Poker is one of the most popular card games in the world, thus there are many poker services you can choose from. As distinct from majority of gambling games poker is the game where you play against other players, not the casino. So winning in poker is less about luck and more about skills and mathematics. You also can play poker online for free to develop necessary skills. If you want to find how to define the best paying online poker casinos in South Africa read below.

1. Online Poker South Africa
2. Online Poker Sites South Africa
3. Online Poker South Africa

The List of the Best Online Poker Rooms in South Africa

The history of online poker for real money in South Africa is different from that of any other country. The appearance of the internet made casino games more popular than ever. Poker is at the very top of the list when it comes to popularity. Download the SA Poker Online App Today! We cater to all devices. We can’t wait to see you at the tables. Shuffle up and deal! The Best Online Poker Bonus Offers: From new depositor freerolls to jaw-dropping match bonuses, online poker sites in South Africa know exactly how to welcome players. While we are always on the lookout for the site that offers the best poker bonus, we also take loyalty programs and promotions into consideration when rating the top sites. South Africa’s Online Gambling Sector There is an extremely strong gambling sector in South Africa, regardless of the existence of Online Casino: Australian officials investigate JUSTBET.CX JustBet.cx presents an online casino in Australia that acknowledges Bitcoin.

In the table below you can find the list of the best online poker rooms in South Africa. There were considered terms, popularity, number of rooms, reputability and no deposit bonus amounts when this list was made out.

Rating 5/5

200

Free Spins

99.1%

Payout Percentage

Deposit Option

Rating 5/5

200

Free Spins

98.5%

Payout Percentage

Deposit Option

Rating 4.9/5

100-500

Free Spins

98.88%

Payout Percentage

Deposit Option

Springbok Review

Rating 4.9/5

100% Up To

R12,000 bonus

Rating 5/5

100% Up To

$200+$10 bonus

Rating 4.85/5

100% Up To

R10,000 bonus

Rating 4.8/5

100% Up To

R8,888 bonus

Rating 4.55/5

100% Up To

R24,000 bonus

Rating 4.45/5

100% Up To

R10,000 bonus

Rating 4.4/5

100% Up To

$3,000 bonus

Rating 4.43/5

100% Up To

R5,000 bonus

Rating 4.25/5

100% Up To

R5,000 bonus

Rating 4.15/5

100% Up To

R10,000 bonus

Rating 3.75/5

100% Up To

R9,999 bonus

Rating 3.55/5

100% Up To

$500 bonus

Online Poker South Africa

Some of the online casinos in the list offer many types of gambling activities, while others are more concentrated on poker.

Online Poker in South Africa – Legal or Not?

Some players ask is online poker legal in South Africa? The thing is online gambling services in South Africa act corresponding to laws, so there is no risk when you play poker online no matter how high the stakes are.

If you choose any of the online poker services from the list above you are not going to have any issues with the law.

What Types of Online Poker You Can Play in South Africa?

There are many types of poker available for gamblers – the vary in rules and numbers of cards used during the game.

Here is the full list:

• Texas Holdem
• Omaha
• 7-Card Stud
• 5-Card Stud
• High/Low Chicago

You can choose the poker type you prefer on the poker service website and thus you can choose the tables with the stakes you are fond of playing on.

Are There Free Online Poker Rooms in South Africa?

Yes, there are. Most of the poker online services in South Africa have the rooms where you can play for free (using virtual money) with no deposit. You can use this option to play for free and try the service out. It is known that most of the poker room services also offer no deposit bonuses upon sign up, so you can even play poker online for free for real money.

Can a Beginner Play Poker Online in South Africa?

When you play poker online there is always a risk of losing. And in order your poker education wouldn’t cost you much it is better to start from rooms where users player on virtual currency. Than you can move to the table with real low stakes using the no deposit bonus you were granted by the poker room and afterwards you can move to the table with the higher bets.

Poker is more about practice and mathematics. And no matter whether you want to play for fun or for real money practice is essential.

What Are the Stakes for Online Poker in South Africa?

If you want to make real bets when playing poker you would be grateful to know that there are many options for you – some of the tables have minimal bets of 10 ZAR which means you can start playing risking with little sums.

However, if you are ought to participate in big games you can easily choose the tables with high stakes.

Are There Any Other Gambling Games Besides Online Poker in South Africa?

Yes, there are. There are many online casinos in South Africa offering a wide choice of games, for example, online slots in South Africa are very popular so you can find hundreds of slot games available.

Should I Download Software to Play Online Poker in South Africa?

It depends on the service you choose. Some of those offer instant play, while getting engaged in other will demand from you download and installation of the poker service client on your PC.

