No. Casinos in New Zealand must pay taxes on their profits, but the players get to keep all of their gambling earnings!
Professional gamblers are the only exception.
Best Online Casinos for New Zealand in 2021
New Zealand has progressive gambling laws that allow Kiwis to enjoy real money casino gambling online. But you don’t want to join just online casino. Some are better than others.
Which casino site should you join? Well, we have thoroughly researched and reviewed dozens of sites, and we can confidently say that these are the best New Zealand online casinos.
| Rank | VA Online Casino | Exclusive Bonus | Get Started | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
 |
280% Up To $14,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
| #2 |
 |
250% Up To $5,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
| #3 |
 |
250% Up To $6,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
| #4 |
 |
200% Up To $5,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
| #5 |
 |
100% Up To $3,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
You’re minutes away from playing your favorite casino games online. All you need to do is choose a casino, create an account, and make a deposit.
But if you are not quite ready to start gambling, then keep reading this page for more information. Here is what we cover.
- How gambling laws in NZ apply to playing online casino games for real money.
- How the country-operated gambling site, TAB, compares to our recommended online casinos accepting New Zealand players.
- The popularity of pokies in New Zealand and examples of pokies machines you can play online.
- The most common questions Kiwis have about casino gambling online.
First, let’s talk about how to find the best real money NZ casino sites in 2021.
How to Find the Top New Zealand Casinos Online
Every gambler needs to find an online casino in New Zealand that’s safe, licensed, and fair. It’s also essential that the casino you join has the games you want and banking methods that work for you.
Our New Zealand casino reviews cover those details. Right now, we want to focus on some casino features that are particularly crucial for New Zealand casino gamblers.
Mobile Betting for a Tech-Savvy Country
New Zealand is a tech-forward country. They particularly appreciate mobile technology that they can use while they are on the go.
Here are a few statistics that show just how connected New Zealanders are to their mobile phones.
- In 2015, 84% of New Zealand’s population between the ages of 35 and 44 used a smartphone regularly.
- New Zealand has more mobile phone subscriptions than people in the country. 135.6% of the population has a mobile phone subscription. This means many people have multiple mobile devices.
- As of January 2021, 46% of all internet traffic used a mobile device to access a site, compared to 49% from laptops and desktop computers.
- 91% of smartphone users in New Zealand use their smartphones to access the internet. 84% of Kiwis use their phones while doing other activities.
- According to projections from Statista, 4.7 million New Zealanders will use smartphones to access the internet by the year 2025.
You and your fellow New Zealand casino gamblers are clearly well-connected through your smartphones and tablets. Odds are you might not even own a computer.
That’s why it’s important to us to recommend online casinos in NZ with mobile gambling access.
Do you need to download real money gambling apps? Do you need to worry about whether mobile casino apps will work on your specific device?
Nope. The online NZ casinos we endorse use HTML5 software, so you can access them using your mobile browser. You don’t have to worry about downloading New Zealand casino apps.
You don’t have to worry about compatibility, either, as HTML5 is the new standard. As long as you have a modern mobile device, you should have no problems accessing any mobile casino in NZ.
New Zealand Casino Banking Options
Another crucial feature is banking. If you join a casino that doesn’t accept your preferred banking methods, or let you deposit in NZD, you’ll have to exchange your money. This can get expensive.
Fortunately, our recommended online casinos for NZ make real money gambling easy. This is due in part to their cashier and banking policies.
For example, most of the casino websites we recommend allow you to deposit and withdraw in NZD. You won’t have to worry about exchange rates.
They also offer a wide range of banking methods.
- Credit/debit cards
- Wire transfers
- E-wallets like Paypal or Neteller
Some New Zealand casinos even accept payments through ApplePay or Paysafe cards. Another option is to use cryptocurrency to fund your online gambling activities. Bitcoin is the most popular digital coin.
The reputable NZ casino sites we recommend typically have reasonable fees (or zero fees!) and deposit and withdrawal limits too.
New Zealand May Prohibit Credit and Debit Cards
There are so many banking options available. You should not have any trouble finding a deposit and withdrawal method that works for you – today.
But that could change in the future. The Minister of Internal Affairs has considered increasing the regulation of online gambling sites.
One of the regulations they are considering is prohibiting online gambling with a credit or debit card.
So far, the Minister of Internal Affairs has not taken any legislative action to restrict the payment methods available at online casinos accepting New Zealand players.
You can still use credit or debit cards to enjoy real money casino games in New Zealand for now. But a good reason to use the NZ online casino sites we recommend is that they accept many banking methods.
If you can’t use a credit card, they other payment methods you can use instead.
Bonuses at NZ Casinos Online
The Gambling Act of 2003 made it legal for Kiwis to use online casinos in New Zealand for real money. But it also banned those sites from advertising within the country.
Because they cannot use traditional advertisements, many NZ online casinos have found another way to use their marketing budget. They pass it on to customers in the form of bonuses.
Bonuses are a great way to get some extra money to play with. Not all bonuses are the same, though, and some offer better value than others.
You need to examine each promotion to find the best online casino bonuses in New Zealand. Here’s what you need to look at.
