ill.
- Choose the games with a high payout rate.
- Gamble from your mobile phone for greater comfort and an exciting experience from your tablet or smartphone.
- Ask for promotional offers whenever you have the opportunity to increase your initial capital in order to bet big and have the chance to pocket impressive amounts of money.
Free SA casino games vs. Real money games
In South Africa, online gambling is becoming increasingly in demand on the Internet. Therefore, companies responsible for creating its entertainment products do not hesitate to provide Internet users with a platform on which they can find their happiness. Let’s consider the main distinctions between free mode and game for real money, and why the most successful among south african players are the last one.
Real Money Games
- By making a deposit you get full access to your favorite game, special game conditions and generous gifts from the casino.
- No matter what time you decide to play and how you decide to play, and how much you are willing to spend.
- In the online casino you will find the countless number of games for all tastes.
- You can receive special offers depend on quantity and the amount of your deposits. So it can increase your winnings significantly.
Free Games
- By playing for free you don’t have to spend your money. Usually developers provide a demo version of the game, but with limited functionality.
- You play whenever you want, wherever you want. Available on your PC or mobile phone, free games are always there.
- Free casino games are the best way to learn. They help you discover your favorite games, build a game strategy and improve your skills.
- They are available to everyone, from beginners to regulars. It is even recommended that you play them from time to time to keep your hand on the pulse and discover new tricks.
Casino Games Bonuses
We can split the bonuses into two types. In the first case, the bonus is free and the player is not required to do anything special before receiving it. This applies to registration bonuses, random bonuses issued daily, weekly or monthly. In the second case, the bonus is awarded if the gambler performs a predetermined action. This applies to deposit bonuses, referral bonuses and game bonuses. We want to make stress on the most important ones.
The welcome bonus is credited as soon as the player creates an account on the gaming platform. It is not necessary for the player to play or make a deposit before receiving it. The amount of this bonus can be 100% of your deposit or even more. This is a common offer to encourage people to sign-up in the casino or on mobile gaming platforms, to encourage players to use the mobile versions of online casinos for their entertainment moments.
Free spins – a special form of bonus, a gift from the house for new and returning players alike. The are often offered by online casinos during the registration process instead of or in addition to the welcome bonus. Unlike the classic bonuses, which are expressed as a percentage or in real money, this is about trying your luck and playing for free with 10, 50 or even 200 spins. These bonuses apply mainly to slot machines and sometimes to video poker games. It comes in several versions, since free spins can be matched with single-line or multi-line free spins on the machine in question, depending on the casino’s promotional offer. Free spins are sometimes offered to players for birthdays, special occasions or holidays.
No deposit bonuses. They are very popular with players because you can get them without spending your money but with big chances to win and hit the jackpots. All you have to do is to sign up and try the game for free.
The Match bonus is determined precisely according to the amount deposited and very similar to welcome bonus. Casinos give this type of bonus to their users in order to encourage them to fund their account and extend their game.
Best online casino games developers in South Africa
No matter how many developers are in the field of electronic games, each of them is recognizable by its little touch, which is not similar to any other. Among the long list of well-known and little-known names, we are very careful in selecting developers considering their game catalogs, RTP, proposed topics or game volatility and highlight the following:
International Game Technology is a pioneer in online casino games, released in the late 1950s! Making a name for itself in terrestrial establishments, IGT took the initiative to transfer its slot machines business to virtual versions and board games that have achieved their success. Today IGT provides a big library with more than two hundred games including Slots, Bingo and many other board games. White Orchid or da Vinci Diamonds remain the most popular games of this developer.
NetEnt : The name that can not be ignored since 1996, and which stands behind the most adventurous and exciting games in the world of online casinos in terms of graphics, sound animation and reliability. The proof of the high quality of its services is that Net Entertainment has a number of licenses and accreditations. Gonzos Quest and Mega Fortune are still big favorites among gamblers.
As the undisputed leader in the world of online gaming since 1994, Microgaming constantly evolves according to preferences and trends without ever disappointing its audience. Its games can be in a downloadable version or in the flash version, both are equivalent in quality. Microgaming knows how to perfectly secure its customers by choosing only reliable casinos to host their games. For the last years over 300 games have been created by this giant while its first games like The Terminator or Jurassic Park are still very popular with players.
