Online Gambling Sites in New Zealand

Online gambling has always been a staple of New Zealand life, and it only continues to grow. As more and more sites get built, it can be tough to sort through them all. There are thousands of gambling sites all vying for your attention, but unfortunately, not all of them are worth your time. Finding high-quality casinos can be tiring, which is why we have tested numerous amounts of gaming platforms online and have chosen the best ones for New Zealand players.

Gambling Games in NZ

In this guide we look at what gambling games are available for New Zealand online players, games with the highest chance of winning, tips for gambling in New Zealand with real money, and the best mobile gambling sites. Finding the top casino is important as every Kiwi player deserves to play the best games. Using real money online comes with risk, but there ways to better enhance your chances of winning. There are many gambling games you can play online. Most providers offer a similar range of games, which can include the following.
  • Table games
  • Slots
  • Live dealer
  • Progressive jackpots
  • Scratchcards

Table Games

Some of the most popular games available at an online casino are table games. Popular table games include blackjack, roulette and baccarat. Most gambling platforms have an excellent range of these games, including different varieties and table limits. Blackjack is by far the most popular table game, and New Zealand gamblers are never short of a table. Most casinos have around 20-30 blackjack options, and it covers a big range of limits; including anything from $0.50 a hand to tens of thousands. Roulette is another popular online gambling destination for many Kiwis. Much like blackjack, there is plenty of choice and availability.

Pokies

The most popular form of online gambling for New Zealand players is slots. They are fun and exciting to play, and you don’t need to know how to play to enjoy. A casino always puts the slots at the forefront of the platform, so it’s easy to spot the latest slot releases. Hundreds of slots are available at every gambling websites, and most casinos feature a similar stable of games. Gambling sites have agreements with software developers to use their games, which is why some casinos have a limited range of slots available. Slots can also be used as a part of your welcome bonus, which can include free real money spins.

Live Dealer

Providing an immersive experience, a live dealer is excellent for anyone wanting to interact. The best online dealers can make a casino, so make sure you find a casino that has quality dealers. You can play blackjack, baccarat, roulette and many more games with the live dealer. They are often well-trained, and some don’t mind sharing a joke or two during gameplay. Live dealer technology is always improving, and it adds to the complete online casino experience.

Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpot slots are different from normal slots. A jackpot slot is often linked to other slot games, and the size of the jackpot continues to grow until it’s struck. Popular jackpot slots include Mega Moolah, which usually has millions to be won. They are exciting, and there have been many rags-to-riches stories stemming from progressive jackpot players.

Scratchcards

Scratchcards aren’t the most popular games of chance, but some sites offer them. Most operators have around 10-20 scratchcard games available to play, which is a good amount.

Winning Chances

We all want to know our chances of winning at an online casino. It’s not cut and dry, but there are percentages linked to all games of chance so that players can decide for themselves. Different gambling games have different odds of winning and classic gambling games are usually the best. Blackjack, roulette and baccarat have the lowest house edge, which is why they’re so popular with not only New Zealand gamblers, but people all around the world. The house edge for these games sits between 1% and 4%, which is good for any player. Therefore, playing these games will result in having the highest return to player (RTP). Slots don’t give the player the same chance of winning. They are usually between 88% and 98%, but it depends on the individual slot game. Every slot is different, in particular video poker, which can reach 101%. An independent authority, eCOGRA, makes sure that every slot game presents players with a fair percentage. A gambling site must ensure players get a fair deal, so eCOGRA keeps the operators on the straight and narrow. Here’s a breakdown of the percentages you’re likely to see when playing gambling games.
  • Video poker (98-101%)
  • Blackjack (97-99.6%)
  • Baccarat (98.76-98.94%)
  • La Partage Roulette (98.65%)
  • European/French Roulette (97.3%)
  • American Roulette (94.7%)
  • Slots (88-98%)
As you can see, different forms of roulette present players with different odds of winning. That’s because the rules of La Partage, European and American roulette are different. However, the percentages of winning don’t accurately represent your chances of winning big, or how big your wins will be. You have more chance of winning big money playing slots than you do playing blackjack because the risk is higher. You can’t hit a progressive jackpot worth millions playing blackjack, hence why the percentages for slots are lower. In terms of the house edge, blackjack and baccarat are highly popular. The best online players prefer to play these games, instead of video poker and slots, despite video poker having the best winning percentage.

