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Playing Poker Online in South Africa: What to Expect
If you wish to play online poker in South Africa for real money, you can do it via offshore websites since there are no locally licensed platforms in the country. We reviewed dozens of platforms and created a list of the top poker sites for local poker players to single out the safest and most reliable options.
Popular sites for South African poker players
While offshore poker websites may accept South African players, engaging in online poker on them is not explicitly legalized under the law. The least you can do is reduce the risk of landing on a shady site by choosing a poker room you can trust. Our team has already selected for you the best options available to players from South Africa. You can check them here.
| Rank | Poker Site | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Best online poker site in South Africa | GGPoker | 100% up to $600 |
| ✅ Best rakeback | ACR Poker | 100% up to $2,000 |
| ✅ Crypto accepted | CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 |
| ✅ Best tournaments | WPT Global | 100% up to $3,000 |
| ✅ Top bonuses | Phenom Poker | 150% up to $3,000 |
GGPoker - best ZA poker site
GGPoker is the world's largest online poker site, with 24/7 action across all games and stakes.
Hundreds of cash tables are available for South African players, featuring Texas Hold'em, Omaha (PLO, PLO5), and Short Deck. In addition to regular 6-max, the game also features Rush & Cash, All-In or Fold, and 9-max formats. GGPoker's tournament schedule is one of the largest, including the iconic WSOP Online series.
Newcomers can take advantage of a 100% welcome bonus up to $600 or $100 in tickets. Regular players receive up to 60% rakeback in the Fish Buffet program and compete in daily leaderboards, freerolls, and jackpots.
How do we choose best poker sites
There are a number of clear criteria that help us determine whether a platform is worthy of your attention. Here's what we consider when making our selection:
- Licensing: Since we're talking about offshore poker rooms, it's best to choose ones registered and regulated in reputable jurisdictions, such as Malta, the UK or at least Curacao.
- Background: An important indicator would be whether the poker site has been involved in any disputes or has any publicly known outstanding complaints. This can be learned, for example, from player reviews.
- Security: To check a site's security level, it's important to determine whether it has tools for responsible gaming, practices KYC checks, and uses encryption.
- Cashier: Ideally, the website would offer a wide selection of payment methods, including popular options such as bank transfers and more modern methods such as cryptocurrency or mobile payments.
- Games and traffic: Preference is given to those sites that not only have a larger selection of games, but also provide good traffic. We guarantee that you can find a table within 3-5 minutes.
An additional benefit on our list of criteria is bonuses. Some poker rooms offer better rakeback or a deposit match for newcomers.
Legal background of online poker
No, it’s not legal to play online poker within the country. According to the National Gambling Act of 2004 (and its 2010 amendment), all forms of online gambling are prohibited unless specifically licensed. By the way, this prohibition applies regardless of whether the gambling services are hosted domestically or internationally. Another words, playing on international offshore poker sites is considered a legal grey area in South Africa.
Therefore, both operators, including foreign ones, and ordinary players playing at home are technically breaking the law. Here are the examples of penalties for violating South Africa’s online gambling laws:
• A maximum fine of up to R10 million, or
• Imprisonment for up to 10 years (or both)
In practice, there are almost no cases of individual players being targeted. Enforcement has primarily focused on unlicensed operators rather than casual players, though authorities have occasionally blocked payment processing and domain access to offshore sites. However, you should closely monitor the news and consider the level of risk when playing. And of course, the state won't protect you if you have a conflict with your chosen poker room. This should encourage you to carefully select the platform on which to play.
