Lucky Nugget

Lucky Nugget NZ Review (2023)

In life, happiness is always lurking on the other side of the door. For that reason, all Aotearoa New Zealand gamblers have to do is tap their knuckles on the digital door of Lucky Nugget Casino NZ to sneak past its gateway to wagering heaven. That’s a blessing because with the growing number of fly-by-nighters squeezing into already crowded casino cyberspace, it can become quite congested.

Established in 1998, Lucky Nugget’s digital door hinges have been working overtime to ensure not just regulars, but newcomers have been finding their share of fortune on its platform. Enticing Kiwis to its lobby is hard enough but this nuggety online casino has built a solid reputation of retaining players during its more than two-decade-long tenure in this country’s iGaming virtual playground. It claimed the 2019 Best New Zealand Online Casino title for a reason.

Owner Digimedia Ltd, after forging ties with Buffalo Partners via an affiliates group, is making the most of its global reach to offer gamblers in New Zealand the best iGaming can provide. It proudly waves the licence for Lucky Nugget, registered under Bayton Ltd, from the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta (MGA). Lucky Nugget also welcomes the auditing of reputable independent watchdog eCOGRA to ensure the random number generator (RNG) protects the interests of Kiwi players with fair returns on every virtual click.

Throw in the locks and keys for a 128-bit SSL encryption digital protection and New Zealanders won’t have to keep looking over their shoulders after entering the Lucky Nugget lounge. That the online operator has been updating its software through internationally renowned, award-winning Microgaming and Evolution Gaming means Kiwi gamblers will enjoy the virtual feast that awaits them in the form of pokies, card/table games, and video poker.

Range of Games

With more than 600 nuggets to pick from, Kiwi prospectors won’t be stumbling on fool’s gold when they land on the portal of the glittery Lucky Nugget Online Casino lounge. The gamblers will find a library of games that will spoil them for choices on 14-carat to 24-carat gold hits. In other words, don’t let the golden glare blind you. Just take your time to pick the bling that’ll make you hum all the way to a potentially rich vein of personal wealth.

Kiwis can be pretty fussy in the quest for quality. Gamblers are no exception. Lucky Nugget doesn’t need any reminding of that because it’s quality control the online casino operator continuously maintains in a bid to uphold the Digimedia branding, no matter which country. Needless to say, New Zealanders won’t require a second invite to go down the Lucky Nugget shaft in search of wealth that could potentially turn them into millionaires overnight. Newcomers will have the added welcome bonuses but, as always, do read the fine print first.

Pokies

More than half the number of all the games fall in this category for a purpose —Kiwis love slot machines they affectionately call pokies. If anyone is worried Lucky Nugget may become stale, then think again. Microgaming, with the help of its professional affiliates, ensures a fresh batch of games is added to the catalogue every month.

For those who like to pace themselves in pokies, there’s the selection of 3-reel and fruit slots. If you are the type who likes to be on the edge of your seat, then knock yourself out on the 5-reel online pokies and the out-of-this-world 24-karat progressive jackpot, including Mega Moolah.

Here are some Kiwi pokie favourites at Lucky Nugget:

• Asian Beauty
• Banana Odyssey
• Bar Bar Black Sheep
• Cashanova
• Couch Potato
• Double Whammy
• Dragonz

Card/table games

Mining money with the help of reels is a thrill, no matter what angle you’re looking at it from. However, some Kiwis want more engagement where they’re able to influence an outcome on account of their skills and the ability to implement strategies. Lucky Nugget recognises that need and encourages enthusiastic New Zealanders to gravitate towards its online card and table games.

Online blackjack is the 24-carat nugget among the card and table games. Like roulette, blackjack variations become a good headache for Kiwi gamblers who don’t want to be stuck in a virtual rut. Baccarat, craps, and poker are always available for those who have more exotic tastes. Become fussier and Lucky Nugget will point you in the direction of Kiwi favourite Keno and Sic Bo, which is rising in the popularity stakes.