However, if you want to play poker online on your Android or iPhone you should know that most of the services offer apps for mobile devices. So you can play poker online on your smartphone or tablet easily if you have a stable Internet connection.

Which OS Should I Use to Play Online Poker in South Africa?

Actually, if the online poker service offers instant play in browser there are no OS issues. However, if you deal with the service that needs a client to be downloaded to gamble you should consider whether you have Windows, Linux or Mac on your computer. All of the poker online services support Windows and most of the have client versions for Mac.

If you’re searching for the best online poker sites in South Africa, then we're your answer. At Casinos.co.za, we scour the web to unearth the top online poker sites for South Africans. From Texas Hold'em tournaments and cash games to exciting promotions, our recommended sites have everything you need for the ultimate online poker experience. Heard all you need to know? Then sign up to one of our SA poker sites and start playing right away.

Casino Highlights

• Generous welcome bonus
• Fast withdrawal times
• Trusted online poker since 2003

Payment Methods

Casinos Software

Can You Play Poker for Real Money Online?

Absolutely! Asyou can see from our list of realmoney poker sites above, there is no shortage of options for SouthAfricans. Each of these poker sites will give you a warm welcome in the form ofa bonus. They also boast an array of safe and convenient banking methods, and anexcellent range of games. Whether you want to take a seat at the cash tables,play a quick sit & go or enter a tournament, you can do it all.

Although the legal situation surrounding online poker in South Africa is a little murky, there are steps you can take to play online safely. These steps include choosing an e-wallet as your banking method, as well as only playing at our recommended sites. We’ll discuss these steps in more detail a little later.

Free Poker Games Vs Real Money Online Poker

While many South African playerslove to play online pokerfor real money, there are also lots of free poker options. Elite poker rooms give you anopportunity to hone your skills with play money chips. That’s great if you arejust learning the rules, but nothing beats the thrill of playing for real cash.

Thankfully, South Africans can enjoy both options at the best poker sites listed on this page. Let’s discuss the advantages of playing poker for free and for real money.

Benefits of Free Poker Games

• Learn the Basics – If you are new to online poker in South Africa, it’s good to learn the rules without risking any Rand. Poker hands move fast online and you will be able to gain experience a lot quicker than in a land-based poker room.
• No Risk to Your Bankroll – You can enjoy cash games with a set amount of play credits. You won’t win Rand, but the setup and software is exactly the same as in a real money game. This helps you test out strategies without any risk to your bankroll.
• Test New Poker Software – Testing the free poker tables will give you an idea of how well the software copes, and whether it’s up your alley.
• Try a New Poker Variant – Most players in South Africa start out with Texas Hold’em. The beauty of online poker is that you can find new and exciting variations to try. Free poker games like Stud, Badugi or Omaha carry zero risk and let you try out some strategy.

Benefits of Real Money Poker

• Play at ZAR Stakes That Suit You – Winning real cash playing online poker can be thrilling. And you don’t have to be a high roller to sit down at the tables. The best poker site will always let you play tournaments or cash games at stakes to fit your budget.
• Hit the Big Money Guarantees – Top poker rooms will run regular tournaments with heavy guaranteed prize pools. At the biggest online poker sites in South Africa, these prize pools can reach millions of Rand.
• Test Your Poker Skills Against the Best – Finding easy opponents to play poker against will help your long-term prospects. But the benefit of real cash poker is that you can take a shot against better players and test your skills.
• Claim Free Welcome Bonus Cash – The best poker sites will offer new SA players free cash just for signing up. This can take the form of free entries into tournaments or cashbacks. You will need to make an initial deposit first, but the rewards are good for regular players.
• Join a VIP Program – If you clear a lot of poker hands, you can join a VIP scheme. Loyalty programs reward regular play with big bonuses, faster cashouts, or invitations to world poker events.

How We Rate the Top Poker Sites in South Africa

Our team of experts has been playing online poker for years. That’s why we are perfectly placed to pick out the best poker sites in 2020 for South Africans. Whether you’re looking for popular Texas Hold’em tables or just reliable software, we have it covered. Here’s what we look for when we compile our reviews.

Security and Reliability: It’s vital that your personal details and funds are safe. We test all our top poker sites to ensure they have good security protocols in place. If a site has a poor reputation, we’ll flag it up.

Variety of Exciting Poker Games: Texas Hold’em is king at the best poker sites. But it’s good to have a spread of buy-ins, variants, and formats. We carefully review all our sites to check their selection of cash games, and tournaments.

Safe and Easy Banking: When you play poker online, you need to be able to use fast and secure banking options to get your money in and out. We deposit our own Rand when testing a South African online casino that has poker. That way, we test withdrawal and deposit times, as well as currency availability.

