Best Online Poker Sites In South Africa 2023
When it comes to the best poker sites in South Africa, there are two possibilities for players: play for free poker or join up to play for real money at South African poker sites. Both choices have advantages and disadvantages, but if you want the experience in South Africa, you must play for local cash. Then you’ve decided to play for real money. What strategies can you use to win at real money poker sites? Where would you be able to play legally and safely? Read on to get answers to all of your real money online poker site questions from our team of South African professionals!
We’ve selected the most dependable online poker sites available today so you can choose which one to trust the next time you want to shuffle up and deal.
List: Most Recommended Poker Sites in South Africa October 2023
What Is Online Poker and How Does It Work?
In South Africa, online poker is a popular game with excellent odds of winning. Online poker South Africa is a card game played over the internet in which the player with the best card hand wins. When you join a poker online table, you’ll be paired with an online poker casino program that acts as a substitute for a casino dealer.
Online poker rooms, like any casino in South Africa, bring together a group of people who want to play for similar stakes. Leading online poker rooms to work very hard to monitor for collusion, and also banning different accounts using the same IP addresses, known open proxy servers, and so on, because they are more vulnerable to fraud, such as single-player operating multiple accounts.
In this regard, internet poker rooms in South Africa differs significantly from their offline counterpart. It places a greater emphasis on observing the betting patterns of other players and making judgments based on that information.
History of Poker
Sports betting has a long history and was prohibited in South Africa since the late 1600s. Then, in 1965, all types of gambling were outlawed, except horse racing betting. Many casinos arose in the Bantustans, which were homeland territories created as a result of apartheid, in the 1970s. A system of licensed casinos and an official national lottery had been established by 1996.
Other forms of gambling were popular in this country. Nearly 28% of South Africans play slot machines, 23% buy scratch cards, and 11.5 per cent gamble on horse racing. Just about ten per cent of those polled stated they had never gambled.
Guide: Finding The Best Online Poker Sites in South Africa
How We Rate and Review The Best Online Poker Sites
Playing online poker should be hassle-free. Every poker site in South Africa that wants to be approved by our professional staff must have the following qualities: 100% Safe and Secure, It must be generous and provide the best poker rooms, it must use flawless software, it must be mobile-friendly, it must offer a diverse range of payment options and good customer service.
Safety and Security
An Online casino or Poker site must be prepared to prevent security breaches and ensure that players’ sensitive data is protected in today’s world. As a result, we only play at poker sites that are regulated by reputable organizations like the MGA, UKGC, Curacao, Panama, and others.
Generous Poker Bonuses
For South African players, every poker site and online casino on my list offers a variety of bonuses and promos. The most lucrative bonuses are welcome bonuses, but be sure to look through the whole promotions site as there may be some other worthwhile offers for you.
Fast And Easy Payment Transactions
One of the aspects for all types of existing players is the ability to make simple, rapid, and secure payments and withdrawals. Our suggested poker sites include a variety of deposit and withdrawal options, the majority of which are commonly utilized by South Africans.
Complete Game Variations
Why is it necessary for a poker site to have a diverse game selection? Because the more options you have, the more likely you are to locate the ideal poker table — one that meets both your playing tastes and your financial constraints. The most popular poker games are available on our selected sites.
Customer Service
When looking for an online poker site, we constantly keep an eye out for responsive customer service. You must have someone to help you if something goes wrong. If your payment transaction goes wrong or you need assistance registering, please contact us. The majority of the time, these are trivial concerns that can be readily resolved by the customer care personnel.
Mobile Compatibility
Almost all poker room nowadays has a cutting-edge mobile-friendly site. However, not all of them are created equal. With our mobile-friendly poker sites and specialized poker applications, professional poker players can enjoy poker games and the newest promos from any connected mobile device, such as a tablet or smartphone, at any time and from anywhere.
User Interface
Playing poker online isn’t the same as playing at a brick-and-mortar establishment. Even if you’re playing against actual, human opponents in real-time, your poker client may experience lag. It’s also possible that the platform will freeze when you’re multi-tabbing. And believe me, there’s nothing more aggravating than experiencing performance issues during a high-stakes poker game. Top online poker sites should be user-friendly for these reasons.
Basic Rules of Poker
Poker is such a diversified game, a poker player must grasp the fundamental Poker Rules to have a better understanding to play poker online. According to fundamental Poker Rules, the game is played using a conventional 52-card deck divided into four suits, each having thirteen different sorts of cards ranked from highest to lowest.
A game must begin with a player placing an initial wager in a community pool or pot. After the cards are dealt, players can opt to increase their initial stake by adding more chips to the pot, or they can fold and discard their cards. The winning player with the best potential five-card hand will be revealed at the end of the betting round.
