South Africa is a mature casino market and a country where online gambling is still very much developing.

Casinos were first licensed in 1996 through the passage of the National Gambling Act. Before this, all gambling except horse racing was illegal in the country. Despite illegality, nine casinos operated pre-1996, with Sun City being the most famous. After the Act, between 1997 and 2002 the number of casinos mushroomed to 22.

Today there are 38 casinos operating across the country and a further three licences which remain unused. Within the 38 casinos, there are almost 21,000 slot machines and over 800 table games.

The bulk of the casinos – 36 to be precise – come under the auspices of just three operators: Sun International, Peermont and Tsogo Sun.