Here’s a sneak peek at what Lucky Nugget’s card/table games offer to Kiwis (number of games/random favourites):

• Blackjack (38): Atlantic City Blackjack Gold Series, Bonus Blackjack Multihand Gold, Premier Hi-Lo 13 Euro Blackjack Gold, Vegas Strip Blackjack.
• Roulette (11): American Roulette, European Roulette, French Roulette, Sapphire Roulette, Spingo, Wheel of Riches.
• Video poker (24): Aces & Faces, Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, Louisiana, Powerbroker — Joker Poker, Tens or Better. 

Live-dealer games

It’s common to find New Zealanders harking on about the good, old days of something or other, especially now that the pandemic has curtailed outings or limited the numbers who can be entertained at any given venue or event. Kiwis love the interaction of live sports matches, the annual open-air agricultural & pastoral shows, and, of course, driving to a brick-and-mortar casino for a flutter.

Not everyone lives within a reasonable driving distance of the handful of the six land-based casinos situated along the length and breadth of the two main islands. That’s where Lucky Nugget brings that decadent and vibrant feeling via its live-dealer online casino games. Count the cards as they snap and slap onto the velvet tables. Watch the ball rattle on the rotating roulette wheel. Hear the other players sigh when one of the rakes in the spoils during a multi-hand game where the live dealer maintains a poker face.

The Lucky Nugget website allows Kiwi gamblers to download in a blink of an eye or play directly via one’s web browser on desktop as well as mobile devices. The professional and cordial live dealers turn a card or deal a hand in real-time, so HD video streaming and multiple camera angles help capture and maintain that authentic atmosphere of a land-based casino.

You can trust Lucky Nugget to sprinkle some pepper on the popular live blackjack table. Kiwi gamblers have the opportunity to place side bets that are independent of the main game. That means even if you go “bust” (or don’t beat the live dealer to 21), you can still win big if you wager wisely.

Here are the three main side bets on the live blackjack table:

• Perfect Pairs: You cash in if you’ve matched pairs of cards.
• Pre-Decision: A way to speed up the game.
• 21+3: A chance to rake in money if you’ve mustered poker-style hands.

However, the Lucky Nugget website advises Kiwi players to brush up on their skills of doubling down, hitting, standing, and splitting of pairs before joining a table. If it helps, the in-game chat window opens dialogue with the liver dealer as well as other fellow players around the table.

Payout Percentage

Casino terminology can be quite off-putting for the uninitiated entering a high-octane realm of virtual iGaming. Chuck in terms like “house edge”, “wagering requirements”, and the acronym “RNG”, and you’ll find that’ll be enough to send many potential gamblers, never mind the New Zealanders, scurrying for cover. That’s why Kiwi players, especially the newbies, will find Lucky Nugget dedicates an entire page to explaining what “payout percentage”, or “RTP” (return to players) is and why it pays to know how it can make anyone’s online casino gaming experience more enjoyable.

In a nutshell, the Lucky Nugget page states RTP comes with pokie (slot) machines, akin to warranty certificates attached to white goods and electronic equipment. In other words, payout percentage is the simple concept of how much money a pokie machine, theoretically, is likely to pay out over a passage of time. Bluntly, it’s two sides of the same coin when juxtaposed with “house edge”. If a player wagers $NZ100, then with Lucky Nugget’s 98% payout the online casino will only eke out a profit of $12. The rest will, again theoretically, go into the Kiwis’ pockets.

However, Kiwi gamblers must comprehend that playing a few times doesn’t guarantee a 98% RTP. The pokie machine reels have to spin millions of times before anyone has a chance of cashing in big. It also pays to understand that the RTP varies for different games. The 70x wagering requirement is, unfortunately, among the highest of online casinos wooing New Zealanders.

Here are some new games in the pipeline for Lucky Nugget’s pokies library catalogue and their RTP percentage/software developer:

• 15 Tridents: 96.12%, Pearfiction.
• 777 Rainbow Respins: 94.2%, Crazy Tooth Studio.
• Lucky Leprechaun Clusters: 96.31%, Microgaming.
• Masters of Valhalla™: 94%, Snowborn Games.
• The Great Albini 2: 94.15%, Foxium.

