The most popular Casino games in South Africa

South Africa is a nation that has embraced the online casino revolution from the very start. The country made the decision to legalize gaming at casinos in the 1990s, which was also the decade when the first digital casinos appeared.

The fact that this activity became legal at the dawn of the internet is probably why online casino is a bit more popular in South Africa than land-based ones. The country does have thriving bricks and mortar casino venues, but its online casino industry is where the gaming future lies.

Most of the main casino games have a fan following in South Africa, but there is no question that some attract more players than others. This article is going to outline the games that South African casino gamers are especially keen on playing.

Blackjack

This is one of the ‘table’ games that are offered by casinos. It is a card game where a player goes up against a dealer, instead of playing against other gamers.

There is more than one version of blackjack, but most of them can be boiled down to the same basic idea. You are trying to build a card hand that is higher in value than that of the dealer, but you cannot go over 21 in value. If you do, you will be ‘bust’ – meaning you have lost the game.

At that level, the blackjack games that South Africans play online or at land-based casinos are simple, but this is also a strategy game. Players can do a lot to affect the outcome through clever tactical play.

That makes it a game that appeals to more sophisticated and experienced gamers.

Slot Machines

Slot machines are the number one casino game in most parts of the world and they are very popular in South Africa too. People love slots for exactly the opposite reason to blackjack: they are a very fast and simple form of casino gaming.

The rules for slot games are so straightforward that they can be grasped by absolutely anyone. It makes them perfect for people who just want to bet at casinos occasionally, without developing a deep interest in any particular game.

Another reason why slots are so popular in South Africa, as well as everywhere else, is that they are cheap to play. Even with multiple pay lines, betting on a slot game will cost much less than playing other casino games.

It is a factor that helps to make them the casino game that is the most broadly accessible. 

Roulette

Roulette is among the most famous casino games, because the wheel is so recognizable and iconic. That draws a lot of people in South Africa to the game, because it seems so synonymous with the whole idea of casinos.

It is not the sole reason for the popularity of the game in this country though. Roulette is perhaps second only to slots as the easiest casino game for novices to master.

The ball is spun in the wheel and players wage on where they think it will be once the wheel stops spinning. There are a range of bets available, from betting on the color red or black, to individual numbers and evens or odds.

These vary in terms of how high risk/reward they are, but none of it is hard to understand. There are also a few strategies available that some South African roulette players like, but really it is an option that appeals to those who favor games of pure chance.

Baccarat

This game has gone down in history as the favorite one of James Bond and it is big in South Africa too. The rules of baccarat see the players wager on whether the hand of cards held by the player or the banker will be of higher value at the finish.

It is another game that is much more about chance than strategy or skill. It draws people who want excitement and high stakes casino gaming.

Poker

Poker is the other big strategic casino game and that means it tends to be favored by similar types of people as blackjack. Again, there is more than one kind of poker – including Texas Hold’em, Stud and Draw – but the idea is to finish the game with the highest value hand of cards.

The reason why a lot of South African casino players like it is because they can influence the course of events through their skills. Poker is about reading opponents and knowing when to bet and when to sit games out.

That means a bit more knowledge and experience is needed to win than with many other games.

All these games have a following among South African casino users, but they are popular among different groups of people.