Best Poker Rooms in South African Casinos

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Poker games are great for big money wins in South Africa, but surely you need a legit platform to play them. The law technically prohibits online poker, but the government doesn’t prosecute SA online poker players on international casino sites. So, yes, you can still enjoy your favorite game!

After rigorous testing, we brought some of the best casino sites in Africa. Any of them boasts high-level security and enough poker variations, so choose the one you like!

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Popular Online Casino Poker Games in South Africa

Texas Hold’ Em

Overview: Good option for SA players who are just learning how to start playing online casino poker. It’s also the most popular online poker game among African players and a standard for tournaments. Such real money online games are perfect for beginners, as they offer straightforward rules and plenty of excitement.

Gameplay: You get two private cards (hole cards) and share five faced-up community cards. You must make the best five-card hand using the right combinations of two-hole cards and five community cards. Online poker has four rounds (pre-flop, the flop, the turn, and the river).

Features:

  • Strategic Depth: These games are based on position, odds, and opponent behavior (you can play tight or aggressive).
  • Various Betting Formats: You can play betting all your chips, bets can depend on the pot size, or the bet amount can be fixed.
  • Accessibility: Rules are easy to understand for beginners but also offer enough opportunities for advanced South Africans.

Omaha Hi

Overview: It’s similar to Texas Hold’ Em but has a different number of hole cards. More popular among experienced online players in South Africa, as you need a better strategy and a larger hand to win more money.

Gameplay: You’ll get four private (hole) cards. Simultaneously, you’ll have to deal with five face-up community cards. Your aim here is to make the best five-card hand you can; however, with the restriction: you can use only two of your hole cards and three of the community cards. This game type entails four rounds (pre-flop, the flop, the turn, and the river).

Features:

  • More Hole Cards: So there’s a bigger number of potential hand combinations. As a result, you can expect a more dynamic play.
  • Bigger Pots: The betting process is more aggressive because of potential strong hands (in South Africa, the pot size can even be ZAR 10,000+ in high-stakes tables).
  • Complex Strategies: SA players have to be more careful with their plans and hands because of the strict card usage rule.

Razz Poker

Overview: A unique poker variation that aims for the lowest hand. It’s not quite popular in South Africa but is often included in mixed online poker game formats like horse tournaments

Gameplay: Your task is to create the lowest five-card hand possible. Here, you’ll have to manage the seven-card hand: three face-down cards and four face-up cards. The player with the lowest five-card hand at showdown wins the whole thing. This makes it an exciting SA poker online game for players who enjoy strategy and a unique twist on traditional poker.

Features:

  • Visible Cards: Online players in South Africa can see some of the opponents’ cards to figure out how to build up their strategy.
  • Ante and Bring-In: Every hand starts with the antes and a forced bring-in bet. Thus, the play becomes quite active and dynamic.
  • Skillful Gameplay: It’s not easy to choose the right strategy, as your cards are visible, too.

Three Card Poker

Overview: It is fast-paced and easy for South Africans to learn as it only has three cards. African players prefer to play it in brick-and-mortar casinos, but you can safely try it online in South Africa.

Gameplay: You’ll have three face-down cards and aim to create the best hand with their help. First, you should make the best decision for yourself: to fold or play. Then, wait till the dealer reveals their hand. If they don’t qualify, you’ll win your money automatically on the Ante bet. If they do qualify and your hand is better — you’ll win both the Ante and Play bets.

Features:

  • Quick and Simple: There are no hard rounds like in Hold’ Em or Omaha games, the online play is straightforward.
  • Dealer Qualification: They need at least a Queen high to qualify, or victory is yours.
  • Optional Side Bets: In most online casinos, you can elevate your games with side bet options like Pair Plus and 6 Card Bonus.

Five Card Draw Poker

Overview: You don’t need community cards, so the rules are simple and suitable for newbies.

Gameplay: You’ll get five face-down cards. Then, your task is to make the best five-card hand. While doing this, you must rely on the usual online poker game rankings. You can discard up to five cards or draw new ones after the first round. The one online player with the best hand will win the pot.

Features:

  • No Community Cards: You only need to rely on your cards, which makes the real money play a little more unpredictable.
  • The Draw: You can exchange cards, so there’s no need to read the community cards or bluff.
  • Online Poker Hand Rankings: It’s one of the best options for beginners in South Africa because it’s easier to win money with standard poker game rankings (Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, etc.).

7-Card Stud

Overview: It was the major poker game before Texas Hold’ Em in South Africa, so this one is classic. SA players still choose it quite often. We would say this variation is medium-hard since you need a good strategy here.

Gameplay: You’ll get three face-down cards and four face-up cards. The online player with the lower upcard starts with a bring-in bet or full bet. You’ll receive another face-up card after each round (it’s called Fourth Street, Fifth Street, and so on, depending on the round). Only the Seventh Street card is face-down, as it’s the final round. This online casino poker game challenges players to strategically manage their hands and predict opponents’ moves. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot.

