Best Online Casinos in New Zealand (2023)

Online Casinos in New Zealand (2023)

Here is a substantial guide to online casinos in Aotearoa New Zealand to make it easier for you to pick what suits your individual needs. We also recommend the top 10 online casinos that Kiwis can trust, feel safe on, and make sure they don’t trip on the legal wires when playing on them.

When people in New Zealand gamble more than $NZ2 billion every year but have only six land-based casinos in the country catering to their needs for a flutter, something must give way.

Something does. It’s the online casino industry. That means anyone living in New Zealand can play on overseas digital gambling platforms, provided they are 18 years or older.

Kiwis must feel like kids in a candy shop, unsure of what they want when they see hundreds of different online casinos offerings countless games on the internet. Online casinos have been one of the fastest-growing industries in the world in the past two decades.

What are Online Casinos?

Online casinos offer gamblers the opportunity to play popular casino games via the internet for free and real money. It’s a virtual form of gambling. Put another way, it’s providing an internet platform for people to wager on games based on taking risks in the hope of coming away with larger sums of money than they invested.

New Zealand is a relatively young nation when it comes to gambling. It didn’t embrace commercial gambling until the 1990s. However, there’s no disputing its population loves a flutter.

Online casinos offer people an opportunity to engage in wagering via PCs and mobile phone apps. It doesn’t have the atmosphere of the excited chatter and whirring noises of land-based casinos in Queenstown, Dunedin, Auckland, Hamilton, or Christchurch, but that doesn’t mean Kiwis can’t have fun.

Some online casinos operators come remarkably close to capturing that feeling with their live-game modules. Players can watch live dealers perform their roles and even talk to them, as well as fellow players via chat rooms.

How Do Online Casinos Work?

Online casinos fundamentally operate on a web-based network of platforms. This is where all the games are linked, enabling gamblers to either play against the casino or other players.

All a player needs is a device, such as a laptop, tablet or mobile phone, a reliable internet connection, and access to some money.

The casino will guide you through an uncomplicated registration process before helping you create an account and depositing some cash in there.

From there you’ll have the opportunity to select what sort of games you want to place your bets on. Any money you win will be channelled to your bank account. The choice is yours to withdraw it or to carry on playing, especially if Lady Luck isn’t in your corner.

Understanding the Casino Laws in New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs lays down the legislation for all gambling operations to follow within its boundaries. All the legal responsibilities for operators and members of the public are centred around the Gambling Act 2003.

The Act is the primary law that governs gambling in the country and what it classifies as “interactive gambling”, pertaining to online wagering platforms. It is illegal to establish or engage in interactive gambling activities in the country unless you have been granted a licence to do so.

The Act makes an exemption for the New Zealand Lotteries Commission (NZLC) and the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB). Bar the NZLC and the NZRB, no one is permitted to engage in any form of sales promotion of gambling.

The piece of legislation also provided a framework to establish the Gambling Commission New Zealand in 2004 to regulate such activities, including online gaming. Only the commission and the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) have the authority to offer online gaming within New Zealand’s boundaries.

However, the laws do not prohibit New Zealanders from placing bets on overseas digital gambling platforms. That’s why you have hundreds of global operators who grant Kiwis access to their platforms to place a wager via the internet.

Online gambling is open to anyone who turns 18, although the land-based casinos are restricted to those who are 20 or older. For the record, tourists visiting New Zealand are permitted to gamble without any prohibitions.

NZ Online Casino Review Criteria

With so many online casinos fighting for eyeballs via the internet for New Zealand enthusiasts, don’t let the clutter make you throw up your hands in despair. No, there’s no perfect casino — just the one best suited to your needs.

Let our reviews make it easy to place your index finger on the wrist to make sure your heart doesn’t start racing even before you register on a platform that is tailor-made for you.

Licences & Safety

Never mind where you are in life, you want peace of mind with what belongs to you. Consequently, it’s vital that your hard-earned money and your personal data are in trusted hands.

Here, online casinos’ licensing and independent monitoring to provide you with a fair platform to play on is paramount, as well as encryption lock tools to protect data.

Games Selection

Who casinos align themselves with for cutting-edge gaming software ultimately determines what your level of satisfaction will be as a player. Do they offer variety? What is the reputation of the software developer? Do they offer free titles before real money options to give Kiwis a feel for a game? Progressive jackpots or whether it’s a three-wheel or five-wheel slot machine can make a difference to players.

