How to Upload FICA Documents

Every licensed betting site in South Africa has to know who you are before it lets money move freely. That is the FICA check, and it is the same law your bank follows, which is why most of what you’ll read about it online is written for bank accounts.

This guide is for punters. It covers what the Act actually requires, what operators add on top and how to get an upload approved first time. One thing to know before you start. The famous three-month rule for proof of address is not in the law. It is the operator’s own policy, and that changes what you can do when there is no bill in your name.

The figures that matter, from the Act and the Financial Intelligence Centre, the FIC.

• Act 38 of 2001: the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, South Africa’s anti-money-laundering law.
• Schedule 1, item 9: the line that makes every licensed betting site an accountable institution.
• Three basic details: full names, date of birth and an ID or passport number, used every time.
• 2 October 2017: the day proof of address stopped being a legal FICA requirement.
• R49,999.99: cash above this is reported to the FIC automatically.
• 1,992,014 reports: cash threshold reports the gambling industry filed from April 2018 to March 2023.
• 50.3% of revenue: betting’s share of gross gambling revenue in 2022/23.

FICA is the Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001, South Africa’s anti-money-laundering law. It makes a list of businesses, which it calls accountable institutions, check who their clients are and report certain transactions to the Financial Intelligence Centre, the FIC.

Betting sites are on that list by name. Schedule 1, item 9 covers anyone who makes a gambling activity available under a license from the National Gambling Board or a provincial board. That is every licensed online betting site, casino and bookmaker in the country.

So yes, it is the same law as your bank’s, and it’s the reason you’ll be asked to upload FICA documents when you sign up to bet, just as you would to open an account at a bank branch or with an investment platform.

Why it Matters

FICA is not optional for the operator. Under section 21E, a bookmaker that cannot verify you may not keep doing business with you. It has to close an existing account under its own risk rules and consider reporting it to the FIC.

In practice, an unverified account can be:

• Restricted, so you can bet but not do everything
• Blocked from withdrawals
• Frozen with the balance still in it
• Left paused indefinitely during sign-up

There is some give. The FIC’s guidance says an operator can reasonably hold off closing an account while it helps you fix the problem, so answer the first email instead of ignoring it.

The gambling industry files a huge number of reports with the FIC. Between April 2018 and March 2023 it sent 1,992,014 cash threshold reports and 20,043 suspicious and unusual transaction reports, according to the FIC’s January 2024 risk assessment of the sector.

A cash threshold report is automatic. Any cash transaction over R49,999.99 gets one, a line that sat at R24,999.99 until November 2022. A suspicious transaction report is different, because it’s filed when something about the activity looks wrong.

Why Online Accounts Get Extra Checks

Sports betting through a licensed South African bookmaker is the only form of online gambling that’s legal here. Betting is also the biggest part of the industry, with 50.3% of gross gambling revenue in 2022/23.

The FIC’s own assessment says online betting makes it harder to confirm who a client is and harder still to prove that the person placing the bets is the account holder, which is why a betting site may ask for a photo of you as well as your ID when a bank branch would just look at you across the counter.

None of this means you’re under suspicion. It means the operator has to be able to prove who you are if the FIC ever asks.

The law sets a short list, and betting sites add to it. The FIC’s Guidance Note 7A says three details are always used to establish who you are: your full names, your date of birth and an ID or passport number. Everything else is up to the operator.

1. Proof of Identity

This is the part every operator asks for. Acceptable documents include:

• Your South African barcoded ID, either the green book or the smart card
• A valid passport, if you’re a foreign national
• A certified temporary ID from Home Affairs while yours is being replaced
• A driver’s license in some cases, best sent alongside your ID
• An asylum seeker or refugee permit, which the FIC lists as an identity document

Whatever you send, your name, photo, date of birth and ID number need to be easy to read.

2. Proof of Residential Address

Here’s where most guides get it wrong. Proof of address isn’t a legal FICA requirement any more. The regulation that demanded it was repealed on 2 October 2017, and the FIC now lists a residential address as an optional extra.

Plenty of betting sites still ask for it, and many set a three-month limit on the document. That figure came from FIC guidance published in 2005 and withdrawn since, so it’s operator policy rather than law, but it still counts on that site, because an operator whose own rules require the document can refuse to verify you without it. Commonly accepted proof includes:

• Utility bills for water, electricity or a phone line
• Bank or credit card statements
• Lease agreements
• Official letters from employers or government bodies

The address normally has to be in your name, or come with a signed declaration from the person you live with. If neither works, ask what else the operator accepts. Capitec opens bank accounts with no proof of address at all, which shows how much room the law leaves.

3. Proof of Banking Details

Betting sites care about this one because it’s where your winnings go. You may be asked for:

• A bank statement
• A canceled cheque
• A bank letter confirming the account details

It proves the account you’re withdrawing to is really yours.

4. Proof of Tax Information

This one’s rare for a casual punter. Some providers ask for your SARS income tax reference number, mostly on trading, investment or high-value accounts. The FIC lists tax numbers among the extra details an institution may choose to collect.

Additional FICA Documents for Companies and Legal Entities

If you’re verifying a company, trust, nonprofit or partnership, the list gets longer: certificates of incorporation, resolutions, director IDs, trust deeds and proof of the business address, among others.

