Best online casinos in 2024 🏆 NZ's top real money casino sites
Find the best online casinos in New Zealand offering the most popular pokies, with bonuses ranging from NZ$500 to $5,000. With 25+ years of experience, our experts test dozens of sites every month for bonus value, games, and payouts, listing the top 10 here. Take your pick of any top NZ real money online casino.
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A closer look at New Zealand’s top casinos online
In our search for the best NZ online casino, we’ve come across five sites that stand out from the crowd. This is based on a long list of rating criteria including the number of games, payment methods and bonuses offered, as well as the ease of use. We’ll explore each casino separately below.
#1: JackpotCity - the best online casino in New Zealand
Pros:
✅ Exclusive bonus available only at Casino.org
✅ Bonus worth NZ$200 more than the standard bonus
✅ Daily Deal offers and Bonus Wheel
Cons:
❌ Wagering requirements only contribute 50% on NetEnt slots
Read our full JackpotCity review here
JackpotCity has everything an online casino player could want. The game library covers all categories, and the 98.46% payout rate is above the 96% industry average. You can enjoy all their titles on a dedicated mobile app.
The casino offers new players up to NZ$1,800 split across your first four deposits. For those wanting to start smaller, the casino is one of the few to offer a bonus for a $1 casino deposit.
Expert opinion
What our expert says: Both the positive and negative reviewers of JackpotCity are largely focused on payments and payouts, and there's a lot of emphasis on terms. I was able to clear my deposit bonus and had a good experience here, receiving my withdrawal within three days.
Expert's advice: Read the terms carefully. The casino clearly states that bonus winnings will be voided if you win on excluded (0%) games; namely baccarat and progressive jackpots. It also states you can lose your bonus if you make a withdrawal before playing through the wagering requirements. From the looks of it, plenty of people have hit these stumbling blocks. I had a good experience, but I'm a loser who reads all the terms. Luckily, I'm a professional reviewer on a major site, so take advantage of my experience.
Ian Zerafa, 5th July, 2024
Casino.org rating: 4.8/5 ⭐
#2: Spin casino - best mobile experience
Pros:
✅ Top native iOS and Android apps — rare at NZ casinos
✅ Exclusive bonus available at Casino.org
✅ Redeem loyalty points for bonus credits
Cons:
❌ iPhone app has a slightly smaller selection
Read our full Spin Casino review.
Another NZ online casino with rare $1 deposits, the game library includes pokies, progressives and live dealer tables. You can play all of them on Android or iOS by downloading the Spin Casino app. Most online casinos don't even have native apps, and Spin's is one of the best.
Enjoy a lucrative welcome bonus available on your first three deposits. Get up to NZ$400 on your first deposit of as low as NZ$10. Your second and third deposits will give you a match deposit bonus of up to NZ$300. Altogether, you can claim up to NZ$1000 on your first three deposits at Spin Casino.
Expert opinion
What our expert says: The positive reviews for Spin Casino focus on the mobile experience, and it's no surprise that they do so. Though the online casino market is quite mature in New Zealand and beyond, the number of casinos offering native apps is still surprisingly small. I'm an Android user, and everything worked smoothly there. It's part of a casino group that includes JackpotCity, and most things work quite similarly.
Expert's advice: Exactly the same as with JackpotCity; read the terms carefully. As they're affiliated, the bonuses are almost identical, and players are liable to the same pitfalls. Don't play on ineligible games, don't forfeit your bonus by withdrawing before the playthrough is complete. If you want to reject the bonus to withdraw earlier, you can do so by contacting customer support.
Ian Zerafa, 5th July, 2024
Casino.org rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
#3: JustCasino - NZ casino with a top payout rate
Pros:
✅ One of New Zealand's largest bonuses
✅ Tons of promotions for existing players (tournaments, cashback, weekly games and promos)
✅ Multiple loyalty programs to cater to all players
Cons:
❌ Bonus terms are decent, but not as good as the best ($20 minimum deposit vs $10, 40x wagering requirements vs 35x)
Read our full JustCasino review.
JustCasino excels with its fast withdrawal policy. During our last tests, almost all our cashouts were complete within 24 hours. Fastest methods tested: Skrill, Bitcoin.