Tips for Online Gambling for Real Money

Having fun and staying safe when playing at a gambling site is essential. Therefore, we have made a list of tips to get the most out of your favourite casino. Online gambling in New Zealand without the right information can be confusing, so knowing what to look for always helps. Before you ultimately decide on your ideal online gambling site, check out our list and see if the casino has everything covered.
  • Licensing
  • Casino bonus and welcome bonus
  • Payment methods
  • Games offered
  • Payouts
  • Customer support

Licensing

Licensing might not mean much to the average New Zealand gambler, but it ensures your safety when playing at an online casino. If a casino doesn’t have proper licensing, it could lead to trouble with your information and also your funds. However, the gambling sites we recommend at CasinoBlox all have current licensing with major authorities. It’s something that gets overlooked by new players, but you should stick to the online gambling sites that have a license out of Malta, Curacao, UK or Sweden.

Bonuses

You should make the most of gambling bonuses, which includes a welcome bonus or deposit bonus deal. They help you get started, and some of the deals are sizable. There are terms and conditions, which limits when you can withdraw your money, but bonuses enable players to try out the provider. The worst-case scenario is that you lost your deposit bonus, but it was money you didn’t have to begin with. Gambling sites always offer some form of a bonus, so it’s best to accept them and have some fun.

Payment Methods

To fully enjoy the gambling experience, it helps to use your preferred payment method. Real money deposits can be made in a variety of ways, including credit card, debit card, e-wallet and bank transfer. To play the best games, you need to set your payment method. If a site doesn’t have your preferred method, it can take away from your experience. Luckily, New Zealand customers have many options when it comes to payment methods.

Games Offered

It’s no fun playing games you don’t enjoy, so make sure the site has your favourite games. Whether that be slots, table games or scratchcards, finding an operator that has these games is crucial.

Payouts

Getting your money is important, and you don’t want to wait days for it to arrive in your account. Real money withdrawals differ depending on the method of withdrawal and also the casino. Some casinos take days to process your money, but some are instant. Before withdrawing money out of your casino account, it pays to check how long it will take. Credit card and e-wallets can take a couple of hours, whereas bank transfers can take several days. If you’re ever unsure how long it will take, contact the casino’s customer support team.

Customer Support

It doesn’t impact your ability to play games, but having good customer support is ideal. Gambling sites should endeavour to make your online casino experience as easy as possible. A part of that is having quality customer service, which includes live chat, email and phone availability.

Mobile Gambling

Many New Zealand online gamblers use their smartphone or tablet for gambling at a mobile casino nowadays. It has become a significant trend in the iGaming world, so gambling companies have made their platforms mobile-friendly. It doesn’t matter if you own an Android, Apple iPhone or a Windows phone, you can play your favourite games. New technology enables mobile use, and you lose nothing from using your phone or tablet. With the best online casinos, New Zealand customers can usually find separate applications (apps) for mobile. Or, if there is no app available, the mobile version is the browser is available. There are many top-quality mobile casino sites available for New Zealand players. More and more sites are adapting their platforms for mobile users so that you can play from anywhere. Mobile gaming technology continues to improve, and although some apps don’t allow the full casino to be played, this is gradually improving. You don’t need to worry about not getting a welcome bonus either, as bonuses are available for mobile players. Some real money bonuses are only available for mobile players, so it’s well worth giving mobile gambling a try.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online gambling safe?

Online gambling is safe if you’re playing at a trusted and reputable site. At CasinoBlox, we would never suggest playing at an operator that isn’t licensed and doesn’t have a good record.

Which gambling games are popular in New Zealand?

Pokies are the most popular for New Zealand players. Slots are a highly popular game anywhere in the world, but Kiwis have always loved to play them. There are thousands of options available

Can I play with my mobile phone or tablet?

Yes. You can play at any gambling site using your mobile phone or tablet. Every casino either has an app or a mobile browser edition of the website, so mobile players don’t miss.

Will I receive a welcome bonus?

It’s up to you if you want to receive a welcome bonus. They are available at almost every site and you can opt-in to receiving one if you want. There are many advantages to getting your bonus, which can include free spins bonuses and a matched deposit offer.

Can I gamble online for free?

You can gamble online for free. Some gambling platforms offer “Play Mode” where you can play pokies and other games for free. However, it’s not available with every providers, so if you’re not ready to play with real money, check to see if the site has play money gambling first.