The Best Online Casinos in New Zealand

New Zealand Gambling Laws

When it comes to the legality of online gambling, New Zealand is different from many of its neighbours and other countries across the world.

The Gambling Act of 2003 is the most recent legislation and is responsible for the majority of the laws when it comes to online gambling in New Zealand. The Department of Internal Affairs is the main regulator when it comes to ensuring local firms adhere to these laws.

However, whilst it is illegal for local firms to operate in the country, there is nothing to stop them from playing on an offshore site and many players from New Zealand do just that.

Now, that kind of defeats the purpose a little bit as the New Zealand government will find it much harder to ensure their citizens are treated well as they have no control over these sites.

Whereas we have a lot of online Casinos for you which you can play when residing in New Zealand, there are only 6 land-based Casinos in the entire country that have a license to trade under the Gambling Act and it is prohibited for more to open. Sky City operates 4 of those 6, with Casinos in Auckland, Hamilton, and 2 in Queenstown.

It is also strictly forbidden to bet on Sports in New Zealand and has been since 1920. Again, though, there are some offshore bookmakers which will allow New Zealand residents to place bets on Sports that aren't controlled by the Gambling Act 2003.

At casinoencyclopedia.com, we have compiled a list of the best sites that accept players from New Zealand and offer play in New Zealand Dollars for those that want to use the local currency.

These have solid reputations and meet our requirements when it comes to fast cashouts, great games, and generous bonuses. Many have VIP programs that offer free spins, no deposit bonuses, deposit bonuses as well as reload bonuses, and loyalty schemes.

Casinos To Watch Out For

Whilst we talk mainly about the best Casinos available for residents of New Zealand, there are also some rogue sites we have found, we have compiled them in our casinos blacklist for you.
We suggest you avoid all Casinos in this section at any cost as we have other players who have had a bad time at each.

Best Gambling and Casino Games in NZ

Pokies

One of the most popular types of games for New Zealand players is Pokies. These are online slots that offer an entertaining way to gamble for real money online and offer some big payouts compared to other Casino games. Some have Progressive Jackpots which offer life-changing sums of money.

Card Games

Pokies are not the only games you will find at gambling sites that cater to New Zealand players. There are also amazing card and table games, including variations of Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, Baccarat, and many others. You will also find some awesome Video Poker games, which can be played as single or multi-hand games.

Live Casinos

When playing, you may find that Live Dealer games have been added or are highlighted. These types of games have become very popular with avid gamblers as they replicate the experience found at a land-based casino. Live Dealer games are broadcast live from a land location and they make use of professional dealers. These games are streamed live and are all played in real-time, presenting the feeling of being right at your favourite local location – or semi-local if you don't happen to have one near you as many New Zealanders don't. Most experienced players will choose to play Live Roulette or Live Blackjack if they are a fan of classic card and table games, or even a Live dealer Baccarat game.

Progressive Jackpots

Many online Casinos have a good range of progressive slot machines which can be won by players from New Zealand. Check out our Progressive Jackpots page for a run-down of some of the biggest and best jackpots around and where to play them.

Top Rated New Zealand Real Money Online Casinos

There are many online Casinos that let players from New Zealand play for real money, either using New Zealand Dollars or another currency. Some of the best-rated are:

1. Leo Vegas
2. Jackpot City
3. Royal Vegas Casino
4. Spin Casino
5. Casumo
6. Guts

Bonuses at New Zealand Casinos

Many online Casinos that accept New Zealand players offer a range of bonuses. These can include Welcome Bonuses, No Deposit Bonuses, Free Spins, Non-Wagering Bonuses, or High Roller Bonuses, depending on where you choose to play. More information on each is below.

•Welcome Bonus – This is often a match bonus on your 1st deposit. The % can vary from one casino to another but is often around the 100% mark. This means if your 1st deposit is $20, you will have $40 to play with. Some Casinos also offer bonuses on 2nd deposits, and some have a welcome package so it is worth shopping around to find one that is best for you.

•No Deposit Bonus – A bonus that the Casino gives you without the need to deposit first, there is often higher than average wagering needed and a limit to the amount you can win. As it doesn’t cost you anything, however, it is worth taking if one is on offer.