Software Manufacturers

When some of the marquee online casino rivals are using a swag of software providers, it’s easy to put the likes of Lucky Nugget in the “skimping” basket for using a handful. Not true. On the contrary, actually. Those of the ilk of Lucky Nugget uses only Microgaming and Evolution Gaming to zero in on the desired software, but the online casinos use them with purpose.

If you can achieve a premier level of virtual casino playground for Kiwi iGamers with predominantly two software manufacturers, then why complicate matters. For the record, Microgaming supplies the software platform for the online gaming while Evolution Gaming uses its cutting-edge technology to pimp up the live-dealer tables.

It’s easy to miss the smaller but essential suppliers. Microgaming uses its 2010 baby, Quickfire Games, to design and refine the cross-platform delivery grid. Quickfire, thriving nowadays as a brand in its own right, uses its collective genius to satisfy the forever growing appetite of online operators and gamblers for accessing Microgaming’s exhausting library of games on Flash and mobile gaming devices.

Here are some games where Quickfire’s wizardry is evidence of quality standards available at Lucky Nugget:

• Hellboy
• Hitman
• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
• Terminator
• Thunderstruck II

Its seamless integration is evident in the Progressive Jackpots and a selection of online pokies. More than 100 online casinos are benefiting from Quickfire’s input in online bingo and poker games, too. Other marginal but efficient suppliers include the likes of Crazy Tooth Studio, Ezugi, Foxium, PearFiction, to name a few.

Established in 2006, the multi-award-winning leading industry supplier, Evolution Gaming, is taking technology to new heights, especially in the live-dealer casino department. So much so that Microgaming has left its European circuit in the capable hands of Evolution while it focuses on the Asian sector. It is the sultan of real-time, player-tracking software. That includes the snazzy software on live-dealer tables at Lucky Nugget with add-ons such as blackjack side bets and Bet Behind benefits for unseated players.

Here are some crackers that await Kiwis at Lucky Nugget lounge, thanks to Evolution Gaming pushing technological boundaries: 

• Blackjack Party
• Dream Catcher
• Live Baccarat
• Live Blackjack
• Live Caribbean Stud Poker
• Monopoly Live
• Super Sic Bo
• Super Side Bets

Loyalty Programme

The great news for Kiwi gamblers is that Lucky Nugget won’t make them jump through hoops or dart in and around poles to enjoy the benefits of its Loyalty Scheme. In rolling out the carpet of simplicity in appreciation of New Zealanders’ faith in its service, the online operator assures enthusiasts the more they play the more loyalty points they’ll accrue to spend on its platform.

The incentive from Lucky Nugget comes in relation to the type of games players opt for. Three loyalty points are up for grabs if Kiwis try to tame the likes of Thunderstruck II or Avalon II among the more than 300 pokies alone. Ditto Keno, scratchies and Sic Bo, although gamblers can collect one or two points playing other games. On the other end of the spectrum, table games, such as blackjack, will fetch a loyalty point for every $NZ10 Kiwis wager.

On mustering 200 loyalty points, New Zealanders can knock on the window of Lucky Nugget’s cashier for one online casino credit that can be reinvested in any game. Championing fairness when compared with the cents-for-hundreds-of-dollars-spent formula of other rival online casinos, Lucky Nugget offers do-it-your-own-way incentives to convert loyalty points into money much quicker. And, no, it doesn’t discriminate against players because they don’t belong to the high-roller group. In fact, Lucky Nugget is allergic to the word “VIP” and prefers the term “loyalty”.

Mobile Sites/Apps

Lucky Nugget doesn’t have a native app to download from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store but, please Kiwi gamblers, don’t panic. That’s because its mobile online casino site is of such a quality that an app download or installation isn’t required. All you need to do is feed the Lucky Nugget URL on the mobile of your choice to start playing on the online casino platform.