Apart from the speed, the casino boasts a payout rate of 98.35%. Monthly payout rate last tested in: July 2024
Notably, the platform is crypto-friendly, allowing users to purchase digital currencies directly through the site using the Mercuryo exchange. The deal is further sweetened with a massive welcome bonus worth up to NZ$5,000 and 400 free spins, and with over 3,500 games on offer, we had tons of opportunities to enjoy that bonus, and are sure that New Zealand casino players will too.
Expert opinion & user reviews
Recent user review: "Great casino, easy to communicate and fast responses. Quick payout as long as they have all the information and is within the ts&cs no hassle no worries" - Francesca H., Trustpilot Review.
Date of experience: 30 May 2024
What our expert says: JustCasino is definitely a top choice for Kiwis. It's got one of the biggest signup bonuses I've seen during my time reviewing NZ, only beaten by crypto-first casinos. My favourite thing about it is that it offers plenty beyond the welcome offer, including daily 'Comet' tournaments, weekly promotions and contests, and up to NZ$1,000 in cashback on Thursdays. Plenty of experienced casino players like to hop from site to site claiming bonuses; this is one of the few that I like coming back to. One of the only drawbacks is that most bonus wagering requirements are set at 40x, slightly higher than the 35x offered at the casinos we've rated as NZ's best.
Ian Zerafa, 5th July, 2024
Casino.org rating: 4.6/5 ⭐
#4: Lukki - NZ casino with super quick payouts, and great for jackpot fans
Pros:
✅ 4,000+ games makes it one of NZ's biggest libraries
✅ Bonus is eligible on multiple game types, not just slots
✅ Internal and standard progressive jackpots
Cons:
❌ Bonus is split across four deposits, and only the first two match at 100% (3rd and 4th are 50% and 25%, respectively)
Our tests of Lukki's payouts were admittedly mixed — most of our withdrawals came through within 24 hours, but there was one week in May 2024 where they took three working days, even though we were using e-wallets. Payment methods tested: Skrill, Neteller.
However, on reviewing user feedback, our team is super-happy to place Lukki near the top of our best NZ casinos list, because we've read hundreds of user reviews complimenting the payout speed. An overwhelming majority of you guys are having a great time experience, and we're not going to overrule 300+ experiences just because one of our reviewers had one average-speed week.
The casino library is massive, with over 4,000 games, and has some crypto payment options via CoinsPaid. They have an internal jackpot system with three in-house progressive jackpots, qualifying on every single game when you make bets of at least $1.
Expert opinion & user reviews
Recent user review: "NZ player here and once verified which did not even take long within 24hours my withdrawal was processed!!!" - Purotu W., TrustPilot review
Date of experience: 12 June 2024
What our expert says: Lukki casino is super-solid. While the bonus might not be as huge as JustCasino's, Lukki scores well in every category. The $4,000 bonus is definitely above the New Zealand casino average of $800-$1,500, and 4,000+ games definitely smashes the 300-1000 standard. I'd recommend Lukki to jackpot fans. Apart from the internal jackpots, you've got popular progressives like Mega Moolah (jackpot sitting at $2,000,000+ as of last update), and the Age of Gods series from Playtech.
Ian Zerafa, 5th July, 2024
Casino.org rating: 4.6/5 ⭐
#5: Lucky Spins - NZ casino with 5,000+ games
Pros:
✅ 5,000+ games in all categories, from pokies to live casinos
✅ High withdrawal limits on fiat currencies (NZ$100,000 on e-wallets)
✅ Regular promos delivered to you by email
Cons:
❌ Library is a bit disorganised - sorting should be better with 5,000+ games
Read our full Lucky Spins review.
Lucky Spins clocks in a massive library of 5,000+ games, stacked to the brim with top names. The welcome bonus is eligible on Book of Dead, and has a decent 35x wagering requirement, which matches the top NZ casinos', and beats out the 40x you'll find on Lukki and JustCasino.
The live casino is stocked with games by leaders such as Evolution and Pragmatic Play, and you'll be able to catch everything from blackjack to Monopoly Live over there. The casino is integrated with popular e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill, and ecoPayz, and our withdrawal tests with e-wallets were typically processed in 24-48 hours.
