South Africa contributes largely to the success of the African gambling market. According to a statistical report from Carry1st and Newzoo, the country has the highest number of gamers on the continent. Thus, the gambling market is booming with both South African online casinos and South African betting sites emerging. However, the market growth has also attracted negative attention from fraudsters. We aim to help you identify and avoid fake sites while ensuring you bet on legitimate ones like Betway.
Whether you are an experienced or new player, you are liable to be a victim if you don’t safeguard yourself. This is because these swindlers use many deplorable means to attract gamblers. One popular way is offering bonuses and promotions that are too good to be true. Or intentionally misleading gamblers by advertising false products and demanding payment for registration. Furthermore, these sites might manipulate the odds in their favour or install software that makes the system malfunction while playing.
Other dubious activities include identity theft and money laundering. There are some security measures that one can employ to protect oneself. First, one must consciously wager with bookies that protect players’ information using a secure socket layer (SSL) encryption protocol. Both the website and mobile app must be encrypted. Asides that, avoid giving out passwords and key information to other players.
Moreso, you should always be knowledgeable about your account information, i.e. account balance, games played, wins and losses etc. This way, you can easily detect any questionable activities, which should be promptly reported to the site’s customer care team. Importantly, make sure you fully read and understand the general terms and conditions before staking real money on any gambling site. After taking these necessary security measures, if you feel something is awkward about a bookie, do not sign up with them.
As far back as 2004, the South African government established the appropriate measures to ensure a safe gaming environment for players. The National Gambling Act 2004 regulates gambling at a national scale, while the National Gambling Board is the official licensing and regulatory body. Without a valid licence from this body, no sportsbook can legally accept wagers and dispense winnings. The law compulsorily states that sportsbooks must clearly and adequately inform gamblers about their products and other pertinent information.
Online gambling in South Africa can be a delightful way to entertain oneself from the comfort of one’s home. Nevertheless, one must always tread carefully when engaging in this activity. Taking the vital security measures suggested in this article will help you evade all types of fraud while guiding you in choosing trustworthy bookies.
