Payz (ecoPayz) casinos in South Africa

What Payz is

Payz is an e-wallet that has served online gambling since the early 2000s. Until May 2023 it was called ecoPayz; the rebrand changed the name and logo, not the way it works. You open an account, load a balance, and pay merchants from it. Casinos that support it can also pay winnings straight back to the wallet.

In South Africa it’s a minor player. It has never had the reach of Skrill or Neteller, and local bookmakers don’t use it at all. If you see it in a cashier, it’s almost certainly an international casino.

Casinos that accept Payz

In our data two casinos accept Payz from South Africans: Thunderbolt Casino and Yebo Casino. Both take deposits and pay out to it, and Yebo lists a R25 minimum deposit. Both are offshore-licensed, so a dispute would go to the licensing authority abroad, not to a provincial board.

1Win, our featured casino, doesn’t list Payz in our data, though it does take Skrill and Neteller.

How to deposit with Payz

1. Open a Payz account and complete the identity check. Unverified accounts have tight limits.
2. Load the wallet with one of the funding methods Payz offers in your country.
3. In the casino cashier choose Payz (it may still say ecoPayz).
4. Log in to Payz in the pop-up and confirm the payment.
5. The money appears in your casino balance at once.

How to withdraw to Payz

1. Verify your casino account with your ID and proof of address.
2. Choose Payz on the withdrawal page. Casinos normally pay out to the method you used to deposit.
3. Enter the amount and your Payz account details.
4. Once the casino approves the request, the money lands in your wallet. Thunderbolt reports near-instant e-wallet payouts after approval.
5. Transfer the balance to your bank account from inside Payz.

Fees, limits and speed

• Casino fees: none at Thunderbolt or Yebo in our data.
• Payz fees: Payz charges for some load methods, for currency conversion, and for withdrawing to a bank. Exact figures depend on your account level. Check the fee page before you load.
• Limits: set by your Payz account level and the casino’s own minimums (R25 at Yebo).
• Speed: instant deposits; withdrawals to the wallet from instant to 24 hours after approval.

Who it suits

Payz suits players who already hold a Payz balance and play at Thunderbolt or Yebo. If that’s you, it’s a reasonable two-way method.

For everyone else it’s hard to recommend. Opening a new e-wallet account, paying load and conversion fees, and then being limited to two casinos isn’t a good trade when local methods are free and instant. And as with other e-wallets, some casinos exclude Payz deposits from welcome bonuses.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Deposits and withdrawals through the same wallet.
• Fast payouts at Thunderbolt once approved.
• Keeps your bank details away from the casino.

Cons

• Only two casinos in our data accept it.
• Both are offshore-licensed.
• Wallet fees for loading, conversion and bank withdrawals.
• Can be excluded from bonus offers.

Better-supported alternatives

If you want an e-wallet, Skrill (nine brands in our data) and Neteller (six brands) give you far more choice. For deposits at local sites, Ozow and Capitec Pay are instant and usually free. Thunderbolt also takes CashtoCode if you’d rather pay with cash; Neosurf, often listed next to these at casinos abroad, isn’t accepted by any brand in our data. See all the options on our payments page.

Whatever you use, set a budget first and stick to it. Your casino account has deposit limits you can switch on, and the NRGP’s free helpline, 0800 006 008, is there if you need it.