Discover the best online casinos in New Zealand

Slots are among the most popular casino games in any online casino NZ. These are commonly called Pokies in New Zealand and Australia and are generally built on a specific theme.

Online Pokies simulate slot machines avidly found on land-based casino floors and display symbols that move on reels in a matrix layout. Some common reel structures are 3×3, 5×4, and so on.

Pokies have a pre-decided number of paylines or ‘ways to win’, and usually, when at least three special symbols land on the paylines, the payouts get multiplied. You can also find slots with Megaways to win that can offer up to 1024 ways to win.

The special symbols are wild, scatter and bonus symbols, though all slot games might not have any or all of these. Besides multipliers, players can get free spins bonuses, play mini-games and gamble their earnings to increase their payouts further as special symbols appear on the reels.

The information related to the paylines, special symbols, payouts, bonus games, gamble features, etc., can be viewed from the info section of the slot game. Depending on their payout volatility, slots are classified into low, medium, and high payout slots.

You can find the top online casinos in New Zealand loaded with a range of slots from popular developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, Thunderkick, NextGen Gaming, etc. Most of these slots borrow their themes from fruits, animals, cartoons, history, sports, music bands, movies, etc. You can easily find many Mega Jackpot and Progressive slots, which gives you the possibility to win millions worth of jackpot at your favorite casinos.

Pros and Cons of Slot Games

Can I play for free?

Yes, some of the best NZ online casinos allow players to play slots for free before spending real money. Kiwi punters can also play for free if they can find no-deposit free spins on a particular pokie or activate free spins bonus while playing the game. You can also find the free spins offer as part of the welcome package given by online casinos, but you need to deposit the minimum specified amount to avail of them.

Most Popular Types of Online Slots in New Zealand

3-Reel

These are classic slot games generally bearing the theme of fruits. Some 3-reel slots are also called fruit machines with classic symbols such as 7s, bells, chocolate bar, star, grapes, lemons, cherries, etc. These feature a maximum of nine paylines.

5-Reel

The more modern video slots are all 5-reel slots with multiple paylines, grand animations, and graphics. Such slots offer megaways and progressive jackpot pools with a range of themes to pick from.

3D slots

The 3D slots have symbols and animations displayed in 3D and are a visual delight for the players. There is no special device or equipment required to play these 3D slots. These games are enhanced with an immersive soundtrack and are generally built with very innovative themes.

Progressive jackpot

Casinos individually or in partnership with the software providers link multiple pokies to collect a jackpot prize pool. A part of every bet made on such slots contributes to this progressive jackpot pool.

You might find a progressive jackpot on all slot games of a particular casino site or all slot games from a particular developer. The jackpot strikes randomly during the play, announcing the jackpot money for the winning player. Mega Moolah by Microgaming tends to be a popular progressive jackpot machine.

Feature slots

The feature slots are created with a variety of bonus features that keep the different game symbols in action. You can find features like stacked or expanding wilds, sticky wilds, moving wilds, shifting or transferring wilds, cascading/avalanche reels etc., in such slots, amping up fun for you. Some slots have mini-games or bonus rounds that give you an opportunity to further gamble your wins.

The Most Popular Casino Games in New Zealand

Blackjack

Baccarat

Roulette

Poker

While Pokies are an all-time favorite for New Zealand gamblers, some punters who wish to play skill-based games readily flock to the Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, and Baccarat tables.

The availability of table games at live casinos lets players get the same thrill and action as a brick-and-mortar casino sitting at their home. The live casino games are streamed live in high definition with real dealers in a casino or a software studio, and games are run just like on the casino floor.

Further, with compatibility on most operating systems and devices, the popularity of casino games has no bounds. Lottery lovers love to try Keno variants, while dice game fans try out games such as Craps and Sic Bo.

Roulette

The age-old wheel game has transformed into its digital format. You will find two broad versions of Roulette games on online casinos. These are American or Classic Roulette and the European Roulette. The difference is the Classic version has an additional 38th segment with 00 as opposed to its European counterpart, which has 37 segments. Each of the segments is divided into numbers and red/black colors. The available betting options are a series of numbers, even/odd, red/black, etc.

Video Poker

Poker is a popular card game played with 3-5 cards based on the version you are playing. It is played against the other players sitting on the table. The main idea behind the game is to bet on your hand rankings, which are decided according to the suit and the numbers on the cards.

The cards which are in consecutive order or are from the same suit are naturally ranked better than others. However, these might slightly vary as per the game rules. A better hand ranking compared to other players will let you win your bet.

