Best Online Casino Sites in NZ 2024

Find out everything you need to know about online casino gambling in NZ and which are the best online casinos worth your attention. So many new online casinos for New Zealand appear every year, so it is absolutely necessary to check out each casino website to see if it stands out among others. This is why we have created a complete overview of the best New Zealand online casinos. All NZ gamblers are welcome to check out the overview below!

Top Online Casinos for New Zealand players

Currently, there are literally thousands of gambling sites available, and new sites appear every now and then. However, not all of them are proper and convenient for New Zealand, and even NZ-friendly casinos are not always worthy of attention. Check out our list of recommended sites to choose only the best casinos for New Zealand!

Our ranking includes only the best New Zealand online casinos.

Oliver Kemp (NZCasinoMagic expert)

Here are Some Tips on How to Find the Best Online Casino Sites in New Zealand

New Zealand players have a plethora of online casinos to choose from, but not every gambling site is created equal. Some platforms have better offerings than others. That’s why you have to select where you play carefully. Here’s how to choose top casinos online where you’ll enjoy a pleasurable gaming experience.

How We Choose Best Online Casino for NZ

Our team has spent many years researching the NZ gambling niche, and we have developed a very comprehensive, precise, and transparent system of criteria to evaluate online casinos, to choose the best, and to expose low quality ones.

When choosing online gambling sites for the recommended top online casinos list, we explore the sites in and out, checking all the information available, and research the site’s and the operator’s reputation, as well. We do that because we understand that the majority of  gamblers do not have time for deep research of the best NZ online casino sites every time they want to play a game. Moreover, ambitious and excited beginner gamblers may not yet be aware of all the nuances and potential pitfalls of online gambling for real money.

These are the reasons why we put in all the work into exploring the top NZ online casinos, and making recommended lists. Below are some of the key aspects we pay attention to when checking casinos. Regular NZ gamblers should consider these aspects, too, before they decide whether they should register and bet with real cash in this or that casino.

Ease of Use

The best gambling website should be comprehensive and easy to navigate, full stop. To earn potential customer’s trust, online casino should have a user-friendly design and navigation that does not prevent the reader from checking things out. All the rules and playing conditions should be explained clearly on the corresponding pages, and in T&C. No looping navigation, useless text pages, or lags are acceptable, because people upload their real data and send money to these sites.

Payment Options

Payment options should be explained clearly by the casino, and checked thoroughly by the new customer. New Zealand online casinos should have a healthy amount of payment options for both depositing and withdrawing, in NDZ and preferably in alternative currencies. Casinos that do not have a default currency are more beneficial for NZ players, because default currencies are often USD or EUR. Deposit and withdrawal limits must be stated clearly, as well as withdrawal request processing time.

Exceptional Features

Today, there are so many casino sites offered to New Zealanders that, to draw attention and attract potential players, these sites really need to stand out from the crowd. This is why we always look for some exceptional features – big lobby, outstanding bonuses, rock-solid security, exceptional convenience, positive reputation over the years, innovative approaches, etc. Being just a decent casino site is not enough anymore, and we recommend you do not set for anything less than exceptional.

Game Diversity

At the time of writing, a decent casino site needs to offer at least 1000+ game titles, only to be competitive in the niche at all. Bigger sites have from 2000 to over 3000 game titles, and obviously the more the better. Few online casinos in New Zealand specialize only on slots, most of them have different categories of games. We believe in variety because it promises more fun in the perspective. However, game diversity also depends on software providers, so the more the better as well.

Data Security

This is an important criteria we always double-check, because many excited newbie gamblers often fail to do so. Security is all about data protection and user’s privacy. The main aspects we always check about security include: reliable partners, adequate Privacy Policy, adequate Terms and Conditions, SSL encryption of all the incoming and outcoming data, additional security layers for customers when logging in to the account, and protection of information and documents uploaded to the account.

