Traditionally, online gambling in South Africa has been a treacherous affair, due to unclear legislation around who and and cannot operate an online casino. At the same time, authorities allowed online casino providers to thrive in the country as long as they did not provide their games to the South African gambler. As history shows, if an industry is badly regulated or there are unclear laws around it, a black market soon starts to prosper, which only benefits a few people for a short time. Only recently has the market started opening up legally which allowed for European-based online casino operators to start entering the South African market and offering to accept bets and pay out winnings in South African Rand (ZAR).
Now that the South African market is finally, but slowly opening up legally, the online casinos are facing the problem of how to market to a traditionally sceptical South African gambler that may have been tainted by unscrupulous gambling operators for the past 20 years. The objective should now be to empower the player with sufficient means to successfully evaluate and choose a casino that he or she should like to forge a long-term relationship with. Teach people how to fish. This article will aim to demystify some of the factors that make a good online casino so that players can easily identify and find a South African real-money online casino to sign up with and safely deposit his money.
Online casino licensing
The licensing of the online casino is one of the most important factors to consider. The player should look for evidence that the online casino has gone through the trouble and cost to attain an online operating license from a reputable and well-known regulatory authority. This license should be publicly visible on the casino's website and not hidden behind a login or buried in reams of terms and conditions. Whereas any casino can slap some vague licensing information on his web page, the player needs to take it on himself to investigate the various licensing options that online casinos use. Look at the licensing authority's website to see what aspects of the casino's operations are all regulated and to what extent.
Together with the licensing information on the online casino, there should also be some investigation down into the licensing credentials of the companies that supply the online casino with its games. A quick look at the games section of the online casino will reveal who the casinos are and where to find their licensing information. Players should look for credibility together with experience. As both these factors only come with time, the casino games provider's longevity should also be looked at to provide and idea of how long he has been in the game (pardon the pun). For both the casino and the provider, the important 'Established in ...' phrase will provide evidence of how long that have been in operation.
The casino's games
There is only one reason why a South African online gambler would sign up with a legit casino, and that is to play casino games. Any online casino worth its salt will know this and if there is not a substantial amount of online games on offer through a wide variety of game suppliers, then players should swiftly swipe left. The game selection should definitely cater for slot games as they are the most popular online games in South Africa. But casinos need to also bear in mind that not every payer is a slot jockey and that the selection of table games and live dealer games on offer should also be substantial. It is all about choice for the player.
Furthermore the game information published along with these games should also provide technical information to the players so that they can see what the games are about before playing. Information such as pay tables, number of reels, way pays etc should be shown but also more technical information around the return to player and the game's volatility information. If the casino also offers the opportunity of the player to play the games without having to make a deposit first, then this shows transparency on the part of the casino ad its provider and that they have nothing to hide. Players should also consult player forums for other players' insights into a casino and its games if they are still unsure.
Other factors to look at
Other factors to look at before playing at online casinos in South Africa for real money is the financial support and processes of the online casino. Players should be able to transact with the casino in the currency (and frankly the language) of their choice, to wit: ZAR, and be able to make Rand-based deposits via a deposit method of their choice. The casino should offer that player a choice of payment methods which are popular in South Africa. These should range from credit and debit cards, through the most popular web wallets through to EFT options. Players shoud interrogate the financial and payment terms and conditions so that they can be sure that all their needs are catered for.
The most important payment consideration is the funds withdrawal process as it is important for players to be able to quickly withdrawal any winnings that they might have enjoyed while playing the games. This is typically the cause of the most disputes for the players as casinos can attach ridiculous withdrawal limits and fees to this process. The best option for the players is to be allowed to withdraw any funds straight back to the payment method that was used to deposit funds in the first place. This should be stipulated in the terms and conditions but when in doubt, do not hesitate to contact the casino support to find out these details. While you are at it, you can also evaluate the support channels.
Finding a real money South African online casino
We have seen the importance of of players investigating the licensing option of a casino first before deciding to play for real money. Now that the South African online gambling market is opening up for European casinos to take ZAR-based bets, players need to educate themselves to identify legitimate money casinos before making deposits. They should also investigate and lean about the game providers to that online casino. Transparent game providers should display the relevant game information prominently so that layers can make informed choices on games before they commit real money. The number and variety of games on offer should also indicate the intent of the casino to provide continues entertainment to its players. The frequency of new game releases is also an indicator.
After vetting the all important financial processes of deposits and withdrawals the players should have an idea of how the casino will treat its players. This can be confirmed by giving the customer support channels and staff a run for their money before the player runs his own money. The availability, friendly ness and knowledge of the customer support staff will be a sure indicator of how players will be treated one they are playing for real. Playing the free-play option of the casino can unearth many hidden operational gems for the player before any financial commitment from his side. After you put the casino through its paces, you can take the 'real play' step with confidence and enjoy the best entertainment.