Customer Service

Any reputable business will tell you your needs are their lifeblood. Casinos who put their players first tend to establish 24/7 user-friendly support services. Live chats, email and phone numbers should be available at the drop of a hat because everyone knows the highs and lows of seeking a flutter.

Welcome Bonuses & Promotions

Every newcomer should be offered incentives to savour an enjoyable experience. Easy-to-claim welcome bonuses should also come with realistic wagering requirements. Daily, weekly, or monthly promotions as well as loyalty schemes and VIP clubs show which online casinos put Kiwis’ welfare first.

Banking Options

Kiwi players want the smoothest avenues to make deposits and withdrawals when engaging with online casinos. As a rule of thumb, traditional banking methods, phone payments, and bank transfers are generally go-to zones. Credit cards, such as Visa, Mastercard, and debit cards, fall in that category.

Ditto hybrid digital methods, such as Paysafecard. Digital wallets (Google Pay, Apple Pay), Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin), and e-wallets (Skrill, PayPal) are less likely to be available to New Zealanders.

Device Compatibility

In a world where the fingers do all the talking nowadays, mobile devices have replaced the handkerchief and wristwatches of yesteryear. New Zealanders are no different, wanting to play games on the go with a swipe and a click of an app.

Online casinos should provide traction with a mobile site that is free of buffering and freezing images, no matter whether it is downloaded or straight off a browser.

Payout Speed & Percentages

Some online casinos are quick to process deposits from players but not that fast when it comes to paying out. Kiwis can be excused for feeling short-changed when they start biting their fingernails after a windfall. By the same token, casinos must have some reasonable time to authenticate the identities of those claiming prizes.

It’s good for New Zealand players to know how long it’ll take. Quality establishments clearly state their return to player (RTP) and currency on their websites for the benefit of all. They also reveal any fees to be levied upfront.

Cultural Sensitivity

This is particularly relevant to countries such as New Zealand where some ethnic and indigenous peoples feel gambling has a crippling effect on them. Casinos that cater to different multiple languages and have a history of licensing with similar demography tend to have a better connection with Kiwis.

Best NZ Online Casinos for Popular Games

New Zealanders have their preferences when it comes to online casino games. Here’s a list of how some of the games rank with Kiwis and what are the top online casinos to go to for the best bang for your dollar:

Best Pokies or Slots Casinos NZ

With an RTP of 94%, it’s no surprise that Kiwis have kept in touch with the pokies (also known as online slots overseas) from the days of clunky three-reel machines that projected colourful, fruity images. Modern slots nowadays can offer up to 50 pay lines, jackpots, bonus rounds and games, as well as snazzy symbols.

The slot machine that is the mother of all pokies in Aotearoa New Zealand is the Mega Moolah. It’s not surprising considering the progressive jackpot African safari-themed game claims to have the biggest payout in the world. A Kiwi punter reportedly won $NZ6.7 million on it in 2020 to become the third multi-million-dollar winner from New Zealand that year. It’s ideal for low-budget gamers and high rollers with a minimum bet of NZ25 cents to a ceiling of $NZ6.25 a spin. Some online casinos, such as Jackpot City, accessible to New Zealand players offer $NZ1 deposit bonus for Mega Moolah spins.

• Best pokies online casinos: Barz, Royal Panda, National, Spinni, Plaza Royal.

Best Roulette Casino Sites NZ

Kiwis can play up to a dozen types of random number generated (RNG) online roulette games in New Zealand. They include the European, French, American, Advanced, Master, European Gold, Double Zero, Wheel of Riches, Premier, Multi Wheel, Spingo, and Diamond Edition versions. The online purists will say play the live dealer version for an authentic experience. The live-deal version is projected from a land-based casino or a studio.

• Best roulette online casinos: Jackpot City, Spin Palace, Play Amo, Planet7Oz.

Best NZ Blackjack Casinos

The variants of online blackjack games include live dealer, multi-hand/single-hand, Vegas Strip, Atlantic City, Switch, Surrender, Insurance, to name a few. Unlike pokies, blackjack (also referred to as 21) requires player skills and strategies to turn the odds in their favour. Blackjack players are competing against the dealer, not against each other.

