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Gambling and gaming in South Africa has been restricted since 1673, with the 1965 Gambling Act officially banning all types of gambling except placing bets on horse racing that existed as the main sporting activity in the country.

In the 1970s, casino gaming venues started operating in various parts of the country, including Ciskei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Transkei. Only native South Africans who lived in these areas were able to access casino games and place wagers. In 1995, approximately 2000 illegal casinos were operating in the country. And when the democratic government came to power in 1994, all types of gambling were legalised.

In 1996, the National Gambling Act established a system of a single national lottery and licensed South African online casinos. The 1996 Gambling Act also made provisions for the regulations of betting activities and promotion of uniform standards and norms in relation to online gambling across the country. Also, it established the National Gambling Board, a government-controlled organisation responsible for the regulation and supervision of the South African gambling industry.

This change saw the establishment of legal casinos and the rise of gambling in South Africa. But why are online casinos in South Africa not as popular as sports betting? Below are the reasons why sports betting is popular in South Africa than online casinos.

Great Liking for Sports

Many South Africans love sports. Rugby has got the largest number of fans, followed by football and then other sports like hockey, cricket, basketball, boxing, tennis, motorcycling races and horse racing. Gamblers from South Africa support both local, national and international rugby and football leagues. They support rugby and football leagues and competitions from Europe, which provide them with lots of markets to place bets on.

In most cases, they place bets on the results of matches, goal scorers, double chance and the number of goals. It’s this liking for different sports that contributes massively to the rise of sports betting in the country.

Amazing Sports Betting Bonuses and Promotions

When you consider the bonuses and promotions that sportsbooks offer to those of South African online casinos, you will notice that they are more generous and lucrative. Punters from South Africa recognise that generous and lucrative bonuses and promotions come in handy in boosting betting profits.

These bonuses include both welcome offers and ongoing promotions for existing players. In most cases, South African punters will find free bets that they can use on their favourite sports and markets. Generous and lucrative welcome bonuses also attract many new players, who continue to place bets on sports after using their free bets, making sports betting more and more popular.

Sports Bets Are More Straightforward and Simple to Place

Players from South Africa find it easy to place sports bets than play real money online casinos. With sports, they just need to pick their favourite sportsbooks, build their bet slip and then place their wager.

When it comes to casino games, some of them need skills and strategies in order to place bets and win. Also, there are many different types of games that players need to choose their favourite ones from, which is a difficult process. Due to the simplicity and straightforwardness of sports bets, many South African players prefer placing bets on sports to online casino games.

Final Thoughts

There’s sufficient proof to suggest that sports betting in South Africa is popular, and it will only continue to grow. Punters will continue to enjoy the offers and bonuses that top bookies offer. If you have been betting on sports and you want to try out a different form of gambling, then there are lots of top South African online casinos to sign up with.