South Australia ranks fourth in size among the Australian states and territories. In contrast, SA is the state with the second lowest population (below 2 million), nearly 80% of which is concentrated in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia.
Casino Adelaide, formerly SkyCity Adelaide, is the only proper casino venue in the state, packing a range of pokies machines, table games, and poker tournaments. SA TAB shops, bingo halls, lotteries, horse race betting, and online sports betting are also legal in South Australia. The SA Government must license all betting activities to be legally conducted in the state. On the other hand, online casino gambling (pokies, table games, poker, etc.) has been illegal since the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
The above means that SA residents can visit Adelaide Casino or bet on sports in a regulated fashion. Alternatively, 18+ punters can join offshore online casinos we have approved, catering to this market with massive bonuses, thousands of games, and professionally designed sites.
You can read the following guide for details about casinos in South Australia and the best spots for online gambling in the state.
AU$3,000
200 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
Casinos in South Australia
SkyCity Adelaide is the sole casino venue in South Australia. It holds a license issued by the SA Governor since 1999 and houses over 1000 poker machines and nearly 100 table games.
Small gaming venues and poker tables are also featured on selected racecourses.
New casinos are unlikely to get a license for operations in SA, considering the population size and overall low demand for another gambling venue.
That’s because most SA gamblers turn to offshore venues for their pokies fix. They might be unregulated, but they don’t lack in any respect when compared to the state’s local options.
Other legal betting activities in SA
Several bills have been approved by the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner since the 90s, slowly enabling most types of betting. These include wagering via TAB shops and racing clubs on fantasy sports, keno, bingo, lotteries, and online sports betting.
The Commissioner must approve contingencies (betting events) before they can be introduced by the bookies. Most markets are open, including niche sports like Olympic Golf and Rugby, Snooker, Gaelic Football, Handball, Volleyball, politics, awards, and football.
One notable restriction is the lack of live betting. Punters in SA can only place their bets before the game has started.
Online Gambling in South Australia
The Federal Interactive Gambling Act 2001 decided the fate of online casinos and poker sites for all Aussie states. Although it didn’t achieve its purpose right off the bat, revisions and amendments that followed ensured there is no question about it – all interactive online gaming activities are illegal. No local company can acquire a license to offer online casino games in Australia.
However, offshore casinos accepting Australians are not restricted by this law. ISP blocks and fines are issued by Australian regulators to offshore gambling sites, yet players flock to such platforms to enjoy the thousands of online pokies and live dealer games on offer. Large bonuses, around-the-clock support, mobile-friendly gaming experience, efficient banking, and more features make them a popular alternative to visiting SkyCity Adelaide or other Aussie casino venues.
Best Online Casinos in South Australia
AU$3,000
200 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
⚡️4000 AUD
🎰 +400 Free Spins
TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
AU$3000
300 Free Spins
⚡️750 AUD
🎰 +200 Free Spins
New casino offer in AU
$25 FREE CHIP
Code: 25JOURNEY
WGR: 60x / Max. cash-out: $180
AU$4,500
+150 Free Spins
* 🎡 Crypto Wheel!
A$1000
+ 100FREE Spins * for Aztec Magic Deluxe (BGaming) or The Hive by BSG
💰 4000 AUD
+ 🆓 150 Free Spins
🇭🇲TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
Our team has been working with Aussie online casinos for nearly a decade. We know how to distinguish the good from the bad since we have been reviewing every new operator marketing its services to players Down Under. We sign up and test the following aspects before laying down our verdict:
- Gaming options, variety, and developers
- Bonus frequency, size, and restrictions
- Licensing body, operating company, and safety features
- Banking methods, payment limits, and speed
- Mobile compatibility, interface, and apps
The above are just the main areas, we look at more things, including what other players think of each casino site. We follow this process to the letter since SA online casinos are not regulated at a local level. Some of the highest-rated casino sites for South Australia residents are:
- SkyCrown – pick from over 10,000 online casino games
- Wazamba – multiple promos for existing players
- Rabona – top casino with sports and eSports betting
- Ozwin – best no deposit bonus in SA
- WildFortune – fastest paying online casino
You can use our banners to visit your preferred online casino and qualify for exclusive bonuses; or tap to read our in-depth reviews and see why our experts have rated them as the best gambling sites for pokies in South Australia.
Stay Safe: How to Select South Australian Online Casinos
The complete list of casinos in Australia includes 14 names only, most of which are part of the Crown Resorts family. Naturally, players don’t get to select based on their preferences. Proximity matters the most. In South Australia, you have a single option to play poker machines and table games for real money.
