South African Guide to Live Dealer Casino Games: What to Know Before You Play

What Are Live Dealer Casino Games?

Before playing live casino games at the best live casinos in South Africa, you first need to understand what these games are and how they work. Live casino games are online games where you can play the game on a real table or game venue while a real dealer (or a human host, in the case of live game shows) monitors the action in real time. Unlike conventional RNG-based games, actual human activities (your actions and those of the real dealer, or of other players participating in the game) shape the outcomes of the game rather than software.

Live casino games are usually live-streamed in HD using multi-camera angles from fully-equipped actual casinos or studios. This allows you to watch the gameplay action in real time and from any angle, giving you a sense of presence and involvement in the game. You can also interact with the live dealer and other players in the game in real time, using high-tech chat features. Other advantages of playing live casino games over RNG-based games include: live games create the feeling that you are in a real South African physical casino or Vegas. They also promote fairness because you can see the dealer shuffling actual cards or spinning an actual roulette wheel and ball.

For more information on the best online casinos in South Africa, most of which offer top live casino games, click here.

Most Popular Live Dealer Games in South Africa

There are lots of different live casino games you can play at live casinos in South Africa. Here are the most popular categories of live dealer games favoured by South African players.

Live Blackjack

Live blackjack ranks as the most played live casino game in the country and is popular for its extremely low house edge and easy-to-play gameplay. When playing this game, your goal is to beat the dealer’s hand by getting a hand total as near to 21 as possible without going over or exceeding.

Live blackjack is centred around luck, risk and partly strategy, and it comes in different forms, the most notable ones being single-deck and eight-deck games. There are also different live blackjack variants you can choose from, including Live Infinite Blackjack, Live Speed Blackjack, Live Power Blackjack, and Live VIP Blackjack.

Live Roulette

Live roulette is another popular live casino game that brings the excitement of real casino wagering to South African punters who prefer gambling online and on the go. In this live dealer game, you predict and wager on where the ball will land once the dealer spins the roulette wheel.

Some live roulette fan favourites include Live American Roulette, Live European Roulette, Live Lightning Roulette, Live XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, and Live French Roulette.

Live Baccarat

Live baccarat, another popular live casino game gaining huge traction with many South African gamblers, is available in almost all the best live casinos in South Africa that we recommend. This game is originally from France and is widely popular in Asian countries, and now in South Africa.

Live baccarat involves wagering on whose hand will win (the Player or the Banker), or if the round will end in a tie. Popular live baccarat variants you can try out include Live Speed Baccarat, Live Lightning Baccarat, Live No Commission Baccarat, and Live Classic Baccarat.

Game Shows

Live game shows are a type of live casino games that involve quizzes and game-based challenges, all of which happen in real time. What makes them unique from other live casino games is that they are immensely interactive with a professional host, and you can win potential rewards and prizes by watching and getting involved in the show.

At the best South African live casinos, you can play popular live game shows such as Dream Catcher, Cash or Crash, Crazy Time, Monopoly Live, and Gonzo's Treasure Hunt.

Is It Legal to Play Live Casino Games in South Africa?

If you’re wondering whether playing live casino games in South Africa is legal, you aren’t alone.  The National Gambling Board (NGB) regulates any form of gambling in the country.  While the National Gambling Act of 2004 and the updated laws of September 2011 state that online gambling is illegal, you can still enjoy online casino services and live casino games in South Africa. This is because the gambling laws in the country are only geared towards online casinos themselves and don’t target individual players.

So, even if the South African online gambling has many blurred lines, you can sign up for a licensed (either locally or offshore) online casino or betting site and play popular live casino games. The trick is in finding a reputable operator offering the best live casino games and gambling experience. On this page, we have featured the leading best live casinos in South Africa offering top-notch gambling experiences that you can choose from.

How to Choose the Best Live Casino in South Africa

While many live dealer casinos are accepting South African punters out there, there are some factors you should consider before deciding on the live casino you want to join. They include:

Licensing & regulation

Checking and confirming the casino’s licensing should be your foremost priority. You should ensure that the site you intend to join is licensed and regulated by the NGB or by a renowned offshore licensing authority. Some of the most reputable gambling licensing authorities include the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), and Curacao eGaming, among others.

In addition, your preferred live casino in South Africa should have top-notch security measures such as 128-bit SSL encryption to protect your privacy and data.

ZAR support / Rand-friendly casinos

Since many gamblers enjoy gambling even more when they place wagers in their local currency, check whether the site you want to join accepts ZAR deposits and withdrawals. By allowing you to wager live casino games with your local ZAR currency, you can manage your bankroll more effectively. It also eliminates costs associated with converting ZAR to other currencies and vice versa.

Payment methods

Another crucial factor when choosing a live casino site that suits your needs and preferences is the payment methods available. A reliable live dealer casino should offer multiple, flexible deposit and withdrawal options that are widely accepted in South Africa. The most popular payment options include Ozow, SnapScan, Zapper, iVoucher, Pay by Phone, Skrill, Neteller, and credit/debit cards. Many live casinos also accept major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Tether.

We recommend that you pick a live casino with many payment options, as this will give you more flexibility when depositing funds and withdrawing winnings.

Bonuses for live games

Bonuses can boost your bankroll, allow you to play for longer, and increase your potential winnings. Thus, when choosing a live casino in South Africa to play at, consider sites with generous bonuses and promotions. Also, choose operators offering specialised promotions for playing live casino games, as these promos add more excitement to the gameplay.

When deciding on the live casino to join based on bonuses and promotions, remember to check out the bonus terms of the offers. The various terms to check out include the wagering requirement, bonus validity period, and restricted games.

Mobile compatibility

Almost every South African gambler uses their smartphone to play games online. Therefore, look for reliable live casino sites in South Africa with websites that are mobile-optimised. You can also look for operators with native mobile apps for both Android and iOS users, and that are easy to download. The best live casino apps and websites in South Africa should also be highly responsive, with fast loading times. As well, they should translate smoothly on mobile devices of different screen sizes, while maintaining high performance and live casino games quality.

Tips for Playing Live Dealer Games in SA

While you can play live casino games with your own strategy, there are some tips you can use to improve your live casino experiences and increase your potential winnings. The best tips that you can use include:

• Learn the game rules first: You should familiarise yourself with the gameplay, strategies, and rules first before placing your bets. Remember, every game has its own rules, so ensure you understand them before playing.

• Start Small: This is the smartest move you can make when playing live dealer games in South Africa. Sticking with low-stakes tables minimises risks and allows you to play the games for longer.

• Utilise demo mode: Nearly every live casino game has a demo mode version, which allows you to play for free and without wagering any real money. With this version, you can learn the gameplay, rules, and how the game works — and in return, harness your skills.

There are other crucial tips you should adopt, such as managing your bankroll effectively by setting a budget and bet limits. You should also play games with low house edges first, especially when playing with bonuses and promotions.

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Responsible Gambling

Live casino games offer an adrenaline rush, fun, excitement, and rewards that you won’t get in any other casino game. Due to these benefits, you could easily lose track of your gambling habits, leading to addiction, debts, and other gambling problems. Thus, you should play live casino games as a pastime and not as a source of income or as a means to settle your financial burden.

You can also use responsible gambling tools and resources provided by the live casino you’re using, like deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, and reality checks. In addition, stick to your budget, play with the money you can afford to lose and contact responsible gambling experts available at the South African live casino you are playing at.