Lucky Spins stands out with its ongoing promotions program for existing players. The $10,000,000 Spinoleague cash prize pool, the $1.25m Cash Pool, and the instant cash prize drops means there's always a lot going on here for Kiwi players.
Expert opinion & user reviews
User reviews: Lucky Spins is quite a new casino, and while third-party reviews are generally positive, there aren't enough of them for us to give a verdict here. (Less than 10 on TrustPilot).
What our expert says: One area where Lucky Spins stands out is the VIP program, which feels insane to say, since the program didn't exist until a few months ago. A weekly cashback of up to 20% is more generous than the 10% offered by most other casinos, and the value of free spins you receive is boosted if you have VIP status. If Lucky Spins keeps up this rate of improvement, it can top our NZ casinos list very soon.
Ian Zerafa, 5th July, 2024
Casino.org rating: 4/5 ⭐
Casino.org expert insight
We review our top positions regularly, seeking out New Zealand casinos that can offer something worthwhile to our readers. Whether it's better bonuses, the latest player features pioneered by new casinos, the slickest game libraries, the team I work on scrutinises each part of each casino to make sure the best all-round products make it to the top of this page. I like looking at trends in player feedback too; thousands of Kiwi players help bring in more data than even dozens of full-time reviewers can.
Stat zone: New Zealand online casinos
Although the market is saturated with many casinos, the top-rated sites have outstanding features. The following is a table for you to skim through to see what the best online casinos in NZ offer.
| Feature | Data |
|---|---|
❤️ Real money casinos in NZ | 75+ |
🎰 Best online pokies | Cleopatra (IGT), Book of Dead (Play 'n GO) |
🎁 Biggest standard casino bonus | NZ$5,000 |
🪙 Biggest crypto casino bonus | 5BTC |
✅ Minimum deposit | NZ$1 |
⚖️ Gambling licenses | UKGC, MGA, GBGA |
📱Best casino app | Spin Casino |
📈 Biggest ever jackpot | NZ$13,615,861 (Mega Moolah) |
Casinos to avoid in New Zealand
All sites on our recommended list of New Zealand casinos have passed our strict review process, designed to protect players from unreliable and unscrupulous casinos. Below you'll find the latest list of untrustworthy casinos to have failed checks for safety, security and fairness.
Severe payout delays, frequently negative player reports, predatory wagering requirements, and inconsistencies in licensing verification lead us to believe that these sites should be avoided at all costs.
How we review online casinos
Understand what we look for when determining which real money online casinos are the best ones in New Zealand:
Bonuses
We review the type & size of the casino bonus, its eligible games, and terms like wagering requirements. The best casinos offer NZ$800+ for deposit bonuses and wagering requirements of about 20x or lower.
Top casinos offer bonuses that can be used on all the games available, with pokies contributing 100% and table games contributing more than 10% towards wagering requirements. Low scorers for the online casino NZ category tend to have high wagering requirements (50x or more) and are often restricted to only slots.
Editor's tip: JackpotCity is on top for a reason. A $1 bonus, with a high-end offering spread across 4 different deposits, and decent terms. If terms matter less to you than size, check out the giant bonuses at 7Bit and Mirax casino.
Games & software
If an online casino you’re eyeing offers over 1,000 casino games, provided by over 20 software developers, you’re on the right path towards finding the site for you. It is crucial that they offer a wide range of the best online casino games also including slots, live casino games, table games, scratch cards, and even bingo.
When it comes to casino software providers we also look at quality. In NZ casinos top developers include IGT, Aristocrat, Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Play’n GO and Playtech, to name a few.
Editor's tip: Multiple casinos provide a top-of-the-line offering for casino games in NZ. Mirax is a good shout for crypto because of its huge game library, otherwise, Lucky Spins is a safe bet, with over 5,000 games, weekly cashback, and top games like the Big Bass series.
Payment methods & cashier policy
We consider both quantity and quality of service when it comes to casino payment providers. Highly rated casinos have over 15 payment providers, including top names like POLi, Skrill, Neteller and Instant bank transfers.