Pokies (slots)

Pokies have received their name from Poker, which referred to automated games in the past. These are online versions of slot machines and have reels on which symbols move to create winning combinations for the player. Online slots are quite popular nowadays in mobile play due to their easy accessibility.

Progressive and Mega Jackpot Pokies are particularly famous as they give away a massive pool of prizes. Some of the most popular slots are Starburst by Netent, Rainbow Riches Megaways by Barcrest, etc.

Keno

The Lottery played in the old times is replaced by the game of Keno in online casinos. Players would get the Keno betting slips or tickets with numbers between 1-20. The player would select some numbers and decide the bet amount per draw, and the total draws they would like to participate in. The system would draw numbers randomly, and you would win your bet if your selected numbers were drawn.

Baccarat

It is another card game also known by the name of Punto Banco. The game’s focus is to bet on whether the banker (banco), the player (punto) has more points, or the game ends up in a tie. The tie bet carries the maximum value paying out 8:1 or 9:1, depending on the Baccarat version you are playing.

The points are summed up from 2-3 cards dealt to the players and the dealer, a card total of 8 or 9 being considered the most valuable. 10 points are deducted from the totals if the card’s value goes above 9. This table game is played with eight full decks and can be played with over 14 players.

Blackjack

Blackjack is probably the most popular table game in real as well as online casinos. It is usually played with seven players and multiple card decks. Also known as the twenty-one, the game revolves around getting a total nearing 21 without being over, in which case you would bust.

Like Baccarat, you would play against the dealer will all versions of the Blackjack game. With the first two cards in hand, you would bust or choose to self-surrender, hit, stand, double down, or split based on what you think will be the best strategy to beat the dealer. Different versions of Blackjack are created by offering side bets such as Insurance bet, Blackjack Switch, Double Attack Blackjack, etc.

Payment Methods in NZ Online Casino

New Zealand online casinos often provide multiple deposit and withdrawal modes for players’ ease. You can transact directly through your bank or use e-wallets, e-vouchers, or cryptocurrency for your transactions.

The withdrawal modes at most casinos are fewer than deposit options, and withdrawal using a credit card is rarely possible. Casinos that offer crypto payments also allow withdrawals with it, so if you want to deposit and withdraw using the same mode of payment, then you might consider choosing crypto payments. E-vouchers or cryptocurrency payment options are ideal for punters who do not wish to disclose their banking information to the online casino site.

There are specific minimum and maximum transaction limits based on the type of payment method you choose. The maximum deposit limit with e-wallets is higher compared to bank transactions. Also, there could be fees charged on some deposit or withdrawal modes.

New players can choose convenient e-wallet options for quick deposits and withdrawals within 24 hours. The bank transactions take anywhere between 2-5 days. Listed below are the different transaction modes available in a typical online casino in New Zealand.

Bank Transactions: You can use net transfers, debit, or credit cards such as Visa, Maestro, or MasterCard. Some casinos also offer transactions through Astropay cards or providers such as Trustly, Rapid Transfer, or Sofort, which facilitate interbank transactions.

E-wallets: Almost every online casino in New Zealand offer multiple e-wallet options due to the convenience they provide. But some casinos might restrict accessing bonus offers with e-wallet transactions to avoid their exploitation at the hands of players. Most commonly available e-wallets are PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, MuchBetter, and ecoPayz.

E-vouchers: These vouchers can be purchased from physical counters and carry a code using which you would load your casino account. Paysafecard and Neosurf are the two common e-vouchers used in New Zealand casinos.

Cryptocurrency: Frequently-transacted cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, and others are offered, but are not a readily available mode of transaction in New Zealand casinos.

Providers Desktop

Software providers are the brains behind the excitement you get in a casino online platform. The top providers are known for providing games in high-definition, multiple device optimization, unique animations, and gamification techniques. Five renowned game developers in the gambling industry are highlighted below:

Microgaming: It is the first-ever provider of online casino software and a 3D slot game. Microgaming was founded in 1994 in the Isle of Man as an online slots provider and later moved on to provide sports betting software. The developer has over 1200 games to its name, including various slots and table games.

NetEnt: Established shortly after Microgaming in 1996 in Stockholm, Netent is another prestigious name in the software industry. Predominantly an online slot provider, it has crafted over 200 slot games. Netent slots are known for their high payout percentage. The provider is hugely applauded for worldwide famous online slot games such as Starburst and Gonzo’s quest.

Play’N Go: This provider is primarily known for creating multi-lingual games in over 30 languages. Play’N Go was established just under two decades back in 2005 in Sweden. The provider also offers backend services for casino platforms and server-based gaming solutions- Omny screens in physical casinos.