- Games – Can you play the games you want to using the bonus?
- Amount – Bonus amounts range from $100 to $10,000. You should try to find a bonus that at least matches your deposit, if possible.
- Match Percentage – The standard bonus match is 100% (you get $1 for every $1 you deposit). But some casino gambling sites offer larger matches. This is a great way to get more money but with less risk.
- Rollover – Nearly every casino bonus has a rollover – an amount of money you need to wager before you can cash-out your winnings. The lower this amount, the better. Rollovers are typically around 25x-75x.
- Expiration – Many offers have a time limit in which you need to claim and complete the bonus. You want to make sure this time limit works with your schedule, bankroll, and the games you play.
Getting free bonus money can be great. Who wouldn’t want to play real money slots and other casino games on someone else’s dime?
But it needs to make sense. The bonuses should be fair. You want to make sure you’re getting an amount you’re happy, that you can play the games you want, and that the terms are reasonable.
Otherwise, casino bonuses are a drag.
Fortunately, the best online casinos for New Zealand have great promotions for both new and existing customers.
You can take our word for it and check each casino out. Or you can read our online casino reviews to learn more about each site.
Comparing TAB and New Zealand Online Casinos
The top real money online casinos in New Zealand that we recommend aren’t the only sites in the country.
You can also place bets at TAB, which stands for Totalisator Agency Board. They’re in charge of all New Zealand’s sports and race betting operations.
TAB is the only government-owned gambling site in New Zealand. Some people believe that using the TAB site to place your bets is a better option because the government regulates it.
But that’s not always true. Sure, sometimes it might make sense to bet at TAB. But other times it’ll make sense to gamble at online casinos accepting NZ players instead.
| TAB | Online Casino Sites for New Zealand | |
| Casino Games | None | Pokies, table games, live casino, keno, lottery, bingo |
| Sportsbook/Racebook | Yes | Sometimes – depends on the casino |
| Licensing | Licensed in New Zealand | Typically licensed in other countries, such as UK, Malta, and Antigua |
| Legal Rights | Player’s rights are protected by law | Law enforcement has no jurisdiction to enforce consumer protection policies |
| Banking Methods | Debit/credit cards, bank transfer | Debit/credit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, gift cards |
| Bonuses | No welcome bonus but insurance and VIP program are available | Welcome bonuses, free spins, no deposit bonuses, and VIP programs |
| Mobile Compatibility | Yes, via a downloadable app or mobile browser | Yes, via mobile browsers |
You’ll have to decide which option works best for you. If sports betting is the only type of wager you want to place, TAB might be an excellent option.
However, anyone who wants to participate in online casino gambling in New Zealand will want to consider the other sites we recommend.
It is crucial to choose safe and legitimate NZ casino sites. Choosing a licensed site can protect you from blacklisted casinos. You may also have some legal recourse if you have a dispute with a casino.
The only way to know if a New Zealand online casino website is licensed and legit is through research. Fortunately, we have already done that research for you.
Our thorough New Zealand online casino reviews will help you find fair real money casino sites that offer all the features you are looking for, including an abundance of casino pokies.
Real Money Online Pokies in NZ
Pokies can be found in pubs, restaurants, and other venues. Or you can find them at online casino sites for NZ. You can find them just about anywhere, in any format, because pokies are so popular.
How popular are they? You’re about to find out.
Pokies and the Pandemic
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many of the businesses that operate pokies had to shut down because of New Zealand’s strict social distancing policies.
When the country ended restrictions on June 8, 2020, many pokies businesses reopened. Immediately, the gaming machines showed a 6.4% rise in proceeds.
By the end of the 3rd quarter, New Zealand’s pokies had 116% more profit than before the pandemic started.
Land-based pokies enjoyed a resurgence after New Zealand’s restrictions ended, but online pokies were a prominent activity during the quarantine.
SkyCity Entertainment is a New Zealand-based casino operator. The pandemic severely impacted their land-based casinos, but the company also operates online casinos out of a branch in Malta.
Online casino pokies saved the New Zealand-based company because they signed up 35,000 new customers after the pandemic began.
These statistics from the pandemic prove what online casinos in New Zealand already know. Kiwis love playing real money pokies online and in-person!
New Zealand Casino Pokies You Can Play Online
One of the great things about playing pokies at real money New Zealand casino sites online are all the software providers they work with.
Take LeoVegas Casino, for example. They work with high-quality pokies software providers like Microgaming, NetEnt, and IGT. They have more than 2,400 casino games. Most of them are slots.
Here are a couple examples of the slot games you can play when you join one of our top-rated New Zealand online casinos.
Thunderstruck II | Microgaming
Microgaming’s Thunderstruck II slot makes our list for a couple reasons. One, because we love Norse mythology-themed games. We can’t get enough of Nordic gods like Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, or Odin.
Each of these gods are symbols in the game. They award you with free spins and multipliers whenever you visit the Great Hall.
- Valkyrie (Level 1) – Get 10 free spins and a 5x multiplier.
- Loki (Level 2) – Get 15 free spins and extra wilds.
- Odin (Level 3) – Get 20 free spins and a 2x-6x multiplier.