They must also accept casino deposits in NZ currency. Top sites offer high limits of above NZ$10,000 and fast processing times, which should be less than 24 hours for the fastest payout casinos.
In terms of deposit limits, they can go as low as $1 minimum deposit, which are highly sought after. Despite that, we consider anything around NZ$10 and below acceptable.
Editor's tip: JackpotCity leads for normal casinos, 7Bit casino for crypto. 7Bit has a low barrier for entry with $1 minimum deposits and NZ$10 withdrawals, fast payouts, and 15+ total transaction options.
Safety & licensing
Even though online gambling is not legally controlled in New Zealand, you still need to look for offshore sites that are properly licensed and thus safe to join. UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority or the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association license holders are all good options. Top NZ online casino sites are all SSL-encrypted with certificates from trusted organisations like CloudFlare Inc.
We make it a point to tell you which sites which are potentially rogue, so you only gamble at the safest real money New Zealand casinos.
Editor's tip: Most of the necessary legal and licensing stuff is the same between casinos, it's pretty standard. JackpotCity scraped some extra points over its competitors through transparency; linking out to its most recent third-party fairness certifications by eCOGRA. Otherwise, Christchurch and Wildz are nice ones too, as MGA licenses are extra-strict, and quite rare in NZ.
Mobile app experience
We factor in things like game availability and overall quality of service mobile. A top mobile casino must have a minimum of 95% of their desktop games. Having an iOS and Android downloadable casino app is almost expected nowadays. Top scores boast features like mobile-based search functionalities and easily accessible live chat to help with navigation on smaller screens.
Editor's tip: Plenty of NZ casinos hover around the 4.1 - 4.2 out of 5 mark. They're all good and all work on smaller screens, but no single casino is blowing our minds here. Spin has the smoothest app, but otherwise, we're having fun with Galactic Wins casino right now, just because their mobile site visuals are a little nicer than most others.
Customer support
Before we list a casino, we make sure to give its support service a test and only recommend the sites that pass the test with flying colours. An excellent customer support team, therefore, needs to be reachable via phone, email, live chat and on-site contact form, or at least two of the four. Also, it needs to be available 24/7, or at least 8 hours a day, even during the weekends.
Editor's tip: Christchurch casinis the current leader here. Our review gives it a 4.8 out of 5. Support is 24/7, and there's an email option. While there's no phone, Christchurch wins for the quality and speed of its live chat agents' responses.
Ease of use
Easy registration and bonus claiming processes are the most crucial factors. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes to complete the sign-up process or claim the welcome bonus offer. The best NZ online casino sites also have multiple filtering systems that let players sort casino games. Top-rated casinos also have a popular games section allowing players to find top titles at ease.
Editor's tip: BC.Game shines here. Our BC.Game review gave it a 4.5 out 5 because it's game library is huge, and the casino hasn't left players out to drown in a sea of games. You can filter by game type, by subcategory, and even by provider.
Popular online casino types in New Zealand
Whether you’re looking for new sites, casinos that offer the lowest minimum deposits or the best mobile or land-based casinos, we’ve got you covered.
What types of casino bonus can you find in New Zealand?
The top 10 casinos on our site offer at least one type of bonus offer, and usually more than just one. Here are some of the popular bonus types that sweeten the welcome packages at NZ casinos.
Reload bonuses
Smaller 'deposit matches', usually matched in the 25-50% rate, frequently available on further deposits. Many online casinos run them on a specific weekday.
Cashback
New Zealand casinos frequently give back players 10-20% of their losses in the form of bonus cash, usually on a weekly basis.
Loyalty programs
Casinos reward consistent play with offers that can include free spins, bonus cash, and more.
Games at the best real money casinos
In New Zealand, there are tons of options to choose from when you play online casino games for real money. Here, we cover some of the player favourites that most of the best casino operators include in their portfolios.
Online pokies
The quintessential casino game, online pokies make up the majority of any NZ online casino library. They're simple, fun, and varied. Innovative themes and mechanics often add fresh spins to these casino classics.
Low volatility pokies like Starburst deliver small, frequent wins, while high volatility ones such as Book of Dead give you larger wins, but less often.