Player Assistance

The main part of the player assistance is, of course, Customer Support. We prefer sites that give one or several phone numbers to reach out to them quickly if the need arises. The majority of sites, though, offer Live Chat and email only. The team behind email and Live Chat is however more important, because the way they respond, and the level of their dedication to player assistance can make it or break it. Some casinos offer personal managers for higher VIP account levels. We also pay attention to the presence or absence of Responsible gambling tools, and what authority is to handle customer complaints, if any.

Deposit Bonuses and Loyalty Programs in Online Casinos

Online gambling platforms are often vilified and portrayed as businesses that couldn’t care less about their loyal customers. This is nothing more than an urban myth because almost every best casino sites offers a whole host of bonuses for new members along with loyalty programs and VIP schemes for their members who keep on coming back for more.

Deposit bonuses are a way for quality casinos to try and entice new members to take the plunge and join their platform. These bonuses can be extremely generous, with some casino websites going as far as offering an online casino bonus of up to NZ$2000! But many online casino websites also offer things like free spins in combination with a cash top-up, giving new members a flavour for the range of games available to them on their web page.

It’s also important to note that quality casinos don’t merely think of their loyal customers as numbers. In contrast, the top online casinos offer lucrative loyalty programs that reward members who regularly deposit, withdraw and play on their platform. Most of the time, these loyalty programs are partitioned into tiers, whereby members can obtain increasingly exciting benefits as they ascend through the ranks of the program.

Amount of Money To Start Online Gambling

Due to the rapid growth of NZ online casinos, there has been a drop in the amount of money you can deposit to start playing online. Many sites have different minimum deposit options such as $1, $5, $10, and $20. This is a way to play on a low budget  and not miss out on any chance of winning big. There are also no-deposit casinos.

The lowest amount of money you can start gambling within legit online casino NZ is $1. The $1 casinos provide you with an opportunity to gamble even though you do not have a huge amount of cash at your disposal.

How Do $1 Casinos Work?

Most of gambling websites in NZ allow you to play with any currency. Some of the currencies allowed are American dollars, euros, New Zealand dollars. Therefore, you have no reason to fear signing up in NZ casinos. Deposits are made through debit, credit, and prepaid cards.

Withdrawal options can be in the form of cryptocurrencies, bank cards and electronic wallets. However, the best of all is that you can withdraw in New Zealand dollars. The minimum deposit casinos also come with various games such as roulette, live dealer, video poker, pokies, blackjack, baccarat, and so much more.

What Are No-Deposit Casinos?

The no-deposit casinos are sites that allow you to gamble using a bonus that they have given you for the time you will take to sign up on their site. They allow you to make cash out if you are lucky enough, without taking any risk with your money. The main aim of the no-deposit casinos is to entice the users to join without having to risk any of their money.

We have collected all the advantages and disadvantages of the minimum deposit casinos in the table below:

Best Online Casino Games

The best New Zealand online casinos have many games you can play. So, whether you enjoy spinning the reels or playing against a live dealer, there are titles that’ll impress you. In the following sections, we shall explore the types of games available at these NZ gambling sites.

Best Pokie Site in NZ

Pokies are the most popular casino games, so the best online casino sites NZ should have an assortment of these titles. These games appeal to players because they are simple to play and require no expertise to win. All you need for a chance to get a payout is to set your bet and click the “Spin” button.

Thanks to their widespread popularity, thousands of pokies games are available. You’ll find titles with the classic fruit theme, a three-reel setup, and a few paylines. There are more sophisticated options with more reels and better bonus features. 

However, you should consider their providers when looking at pokie games in an NZ casino online. The quality of a game and the bonus features you’re likely to find in them depend on these developers. That said, opt for games from well-known providers like Microgaming, Betsoft, Playtech, and Play’n Go. 

The return-to-player percentages of slot games are also important. Ensure that most of the titles at the online casinos have high RTPs, so you’re sure to make the most of each bet you place. You should also try out jackpot pokies because these titles have the potential to pay out massive sums, unlike their regular counterparts. 

