How to FICA Your Betting Account in South Africa

If you want to bet on your favourite teams or play the most exciting casino games in SA, you will need to make sure that your account has been officially FICA registered. No idea what FICA registering is? Well, we are here to shed some light on the matter for you.

FICA Meaning – What is the Federal Insurance Contributions Act

Here in SA, we have the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) which is a crucial law aimed at fighting financial crimes like money laundering. It was passed in 2001 to try and keep up with the rest of the world’s financial regulations.

FICA is in place for a ton of different business types but in this instance, we are shedding light on its influence with online casino gaming in SA.

All online casinos have to check who their customers are and watch for any suspicious transactions that may not fall in line with FICA guidelines.

If they see something strange, they have to report it to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), which analyses the information and shares it with the police.

Following FICA means online casinos and sportsbooks need to have good systems in place to spot and stop illegal financial activities. This is important not only for the safety of the financial system but also for the country’s security. By making financial dealings more transparent and secure, FICA helps build trust among investors and improve our country’s reputation globally.

What are the FICA Documents

If you have never signed up to an online casino here in SA, then the whole process of uploading FICA documents may seem a little foreign to you. That’s perfectly natural, but all in all, the process is easy, as we all have at least one of the documents needed to FICA register with these sites.

There are 2 criteria that you will need to fulfil when you upload your FICA documents. These are:

• 👉 Your proof of identity
• 👉 Your proof of residence

In order to provide a valid proof of ID, you will need to upload a copy of your standard green book ID, a smart card ID, a passport or a valid driver’s licence. Any of these will get the job done for providing proof of identity.

In order for you to provide proof of address, you will need to upload a copy of a recent utility bill or a bank statement that is no older than 3 months. Any of these, provided they are within the last 3 months, will fulfil this part of the FICA registration for you.

Where is the National Gambling Board Located?

The National Gambling Board is located in Pretoria. The role of the National Gambling Board is to regulate, oversee and issue licences to prospective online casinos and sportsbooks in SA.

The NGB is also always on hand to make sure that all sportsbooks and online casinos are operating above board and are complying with financial laws. They do this through investigations and audits mostly. Basically, the NGB makes sure that the sites that you gamble with are operating legally and treating their users fairly.

Can I Gamble Without FICA?

No, you won’t be able to gamble without being FICA-registered with any gambling site in SA right now.

❗ You may be able to create your account but you won’t be able to make a deposit without the online casino or sportsbook first verifying your uploaded documents.

Without being able to make a deposit, you won’t be able to place any bets. However, it’s worth mentioning that you will be able to place bets prior to being FICA registered if you receive a no-deposit bonus. However, you won’t be able to withdraw the winnings from the offer until you are officially FICA registered.

Where do I Report a Gambling Company in South Africa?

If you feel like you have been wronged, mistreated or cheated out of your winnings by an online sportsbook or casino in SA, you aren’t completely stuck.

You are going to want to reach out to the National Gambling Board in Pretoria if you have a serious issue, and there are a number of ways in which you can lodge your complaint or report.

If you want to reach out to the NGB, you can do so in the following ways: