Reading time 3 minreadMost Popular Payment Methods in South Africa
/filters:quality(40)/1658228637/paypal-logo-round.png){kind=logo}
PayPal Betting Sites
The most popular and widely used e-wallet globally is PayPal. Because online bookies are aware of this, the great majority of betting websites always allow this approach. Additionally, it's very simple to open an account with PayPal, making it a very user-friendly payment option. It's just a matter of filling up a registration form. You can fund your PayPal wallet through cards or net banking, among other options.
/filters:quality(40)/1654164619/skrill-banking-logo-round.png){kind=logo}
Previously known as Moneybookers, Skrill is among the most widely used and private e-wallet services globally, especially at online betting sites that cater to South African players. Skrill's speed and ease of use are two of its main selling points, which are why so many South African gamblers use it as their preferred banking option.
You must have your own Skrill account, which is simple and cost-free to set up, in order to utilize Skrill as a deposit and withdrawal option at online casinos. You can simply use a debit or credit card to add money to your Skrill account and then link it to your betting app or website.
/filters:quality(40)/1654164532/neteller-logo-round.png){kind=logo}
Neteller Betting Sites
It is free to open a Neteller account. You may then add funds to your Neteller wallet by using a bank transfer, credit card, etc. Neteller payments reflect instantaneously, which is its best attribute. Simply choose Neteller on the cashier section of your betting app or casino, type your specific Neteller ID or the linked email address, and input the desired deposit amount. The transfer into your betting account will be immediate as long as you have sufficient money available in your Neteller wallet at that time.
/filters:quality(40)/1654164842/visa-mastercard-logo-round.png){kind=logo}
Visa Betting Sites
Without a question, credit and debit cards are the most popular way for the general public to make payments and withdrawals. Visa, Mastercard, and in rare cases Maestro are accepted by the majority of online sportsbooks is South Africa. Although the withdrawal periods are often slower than those of electronic wallets, these are much more accessible to most people.
The advantage of credit card payments is that they can be made instantly and are accepted by virtually all operators. So, if you use multiple sports betting services, bank cards could be your best bet.
/filters:quality(40)/1652872770/instant-eft.png)
SID Instant EFT Betting Sites
Instant EFT is supported by multiple banks in South Africa, including Nedbank, ABSA, FNB, Capitec, Investec, and Standard Bank. Simply choose SID Instant EFT at your casinos and follow the on-screen directions. Instant EFT establishes a secure gateway between your SA bank account and your online sports betting account. In order to prevent unauthorized use, your bank will assign you a one-time code each time you pay with SID.
/filters:quality(40)/1658314473/wire-transfer-logo-round.png){kind=spacer}
Wire Transfer Betting Sites
Bank wire transfers are also supported by most South African betting sites as one of the staple banking methods, especially for withdrawals. These are very reliable and have stood the test of time. However, on the downside, they usually have higher transaction limits and there are also fees involved for most bank transfers. Additionally, these tend to have the lengthiest processing times as well. For significant amounts, they provide a safe banking path, but they’re not suitable for frequent, smaller transactions.
/filters:quality(40)/1658228673/paysafe-card-logo-round.png){kind=logo}
PaySafeCard
When it comes to their preferred betting payment methods, gamblers, particularly, place a high value on anonymity. Paysafecard may be the ideal option for people who don't want their payment method to be associated with a betting site but are also uneasy using bitcoins and other decentralized tokens. Paysafecard is a closed loop gift card; after making a purchase, you receive a 16-digit pin card that you may use to deposit that amount at any participating betting site.
/filters:quality(40)/1701251782/payment-providers-template.png)
Kazang
Kazang, a Paycorp subsidiary, is a prominent payment solutions provider in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Specializing in micropayment processing, Kazang caters to under-served consumers, offering a convenient method for pre-paying for various products.
/filters:quality(40)/1701688243/lottostar-voucher-payment.png)
Lottostar Voucher
The Lottostar deposit voucher is a specially branded prepaid voucher designed for conveniently topping up your Lottostar account. Purchase it from various vendors and effortlessly add funds to your account with quick and easy usage.
/filters:quality(40)/1701783515/hollywoodbets-voucher-payment.png)
Hollywoodbets Voucher
The Hollywoodbets Voucher serves as a prepaid payment option enabling you to deposit funds into your Hollywoodbets account, even without a bank account or debit/credit card. This secure and convenient method provides an easy-to-use solution, ensuring instant funding for your account.
Choosing a Banking Method - Things to Consider
Processing times: At most betting sites, all deposit methods usually offer instant deposit processing. That means, the moment the deposit transaction is approved, the funds are available in your betting account for you to use. Only for bank transfers, you may have to wait a few hours or even days. However, most players are concerned with withdrawal processing times. Usually, bank card withdrawals take 2-3 business days and bank transfers take 5-7 business days. The fastest withdrawals are offered by e-wallets and crypto-currencies.