Top NZ casino sites would have a section dedicated to pokie games. Furthermore, these platforms will have filtering options that you can use to narrow your search or find specific games. With this, you don’t have to scroll through the entire gaming library to find pokies you want to play.

Best Online Blackjack Casino

When it comes to table games, blackjack is the most popular. If you enjoy this game, then make certain that whatever NZD online casino you choose has a good selection. Like slots, there should be a separate category for these games or under the table games section. 

These blackjack games are powered by a random number generator that ensures every betting round is fair. However, to be certain of the games’ integrity, only play those from reputable developers like Betsoft, Real Time Gaming, and NetEnt. These developers’ games have been certified by independent authorities, who have confirmed that their titles are safe to play.

If you have never played blackjack before, here’s what you should know: the game’s rules are very simple. You aim to have a better hand than the dealer without exceeding 21. If your card value surpasses that number, you bust, meaning you lose the game outright. 

Top online casinos NZ have demo versions of these RNG-powered blackjack games. So, players trying it out for the first time or simply want to sharpen their skills can play without risking cash. You can play for real money when you are ready to win cash from blackjack. 

Best NZ Online Roulette Casino

Roulette is a classic game that gained popularity in land-based casinos. However, with the emergence of internet betting sites, providers created online versions accessible from computers and mobile devices. So, they are one of the common games Kiwis can play at the best NZ online casinos.

Roulette has three main variants: the American version, the European version, and the French version. All three are played on a coloured and numbered wheel. However, there are slight features that make them different. For starters, the American variant has an extra “00,” unlike the other two that are just numbered 0-36.

Top online casino NZ sites would have all three variants from different providers. They will also include other versions that these developers have created based on the original types of roulette. So, it’s left for you to decide which roulette game you want to play. 

If you want to have fun, then any variant will suffice. However, you should play European and French roulette to make the most of your bets. That’s because these variants have lower house edges than American roulette. The French variant is the most profitable because it has two additional types of bets that are not present in other variants. 

Best NZ Online Baccarat Site

An online casino New Zealand punters can play in should also have a good selection of baccarat games. Baccarat might have yet to gain worldwide popularity like blackjack, but it is one of the classic games. This means that it originated way before online casinos came into existence. 

Baccarat also has simple game rules. There are two sides to the baccarat table, namely the banker and the player. Each of these sides will receive cards from the dealer, and your role is simply to bet on which hand will have the closest value to nine. You can also bet on a tie, meaning both hands will have the same value. 

Your payout depends on the bet you placed. The player’s hand pays 1:1. However, the banker pays 0.95:1 because there’s a 5% commission attached (this commission is disregarded in No Commission Baccarat, a game variant). The tie bet pays the highest at 8:1, but it is risky.

Top baccarat casinos for New Zealand players have many variants from reputable developers. Like blackjack and roulette, there are RNG-powered versions. This means that the result of each betting round is determined randomly. 

Best Live Dealer Casino in NZ

You can’t afford to miss these game types at the best online casinos NZ. Live dealer games appeal to players because they offer a more immersive gambling experience. Unlike their RNG-powered counterparts, these games are handled by actual people in remote studios or land-based settings. They are then streamed in the best video quality, so you can enjoy them from a computer or mobile device. 

Live dealer games are your standard table games, though some of them have more exciting bonus features. This implies that you’ll play baccarat, blackjack, and roulette with an actual croupier. There are also game shows like Crazy Time and Deal or No Deal that don’t fall under the classic table game category.

Since you place bets in real time, the outcome of that betting round doesn’t usually depend on random number generators. Instead, it depends on the dealer spinning the wheel or dealing the cards. Furthermore, there are tables with varying betting limits to accommodate low and high rollers alike. 

Reputable online casinos work with the best live game providers to provide these titles. Evolution, Lucky Streak, and Pragmatic Play Live are a few of these developers. 