Kiwi iGamers will do cartwheels on finding out Lucky Nugget offers effortless traction on android smartphones, iOS (iPhone, iPad), and Windows devices where you simply log in with your existing details, provided you’ve completed the hassle-free registration process. The silky HTML-5 flash will set the tone via a mobile web browser, provided it has the assisted application of Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and such.

More than 60 games, amid multiple rolling offers, are within the grasp of Kiwi gamblers itching to realise their financial dreams. For pokie lovers, there are 50 pickings, such as Age of Discovery, Bars and Stripes, and Riviera Riches, as well as high-definition video poker fare. Chuck in table games of the ilk of Atlantic City, Blackjack, and European Roulette Gold to appreciate the Lucky Nugget Mobile Casino experience will not desert you. Boredom is out of the question for the mobile faithful because the online operator frequently feeds new releases to its “new” catalogue.

No doubt, New Zealanders will release a collective sigh of relief in knowing that they won’t become slaves to any app downloading updates because the browser accessing facility negates the need for that with an automatic service.

Customer Support

Like many other online casinos, Lucky Nugget doesn’t want its customers to be pushed from pillar to post when they come up against a wall in trying to access their platform. It's professionally groomed customer support crew is open to queries any time of the day or night, every day of the year. That can only mean no delays in solving your problems at the drop of a hat.

Forgotten your Lucky Nugget password? How can you retrieve your account details? That, my iGamers, you can resolve by clicking on the links of the easy-to-navigate Lucky Nugget website. However, if matters are more challenging and ruining your mindset for playing, then the options below can be your go-to avenue, depending on how pressing your problems may be and how quickly you wish to iron them out:

• Email: support@playersupportcentre.com
• FAQs: From registration tips to mobile solutions to withdrawal methods.
• Free phone: 1 (800) 768-1946 with assistance in 15 different languages, including Chinese, English, French, and Spanish.
• Live chat: You have a help app where staff are trained to put you back on the straight and narrow.

Payment Methods

Like it or not, two things define whether New Zealand gamblers will flock to an online casino or not — how much it cares about its customers and how quickly it puts its money where its mouth is. Lucky Nugget Online Casino New Zealand doesn’t muck around in those departments. It’s doing everything conceivably possible to ensure the payment methods are accessible and running like well-oiled cogs in a wheel.

Lucky Nugget offers a number of reputable and secure online banking options for Kiwi iGamers to select from, without unnecessary hiccups or delays, to gift them all the time to play their favourite online games. Yes, the casino speaks in the New Zealand fiscal dialect of kiwi dollars. Of course, if you wish to play in the British or American currencies then it’s entirely your choice but the sensible trust suggests New Zealanders will save money in exchange rates if they stick to their local dollars.

Lucky Nugget deposit and withdrawal methods are processed in relatively smart times, thus its industry reputation as one of the fastest transaction acts. A minimum deposit of $NZ1 is required for most banking options. Be mindful that some payment options may not necessarily cover deposits and withdrawals.

Deposit methods at Lucky Nugget include:

• Apple Pay
• Bank transfers
• Eco Card
• Google Pay
• InstaDebit
• Online banking
• Maestro
• Master Card
• Neteller
• Prepaid cards
• Prezzy Card Casinos
• Skrill
• Visa

The cashier at Lucky Nugget doesn’t take more than two days to facilitate withdrawals but Kiwis can speed up that process by choosing payment methods that work faster. Credit cards can be popular but not necessarily the fastest when compared with other modes the online casino offers. No doubt, web wallets have a considerable edge over credit cards which tend to take up to five working days to clear.

The minimum withdrawal sum is $NZ50 but Kiwis will be pleased to know that Lucky Nugget doesn’t have a ceiling on the process.

Winning withdrawals options at Lucky Nuggets include:

• Bank transfers
• Echeck
• Eco Card
• InstaDebit
• Maestro
• Neteller
• Skrill
• Visa 

The standard quality and trustworthy gambling industry encryption technology security offers Kiwi gamblers peace of mind in providing a shield on their personal information as well as their transactions on the Lucky Nugget playground.