Every institution has its own checklist, but the goal is the same. It has to identify the entity, work out who really owns it and confirm who’s authorized to act.

Most rejections come down to a handful of avoidable mistakes. Here they are before you upload anything.

Uploading Blurry or Low-Quality Scans

Every detail has to be readable. A fuzzy photo gets rejected, and you’re back in the queue.

Older-Than-Accepted Documents

Many operators set a three-month limit on proof of address and bank statements. Check the date before you send anything.

Documents Not in Your Name

If a bill isn’t in your name, you’ll usually need a declaration of co-residence plus proof from the person whose name is on it.

Uploading the Wrong File Format

Most portals take JPG, PNG or PDF. Avoid HEIC files from iPhones unless you convert them first.

Not Matching Names Across Documents

Your ID, proof of address and bank documents should all show the same legal name. A missing middle name or a maiden name on one of them is enough to slow things down.

Get those five right and most uploads go through first time.

Every operator’s portal looks a little different, but the steps are the same. Hollywoodbets is a good example. Its FICA self-service site asks for your ID, passport or cellphone number, then lets you take a picture of each document on your phone or upload a saved file from a computer. Lucky Fish runs the same self-service setup, and our Hollywoodbets FICA walkthrough goes through that one screen by screen.

Before You Upload

1. Prepare Your Documents

Scan or photograph each item clearly. Names, dates and addresses all need to be readable. If a bill doesn’t show your name, pair it with a declaration.

2. Check File Types and Size

Save your files as PDF, JPG or PNG. Some portals cap the upload size, so compress big files, but keep them clear.

Uploading

3. Log Into the Portal

Most sites have a FICA or Verification Documents section in your account. Hollywoodbets also runs a separate self-service site at fica.hollywoodbets.net.

4. Select the Correct Category

Choose the category that matches the document: ID, proof of address, or a bank or tax document.

5. Upload and Label

Click Upload, pick the file and label it clearly, for example “Proof of Address, Utility Bill”.

After You Submit

6. Submit and Wait

The operator then reviews your documents. Sometimes it’s instant, sometimes it takes several business days.

7. Follow Up If Needed

If a document’s rejected, the portal or an email will usually tell you why. If you’re stuck, phone the operator. The Hollywoodbets helpline is 087 353 7634 and Lucky Fish’s is 087 365 0651. Banks such as FNB, Standard Bank, Absa and Nedbank follow the same basic sequence.

Most people upload from their phone now, and betting sites are built for mobile uploads. For example:

• Some banking apps let you photograph your ID and proof of address inside the app.
• Investment platforms often take multi-page PDFs from your phone’s files.
• Betting sites such as Hollywoodbets let you take the photo straight from the upload page, and Hollywoodbets has step-by-step video guides too.

Mobile Upload Tips

• Take photos in good light
• Keep all four corners in the frame
• Avoid shadows over the text

Check the portal’s instructions first, though. A few operators still prefer a desktop upload for multi-page documents.

Even if you follow every step, some uploads get rejected. The usual reasons:

Problems With the Picture

1. Document Not Clear or Cut Off

Fix: Re-scan or take a new, sharp photo.

2. Expired or Too Old

Fix: Upload a more recent document, inside the operator’s time limit.

Problems With the Details

3. Document Mismatch

Fix: Check your name, address and ID number match across every file.

4. Wrong File Type

Fix: Convert to JPG or PDF and upload again. Operators usually send the reason through the portal or by email, so read it before you try again.

FICA isn’t just for South African citizens. The FIC accepts foreign passports, asylum seeker and refugee permits, work permits and visitors’ visas as identity documents. If you’re a foreign national signing up here, you’ll often need:

• A certified copy of your passport
• A work or residence permit
• Proof of address in your home country or South Africa
• Bank statements showing your financial details

If you’re an expat and still hold accounts with South African institutions, FICA still applies, especially to cross-border transactions above the reporting thresholds.

FICA Documents for Businesses, Trusts, and Legal Entities

For a company, trust, partnership or other legal entity, the checklist is broader. It often includes:

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Board resolutions
• Trust deeds
• Proof of the business’s physical address
• ID and proof of address for directors and beneficial owners

Anti-money-laundering law also makes institutions identify the people who ultimately own or control the entity, so this upload takes longer. Check the institution’s own checklist first and you’ll avoid several rounds of corrections.

A few habits make a fast approval far more likely:

• Scan in good light: legibility is everything
• Use PDF where possible: it’s the most widely accepted format
• Check the dates: especially on proof of address
• Match every name: consistency avoids the commonest rejection
• Keep originals handy: some operators ask for certified copies
• Do it early: finish FICA before you need to withdraw

And if the instructions are confusing, call support. Most operators have a dedicated FICA team for exactly this.

FICA looks like paperwork, but it comes down to one question. Can the operator prove who you are? Send a clear ID, a bank document in your own name and whatever proof of address the site asks for, and most uploads clear without a fuss.

The part most guides miss is that the law sets the minimum, each operator sets its own rules on top, and if you can’t meet them, the smart move is to ask what else it accepts before you give up on the account or send the same rejected document a second time.

Only bet with licensed South African operators, and you must be 18 or older. If gambling stops being fun, read our responsible gambling guide or call the national toll-free counselling line on 0800 006 008.