Methodology
How our ratings are calculated
Every brand on this site is scored against the same five pillars, using the same scale, by people who used the product as an ordinary player would. This page sets out exactly what goes into a score so you can judge whether our priorities match yours.
South African player traffic on these brands is currently paused. You can still compare the Featured operators and use the links on this site; do not treat them as a guaranteed SA signup path. Markets can change. 18+.
The five pillars
Sportsbook
Weight: 25%Depth on local and international football, rugby and cricket; number and variety of markets on headline fixtures; in-play speed and stability; bet slip clarity and how combinations are handled.
Casino
Weight: 25%Size and organisation of the slot library, quality of filtering and search, live dealer coverage across stake ranges, visibility of table rules and limits, and availability of demo play.
Bingo
Weight: 15%Room schedule and formats, ticket price range, pre-buy and auto-daub support, chat moderation and how lively the rooms actually are at typical playing hours.
Payments
Weight: 20%Whether the wallet is genuinely in rand, the spread of deposit methods, minimum amounts, withdrawal processing speed by method, and how clearly verification requirements are communicated.
Mobile
Weight: 15%Page load and responsiveness on a mid-range handset over mobile data, bet slip ergonomics, live score updating, legibility in bright light, and whether any install is required.
How we test
We register a normal player account on a phone, without special treatment or operator assistance, and note every step and point of friction on the way in. We then use all three products — sportsbook, casino and bingo — because a brand can be excellent at one and hollow at another, and an overall score that ignores that is misleading.
Money movement is tested end to end. We deposit in rand, place real bets, request a withdrawal, and record how verification and payout timing behave in practice rather than how they are described in the help centre. Where our experience differs from the published policy, we say so in the review.
How scores are set
Each pillar is scored from 1 to 5 in increments of a tenth. The overall rating is the weighted average of the five pillars, rounded to one decimal place. We do not award a perfect 5 lightly — there is almost always something a brand could do better, and a scale where everything scores five stars tells you nothing.
A tenth of a point is not meaningful on its own. Treat the scores as a way to see the shape of a brand across categories, not as a league table to be read to the decimal.
When scores change
Operators change lobbies, markets, payment methods and terms without notice, so a review is a snapshot. We re-check featured brands regularly and update scores when something material shifts: a payment method disappearing, payout times slipping, a product being retired, or a significant improvement to the live betting experience.
Independence and how this site is funded
LiveGames.co.za is free to read and earns commission when a reader signs up with a brand through a link on this site. That funding model is common in this industry and we think it is only acceptable if it is disclosed and kept away from the editorial process. Commercial arrangements do not buy a higher score, a better position, or the removal of a criticism. Every review lists cons, and the cons are real.
If you believe something on this site is inaccurate or out of date, tell us on our contact page and we will re-check it.