Features:

  • Visible Cards: It gives you important info about your opponents during the poker game.
  • Betting Rounds: The SA real money poker becomes more difficult as you need to plan your moves ahead.
  • Hand Strength: You need to bet carefully and evaluate your hand concerning what cards you see other players have.

Caribbean Stud Poker

Overview: This game combines online casino poker with a progressive jackpot feature. It’s too far from classic online casino poker game variations — you’ll play against the dealer, not other players. This format is relatively popular in South Africa, especially in online casinos, because it’s simple to play and doesn’t have competition.

Gameplay: South African players and the dealer get five cards. You need to make an Ante bet to begin. The dealer needs to have at least an Ace-King to qualify. You get the money if your hand beats the dealer’s hand.

Features:

  • Progressive Jackpot: You need to place a side bet to receive a progressive jackpot, and it’s possible only if you get Royal Flush.
  • Standard Casino Online Poker Hand Rankings: It has traditional casino online poker game rankings, so it’ll look familiar to you.
  • Fixed Payouts: You’ll always know how much money you can win before the online poker even starts.

Basic Poker Rules

The rules of any online poker directly depend on the variation you want to play. If you want to get some practice without losing money, you can try out free demo versions on some of the best online poker sites in South Africa.

Features of Online Poker

Based on our experience, we managed to create a glossary of the most commonly used terms in online poker:

BlindsThese are the 2 mandatory bets to be made before the distribution of the cards by the two players located to the left of the “dealer” button.
FlopThe first three standard cards were placed face-up on the poker table
TurnThe fourth standard card was placed face-up on the poker table
RiverThe fifth and last standard card is placed face-up on the poker table
ShowdownWhen players decide to reveal their hands to determine who will win the pot
PotA total sum of the bets placed in the pot in the center of the poker table
ColorHave five cards of the same color
Full houseHave a combination of three cards of the same value and two cards of the same value
LoosePlayer who often plays and takes risks

How to Play Online Poker?

Online poker rules are similar to traditional poker, with some differences related to the online gaming environment. The number of players varies according to the type of poker played, but generally, an online poker real money game is played between 2 and 10 players. Cards are distributed according to the type of poker played. 

Based on our observations, we suggest a simple guide to the game process:

  1. Deal. The dealer button determines the player who acts last in each betting round. Each player receives two hole cards, face down.
  2. Betting Round 1. The player to the left of the big blind starts, options are to call, raise, or fold. The action continues clockwise until all bets are equal.
  3. The Flop. Three community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table.
  4. Betting Round 2. Betting resumes, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button. Players assess their hand strength based on hole cards and community cards.
  5. The Turn. A fourth community card is dealt face-up.
  6. Betting Round 3. Another round of betting, following the same order.
  7. The River. The fifth and final community card is dealt face-up.
  8. Betting Round 4. The final round of betting, with players aiming for the best 5-card hand.
  9. Showdown. If more than one player remains, they reveal their hole cards. The player with the highest-ranking 5-card hand, using any combination of hole and community cards, wins the pot.

You need to play the best hand to win the pot. The game goes on until players fold or their bets are matched.

Types of Poker Hands

top poker hands

Royal Flush

  • Description: The highest hand you can possibly get.
  • Combination: A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same color.
  • Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠

Straight Flush

  • Description: You need five consecutive cards of the same suit for this.
  • Combination: Any straight with cards of the same suit will do.
  • Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥

Four of a Kind (Quads)

  • Description: You need four same-ranked cards + one side card (kicker).
  • Combination: Four matching cards.
  • Example: Q♦ Q♣ Q♥ Q♠ 3♣

Full House

  • Description: You need three identical cards + a pair.
  • Combination: Three cards of the same rank and one pair with another.
  • Example: J♠ J♦ J♥ 6♣ 6♦

Flush

  • Description: You need a five-card hand of the same suit (not in order).
  • Combination: Any five cards of the same suit are okay.
  • Example: A♣ J♣ 8♣ 6♣ 2♣

Straight

  • Description: You need five consecutive cards of different suits.
  • Combination: Any straight sequence of cards (suits must not match).
  • Example: 10♦ 9♠ 8♣ 7♦ 6♥

Three of a Kind

  • Description: You need three same-ranked cards and two cards that are not connected.
  • Combination: Three matching cards.
  • Example: 5♣ 5♦ 5♠ Q♥ 8♣

Two Pair

  • Description: You need two pairs of cards + one side card.
  • Combination: Two same rank cards, two other rank cards, and one card that is not related to them.
  • Example: K♠ K♦ 7♣ 7♥ 4♣

One Pair

  • Description: You need two cards of the same rank and three cards that are not related to it.
  • Combination: One pair.
  • Example: 9♥ 9♦ A♣ 6♠ 3♦

High Card

  • Description: A hand without any combinations, ranked by the highest card.
  • Combination: Five-card hand that are not related to each other.
  • Example: A♠ 9♦ 7♣ 5♠ 3♥ (Ace is the highest card).

How to Start Playing Online Poker in South Africa

How to Play Online Poker in South Africa
  1. Choose a Reliable Casino

First of all, you need to choose a legit casino online poker site to play in South Africa. You can boldly create an account at any SA online casino you’ve seen above — our team did a scrutinous job of verifying and testing all of them!

  1. Sign Up

You need to click Register or Sign Up on the site you picked in South Africa. It will ask you to provide your data to identify you and protect you and other online players in South Africa. Typically, you will need to provide this info:

  • Username
  • Password
  • Date of birth
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Other information will depend on the platform.
  1. Deposit Funds

You must deposit to start the real money game. We noticed that most online casino sites on our list have a minimum deposit of 25-200 Rands and offer various payment methods. Some of the most common options for SA gamblers include:

Don’t forget to claim the welcome offer — it will give you a good start!

  1. Select Your Online Casino Poker Option

It is best to choose a SA online poker game variation that matches your skills. For example, the Texas Hold’ Em poker game is best for newbies, the Omaha Poker is for intermediate South African online poker players, and the Razz Poker game is for experienced players. Choose your online poker site carefully to avoid losing your cash.

  1. Start The South African Online Casino Poker Game

You are ready to start the real money poker in South Africa! Check out the rules and start testing your luck (and skill)!

Tips to Win Online Casino Poker in South Africa

  • Master The Basics

First, you must learn the hand rankings and betting structures of your online poker game variation. This way, you can easily follow the gameplay and understand what you can do. Also, pay attention to what position you take at the table. The most profitable position is the late one, so try to take it before the real money SA poker.

  • Start Small

Try not to bet too much, especially in the early position. In South Africa, starting with a bet of 10-50 Rand is the most bankroll-friendly choice. Don’t play at multiple tables at the beginner levels, as this requires a lot of experience not to lose everything at once.

  • Play Strategically

Don’t start an online poker real money South Africa game without a strategy, or you’ll lose. Finding a one-fit-all approach is impossible, so you should spend more time practicing. However, the tight-aggressive game approach is the most effective as it helps to get rid of weak opponents quickly. Try playing fewer hands, but bet/raise confidently.

  • Watch Your Opponents

Try to carefully observe how your South African opponents behave. Pay attention to whether they play passively, aggressively, or try to be unpredictable. It will help you to choose a winning strategy with a better probability. Sometimes, this is even more helpful than bluffing since bluffs rarely work against SA online opponents who call almost every bet.

  • Manage Your Bankroll

Don’t try playing for real money until you have set a specific losing limit. Make only those online casino bets that match your bankroll. Generally, it is best not to risk more than 5% of your total bankroll on more than one real money poker.

Best Mobile Real Money Poker and Casino Poker Game Apps

All poker sites South Africa you saw in the list are perfectly adapted for any device in South Africa, including mobile ones. You can easily play any online casino poker variation on your Android/IOS smartphone or tablet. Some casino sites also have mobile apps. You can download the app for your Apple or Android device or just use the mobile version of the official gambling site.

Popular Casino Poker Software Developers in South Africa

Betsoft

betsoft

This provider is a real winner for its visual component in South Africa, as all the games can impress you with developed 3D graphics. It focuses more on slots but still has some great online poker games like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better for SA. Betsoft poker variations have multiple betting options and auto-hold functionality.

Microgaming

Microgaming

Great for online casino poker games in South Africa, as it offers a wide range of games. You can mostly find Video Poker games like Aces & Faces Tens or Better and All Aces Poker, and if you prefer fast-paced online poker sessions, these ones will suit you. It does not specialize in live dealer poker, but you can still find a few tables. Anyway, Microgaming is a prominent provider featured on many poker sites South Africa players trust for their reliability and game variety.

Play’n GO

Play’n GO

This provider mainly offers slot games in South Africa but has expanded quite a bit into poker games. It mainly offers online video poker games such as Casino Stud Poker, Joker Poker, and Pai Gow Poker. By the way, Play’n GO is great for beginners as its games always have the most detailed tutorials.

Realtime Gaming (RTG)

It is an absolute favorite among South African poker sites and players alike with its huge variety of games and excellent localization for the market. You can try online video poker games like Double Double Bonus Poker or Jacks or Better and several online casino poker rooms. Its poker games are fully compatible with mobile devices and are simple, so there is no wonder why Realtime Gaming is so popular in SA for real money play.

Online Poker vs Video Poker: What’s The Difference?

CategoryOnline Poker GameVideo Poker Game
GameplayAgainst real playersAgainst the online casino with RNG
StrategyReading opponents, bluffing, adapting to the situationFocuses on probabilities and optimal hand selection
SpeedSlow gameFast game
Social interactionOften includes live chatNo social interaction
Skill vs luckSkill-basedBoth
AccessibilityPoker rooms, live dealer settingsStandard casino game

Wrapping Up

Online casino poker games are not easy, so make sure you are fully prepared to play in South Africa. Don’t bet more than you can afford, and don’t join the real money game without learning the rules. You can choose any SA online casino from the list or try several to decide what you like best — all those sites are rigorously tested anyway, so you can be sure you gamble at a reliable place.

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