Transaction limits: When choosing a payment method, make sure the maximum and minimum transaction amount limits are in accordance with the amount you wish to spend. Make sure the maximum amount allows you enough room to withdraw your earnings and that the minimum spends are within your means.
Fees: In the iGaming industry today, deposits are almost always free of any processing fees or transaction fees. However, some payment methods may charge you fees for withdrawals. So, check about fees before you select a payment method. As much as possible, you want all your transactions to be free of fees. Bank wire transfers generally tend to have considerable processing fees.
Privacy & Anonymity: Many online gamblers want to gamble in a private and anonymous way since gambling is generally considered taboo in the society, we live in. If you use a credit or debit card, your bank will have records showing that you made transactions at gambling websites. It’s fine if you don’t care about this, but if you do want to gamble privately, e-wallets might be better, and crypto currencies are usually the best.
Security: As long as you do business only with licensed betting websites, you are generally in safe hands when it comes to payments and withdrawals. Never use payment gateways that are not tried and tested, be it for gambling or otherwise. Make sure the website is SSL encrypted. It’s always a good idea to use payment methods that support some form of two factor authentication for an added layer of security.
How to Deposit on a Betting Site
The general steps involved in making a deposit at a betting site are as follows:
- Login to your betting site account
- Go to the ‘cashier’ section
- Choose the deposit option
- Select your preferred deposit payment method
- Enter the deposit amount
- Enter other details (this will vary on payment method chosen) as requested
- Continue as per the on-screen prompts until the transaction is approved
- The funds are now available in your betting account
Deposit and Withdrawal Limits Explained
Many payment methods will have minimum and maximum limits for deposits and/or withdrawals so that the cost of processing the transaction is not greater than the transaction amount itself. Online betting websites will usually impose limits in accordance with the payment systems limits. Additionally, for security reasons, the betting website may impose daily, weekly and monthly withdrawal limits. You can find these limits mentioned in the banking page of the site or in the terms and conditions.
Mobile Payment Methods
Depositing and withdrawing funds to and from your betting account is pretty much the same on both PC and mobile. Even on mobile, you will be able to use credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, wire transfers and Instant EFT. With mobile transactions always make sure that the internet connectivity is stable because you don’t want to lose connectivity during a transaction.
Can You Gamble With Airtime in South Africa?
Yes, there are several online casinos and online sportsbooks that offer Pay by Phone services to South African players. This utilizes your mobile phone number. The deposit or payment amount is deducted from your phone number's available credit balance when you use this payment option.
Crypto Betting
Crypto betting websites are steadily on the rise. When you understand the unique advantages that cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin offer to gamblers and online gambling providers, it becomes clear why crypto is emerging as a preferred banking method in the iGaming industry. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of crypto betting.
The Pros and Cons of Crypto Betting
- Lightning-Fast Deposits and Withdrawals
- Zero or very low processing fees
- Private and anonymous transactions with no middleman involved
- Value of crypto tokens are volatile
- Learning curve involved and may not be suitable for non tech savvy folk
Are There Bonuses for Using Specific Payment Methods While Betting?
Sometimes, betting websites will offer bonuses for players who make deposits using certain banking methods. These bonuses might be worth it. In such cases, you might want to sign up for and use a payment method that will fetch you the bonus, at least for that one time.
Here’s a hypothetical example: receive a 300% match bonus for making your first crypto deposit.
FAQs
Can PayPal be used for betting?
Yes, PayPal is one of the most popular e-wallets and many serious online betting providers accept and support PayPal. PayPal is easy to use and players can fund their PayPal accounts with bank cards, bank wire transfers and in several other ways. PayPal is certainly one of the most popular payment methods for online betting.
Can you pay by card on betting sites?
Yes, virtually all betting sites accept all major credit and debit cards. Visa and MasterCard are widely supported across the online gambling industry. Deposits made via cards are instantly processed, but withdrawals can take a couple of days. Make sure you only use a bank card which is registered in your name.
What is the minimum deposit amount for online betting?
The minimum deposit amount will vary from one betting site to another and also from one payment method to another. For instance, the minimum deposit amount for an e-wallet deposit is usually much smaller than the minimum deposit amount for a bank wire transfer deposit.
What are the most popular deposit methods at online gambling sites?
In South Africa, some of the most popular payment methods at online gambling sites include credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets, Instant EFT, pay by phone (airtime) and prepaid cards. Crypto is being widely adopted too.
Can you bet using mobile phone credit?
Yes, some online betting providers offer this option. This is usually labeled ‘Pay by Phone’ and it only works for deposits, and not withdrawals. Let’s assume you have available airtime of R100 on your mobile phone number. You now use the Pay by Phone option and make a deposit to your online betting website of $50. In this case, $50 is deducted from your active airtime balance and you are left with $50 airtime.