The records of the National Gambling Board show that they are 39 land-based casinos in South Africa. However, considering the impact of COVID-19 on the SA gambling industry, that number may have decreased.

On the other hand, online casino websites in SA are more than 40 million. Unfortunately, out of this huge number of online casinos, just a handful operate in South Africa legitimately.

Nonetheless, land-based casinos remain the legalized form of casino gambling in SA. We would also provide a South Africa casino list of the most popular land-based gambling venues.

Land-Based Casinos in South Africa

Gambling at land-based casinos is legal in SA. Besides, the casino sector is regarded as one of the biggest contributors to the Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR). In 2019, the casino sector contributed up to 60.5 percent to the total GGR.

However, it appears that the GGR of the casino drastically dropped in 2020 because of the COVID-19. Don’t forget, a lot of land-based casinos were not operational. Since then, the land-based has been operating shabbily.

Nonetheless, it appears that the casino industry has begun to see some light in the tunnel. The ban on travel was lifted early this year, and with the COVID-19 vaccine now available, the land-based casino may soon have a sigh of relief.

The most notable land-based casinos in SA are:

• Sun City Casino and Resort: The Sun City Casino is located a few minutes away from Johannesburg. The Sun City Resort offers more than just resorts. You can also play various casino games. Before the COVID-19, the Sun City Casino and Resort used to operate for 24 hours, but all that has changed. Some of the games available at Sun City Casino and Resort are blackjack, American roulette, etc. Also, to play at Sun City Casino and Resort, you need at least R10.
• The Boardwalk Casino: This land-based casino is located in the windy city of Port Elizabeth. Also, the Boardwalk Casino offers more than 100 slot machines as well as popular casino games. High rollers also have a special casino room at Boardwalk Casino.
• Suncoast Casino: The Suncoast Casino is located in Durban. It has more than 1,600 coinless slots and classic casino tables. More so, their coin denomination starts from 1c to R100. Suncoast casino also has a restaurant and bar.

Will SA Land-Based Casinos Recover from the Impact of COVID-19?

No doubt the SA land-based casino will recover from the impact of the COVID-19, but a lot of damage has been done. Considering the huge losses recorded by land-based casinos in SA, it would take a few a while to bounce back fully.

Recently, the government lifted the ban on casino operations. However, there are several regulations that the land-based casinos must abide by to curb the spread of the virus. Aside from that, it appears that some land-based casinos in SA are improving their online presence.

Online Casino in SA: Have They Taken Over?

Not really, but the online casino industry in South Africa gained a lot of ground during the lockdown. Unfortunately, the South African government is not earning any revenue from its operations. Don’t for online casinos is illegal, and so a lot of SA players patronize offshore casinos.

During the lockdown, online gambling became a great alternative for most gamblers in South Africa. Considering the convenience and privacy that online gambling brings, it may be quite difficult to convince players to visit land-based casinos again. Besides, various safe online casinos operate in South Africa legitimately.

Also, some of the most played online casinos during the lockdown were:

• Punt Casino
• Slottyway Casino
• ZAR Casino
• Yebo Casino
• Playlive Casino
• Spin247 Casino

The Future of ZAR Land-based Casinos

Undoubtedly, SA land-based casinos face a major challenge trying to get back their regular customers. Although the land-based casinos in SA may survive these trying times, coming up with new ways to attract players, from all indications, the future of casinos is online.

The SA online casino industry is picking up momentum too. Finally, don’t fail to always come up with a winning strategy if you want to gamble online. Online casino strategies are quite different from those used at traditional casinos.