Today, most of the leading gambling operators consider South Africa as a profitable and promising market. With the country’s vibrant economy and growing loyalty to online betting, South Africa’s gambling license offers many promising opportunities for investors. Let’s look at the main trends in the gambling industry and find out how to open an online casino in this country.
The main factor influencing the attractiveness of the region for online casino operators is the growing share of mobile Internet. This makes investments in this sector potentially profitable and promising.
To date, online casinos are still not so in demand here, mainly due to the rather expensive Internet. It is expected that online casinos will become more accessible and popular in the region as the telecommunications infrastructure improves and the income of the local population grows.
A recent report showed that up to 5% of the South African population gamble. There are no official statistics showing what part of the games are in online casinos. But it is widely known that more and more people are choosing to gamble online.
This is due to a number of obvious reasons, such as:
In general, the online gambling market in South Africa is quite promising. Despite the fact that there are already many well-known brands here, the lion’s share of the market remains unoccupied. Therefore, “finding your place in the sun” and opening an online casino for novice operators is quite realistic.
In South Africa, opening an online casino requires obtaining special licenses.
The license serves as proof that the business and services provided are legal.
Licenses are issued:
Obtaining an online license is critical to keeping your business running smoothly in your chosen jurisdiction.
In Nigeria, for example, you can work online with a federal or state license.
However, there has been a change in the requirements as the states that have legalized gambling in Nigeria do not allow retail business and the federal license only allows online business.
The cost of obtaining a license varies from country to country, and obtaining a license can take from several months to a year.
Gambling in South Africa from 1965 to 1994 was illegal.
Only in 1996, when the government changed in the country, land-based casinos were recognized as legal. The new National Board of Gambling took over the regulation of all forms of gambling.
The Council has issued 10 national licenses to local online game providers.
The information on the official website of the National Board of Gambling states that playing at an online casino is not legal. The only exceptions are bets made through licensed bookmakers (there are only 10 of them).
Considering that online games occupy the lion’s share of the entire gaming market in SAR, numerous casinos operate successfully here, which operate from offshore zones and have gambling licenses from other jurisdictions.
Despite the fact that such gambling seems to be illegal, many years of practice have shown that there have been no cases of harassment of players or blocking of online gaming sites that accept users from the SAR.
Today, there are many online casinos of famous brands in the South African market that confidently open their doors to players and make good profits.
The fee for applying for a gambling license with the WCGRB is approximately 750 euros, the same amount charged in the early years.
Although these figures seem quite low, potential operators should be aware that in order to obtain a license they must go through detailed review procedures, which in itself can entail significant costs.
For your information, the following taxes apply in South Africa:
Market research
This is a very important point before starting the project. You need to understand that the African gambling market is completely different from the European and other markets in the world. It is necessary to have a good understanding of the market dynamics in different regions of Africa. With this information, you will be clear on how to invest, what to invest in, and how to reach your market target.
Orientation to the needs of the players
The tastes of players from South Africa are similar to the tastes of players from other countries. It is important that the casino offers quality gaming content, preferably from different content providers, so that each player can choose their favorite slot or card game.
The most popular games among South Africans are slots. They attract viewers with their colorful design, exciting storyline and various bonuses such as free spins.
Among card games, blackjack and poker occupy leading positions. Also, if you want your establishment to be popular, it is highly recommended to include progressive jackpot games in the offer, as they entertain players and make them want to return to the casino.
Payment Methods
The choice of a payment system is a very important stage for the operation of an online casino. Trust breeds trust. Gaining the trust of players in Africa is key, as many gambling establishments do not provide users with many ways to deposit, payment systems work intermittently, which leads to a loss of trust. In any business, there is nothing better than a fast and reliable payment system.
There are many foreign and local payment systems in Africa, but a good payment platform must meet some basic requirements. First on this list is:
It is recommended to enable multiple payment options to ensure customer loyalty and enhance the gaming experience.
South African players most often use their credit cards to fund their casino account.
In addition, here are popular:
Therefore, it is recommended that you include all of these options in your payment offers.
Depending on where your business operates, the local currency, the South African rand, should be considered first, as players always want to have a clear idea of how much money they have in their account, how much money they have won. For many players, it is inconvenient to convert one currency to another.
Cryptocurrencies are also popular in Africa. It is worth making sure that the institution accepts payments and allows you to withdraw winnings in bitcoins. This will attract a wider audience.
The more deposit options you provide, the better.
Choosing a Reliable Platform Provider
A flexible and secure payment platform is critical to the success of an online gambling business.
To open an online casino that will operate successfully in the South African market, you need to take technical issues very seriously.
By choosing a reliable platform provider, you can save yourself from technical problems, and calmly deal with marketing and promotion. Let’s outline the important key points that you need to bet on when choosing a technical partner:
Software
Mindlessly applying software that has already worked in other gaming markets is a recipe for failure. When choosing software, be sure to take into account the region in which you plan to work.
Criteria to consider when selecting software should include the following:
Creating software with the above features is critical to the smooth operation of your business in the region.
Games
Find out in advance which games and how many are included in the package. The offer of some providers includes games from different developers. It is profitable and convenient.
Legal support and financial infrastructure
If you do not plan to get a gaming license, you can find a partner who will provide you with a turnkey White Label solution.
Thus, you can open your casino under your own brand under an existing provider license and use a ready-made financial infrastructure for all payment transactions.
Languages
It will be great if the interface of your online casino is translated into several languages. This will give you a competitive edge over other online establishments.
In Africa, the two main languages are French and English, but there are other languages widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Bantu (Swahili) and Hausa.
The Bantu language, also known as Swahili, is spoken by about 150 million Africans in central and southern Africa, including Mozambique. It is also widely spoken in East African countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Create a website for your online gambling business
Your website will be the source of customer acquisition. Therefore, it should be memorable, have a simple and understandable interface, and high-quality content.
Because 70% of users prefer to enter an online casino through a mobile phone, so you should take care of the mobile version.
Marketing
Given South Africa’s national online gambling policy, don’t rely on direct advertising and Google.
To attract the attention of players can:
In order to build a successful business, you need to build relationships with customers. This can be done, for example, with the help of social networks, surveys. When organizing promotions, it is important to make them interactive, encouraging customer participation in order to keep users interested.
Interaction with the target audience will allow you to understand her desires and fulfill them.
Your best bet is to find a service provider that offers a turnkey solution. This will allow you to focus on your target market and strategies.
Starting an online gambling business can be a hectic, time-consuming, lengthy and complex process. Investors should consider the main market opportunities, the legal situation and the preferences of the players in the country. With the support of our company, which employs highly qualified specialists, you yourself can minimize time costs and make your path to success more organized, simple and short.
If you are still wondering when to start your business and open an online casino, then now is the time!