Just to flag up, there's no legal framework for licensing online poker right now. But there have been a few attempts to get a Remote Gambling Bill passed in Parliament to regulate and tax remote gambling, including poker. The last time was in 2024, but it hasn't been passed yet.
| Type of Gambling | Is Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Online Poker Sites | ❌ Illegal (technically prohibited under 2004 Act) |
| Land-based Poker Rooms | ✅ Legal (within licensed casinos only) |
| Sports Betting | ✅ Legal |
| Casino (Land-based) | ✅ Legal |
| Online Casinos | ❌ Illegal |
| Horse Racing Betting | ✅ Legal (parimutuel betting allowed) |
| State Lottery | ✅ Legal (operated by Ithuba under license) |
| Bingo (licensed) | ✅ Legal (regulated by provincial authorities) |
Popular payment methods
With big online poker sites you commonly get a wide range of payment methods. One thing to watch is KYC / verification (“FICA” in South Africa). Also, withdrawal speeds depend heavily on the method used. Here are popular options.
| Payment method | Speed | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant EFT / Local Bank EFTs | 2–5 days | Works in ZAR, no card needed | Verification needed; some banks may block gambling transactions |
| Credit / Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard) | Instant deposit / 2–5 days withdrawal | Instant deposits; widely accepted | Banks may decline for gambling |
| Vouchers / Prepaid Codes | Instant deposit | No bank or card needed; anonymity | Usually deposit-only |
| E-wallets | Fast withdrawals | Faster transactions; more privacy; flexible | Not all sites support them; fees may apply |
| Cryptocurrency | Fast for both methods | Fast transfers; potentially lower fees; good for offshore sites | Volatility of crypto; not all sites accept it |
Live poker and legal casinos in South Africa
The situation with live poker in South Africa is more straightforward. Poker enthusiasts can join tables at brick-and-mortar casinos located throughout the country.
Unlike the online version, live poker in South Africa is legal and is offered through the country’s licensed land-based casinos. To participate in a game, you need to be at least 18 years old.
To play, you will need to visit dedicated poker rooms within major casinos, such as Sun City and Montecasino in Johannesburg. Most poker rooms offer Texas Hold’em as the most common format, but there is some variety during tournaments.
Casinos in South Africa
South Africa has more than 40 casinos. The biggest names are Sun International, Tsogo Sun (Southern Sun), and Peermont. Many of their casinos run poker games and tournaments. Here are a couple of examples of popular spots:
- Montecasino (Johannesburg). It is a busy poker room with tournaments.
- GrandWest (Cape Town). It has a big poker area with regular games.
- Suncoast (Durban). It offers cash games and events.
Emperor's Palace (Johannesburg). It stands out as a strong poker scene and holds many tournaments.
Unfortunately, poker isn't the highlight of these casinos. They focus more on other table games or slot machines. What's good is that if you play for fun, your winnings are usually not taxed. However, if gambling is your main income, the tax office may treat it differently.
Famous players from South Africa
TOP 5 (by live tournament winnings):
- Raymond Rahme — $3.5M+
- Jarred Solomon — $2M+
- Ahmed Karrim — $1,7M+
- Giovanni Zanette — $1,4M+
- Darren Kramer — $1,4M+
Raymond Rahme is a South African businessman who discovered poker in retirement. In 2007, he qualified for the All Africa Poker live tournament by winning an online satellite. He finished fourth and received a package to the WSOP Main Event.
The Las Vegas tournament was only the second live poker event of his career, but that didn't stop him from finishing third and winning $3,048,025!
All the other top players in South Africa are professionals who actively compete in local series and at the WSOP. With the exception of Darren Kramer, everyone earned their best payouts in World Series of Poker tournaments.
Giovanni Zanette earned the largest cash of $300,000 for finishing 33rd in the 2024 WSOP Main Event.
Conclusion
Online poker is banned and not properly regulated in South Africa. This means players access offshore sites but play illegally. While you can play at licensed land-based casinos, if you prefer online gambling, you'll need to find a reputable offshore platform. It’s best to use one from the list that we’ve prepared for you.
Responsible gambling
As live casino is available in the country, and the necessity for help with the gambling addiction is evident, several organisations can help. The main one is the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation.
It administers the NRGP and provides help in various ways. To reach them, you can call the toll-free helpline 0800 006 008, or send a WhatsApp or SMS to 076 675 0710. You can also find the email or simply visit the SAGF site.
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