• Best blackjack online casinos: LeoVegas, Kasimba, playzee.  

Best Baccarat Casinos

The origins of baccarat in Italy and France are sketchy and the land-based table version can be trying for those who don’t handle pressure too well from a live dealer and fellow fidgety players.

However, online baccarat removes all the complexities for players in processing the results to determine who is closest to achieving the desired value of 9 from a hand.

Punto Banco, also known as American Baccarat, is the most popular among the three variants, including Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque. Many online casinos offer free plays for one of the easiest online card games.

• Best baccarat online casinos: Jackpot City, Spin, Europa.

Best Bingo Casino Sites NZ

Just ask any New Zealander. Fun is the name of the game when it comes to bingo. Online casino bingo adheres to that philosophy, too. Variety becomes the spice of online life in this game.

No doubt, the 90-ball version wins hands down because of its similarities with what countless Kiwis used to play at church, school, and community halls around the country late last century.

They come down to 30-ball ones and what is called Slingo — a cross-pollination of traditional bingo with slot machines. Mobile options add great value. Chuck in the free-spin and wheel-spin bonuses and you realise why it’s so popular in New Zealand.

• Best bingo casinos: 888 Ladies (part of 888 Casino), Bet365, Mr Green.

Best Poker Casino Sites in NZ

Land-based casinos within the country hosting major tournaments on New Zealand soil are playing a significant role in stimulating the growth of poker in the online casino landscape.

The $NZ170,000 windfall in poker from the “Godfather of Kiwi hip hop”, Danny Leaoasavaii, at the SkyCity Casino in Auckland in 2010 had made mainstream media headlines, catapulting him to the status of “Godfather of Kiwi poker”. Known in the hip-hop circles here as “Brotha D”, the artist had eclipsed 218 international players for the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour title.

More than a decade on, online casinos with win rates of above 97% are reaping the benefits of that exposure in New Zealand. Jackpot City Casino leads that charge with 2427 enthusiasts claiming its offer in December 2021 alone, ahead of Spin Casino on 198.

• Best poker online casinos: Jackpot City, Spin, Europa, Magic Red, Tropez.

Best NZ Live Casinos

When New Zealanders enter this domain, they expect to see dealers in the flesh and blood parked behind a table rather than some animated figure on their online casino sites.

Yes, it’s a HD streaming experience and that’s as close as one will get to a land-based casino atmosphere. There’s no mistaking the smell of money, though. You’ll even be able to chat with other players and the live dealer. Keep an eye out for casino bonuses and the variety of games.

• Best live online casinos: Jackpot City, Spin, and Europa.

Best Mobile Casinos in New Zealand

More and more New Zealanders are taking their mobile phones for a walk rather than their dogs, in keeping with a global trend. It’ll be marketing suicide for any newcomers to the online casino industry to enter the arena without mobile programmes.

Most online casinos are now created on HTML 5 platforms which, in some cases, negate the need for apps. Just because games are available online doesn’t mean Kiwi players can access them via their mobile devices.

However, it’s just a matter of time before that equation changes with the advent of advanced technology as some casinos spearhead that drive.

• Best mobile casinos: Casumo, Casimba, playzee.

Best New Casinos in NZ

It’s human nature for Kiwis to find your trusted online casinos after some serious research before they dig the trenches for a committed digital flutter. But new online casino sites can mushroom just about every month.

Those who are adventurous will find newcomers tend to offer attractive bonuses, provide the latest mobile options, and roll out the most refined gaming software among the newest games.

With a pay rate of above 97% and some forking out withdrawals in just 1-2 days, it’s a no-brainer. No doubt, you’ll need to sidestep the dodgy ones guilty of unfair RTPs, game software pirates, rigged games, and hidden wagering clauses, to name some of the unacceptable tactics.

• Best online casinos: Spinyoo, Race, Playluck, betzest, Parimatch.

How To Join Online Casinos From New Zealand

Most online casinos are free but the odd one may ask for a fee. Again, most of them ask for similar details across the board. Make sure you check the blacklisted casinos highlighted on the internet reviews and ones that are untrustworthy. Ensure the sites accept Kiwi players.

Play free games to get a feel for them and check out which casinos have the most hassle-free payment methods (We’re using Jackpot City Casino here as an example):