Great Customer Support: Good poker sites should quickly sort out any issue you may have. Customer service should be available 24/7, and staff knowledgeable about a range of problems.

The Best Online Poker Bonus Offers: From new depositor freerolls to jaw-dropping match bonuses, online poker sites in South Africa know exactly how to welcome players. While we are always on the lookout for the site that offers the best poker bonus, we also take loyalty programs and promotions into consideration when rating the top sites.

Free Poker Sites Where You CanWin Real Money

Did you know thatyou can play poker for free and still win real money? The best online poker sites for South African playershost multiple daily freeroll tournaments. Simply click on the “freerolls” tabin the lobby to see a list of tournaments that you can enter without paying acent. It’s a fun way to win real money, and it’s also a great opportunity toput new strategies to the test against real players.

Thesefree-to-enter tournaments usually award a small amount of cash to the winners. Some freerolls even awardtickets to satellite tournaments, which could see qualify for the site’sbiggest poker tournaments.If you’re lucky, you may even qualify for major live events at land-based poker rooms.

The Most Popular Online PokerGames in South Africa

Texas Hold’em maybe the undisputed king of card games, but it isn’t the only type of poker game you can play online.The Omaha tables have also seen plenty of action in recent years, and there areseveral other variants that have become increasingly popular amongst South African players.

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em isby far the most popular poker variant in the world. Each round begins withevery player at the table being dealt two-hole cards face down. Five communitycards are then dealt face up in three stages. A round of betting follows eachof these stages. If the round reaches showdown, the player who reveals the bestfive-card hand wins all the chips in the middle of the table.

Omaha

Omaha Hi andOmaha Hi-Lo are also popular at online poker sites in South Africa. Each player at the table isdealt four hole cards, two of which must be used in combination with threecommunity cards to make the best possible five-card hand. The main differencebetween these two types of Omaha variants is the split pot. The pot is splitbetween the players with the highest and lowest hands in Omaha Hi-Lo.

Seven-Card Stud

Seven-Card Stud tablesdon’t see as much action as the Texas Hold’em and Omaha tables, but plenty ofSouth Africans love the game. Each player is dealt two cards face down and oneface up before the first round of betting begins. Three up cards are thendealt, with each followed by a round of betting. A final card is dealt facedown before the last round of betting, with the best five-card hand taking thepot.

Poker Tournaments and PokerCash Games

Once you learn how to play online poker inSouth Africa, you face another decision – poker tournaments or cashgames? Naturally, both formats have their own advantages and disadvantages. Tohelp you decide which format will suit you best, we will explain thedifferences between the two game formats.

Poker Tournaments

In a pokertournament, each player pays the same entry fee for a set amount of chips.Everything is predetermined, with the blind structure and other rules outlinedin the tournament lobby. You could find yourself playing against a handful ofplayers or tens of thousands of players. From sit & go’s to freezeouts andfreerolls, the biggestonline poker sites in South Africa host loads of tournaments.

Cash Games

Cash gamesinvolve playing against others at a single table for real money. There aretables to suit players of all bankroll levels, with each table having a minimumand maximum buy-in amount. You can choose between full ring (nine players),6-max (six players) or heads-up (two players) tables. Playing cash games onlineis similar to playing at land-based venues, except you can’t see your opponenttilt.

Can I Play Poker on Mobile?

The best online poker sites for South African players canalso be accessed via mobile and tablet. Mobile poker is great for playing TexasHold’em cash games or tournaments when you’re out and about.

Many poker siteswill ask you to download and install their official client. This is a freesoftware application that you will access to play poker against other players.Nowadays, most onlinepoker sites also offer instant-play versions of their software. Thismeans that you can quickly log in on your smartphone or tablet and take avirtual seat at the tables, with no software to download.

It’s important tohave good access to a web connection when you’re playing poker on yoursmartphone or tablet. There’s nothing worse than losing your poker hands beforea showdown because you lost your internet connection. You should also make surethat your device’s operating system is up to date.

Mobile pokersoftware looks and feels different to regular desktop clients. Tables andgraphics are adapted to fit the smaller screen, but you can still deposit moneyand play against the same opponents. The best poker sites we recommend make thetransition from desktop to mobile totally seamless.

Is Poker Legal in SouthAfrica?

South Africa hasrightfully been crowned the capital of poker in Africa. With so many casinosand poker rooms dotted across beautiful cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg,you may be surprised by the fact that online poker is illegal in the country. Despitethis, countless South Africans still manage to play online poker safely from the comfort oftheir own home, without fear of prosecution.