Popular games in NZ: Dolphin Treasure, 9 Masks Of Fire, 88 Fortunes
Average RTP: 96%
Best casino for pokies: We pick JustCasino as the best for fiat casinos. Apart from the 5,000+ games including Gates of Olympus and Wolf Gold, we like the user-friendliness it offers, allowing you to sort pokies by game studio, and with the site auto-sorting them into popular categories like 'Bonus buy' or 'Megaways'. In crypto casinos, 7Bit offers a manual sorting system that's on par, if not better.
Progressive jackpots
A popular genre of online pokies packing a juicy twist. Every spin on a progressive pokie adds a fraction of the bet to a shared pool, which any player can win on a super-lucky spin. The biggest jackpots stretch into the tens of millions.
Popular titles: Mega Moolah, Age of the Gods, WOW Pot
Average RTP: 92-94%
Best jackpots casino: LeoVegas. New Zealand's LeoVegas portal offers over 170 progressive jackpot titles, with prize pools near the NZ$40 million mark (at the time of writing). It also hosts some progressive titles exclusive to LeoVegas NZ, like Money Train 3 and Chaos Crew II.
Online blackjack
Probably the most-played casino card game in the world. NZ real money casino players win blackjack by making sure the value of their cards is closer to 21 than the dealer's, without ever going over 21.
Popular titles: Dragon Blackjack, Rapid Multi-Han Blackjack, Classic Blackjack
Average RTP: 99.5%
Best casino for blackjack: Lucky Spins. We like it because it offers over 125 RNG blackjack games in a region where 5-40 is normal, with titles ranging from Blackjack Touch to Rapid Multi-Hand Blackjack. Some casinos have 150+, but our vote still goes to Lucky Spins for its massive 700+ live game library, which adds on hundreds of extra blackjack options.
Online roulette
The top online NZ casinos should stock a few different roulette variants, including European, American, and French, among others. In roulette, a ball spins on a numbered wheel, and you can make dozens of bets on where the ball will land. Red or black sections, odd or even numbers, and specific numbers are all up for grabs.
Popular titles: Roulette, European Roulette, American Roulette
Average RTP: 94.74-97.30%
Best NZ casino for roulette: Our expert team is split here, so we're giving you two choices. Christchurch casino is small, with about 40 roulette titles and a few more live titles. However, they're all top titles, like Auto Roulette, Lightning Roulette, and the inevitable Immortal Romance Roulette. If you want so play a small number of the best roulette games, go here.
Otherwise, head to Lucky Wins if you're a quantity-over-quality player. You'll get around 250 roulette titles there, though you'll never have heard of a lot of them.
Live casino
The best New Zealand online casinos run live dealer games, where a real human dealer spins the roulette wheels or deals the cards. Most live casinos focus on table games, and our top scoring casinos will have extras like game shows or even live pokies, where a live presenter spins the reels on a machine.
Popular live games: Mega Wheel, Monopoly Live
Average RTP: Depends on the game
Best casino for live games: Depends what you're looking for. If you're a bonus hunter, JackpotCity is a great choice — it doesn't make the mistake of tying its welcome bonus to one slot. Read the terms; five named table games are excluded from the bonus, but none of them are live games at the time of writing.
If you're not a bonus hunter and want to make a home at a live casino, head to Lucky Spins. Apart from the 700+ live game library which includes Speed Roulette and Crazy Time, the loyalty perks and 20% cashback make it a good target for the long run.
Video poker
Cross a pokie machine with a poker game, and you've got video poker. This RNG-based version of the glamorous card game allows Kiwi casino players to test their fortunes against the computer, without having to look at anyone's poker face.
Popular titles: Jacks or Better, 3 Card Brag
Average RTP: 95-99%
Best casino for video poker: Spin casino. Realistically, video poker is a minor game, and there's not much difference in playing it at different casinos. So you might as well go for Spin, and play on the casino with the best mobile app.
Casino.org expert insight
My opinion: Stick to the smaller, top-title casinos as a new player, then go wild on the big ones once you're ready for some experimentation and adventure. Yeah, Lucky Wins has 250 roulette titles, but what on earth is 'Live Football French Roulette' anyway? If you're a maniac who wants to play the most random titles, consider graduating to crypto casinos. 9,000+ pokies is more than anyone needs, but I respect your choices.