Playtech is one of the publishers with a rich history. Since 2000 it has been an integral part of gambling landscape for so long, it is obvious that operators are counting on it to expand their offers and provide quality games to all their players. What’s more, Playtech is a developer who knows how to adapt and evolve over time, and who adheres to trends perfectly. It adapts all of its games for flash or mobile use. Every year 50 new games are added to the developer library, as well as many 3D versions. The most popular games are Wild Viking and The Incredible Hulk.
History of the Casino Games.
Casino games have always existed in one form or another. This is evidenced by the fact that over 2000 years ago the Romans rolled the first dices made of bone, wood or pig nails, called bones. Other evidence of existence of gambling in ancient times is the manuscript found in China and dated 23rd century B.C. And also wall drawings containing signs of gambling were found inside one of pyramids of Egypt. At the end of the 11th century Muslim principalities were attacked by Christians, but in Syria the castle resisted the invaders, and as the siege continued, the soldiers of the Crusaders invented a game of dice to kill the time they named after the castle: El-Azar. This is how the word “chance” was born, which still means “dice game” in Arabic today. The first public gambling establishment called “Casa” was founded in 1626 in Venice, Italy. But after many scandals, it was closed because gambling was illegal. All those mentioned above didn’t stop the gambling industry as such. The interest of players around the world to gambling was growing, so in this or that part of the world new casinos were constantly built or closed, the supervisory bodies were gathered and the legislation was issued. So the development of technology in the 2000s followed our desire to have access to advanced forms of entertainment. Although gambling existed on computers before the network, the ability to play virtual casino games for real money anywhere has appeared relatively recently. Online gambling casinos have joined an industry that includes large amount of money and millions of players around the world. Along with gambling, derivatives such as online banking systems have developed as a result of the need for advanced and secure electronic payment services. Since the introduction of the original online casino concept in 1996, the concept of online gambling has become increasingly popular in many places around the world. Since then, online casinos have become one of the fastest growing industries in the world, with new games and casinos appearing every month. Despite all the restrictions and taxes, gambling has always been, is and will be one of the favourite ways of entertainment.
Our summary on the best offline casino games and its online versions in South Africa
The Casino Games Guide was created by a group of passionate players to lead you to the famous online casino games. We are constantly monitoring changes and innovations in casino games around the world and directly in South Africa. We collect all the information, check for reliability, conduct our own investigations, collect feedback and directly contact the developers. Our mission is to make your stay on our platform as enjoyable and useful as possible. We have provided you with all the necessary information about games that you may like and its peculiarities. In order to make our reviews trustworthy, we have described all our criteria and factors that we take into consideration while testing the casino games. We have listed data regarding games which you can play without downloading, demo mode or the games where you can make deposits. We stressed on the world of game providers and theirs solutions, new products and well-known games. In order to guide you better, we have evaluated south african casino games market and have created the list of the most reliable games offered by different gambling sites. In addition, these ratings also include gaming tips, the player feedbacks and rating to show you the latest creations from the games suppliers. You’ll discover the best in terms of casino games and you won’t miss the best!
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To conclude, we would like to stress once again on the importance of your game choice. We have tried to give you step-by-step instructions on how to start, what to consider at first, which steps to take and how to determine the quality of the game itself. We want your game session to be flawless, safe and secure. Therefore, we always present only honest and independent information about the games and providers. Choose games with a good rating that you can trust and, be sure they are already in our list.
Frequently asked questions on casino games South Africa
Can I play casino games in national currency?
Yes, in general, casinos that accept South African gamblers also accept money in Rand. In order to check this information, always read payment section in the terms and conditions on the provider’s site. The option to deposit or withdraw funds in ZAR will speed up the game process itself, help save your winnings from conversion and save your time. Also, we recommend to check if special bonuses are given to your account for using national currency and is it useful. Think about how much you can receive if you open an account in a foreign currency.
Which payment variants are the most used by South Africans in game casinos?
By choosing games at those casinos that accept South African players, you will have access to proven and secure payment options in local ZAR currency. Most users prefer to withdraw funds to their credit card or to replenish their account with an electronic wallet. You always have a choice of payment options like Skrill, Neteller, ecoPayz and many others that are convenient for you. Always check this information on the operator’s website so that you do not experience a delay in payment or the need to pay additional fees.
What should I do to start playing casino game?
You should follow the step-by-step guidance below:
- Read the rules;
- Find the game;
- Examine the reviews of other players before selecting the game.
- Play for free to practice before taking money;
- Find the most attractive offers;
- Make deposit;
- Enjoy your game!