Due to the law surrounding onlinegambling in South Africa, there are a few extra steps you should take to beextra safe. This includes using an e-wallet like Skrill, Neteller or ecoPayz.Using one of these safe and secure digital wallets prevents your details frombeing tracked. You should also stick to the recommended poker sites on thispage, as they are the most trustworthy options for South Africans.

The Best Tips to Win at Poker

Poker isdifferent to regular online casino gaming in that you take on human opponentsrather than the computer. You can employ bluffing, aggression and cleverstrategy to get an edge over the other players. Let’s get started with a fewbasic tips.

Learn HandSelection – Whichever online poker variant youchoose, begin by understanding hand selection. In Texas Hold’em, it’s good tostart off tight by playing big pairs and suited connectors. Watch your positionat the table and avoid playing too many hands in early positions when you arefirst to act. In Omaha games, you are dealt four cards at the start of a hand.Hand selection differs from Hold’em and you must learn to adapt accordingly. Wecover starting hands in our poker strategy guide.

Keep Notes onYour Opponents – Make and save notes on youropponents. It’s good practice to keep information on other players’ commonmoves. You will usually come across the same opponents at the tables,especially if you play at certain stakes. Most online players rarely changetheir style, so keeping notes helps give you an advantage.

Don’t Play BadPoker Games – With so much choice at onlinegambling sites, you need to pick the right games. Never play at limits that aretoo high for your bankroll, and don’t play against players beyond your skillset.

UnderstandRaises – Knowing your raising sizes is vital to winat online poker. Make your raises too small, and you attract too manyopponents. Make them too big, and you scare everyone off. Learn to size yourbets correctly and exploit weakness at the table if you see it.

Practice atthe Low Stakes Tables – The beauty of online pokerin South Africa is that you can play at micro-stakes limits to get somepractice. Make use of the low-stakes cash games and tournaments where you cantry moves and learn new skills with minimal risk to your bankroll.

Avoid Going onTilt – Everyone playing at poker sites willexperience bad luck at one point or another. If your emotions get the better ofyou, you can go on tilt and lose even more money. Keep a handle on your tiltand log off if you need a break.

Online Poker Sites South Africa

With someresearch, you can track down your opponents’ career earnings online. This willgive you a good idea of who to avoid and which players are regular losers – or“fish”, as you may refer to them.

If you want morein-depth strategies for winning, you can read our detailed guide on playingpoker.

Pick One of the Best PokerSites Today

The best online poker sites in South Africa let you deposit and take a shot at big-money prize pools. What are you waiting for? Get started by selecting one of our recommended poker sites to kickstart your online poker journey.

Casino Highlights

• Excellent VIP loyalty program
• Daily 15% cashback on losses
• ZAR currency deposits accepted

FAQs

Each of our recommended online poker sites have their own selling points. While one site may offer the best poker bonuses and promotions in the industry, another may boast the greatest traffic levels. Why not create a free account at each of the sites listed on this page to discover which site suits you best?

It’s important to learn basic game rules and understand how to win at real money poker games before taking your virtual seat. Texas Hold’em is the best online poker game for beginners, so give it a try first.

Of course, you can! You can easily deposit and play cash games or poker tournaments for real money. If you aren’t ready to deposit, give freerolls a try. You could secure a payout without betting a single cent.

Of course. Poker online combines elements of skill and luck, but the best players use strategy to get an edge over their opponents. Only by studying and playing can you improve your game.

For sure. Our recommended poker sites will accept ZAR deposits. There might be a few sites where you will need to convert Rand to other currencies, but we’ll always point that out in our reviews.

Safety isn’t an issue when you play at online poker rooms listed on this page. These sites may not have a physical presence in South Africa, but they boast a rich reputation. Each poker room on this page utilizes the latest data encryption technology, and you can choose from several anonymous payment methods.

PokerStars is by far the biggest online poker site in the world. However, South Africans are not accepted due to the country’s gambling law. There may not be hundreds of thousands of players active at any one time on any of our recommended poker sites, but there is always plenty of action to be had.

That’s easy –visit one of the online poker sites listed on this page and create an account. You will then be able to log in and participate in freeroll tournaments for a chance to win real money. Once you’re ready to make your first deposit, head over to the cashier and choose your preferred payment method. After your deposit has been processed, you can then find a juicy cash game or enter a tournament.

Online Poker South Africa

Yes, there are several live poker rooms in South Africa. Emerald Resort and Casino in Gauteng became the first African casino to host a World Series of Poker Circuit event in 2012. Another major poker tournament took place on South African soil in 2012 when the World Poker Tour held its first event in the country at Emperor’s Palace. Montecasino and Carnival City also host plenty of live poker action.