Sunbet signed an agreement with live gambling provider BetGames which will see them offering 10 new games and a lottery product to players in South Africa. However, does this contravene the country’s strict “no online gambling” policy?
BetGames is one of the hot new live dealer casino game providers as their industry accolades attest. The company not only took home the Rising Star in Casino Innovation at last years SBC Awards but was also shortlisted for no less than five hotly contested categories at the EGR B2B Awards.
In a groundbreaking deal for the South African online gambling market BetGames and Sunbet, Sun International’s online sports betting division, have signed an agreement that will see the providers live game portfolio added to Sunbet via the Bede platform.
What Can Sunbet Players Look Forward To?
Online gambling is without a doubt a growth industry in South Africa and with Sun International’s long history of excellence in the land-based arena, it is no surprise that Sunbet has a massive online following.
Nitesh Matai, Sunbet General Manager, said:
“Online gaming is booming in our region and BetGames.TV will be an ideal partner to help deliver live dealer content to players, whether in the comfort of their own homes or within our land-based estate in the nearest future.”
This latest partnership will see Sunbet players gain access to BetGames entire live game portfolio which includes Bet on Poker, Bet on Baccarat, War of Bets, Wheel of Fortune and several other entertaining games as well as a superb lottery game.
Is Regulation on the Horizon?
One question that immediately comes to mind is whether the government's approval of said deal is an indication that South Africa is leaning favourably towards regulating online casino games in the near future?
The question is based on the fact that the current National Gambling Board (NGB) website displays a bold red statement "Online gambling is illegal in South Africa" which makes their stance on online games of chance irrefutable. However, this seems at odds with the fact that the deal between BetGames and Sunbet is approved by both the NGB and the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board (WCGRB).
Nitesh Matai was kind enough to speak to GamblersPick to clarify the situation. He explained that the live games offered by BetGames are not considered games of chance for two key reasons:
This combination of a live-action such as spinning a wheel or dealing from a deck of cards combined with the placing of a fixed-odds wager is what separates the live games on offer from something like a slot machine where it is a game of chance based on a digital random number generator.
Even looking at approved online lottery programs in South Africa one will see that they are offered on a fixed-odds basis and not on the outcome of the specific draw. Again, this is an important distinction as the National Lottery in South Africa is a government monopoly overseen by the National Lotteries Commission.
So while the agreement between BetGames and Sunbet is good news for fixed-odds players and sports betting enthusiasts it would seem that fans of online slot and progressive jackpot games will have a while to go before being able to legally play in South Africa.
Video slots have improved since the days of the three-reel slot games, with a greater number of paylines and ways to win, and superb features all designed to keep you playing. Knowing how these work can guide you to maximise your potential profits.
Kate Gavrilenko of Platipus Gaming explains how slot mathematical models are built, balancing RTP, volatility, probabilities, payouts and bonus features for successful games.
Let’s look at three exclusive welcome bonuses available to online players through GamblersPick. Grab any of the following exclusive promotions and start playing at trusted, reviewed online casinos with generous offers available regularly.
Casinos
Games
Jackpots