NZ casino software
Some of the biggest and best NZ online casino sites produce their own games, but that's rare, even for a great site. Even casinos with exclusive titles get most of their games from casino software specialists. They've built their careers around developing top-quality games.
No matter where you play online casino games, you'll find titles from external studios. Get to know some of the best software studios you can find at online casino NZ sites. Any casino that stocks all of them is worth considering.
- Pragmatic Play: One of the most frequently-found providers at any NZ online casino, practically every casino has Pragmatic. Lauded for its extensive portfolio of diverse slot games, with hits like Wolf Gold and Great Rhino.
- Microgaming: A pioneering studio that helped shape online gaming. Notable for progressive slots like the record-setting Mega Moolah, both on and offline. The largest local win we could find was a staggering NZ$13,615,861 at the River Belle on May 8, 2020.
- Big Time Gaming: An Australian developer celebrated for high-volatility pokies with games like Bonanza and Danger High Voltage. Inventors of the Megaways mechanic. They offer a mid-range number of high-quality titles. A large casino like Lukki stocks around 45 of their 70-odd games.
- NetEnt: Hailing from Sweden, NetEnt is acclaimed for its Scandinavian design and innovation, featuring titles like Starburst and Gonzo's Quest. NetEnt has over 200 games, and a large online casino will typically have about 180 in the library.
- Aristocrat: An Australian gaming giant known for its distinctive online pokies. Top titles include Buffalo and Queen of the Nile.
- Playtech: A British gaming software powerhouse renowned for themed slots and a wide range of casino games, including Age of the Gods series.
- Evolution Gaming: This European leader in live casino gaming provides live dealer games. Most NZ casinos stock dozens of their games — the number climbs to around 400 if you count all the blackjack and roulette tables separately.
Deposit and withdrawal methods at real money casinos
As a player looking for top NZ casino sites, accessing the proper payment method helps smoothen your gambling experience. It's important to understand that not all options continue to be available for players. POLi for instance, an Aussie based brand, is no longer an option at New Zealand casinos. We are however seeing the rise of cryptocurrencies and mobile first payment options like Apple Pay.
Below are some popular online casino payment options to consider:
Bitcoin casinos
In online gambling, bitcoin is now one of the leading currencies accepted. It offers instant deposits and anonymous transactions. Bitcoin online casinos are also popular due to their high withdrawal limits.
Paysafecard casinos
Paysafecard is always a top option to see at an online casino NZ. It is the safest choice for those players who want a traditional prepaid option, but still with faster payout times. With Paysafecard casinos, you don't ever expose your bank details to the actual casinos making it 100% secure.
Skrill casinos
Skrill is highly sought after at casinos because it offers instant and secure payments. Unlike other popular e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill casinos are practically ubiquitous in NZ, almost every NZ casino accepts Skrill.
Visa casinos
Visa casinos are probably the biggest in New Zealand. Practically everyone has a credit or debit card registered with the company. Plus, most online casinos list the payment as an option on both deposits and withdrawals making it extremely accessible.
PayPal casinos
PayPal is one of the most sought-after options for casino players in New Zealand. Unfortunately, PayPal casinos aren't a thing here, for regulation reasons. We haven't come across a single casino catering to NZ players that accepts PayPal as an option. Watch out though; we have seen other sites trying to clickbait you into believing they're available in NZ.
Did you know? Despite NZ's size, only 25 countries use PayPal more than we do (Statista).
Pros & cons of playing at casino sites for real money
New Zealand online casino sites offer tons of options to play for real money; but are they for everyone? Let's run through some of the most common perks and drawbacks, to provide more information for you to make decisions with.
Pros
- Huge range of online casino games to choose from, since availability isn't limited by the casino floor space
- Tons of bonuses available for New Zealand casino players. The large online casino market means there are many sign-up bonuses waiting to be grabbed
- The unparalleled convenience of online means you can play games privately, at your convenience, without queues
- A wide variety of payment options makes depositing and withdrawing convenient for any player
Cons
- The social aspect that you'd get in land based casinos is missing. Even live dealer games can't bring the full experience of the casino floor
- Withdrawals can often take longer than expected, since the process of verifying identity isn't as clear-cut as it is when you're on a casino's premises in person
How to play at NZ online casino sites - beginner’s guide
Getting started at an online casino is straightforward once you understand the basic steps. If you’re a newbie looking for how to begin, you should consider the steps below.