Playtech: With roots in Estonia, Playtech provides many different types of gaming products. Playtech owns over 200 slot games, many live casino table games, Bingo, Poker, scratch card, and arcade games.

The company was established in 1999. The provider’s popularity can be attributed to the fact that it is traded on the London Stock Exchange.

IGT: International Game Technology Plc or IGT delivers software products for lotteries, slots, and sports betting. Their iGaming products are delivered under the PlayCasino portfolio, and the developer provides its content with a unique Remote Gaming Server (RGS). IGT is headquartered in the UK and traded on the New York stock exchange.

Gambling Laws in New Zealand

The legal gambling age to play in casinos in New Zealand is 20+. The Department of Internal Affairs regulates gambling in New Zealand. It is important to check the licenses held by casino operators to find safe online casinos in New Zealand.

However, you won’t find an online casino based in New Zealand holding a license from the New Zealand Gambling Commission. The reason is that online gambling is restricted, and no casino in New Zealand is allowed to provide online gambling services.

But, it is legal to play Lottery or on offshore remote casinos that allow NZ punters, and there aren’t any possible legal ramifications. But such offshore casinos are restricted from heavily advertising their bonus and promotions offers.

You should check license providers of online casinos for New Zealand players before picking a site to play. It is because even the best online casinos for New Zealand players can indulge in fraudulent activities, forfeit your stakes, or make it impossible to withdraw your money.

The licenses ensure that the casino operations are under scanner and it follows the required KYC norms and anti-money laundering practices. These agencies also have the authority to impose huge fines or revoke the license if a casino is proven guilty of fraudulent or unethical practices.

Gambling in New Zealand by Province and Territory

Auckland: Auckland city, does not regulate internet gambling or casinos; however, it does restrict the set-up of new pokie venues in the city or increase the set-up of pokie machines in the existing venues, even of an old venue closes.

Christchurch: The rules per the Christchurch city council, allow the operation of not more than 18 pokie machines in the city; there are no rules for electronic gambling, though.

Wellington: Wellington has no rules governing internet gambling; however, the authorities aim to change online gambling laws to restrict electronic gaming only at licensed premises.

Hamilton: While land-based casino venues are allowed in the city, there are no explicit rules on online gambling in Hamilton.

Tauranga: Tauranga does not allow the operation of physical or electronic gaming machines within the city.

Gambling Commission New Zealand

The Gambling Commission of New Zealand is an independent body established under The Gambling Act 2003 for licensing and overseeing gambling-related activities. The main functions of the commission include:

• Administration of the Gambling Act 2003
• Hearing licensing petitions and approving agreements between casino operators and casino venues
• Enforcement decisions related to casino gambling and non-casino gambling
• Hearing appeals against decisions made by the Department of Internal Affairs where prize money or NZ$ 5000 or above is involved.
• Charge casinos for problem gambling

Gambling Taxation in New Zealand

For most of the income earned from gambling, NZ players do not need to pay any taxes. Also, revenue authorities cannot determine the gambling revenue earned by players. The authorities consider gambling a hobby, and no income is taxable, with one exception. If you are a professional Poker player and gambling is your main form of income, you might have to pay taxes.

Helpful Tips for casino players

Listed below are some helpful tips for gamblers:

• Play demo games before spending real money
• Take advantage of bonus offers to play with a higher budget
• Review bonus conditions for game restrictions, wagering requirements, validity, withdrawal limits, and bet limits in detail while accessing bonus offers.
• Play with a fixed bankroll
• Take help for limiting your casino spending from Problem Gambling organisations, if required
• Check licensing and security norms before picking a casino site
• Check certifications from independent testing agencies to ensure fair gaming outcomes
• Do not consider gambling as a source of income

Blacklisted Casinos in New Zealand

Many casinos and gambling sites get blacklisted due to various reasons. These could be related to their legality or licensing. The other reasons could be unresponsive or floppy customer support services or false bonus advertisements to lure customers. Some casinos are also banned for sending spam emails to customers even after unsubscribing or not following the recommended social responsibility norms and anti-money laundering practices. Casinos that infinitely delay withdrawals or do not let players withdraw their money as promised also fall under the rogue category.

Information about Gambling Addiction in New Zealand

You can text 8006 to get help for problem gambling behaviour. The helpline services work 24*7 for seven days in New Zealand. Here are the nationwide helplines for Problem Gamblers in New Zealand:

• Gambling Helpline Services: 0800 654 655
• Māori Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 656
• Vai Lelei Pasifika Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 657
• Gambling Debt Helpline: 0800 654 658
• Youth Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 659
• Asian Hotline (Problem Gambling Foundation): 0800 862 342