Pros&Cons: Online Poker
Playing online poker could seem the most natural thing in the world, or it might seem contradictory. Examine the benefits and drawbacks of playing online poker.Pros
- Less costly.
- You can play online poker whenever and wherever you have an online connection.
- You have a broader selection of tables or a poker room to choose from.
- Rakeback and online poker bonuses are also available to you.
Cons
- You can't see the other players' tells because you're not seated across from them.
- On the internet, the action might move faster.
- Online poker has the potential to become addicting.
- Interaction is being lost.
Poker Game Types and Variations
When people ask if you play poker nowadays, they’re usually referring to Texas Hold’Em, a game that’s grown in popularity in recent years thanks to the World Series of Poker and films like “Rounders.” However, there are many different forms of poker used in tournaments, the most common of which are stud, draw, and community card games. We have prepared a comprehensive guide to give you a guide on different types of poker games, their other features, and ways for real money poker.
Texas Hold’em
In today’s South Africa, Texas Hold’Em is the most popular poker game. In Texas Hold ‘Em, players are dealt two “pocket” or “hole” cards and must then wait for the reveal of five community cards. Betting occurs in four stages: A first three public cards were shown, the fourth public card was disclosed, and indeed the fifth public card was flipped after the hole cards were dealt.
Ohama
Omaha is a variant of Hold’Em that can be played with two to ten players at a time. There are four rounds of betting in this game, however, unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, each player is dealt four hole cards and the five community cards are shown right away.
5 Card Draw
Players get handed five cards, after everyone has paid their blinds, each player is handed five cards face down. Following that, there will be a betting round. If more than one participant survives the first round of betting, the first round of drawing begins. Each active participant selects the number of cards to discard and replace with new cards from the deck.
Razz Poker
Razz is a type of Stud Poker in which players attempt to make the smallest possible hand. Straights and flushes do not count against making a low hand in this game’s rating system. Furthermore, in this game, aces count as a low card, hence the lowest/best hand imaginable is A-2-3-4-5.
Seven Card Stud Poker
In a seven-card stud, it’s the finest potential starting hand, although you should normally play it quickly. You can bet whether you’re the first one in with it. You should raise if someone has already bet. You should re-raise if there has been a bet and a raise.
Video Poker Online
One of the most famous online casino games among gamblers is real money video poker. It not only gives you many possibilities to win money, but it also allows players to play poker at their own pace and in a way that suits them.
Poker Hand Rankings
Every hand does have a rank, that is compared to the ranks of the other hands in the clash to determine who takes home the prize.
- Royal Flush: The suits A, K, Q, J, and 10 are all the same.
- Straight Flush: A series of five cards in the same suit.
- Four Of A Kind: Each of the four cards is of the same rank.
- Full House: With a pair, you have three of a kind.
- Flush: Any five cards from the same suit, but not in any particular order.
- Straight: Five cards in a row, however, they aren’t all of the same suits.
- Three Of A Kind: Three cards that are all of the same ranks.
- Two Pair: There are two different pairs.
- Pair: There are two cards with the same rank.
- High Card: When you don’t have any of the above hands, the top card is used.
Poker Vocabulary
The vocabulary used in the card game of poker is listed below. It is intended to be used in connection with the vocabulary of card game words.
- Action: relates to a pot that’s been bet a lot of times.
- All-In: The act of betting your entire bankroll on a single hand.
- Bad Beat: meaning terrible luck.
- Bluff: gamble made with a hand that isn’t considered to be the finest.
- Call: A bet that is the same amount as the previous bet.
- Check: Not to bet without first folding.
- Community Cards: The cards that are shared by all players in the centre of the table.
- Early Position: Players who take the initial action are said to be in an “early position.”
- Fold: Within a hand, you must forfeit all bets and surrender your cards.
- Position: the order in which the players sit at the table
Online Poker Bonus Types
You could be inexperienced with online poker bonuses if you’ve never worked with poker sites or poker games previously. A poker bonus is essentially a perk, advantage, or discount that online cash games may provide you with to play poker online. The goal of a poker bonus is to entice you to play on their site.
Welcome Bonus
The "poker welcome bonus," which is usually a "deposit match," is the most common. All you have to do is sign up for an online poker site and create a new account. As you play, the site will match your initial investment and pay you an amount equivalent to it.
No Deposit Bonus
If you've ever visited a casino's homepage, you've almost certainly been offered real cash to play online poker with or free poker hands. We tend to take these offerings for granted since they are so regular.