- 1
Pick a suitable NZ Casino and register
Check back to our list of the best NZ casinos, and pick the one that suits you best. Once there, hit the sign-up button and fill your personal details. You'll sometimes be asked to opt-in for the welcome bonus.
- 2
Verify your account
Once you finish the registration, most casinos will send a link to your email or a verification code via SMS. Sometimes you'll also need to provide a copy of your ID.
- 3
Deposit and claim the welcome bonus
Depending on the bonus type, you'll often need to meet a minimum deposit requirement to be eligible. This can be NZ$10 or $20, but at some sites like JackpotCity, it's as little as NZ$1. Head to the cashier section to make your first casino deposit, then you'll be ready to start playing.
Legality and safety of online casinos in NZ
Let's sum up the legal situation as simply as possible.
The New Zealand Gambling Commission regulates local casinos, and anything with an NZGC licence must comply with NZ's gambling acts. However, the NZGC doesn't allow local operators to take their games online. So what's available?
Plenty of online casinos based outside of NZ accept Kiwis. This worldwide portfolio means there are thousands available. Question is, is there a way to tell the good from the bad?
Answer: Yes. We only recommend sites licensed and regulated by internationally-recognised gambling authorities such as the Europe-based Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission.
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Fair play and randomness
Casinos that accept Kiwis should offer certified Random Number Generators to affirm that game outcomes are truly random. We also like to see proof of regular audits by independent testing agencies such as eCOGRA, and publicly available RTP percentages. RTP stands for Return To Player, and is a statistic that indicated the average amount of money-per-wager that a player should get back, if the game is played over an infinitely long time. For example: a 96% RTP means that the player should win 96c back for every dollar wagered.
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Security measures
When rating a casino's security, we expect to see solid SSL encryption to protect players' personal and financial data. Two-factor authentication (2FA) should be available to players to help secure their balance.
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Support and complaint resolution
Round-the-clock customer support is a good start for any online casino accepting NZ players. We do recommend judging the customer service before depositing, it's one of our favourite tests of a casino's reliability, and it's simple and accessible to every player. There should be a transparent process for complaint handling, and ideally, the opportunity for players to include a third-party mediator to resolve disputes between casino and player. Third-party mediators are a necessity for certain casino licenses, such as the UKGC's, who run a list of approved dispute managers.
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Responsible gambling
Top casinos should provide a swathe of responsible gambling tools, including betting and deposit limits, self-exclusion, and reality checks. There should also be a library of links to support services.
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Player and data protection
Casinos should offer a clear and complete data privacy policy, outlining the collection, storage and usage of player info. Supported payment methods should include secure and reputable options. A thorough KYC process for identity verification should also be available, to prevent fraud and underage gambling. Ideally, a clear procedure for payment disputes and refund requests should be in place, and it should be transparently laid out.
Which award-winning casinos operate in New Zealand?
There are plenty of award-winning casinos NZ players can test out. We stay abreast of the latest news, gathering up the top pioneers and trailblazers, and listing them for you on this page.
The top international awards include The EGR Awards, the Global Gaming Awards, and the International Gaming Awards. They're among the most prestigious accolades in the online gambling industry, focusing on excellence and innovation. While they offer awards in many different categories, it's the casino operators we care most about here. The winners set benchmarks for quality, leadership, and customer service across the global gaming landscape.
Land-based casinos in NZ
Land-based casinos, also called offline casinos, offer certain thrills and an atmosphere that the online variants can't match, despite all the perks online casinos offer. The popular SkyCity casino reigns supreme.
