South African Casino Culture – Slowly Catching Up With The West
Online Operators In The South African Casino Market
In the West, we often take the presence of the internet for granted. And wherever we go in Europe or North America we can have easy access to the internet. This can be via a portable phone with apps, laptop or tablet. But this ease-of-use in the West can be contrasted with developing countries. Especially those that have only relatively recently seen an expansion in internet access for all. One example of a developing country that has found itself hosting a huge number of online casino operators almost overnight, is South Africa. Their South African casino culture is slowly catching up with the West.
So the question is; what has made South Africa such a popular choice for online casino operators?
In 2009, less than 10% of the population of South Africa had access to the internet. Today, towards the end of 2021, that figure stands at around 56% of the population. When the internet was making its first impact in the West in the early 2000s, only around 7% of the population of South Africa was able to go online.
The Internet Leads The Way
We can thank the huge improvements in both infrastructure and technology. These factors have allowed for faster internet speeds over the last decade or so. Also the smartphones, with internet capabilities, have become much more common. And they are certainly much more affordable. In fact, around one-third of the country’s total population now owns a smartphone. We expect to continue to see this number rising steadily over the next year or so.
Because South African culture is similar to cultures in the West it’s no surprise that online casino operators see the country as a huge potential marketplace for gambling online. Many people in South Africa have similar interests to those in North America and Europe. And as in those cultures, gambling, in particular, is a very popular pastime activity. Everybody wants to know how to win the jackpot! We suggest that the best method is going to be playing at King Billy Casino South Africa.
In some ways, looking at the South African casino marketplace today, we can see that it actually looks a lot like Europe. Especially when internet accessibility first became a possibility for the vast majority of the population. For example, in 2002, the United Kingdom had around the same proportion of internet users as South Africa does today. Since then, the figure has shot up to 92.5% in the UK. As we well know, online casinos flourished during this period and we think that South Africa will follow the same projection.
What South African Casino Is Emerging in South Africa?
Unsurprisingly, some world-renowned brands were quick to jump into the new South African casino marketplace. Presently they rub shoulders with some lesser-known South African gambling industry players who are looking to take advantage of the new and expanding market. An example of one of these new South African casino operators is Springbok Casino. The online site ranks highly amongst South African online casino players and as a result, has received rave reviews. It offers a great VIP scheme as well as excellent bonuses. Then there’s the 24/7 customer support plus a massive range of payment options for every type of player. Though the site was founded relatively long ago in 2012, it emerged at exactly the right time to be able to take advantage and quickly become one of the country’s leading casino industry players, just when the South African casino industry boom was kicking off.
Zar Casino is another very popular choice for players in South Africa. It’s one of the newer brands that have only been in existence for the last couple of years. But it offers players a choice of more than 200 games, as well as generous bonuses, including allowing players to win in a Ford Ranger pickup truck.
Which Casinos Games Are Popular In South Africa?
The most popular type of South African casino game is almost exactly the same as you would find in the West. Only naturally each individual country may slightly adapt their jackpot games to suit the local marketplace. So you’ll find that the most popular game played online at casinos in South Africa are the slots. Although table games are very popular, they do not come close to the number of slots played on a daily basis.
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Slots
When online casinos first appeared in the West, then the main driving force behind the success of online casinos was definitely the slots machines. In the same way, they proved so successful in the West, the slots in South Africa are also incredibly popular and along with them are the progressive jackpots and other bonuses, Which has helped jackpot slots remain king of casino games. Online casinos in South Africa offer a huge variety of slots. Many are based on various forms of popular culture such as movies, sports, and TV series. Others are based on historical periods such as Ancient Rome or Ancient Greece. No matter what the player might be interested in, there will be a slot theme that suits their taste.
We can see that there are some slot themes that are already having an impact on the South African casino operator marketplace. One such theme which is a common choice for developers is wildlife. This is often based on the big game that can be found in the South African savanna. Famous examples include “Raging Rhino” and “Buffalo Blitz.” We should also point out that one of the most famous of all progressive slots is based around an African theme. “Mega Moolah” is well known around the world for its huge payouts.
Table Games
South Africa hosts 39 land-based casinos throughout the country. These traditional South African casinos have proved to be a powerful draw for the South African gambling public. They have also introduced players to casino table games such as blackjack and roulette. They have also introduced players to live dealer online casino games. These have seen a massive surge in popularity between 2020 and 2021 when they were first introduced by online casino operators.
There is one casino game that you will find in South Africa, but not find anywhere else in the world. That’s the popular card game of rummy. All online casino operators have had to work out ways of including this game in the South African online casino marketplace. As it’s one of the first choices for all casino players when it comes to playing table games. Our recommended online casino for the South African market is definitely King Billy Casino South Africa. They have a massive selection of casino games plus a great welcome bonus for all new players of 100% up to R15,000 or 1 BTC plus 200 free spins!
Poker
The United Kingdom enjoyed a jackpot poker craze in around 2003, which was when the first online poker sites grew quickly. Obviously, with poker being so easy to play and understand, as well as being fast and enjoyable, it’s not surprising that the game’s popularity shot through the roof. Unfortunately, internet use in South Africa is still hovering around the same amount as the UK was enjoying back in the early 2000s. As a result, there are no real poker rooms to be found online. Having said that, there are a few well-known poker players who hail from South Africa. Their exploits around the world have helped promote the game within South Africa today. Probably the most famous South African player is Raymond Rahme.
Is South African Casino Marketplace Ready For Other Countries To Follow?
Many foreign casino operators look at South Africa. They see a new model which is following in the footsteps of the casino industry in the West. Unfortunately, the speed of uptake is dependent on the spread of the internet for the general population. We feel that once the internet infrastructure is in place, then there will be a boom in South African casinos. It follows that casino operators will rush in to provide the services necessary for the general public to enjoy online casino games, and hopefully win the jackpot online.
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