A 2014 poll showed that more than 30% of people in Africa place sports bets daily. Times have changed since then, and online betting has taken the primate in an ever-growing industry that doesn’t show any sign of stopping.
Out of all the countries in Africa, however, South Africa has emerged as the biggest market when it comes to online betting. Sports betting has been fully legalized ever since the National Gambling Act was voted for in 1996, and it has been adjusted multiple times, with the latest adjustment in 2008 attributing it to online operators. Now, there’s a wide variety of legal South African bookmakers that offer a vast betting portfolio to their users.
But what are the advantages of legal bookies over offshore sites? In the following paragraph, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of licensed SA bookmakers and see what they have to offer over illegal offshore sites.
Security and peace of mind
As we mentioned, online betting is fully legal in South Africa as soon as a bookmaker has a valid license issued by the National Gambling Board. The number of operational bookmaker outlets that have obtained a license by 2021 is 599, and that’s the latest official report by the NGB, which means that the number has increased since then. However, there are many offshore websites that operate in the country illegally and without a license (or are licensed by an offshore governing body).
You’re not allowed to register or bet at any of these sites, and if you do it – keep in mind that you’re doing it at your own risk.
Every bookmaker that intends to obtain an NGB license must abide by the laws of the Republic of South Africa and provide fair, safe, and secure service to its customers. That means that there’s no place for foul play with legal South African bookmakers and you won’t have to worry if the operator will pay out your winnings, or even worse, experience data breaches with your sensitive information.
What’s more, there’s no tax for online betting in SA, which means that you won’t have to pay taxes on your winnings.
A diverse variety of sporting events to bet on
From the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League to the Indian Cricket League, the Rugby Championship, Top 14, and many other sports leagues and competitions, you can bet on pretty much any sport you can think of in South Africa.
Bookmakers offer odds for all the major and minor competitions and leagues for popular sports such as soccer, rugby union, cricket, tennis, and basketball, but they also offer odds for sports that don’t have as many viewers as these. For example, you can bet that home hero Brad Binder will win the next MotoGP race, or place a future bet that South Africa will win AFCON 2023.
There are endless betting varieties, accompanied by all types of bets, including:
- Moneyline bets
- Parlays (Accumulators)
- Point spreads
- Futures
- Prop bets (team and player)
- Over/Under bets (Totals)
- Live Betting
With the implementation of modern technology and live betting, you’ll never run out of options – even after the match you wanted to bet on has already started. This, alongside the thousands of betting markets available daily, makes for an outstanding betting experience.
Various Perks & Bonuses
The competition among betting operators is as fierce as ever, and each one of them tries to attract as many customers as possible. That’s the main reason why almost all South African bookmakers offer some type of bonus or promotion.
Most of them offer newcomer deals that come in the type of free bets, risk-free first bets, deposit-match bonuses, moneyback guarantee deals, and more. All you have to do is register as a new user, verify your account, and make a qualifying deposit – and you’ll be able to claim the welcome bonus.
There are different bonuses for existing users as well, which usually come in the form of boosted odds for certain matches, cashback offers, or refer-a-friend deals.