The situation is different with online casinos. Since operators don’t need to pay millions to get a permit to operate Down Under, hundreds of online casinos take a shot with Aussie players. To make a selection, you can rely on our ratings and expert reviews. This will ensure you are safe while gambling online. On the other hand, you could follow a more organic approach:
- Visit an online casino and assess its interface, feel, and ease of use.
- Explore what games it offers and whether it has your preferred gaming options.
- Take a look at the bonuses and the terms associated with them (match rate, validity, qualifying games, wagering requirements, cash-out rules, etc.).
- Read the privacy policy, verify its security license, and do some digging on its owner.
- See which authority oversees its operations, if any, and whether the casino holds a valid license.
- Read reviews by other players, check the payment methods, and banking limits.
If you feel it meets your expectations, you can test the waters with a low casino deposit. Request a withdrawal, casinos that pay according to their terms and without excuses are keepers. Don’t rush through the above assessment process, many online casinos in South Australia claim to be the best but only a handful deliver on their promises.
Top Pokies Machines to Play Online
SA online casinos partner with many international gaming companies before launching and while operating. They do so to remain competitive and continually attract new players. Digital casinos often house over 5000 online pokies from hundreds of developers.
Microgaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, BGaming, Booongo, Playson, Play’n GO, Yggdrasil, and Nolimit are some household names. Every brand has a few signature pokies and a general approach when designing games. For example, Booongo makes Hold and Win pokies that include four fixed jackpots, free spins with stacked symbols, and a mostly dull base game with small wins. Yggdrasil, on the other hand, mostly delivers games with cutting-edge graphics that include unconventional gameplay features that make the base game interesting and lucrative. The bonus rounds are for show mostly.
Aspects you should consider while searching for online pokies to play at South Australian casinos include the graphics, betting limits, RTP, volatility, bonus rounds, symbol payouts, and gameplay. There are options for all tastes and budgets. You can demo pokies too; this feature lets you try a game with play money until you feel a game is worth real money stakes.
Our team prefers risky pokies with a range of special features. Some of our favourite picks based on these KPIs include:
- 5 Lions Megaways
- Starlight Princess 1000
- Wild Cash x9990
- Elvis Frog in Vegas True Ways
- Bigger Bass Bonanza
- The Book of Bookies
- Sweet Bonanza
Our Casino Bonus Picks for South Australian Residents
The lack of oversight and regulations has resulted in a hugely competitive iGaming market in SA. Online casinos can up their bonuses and come up with original promotions as they see fit. Top online casinos don’t sit back and leave things to chance, they test new welcome bonuses and introduce weekly tournaments and reload bonuses to see how players interact with them.
Some of the most common bonuses we encounter at South Australian online casinos are:
- 100% match bonuses up to A$1000 – A$10,000 for new players, spread out across three or five deposits. Free spins are often part of the deal.
- A minimum of three weekly reload bonuses, incorporating 25 – 50% boosts and 50 – 100 free spins.
- VIP schemes with loyalty points exchangeable for cash or bonuses, and other benefits.
- Combination of network and in-house tournaments with impressive prize pools.
Comparing bonuses at face value is not hard. Our team goes the extra mile while reviewing operators, though, reading the fine print and evaluating them according to their restrictions too. Based on our research, these are the best casinos with bonuses for South Australian players:
⚡️4000 AUD
🎰 +400 Free Spins
TOP3 Best casino offer in AU
A$1000
+ 100FREE Spins * for Aztec Magic Deluxe (BGaming) or The Hive by BSG
AU$5,000
300 Free Spins
* 🎉 Grand opening!
AU$1200
+75 FREE Spins
$20,000
300% Match bonus
Conclusion
Online sports betting, albeit with limitations, is 100% legal in South Australia. TAB Shops, race betting, and one of the best casinos in the country are all within reach in the state.
Conversely, online casinos are illegal in South Australia. With that in mind, you can proceed with care and select approved offshore online gambling sites accepting players residing in SA. Registration is easy, payments are conducted in AUD, and the gaming experience is outstanding. As long as you select carefully. This guide has hopefully equipped you with all the necessary info to do so.
The only thing left to say is to always gamble with caution, no matter the venue or type of betting activity in South Australia. Our responsible gambling resources should help you take proactive steps and stay safe, even when online casinos don’t feature as many helpful tools as we would like.
- About the Author
- Affiliate Disclosure
Michael has reviewed and verified all information on this page. Having worked in the iGaming industry for over 8 years, he is the most capable person to help you navigate online casinos, pokies, and the Australian gambling landscape.