•Free Spins – Some online Casinos will give players from New Zealand a number of Free Spins on a specific slot/s. Again, wagering is often needed on any winnings from these spins and there tends to be a max win limit involved.

•Non-Wagering Bonus – These are the least likely to be found as they involve you getting extra funds when you deposit that don’t have wagering restrictions. There can be other limits such as a maximum win as with Free Spins and a No Deposit Bonus.

•High Roller Bonus – If you deposit a lot, the Casino may offer you a larger than the normal bonus on a deposit or when a set amount of play has been reached. These can vary from a standard Deposit Bonus in terms of %, max bonus amount, and wagering needed to complete it, and is a good way for large depositing players to give themselves a higher bankroll.

All the Casinos we recommend allow you to play for real money, and many will let you play for free or offer a no-deposit bonus before you deposit for the first time.

Tips On Choosing The Best Online Casino In New Zealand

For us to recommend a site to players from New Zealand, we use 9 different criteria, some of which are shown below:

1. Country license – Websites must be licensed to operate from one of the main licensing jurisdictions such as Malta, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, etc.
2. Security – All these casinos will have SSL encryptions using reputable providers, firewalls, and other protection measures
3. Reputation – The operator needs to have a good reputation for us to recommend it
4. Fairness – This is key, we will only recommend operators who have been approved by organizations such as eCOGRA, TST Fair Gaming, iTechLabs, etc
5. Customer Support – Sites need to have 24/7 support ensuring they are available to help you whenever their help is needed
6. Selection of Games – All sites we recommend have a good variety for you to choose from and use some of the biggest and most reputable slot providers in the industry
7. Payment Methods – How you choose to deposit should be your choice so we look to casinos that offer a range of options such as cards, wallets such as Neteller/Skrill, prepaid cards, or bank transfer
8. Terms and Conditions – We only work with sites that offer open and fair terms for their players and don’t have hidden lines that favour the casino ahead of the player
9. Promotions – All the casinos on our site have a good range of promotions for you to choose from
10. Fast Payouts -When deciding on the most important aspects of an online Casino site, many players decide that fast withdrawals in one of the most important. Well, we have you covered - the sites listed here have some of the fastest payouts for players from New Zealand.

Any casino that can show all of the above meets the bare minimum for being listed here. However, we actually prefer a little more than the bare minimum, and that's why the websites recommended here are the absolute best the industry has to offer to citizens from New Zealand.

New Casinos for New Zealand Players

Here we list some of the newest Casinos that accept players from New Zealand, these have all been checked by us and come recommended.

Best Gambling Sites

Online Gambling isn’t just Casino games; you can place Sports bets as well when you live in New Zealand. Check out our page of the best online gambling sites for more information.

More Trusted Online Casino Reviews

There are lots of online Casinos that accept players from New Zealand so we understand it can be hard to decide where to play. That is why our team of experts spends time opening an account, playing at each, cashing out, and speaking to the live support team so they can write a detailed, independent review for each. These can be found on our Casino Reviews page.

High-Roller Casinos

If you play and deposit a lot on online casino sites, you may be best off looking at those we rate highest for High-Rollers. These are Casinos that have larger deposit and payout limits, a good VIP casino scheme, and bigger maximum bonuses.

NZ Mobile Casinos

If you like what you find on these websites, you will want to make sure you have access to a mobile platform as well. Our best mobile casino sites will provide you with access to the best games from the main Casino and you can play using your tablet or smartphone. Many will offer an app for Android and iOS users, but if you do not use these devices or do not wish to download software, web-based platforms are offering instant play.

Online Gambling in Other Countries

If you are looking for casinos that accept players from other countries, you can find a list for other countries elsewhere on the site, South Africa Casinos, Canada Casinos, Australia Casinos, and UK Casinos.

Top land-based casinos in New Zealand

1. SkyCity Casino Auckland
Address: 72 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Phone Number: +64 9 363 6000
Website: Sky City Casino

2. Christchurch Casino
Address: 30 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand
Phone Number: +64 3 365 9999
Website: Christchurch Casino

3. Grand Casino Dunedin
Address: 118 High Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Phone Number: +64 3 477 4545
Website: Grandcasino.co.nz