With so much going on in the world, a greater number of people than ever before are looking for ways to find a little enjoyment in life. Unfortunately, with a global pandemic, there aren’t really very many places to go where you aren’t in danger of being exposed to the coronavirus. As a result, more and more people are seeking a bit of entertainment online. Many want to try their hand at casino gambling, maybe for the first time in their lives.
If this is you, and you are wondering what it would be like gambling with real money online, there are some things you really should know.
1. Is Online Gambling with Real Money Legal?
This is a question many people ask because there is a great deal of misunderstanding in regards to the laws surrounding gambling, and online gambling in particular. If you are asking whether or not online gambling with real money is legal in South Africa, there is a short answer. You will not like, but there is a long answer that makes it much more interesting. In 2010, the National Gambling Board set into motion legislation that was quite clear on the matter. The short answer is that online gambling is strictly prohibited in South Africa. However, the long answer is what you should be looking at.
Gambling with real money online falls within a sort of grey area, which may be harder to understand, but it’s much more acceptable to those who want to place a wager or two from time to time. The gist of the matter is that anyone operating or betting in an online casino in South Africa is breaking the law and subject to a fine. But even that is a bit elastic in that gamblers are not being prosecuted at the moment. Also, there are some online gambling sites that seemed to be recognised as “acceptable” by the NGB.
This has yet to be determined with 100% accuracy, but many reviewers and online casinos have cited several online gambling websites that seem to have fallen through the cracks. With this in mind, you should know that the online casino industry is huge in South Africa so you can make your own determination on what you feel is right for you. Winning a tidy little (or big) jackpot is always a nice feeling, so that is one of the reasons why so many people seek out those online gambling sites that haven’t been targeted by the NGB.
2. How to Choose an Online Casino
A site like Online Casino Reviews will help you compare and contrast a plethora of casinos when you are considering gambling with realmoney. They list the tops casinos in South Africa as well as looking at such things as:
- Safety and security
- Customer service
- Initial deposits
- Bonus terms and conditions
Each of those should be self-explanatory to a certain degree, but number one may be what you want to focus on in the very beginning. Does the casino you are interested in have the latest technology to ensure that your financial transactions will be safe from interception? Bear in mind, there are altogether too many nefarious characters out there who make it their business to interfere with yours and this includes hacking your communications and literally stealing your money. For your safety, make absolutely certain that the casino you intend to visit online will have state of the art cyber security in place.
3. Read Several Reviews
After you have determined the parameters through which a review site ranks various casinos, it’s time to start reading what other people are saying. If any of those abovementioned categories fall short, it’s time to move on to the next casino being reviewed. Also, don’t stop at just one casino; read several reviews from several casinos before choosing where to put your initial deposit. You may want to see what people are saying about customer service as well. There will be times when you will have questions about the state of your deposit and/or a pay-out you are expecting, so you will want to know that they have a customer service team that can be reached when needed and who will have the answers you need for your peace of mind.
A Final Word on Understanding Pay-outs
This is another area that can cause a great deal of confusion. It goes hand in hand with wondering whether or not an online casino will accept the South African Rand as your initial deposit. Rest assured that the majority of online casinos make it easy for you to make a deposit in your currency from almost anywhere on earth. The one thing that many people don’t understand is that there will usually be a fee for conversion of currencies. That will be assessed every time you make a deposit as well as every time a pay-out is transferred back to you. Are all fees standardised from casino to casino? That would be something you’d need to research when checking out casinos that have the games you want to play.
Another point which any reputable casino will make is in terms of understanding that gambling can be an addiction. This is one of the main reasons why the NGB and so many other legal bodies around the world have outlawed gambling in many respects. There also seems to be a concern that gambling attracts organised crime. Perhaps this is, or was, the case with brick-and-mortar gambling casinos, but online casinos don’t seem to have the same attraction that land-based casinos have. With all this being said, you can rest assured that there is a casino for you that will have the games you want to play and terms and conditions you are comfortable with. Just get online and read those reviews. That exciting and long-anticipated spin of the wheel is just a step away.