However, its affiliated SkyCity online casino (launched offshore through the Malta Gaming Authority) still has a long way to go to become the best online casino NZ has to offer.
| Land-based casino | Address | Contact number | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|---|
SkyCity Auckland | Corner Victoria and, Federal Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010 | +64 9 363 6000 | 24/7 |
SkyCity Queenstown | Stratton House, Level 2,16-24 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300 | +64 3 441 0400 | 11:00 - 00:00 |
SkyCity Hamilton | 346 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204 | +64 7 834 4900 | Varies: 10:00-04:00, 24 hours on weekends |
SkyCity Wharf | Steamer Wharf, Queenstown | +64 3 441 1495 | Temporarily closed, usually open after 16:00 |
Christchurch casino | 30 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013 | +64 3 365 9999 | Varies: 12:00-00:00, till 02:00 on weekends |
Grand Casino | 118 High Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016 | +64 3 477 4545 | Varies: 12:00-00:00, till 02:00 on weekends |
Why Casino.org?
You can rest assured that on our site, you’ll be able to explore only legit online casino real money NZ sites.
Our well-trained team makes sure to provide you with the casinos that offer the best bonuses.
We’re here to provide you with unbiased reviews of regulated and safe online casinos, so that you’d only need to take your pick, without doing any further research.
75+ NZ casino reviews
More than 200 bonuses to consider
6000+ online pokies tested
Helping players since 1995
The minimum legal age to enter a casino in New Zealand is 20 years old. If you think you or someone you care about may have a problem with gambling, we urge you to seek help by vistting Gambling Helpline NZ.
New Zealand FAQ
What is the best online casino for NZ?
There are 75+ online casinos available to NZ players. If you check back to our list of the best online casinos, you'll be able to see which ones our experts recommend. Currently JackpotCity online casino is considered a top pick due to it's lucrative welcome bonus, low minimum deposit and great selection of online pokies.
Are online casinos legal in NZ?
Under the Gambling Act of 2003, online casinos based in New Zealand are prohibited. That said, NZ players are still able to sign up and play at gambling sites as long as the website operator is based outside of the country.
What is the best online casino for real money?
Aside from our list of the best, we have further broken this down according to popular NZ casino categories. Our top choice for the best real money casino in New Zealand is JackpotCity. This is due to their favourable promotions include an NZ$1,600 welcome bonus package as well as lucrative transaction limits.
How do online casinos work?
Online casinos are pretty straightforward. Simply create an account, deposit money, claim the welcome bonus, and head to the lobby to start playing. Read our list of steps on how to sign up for more details.
How do you pay at an online casino?
For reliability and speed, most players in New Zealand should probably consider eWallet options such as Neteller. For convenience, you can stick to classic cards like VISA or MasterCard, which most people already have. We provide more casino payment details here.
What is the most trusted online casino?
It's hard to pick out a particular one, because all the NZ casinos we display have the appropriate licenses and certificates. A remarkable track record and great player feedback are always a bonus, so JustCasino is a great one there, with a 4.1 star rating on Trustpilot.
Written by Hannah Cutajar
Semi professional athlete turned online casino enthusiast, Hannah Cutajar is no newcomer to the gaming industry. With over 5 years of experience, she now leads our team of casino experts at Casino.org and is considered the go-to gaming specialist across several markets including the USA, Canada and New Zealand. Her number one goal is to ensure players get the best experience online through world class content.
Fact checked by Ian Zerafa
Ian Zerafa grew up in Malta, Europe's online gaming hub and home of top casino regulators and auditors such as eCOGRA and the Malta Gaming Authority. After completing his Master's degree in Glasgow, he returned to Malta and started writing about casinos. He's worked on hundreds of casinos across the US, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland, and is a go-to authority for Casino.org's team.
Sources and references
- 1
- 2Te Tari Taiwhenua — Prohibited Gambling
- 3Statista — PayPal use by country
- 4New Zealand Legislation — Gambling Act 2003
- 5NZ Police — Gambling rules and regulations
- 6
- 7The New Zealand Herald — Is New Zealand being left behind on gambling regulation?
- 8Problem Gambling Foundation NZ — Understanding online gambling
- 9Safer Gambling Aotearoa — Online gambling
- 10Malta Gaming Authority — Regulatory Framework
- 11Alderney Gambling Control Commission — eGambling Licensees
- 12eCOGRA — Online casino test & inspection services
- 13EGR Awards — 2023 Casino operator award winners
- 14International Gaming Awards — 2023 winners
- 15Global Gaming Awards — 2024 winners
