Interview with Janice



Amuse: When did you gamble the first time, where and what game did you play?
Janice: I grew up playing cards but that was more for fun and pennies than actual gambling.  Back in the old days South Africa’s government banned casinos so we used to take trips up to Sun City which was very exciting.  I must have been about 23 when I first went there to gamble, it had only opened the year before and I played Video Poker because I understood the game of poker from the family games we used to play and thought it would be the easiest.

Amuse: Follow up on this question: Did you win?
Janice: *laughs*  No, the machine version was a bit different to what I was used to and had expected…although it did take me a long time to lose as my balance went up and down a lot.  I really was an amateur then though and didn’t have much money to spare.

Amuse: When did you gamble for the first time online?
Janice: Oh, that I only started to do recently (last year) when my son showed me how to play online.  I was very excited to do something new but also VERY nervous…I didn’t really feel like I knew how to do everything but I learnt and now it is fine.

Amuse: How much was your biggest win/loss?
Janice: I won a video poker jackpot of R5000 at an online casino in December which was a great bonus.  The most I’ve ever lost is probably around R1000.

Amuse: In your views, what is the difference in gambling online an in a land based casinos?
Janice: Well, land based casinos are more social I think whereas gambling online is more convenient when I am bored at home.  I tend to spend less overall when gambling online because I don’t have to pay the casino prices for drinks and I don’t need to eat out or anything but I do sometimes miss watching people in between playing.

Amuse: Do you believe casinos cheat?
Janice: I don’t think they have to…they seem to be gold mines!  But I guess you never really know.

Amuse: Are online casinos safe? Do you get your money if you win?
Janice: I think for the most part they are, my son keeps telling me to stick to the one he recommended to me originally because it has a proven track record, good customer support and we always get our money out.  I have tried a few others but only after checking them out carefully.  As for paying when you win, my jackpot was paid in full when I won.

Amuse: What are the problems South Africans are facing when they want to play online?
Janice: I’m not really sure about that, I have done much research on that and haven’t encountered any problems when playing.

Amuse: Why do online casinos have such a bad reputation?
Janice: Again I don’t really know…I don’t see the difference between online and land based casinos and look how packed the land based ones are every day!  I think that some people look down on gambling as they associate it with poor losers and chancers and of course there are those types but there are also people who gamble for fun and aren’t going to sell everything they own or con people into giving them money so that they can play.  There was a stigma to gambling in the old days for those reasons and I think it has stuck a bit but is changing with the new generation.

Amuse: Where do you see the future of online gambling in South Africa?
Janice: I’m sure there will be more online casinos available…just look at how many land based casinos there are!  Other than that, I really can’t say.

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