- Thor (Level 4) – Get 25 free spins and a 2x-5x multiplier.
We love slot games with free spins and multipliers because you can win a lot of money without risking any more of your bankroll.
How much can you win? 2,400,000 coins from a single spin. That’s not bad, not bad at all.
That’s just another reason why we love Thunderstruck II from Microgaming – all the money you can win.
For those reasons, we encourage you to play Thunderstruck II the next time you log into one of our recommended real money slot casino sites in New Zealand.
Elements: The Awakening | NetEnt
What caught our eye about Elements: The Awakening is the graphics. It looks like NetEnt took some ancient-looking symbols and mixed them with sci-fi technology. They’re just awesome!
Another thing that caught our attention are the features you can trigger.
- Wilds – These can show up on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th These substitute any paying symbol in the game.
- Avalanche Wins – Also known as cascading reels. Whenever you win, the winning symbols will disappear and new symbols will take their place.
- Free Falls – If you get four successful Avalanche Wins, you’ll trigger the Free Falls free spins game. You’ll get 10 free spins. You may also get a bonus feature depending on which element symbol filled the Avalanche Meter.
Cascading reels are one of our favorite slot features. Once you get a little momentum and trigger the free spins game, it’s as if the winnings won’t stop coming.
NetEnt did a great job with this slot machine. If you want to check it out for yourself, odds are one of our New Zealand online casino sites will have it.
Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2 | IGT
We dare you to play Lobstermania by IGT and not have a smile on your face. How could you not smile playing a slot about a giant cartoon lobster at the beach?
The features will make you smile, too, because they have the potential to payout a lot of money. Here are the features in this slot game.
- Stacked wilds
- Random multipliers worth 40x to 95x the coin value
- Free spins
- Buoy Bonus pick game that awards a multiplier worth 10x to 575x the coin value
What’s awesome about the Buoy Bonus game is that, if you pick a golden lobster, you’ll trigger one of these bonus games.
- Australia’s Kangaroo Bonus – each kangaroo pays up to 250x
- Brazil’s Octopus Bonus – pay as much as 200x
- Maine’s Pelican Bonus – pays 160x to 625x
You can win as much as 250,000 playing this game, which isn’t bad considering the minimum bet is 0.60. High stakes players will enjoy this game too, seeing as they can wager up to 300.00 per spin.
Overall, this is a great sequel to the first Lobstermania slot game. It’s so much fun that we think you should drop what you’re doing now to join one of the best online casinos in New Zealand and play it.
What are you waiting for? Go check it out.
New Zealand Gambling Laws and Online Casinos
You can play casino games online for real money in New Zealand because the country has incredibly progressive gambling laws.
Before 2003, New Zealand had several different gambling laws related to specific types of gambling, such as the Lotteries Act and the Racing Act.
Many of those laws were created between 1971 and 1990, so they did not address gambling online.
The Gambling Act of 2003 solved both of those issues by creating a consolidated gambling law that incorporated all gambling types, including online casinos.
It established regulations to prevent problem gambling, protect players with consumer protections, and outlined ways that gambling operations should benefit the community through financial resources.
One of the most crucial provisions of the Gambling Act of 2003 deals with online gambling. It states that New Zealand will not offer online casino licenses to any company in the country.
That means that land-based casino operators and other New Zealand companies cannot facilitate online gambling or remote betting.
The same provision explicitly states that New Zealanders can legally use online casinos that are operated in other countries.
These New Zealand online gambling laws are great because they mean that you can legally access casino sites and online casino apps from around the world!
Other Legal Gambling in NZ
The Gambling Act of 2003 did more than just legalize online casino gambling in New Zealand.
It also formalized regulations for other forms of gambling.
Sports Betting
Betting on sports is legal in New Zealand. TAB is the government-owned bookmaker that has a monopoly on race and sports betting in NZ. That’s not your only option, though, as many of online New Zealand casino sites have sportsbooks, too.
Lottery
If you enjoy playing the lottery, that is another option in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Lotteries Commission operates the national lottery program. You can even buy tickets online.
Social Gambling
The gambling laws in New Zealand state that social gambling is legal. According to the Gambling Act of 2003, private casino games are classified as Class I gambling.
You do not need a license for Class I gambling, but the prizes must be limited to NZ$500 or less. The host cannot collect a profit or rake from the game, either.
Class II gambling is also allowed without a license. Businesses may offer pokies and other casino games as long as the prizes/turnover are between NZ$500 and NZ$25,000.
New Zealand’s gambling laws give players many options, so you can enjoy your favorite casino games wherever you want to.
Try an Online New Zealand Casino Today
New Zealand has a prominent gambling industry that features progressive laws and a lot of gaming options. You can legally enjoy casinos in New Zealand online.
The NZ casino apps and sites we recommend are among the safest places to enjoy your favorite casino games.
They also incorporate the features that are most important to Kiwis, such as excellent casino bonuses and mobile access.
Getting started at any of these casinos is quick and easy. Visit one of our recommendations, create an account, and make a deposit.
Those three steps are the only things standing between you and enjoying online New Zealand casinos! You will be playing your favorite casino games for real money in no time.