Reload Bonus
A welcome bonus gets you in the door, a refer a friend bonus gets the site new clients, and a reload bonus ensures that once everyone is in the door, they remain playing. The reload bonus is given to gamers that keep their online real money gaming account active.
Deposit Match Bonus
Deposit bonuses operate by requiring you to make a minimum deposit on a website. The site's rules will determine how much bonus money you will receive. For example, you may deposit $50 and receive a 100% match bonus, giving you $100 to play with.
No Wagering Requirements Bonus
At no wagering casinos, you can take advantage of a bonus's high value without having to worry about meeting the bonus's high wagering requirements. Many online casinos in the United States provide bonuses with low or no wagering requirements. You gain greater value from the deal because you don't have to spend as much money to clear the bonus with these.
Online Poker Payment Methods
You’ve played so many home poker games but now it’s time to play online poker for real money. The only thing you need to think about is how to do secure deposits into your online poker account. The most common online poker banking options, as well as the finest sites to use them, are listed here.
Credit/Debit Cards
Like bank transfers, every poker site will accept deposits directly from a major credit or debit card. The funds will be deducted from your card and made available for online gaming virtually instantly. There are no additional fees imposed for Visa or Mastercard poker deposits, as there are for most online transactions; nevertheless, withdrawals may be different.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid card poker payment is mostly available in South Africa, and it works in the same way as other online poker transactions using Visa or Mastercard. Unless the poker site clearly states otherwise, there are normally no additional deposit fees.
E-Wallets
PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill are three of the most widely used money-transfer and payment services, with PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill being accepted by practically every major online operator. It’s one of the fastest, safest, and freeways to fund and withdraw funds from online games. In most cases, the best online casinos will not charge you an additional fee for using E-Wallets.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrencies have been all over the news in recent years, both in the tech industry and in the mainstream media. It’s also made inroads into online poker, with a few crypto poker sites up and running, as well as an increasing number of mainstream online casinos accepting crypto as a deposit option.
Mobile Wallets
Because mobile wallets poker payments employ a pay-by-phone technology, all you need to deposit money to your poker site is a phone and a phone number. This is another intermediary – a wallet from which you can fund your poker account. SMS will be used to authorize transactions.
Legislation & Regulations Regarding Online Poker in South Africa
South Africa, like many other countries across the world, has a mixed relationship with gambling. Currently, the government of the country allows poker and other casino games to be played in a land-based venue. Those, of course, do not even come close to meeting the enormous demand for gambling sites. The most recent and greatest choice is to use an online gaming platform. The Gaming Act of 2004 in South Africa allows for certain sorts of internet gambling. Online sports betting and online horse race betting are acceptable verticals. In contrast, online poker is still illegal in South Africa. However, the regulations are mostly enforced against unlawful businesses based in South Africa.
Start Finding the Best Online Poker Sites Today and Enjoy Playing!
Despite legislators’ best efforts to finally legalize internet poker, South Africa’s gambling rules remain unchanged. A South African who want to play online poker can do so at several top-tier poker sites throughout the world, indicating that there are still options to sample the finest of the online poker industry.
Some of these locations are listed right on this page by our expert team. That’s right, you’re only a click away from teaming forces with the world’s most prestigious poker companies.
Please play responsibly, and good luck with whichever operator you select. Start Playing!
Online Poker FAQ's
Is it legal to play poker online for real money?
The Rainbow Nation takes a strong approach to online gambling, with sports betting remaining the only legal form of online gambling. Despite the legal obstacles, there is a slew of dedicated poker players in South Africa who are willing to go to any length to discover top-notch cash games.
What is the best poker site for real money?
Safety and Security are provided by the best poker sites for real money. They are generous, use excellent software, are mobile-friendly, and provide a comprehensive game package. It must have a well-circulated traffic pattern. Provides knowledgeable customer service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and accepts a variety of payment methods.
Is it safe to play at online poker sites?
Understanding South African laws can be a difficult task at times, especially given how frequently they have changed since the new millennium began. However, any form of cash games or poker apps is regarded to be banned. Make sure you're playing on a site that has a respected license and set of rules. Your money will be much safer in this manner, and you can be assured that the poker room will follow a set of guidelines in this regard.
How do you play online poker?
To play online poker, first, locate the appropriate poker site, then click the green Join Now button to begin the registration procedure. Go to your profile and the Cashier section when you're ready to make your first deposit. Then look for bonuses on the Promotions Page for real money games.
Can I use Mobile devices at online poker?
Yes. You can play poker on your mobile device using native or web-based apps if you register with sites that are on the cutting edge of gaming technology. Playing poker on a mobile device allows you to play whenever and anywhere you choose. There are a variety of free poker apps available on GooglePlay and AppStore.
Last updated: 15. September 2022