The Current State of Gambling in South Africa

South Africa is an African country with the largest gambling industry. This is as a result of the diverse gaming activities that are available for gambling. There are a variety of forms of gambling that are legal in South Africa.

These include sports betting, horse racing, Land-based casinos, lotteries, and Bingo. Each of these forms has different categories of games and activities. For instance, a casino hosts slots and table games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Poker, and many more. This diversity suits the gaming needs of the large gaming community which is 1.3% of the total population.

Besides the gambling activities taking place in physical casinos, there are numerous online gaming sites for the country’s gaming community. Online gambling is generally illegal, although there are licensed bookies that are allowed to operate. The Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board that oversees sports betting, casinos, and horse racing is one of the 21 legal bookies operating in South Africa. That said, let’s delve into the specific activities.

Horse Racing

Horse racing is one of the oldest legal forms of Gambling in South Africa. Currently, this industry has grown into multi-million dollars. This is because racing is more famous amongst the elite and rich segment of the country’s population. The good news is, anyone with the knowledge or willingness to learn is more than welcome to place a wager on a horse race. As they say, a delay is not denial! Horse racing events have been delayed since March this year, however, these events have resumed and most are set to kick off in June. This happened amidst fears of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Gamers can now buckle up to enjoy their races whilewinning by following on the horse races. There are a couple of races that resumed since the 2nd of May in the Western Cape. Now the Vodacom Durban July will take place as previously planned on the last Saturday of July.

Sports Betting

The most famous sport is football. Football lovers can now breathe a sigh relief as most local and international football matches have resumed. Although the usual crowded stadiums are empty, football matches are still taking place. Both physical matches and virtual games available online provided by bookmakers. This has ensured that the needs of gamers are met. Most of the punters can bet without any worry and enjoy the development of matches from home on their TV screens, smartphones, and laptops. Football matches are taking place daily and a limitless edition of virtual games is available for betting any time of the day. Players are required to take mandatory body temperature checks before entering the stadium to keep the novel virus at bay.

Casino Gambling

Casinos offer a variety of video game slots and table games. Online casinos have stood the test of time during the pandemic. This is because gamers have been playing their favorite games online from the comfort of their homes while staying safe. The countrywide lockdown meant even the segment of the population unable to play because of daily work schedules had more than enough time to play. Online casinos are more like the land-based casinos but available at the palm of your hands at any time of the day. The free playing guides offered by these casinos suite the new players seeking to replace the void created by social distancing and the lockdown.

Bookmakers have had to find new ways to provide gaming services to gamblers by introducing virtual casino games, horse races, and football matches during that short period during which most activities were canceled.

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