Casino Design

An online casino with an appealing website will draw the attention of more punters compared to sites with a bland appearance. Don’t get it wrong; an online casino should not be all bells and whistles. However, it should have excellent graphic quality across all its platforms. 

The best online casino New Zealand sites would have not only an appealing web design but also a simple layout. All the site’s menus should be located where players can easily see them. There should be no lagging pages. In other words, players should be able to navigate from one page to another without hassle. 

A site with a great design makes it easy for first-timers to find their way around the platform. You will also play games, claim bonuses, and enjoy other services at the online casino without worrying about the site crashing.

New Mobile Casinos

The number of  gamblers that prefer mobile devices to laptops for regular gambling increases globally every year. Talking specifically about New Zealand, around 70% of all NZ gamblers use their smartphones and tablets to play – some from time to time, others only gamble from mobile devices.

To meet this new reality, gambling websites have to meet an important requirement of being mobile-compatible. It means that the new online casino site’s design and navigation should have a mobile version adapted for the OS and screen size.

The majority of online casinos make their websites mobile-compatible, so that the users could open the website via browser on their mobile device and find a mobile version right away. This is handy because it allows to play when the person feels like playing, kill time and have fun, for example, while playing $1 deposit casinos or $5 minimum deposit casinos, when it is convenient, without being chained to the desk.

On the other hand, many NZ  gambling sites take it a step further and release official mobile applications for smartphones and tablets. As a rule, apps are better, because they are lighter, faster, sleeker, and can easily be updated (or bugs fixed quickly). Applications are free to download, and are often available right on the desktop version of the site.

Many mobile New Zealand online casino gamblers prefer apps due to all the conveniences, but there is a catch with mobile casino apps, because their lobbies are usually way smaller than those of mobile-compatible websites. The reason why is because apps require specific gambling software – games – also to be available on mobile devices. Today, more and more software providers make their game completely mobile-compatible, but if we compare the number of mobile casino games with all the rest, this quantity is not enough to keep a gambler happy for a really long time.

The bottom line – mobile casino applications are faster and more seamless in functioning, but may have a limited choice of games compared to mobile-compatible casino platforms.

To play casino online games on mobile beneficially, one also has to choose well. Explore the casino site or app, read reviews, and ensure you make an informed choice.

Mobile Casino of the Month in New Zealand

Mobile casinos have made it possible for everyone to enjoy their favourite online casino games or slots games on their smart phones, tablets or other mobile devices. This is great news for players because it means that they have a wider choice of casino games available to them than ever before.

We are constantly analyzing the different casinos and determine which one now best meets the criteria for the best mobile casino. In this month the best mobile casino for players from New Zealand is:

Payment Methods in NZ: Deposits and Withdrawals

One of the most important things to consider before playing at a casino NZ online is the payment methods the online casino supports. With a suitable transaction option, you can fund your account. Consequently, you can’t claim bonuses or play games for real money. Likewise, cashing out your winnings is difficult without a suitable withdrawal method.

The most trusted online casino NZ has multiple payment methods that you can easily use for transactions. These include popular debit and credit cards, electronic wallets, POLi, and even cryptocurrencies. With this, punters can easily choose an option they can conveniently use for transactions.

Besides the payment methods, it’s important to check out the payout times of the online gambling site. The best New Zealand online casino sites process a player’s withdrawal request within a few hours. This makes it possible to get your winnings within a shorter time frame. 

It’s important to note that the top casino sites are licensed. Following their anti-money laundering policies, they will request that you verify your account by submitting copies of a few documents. Once this process is complete, cashing out becomes a breeze.

That said, here are the payment methods available at top NZ casinos online:

Based on our research into withdrawal speed using different methods at different casinos, we’ve compiled these average values in the table below:

Online Casino Software – How It Works

To be able to assess an online casino site, and make an informed choice whether it is decent enough for real money gambling or not, every casino gambler should understand how their software work. Some aspects of online gambling platforms depend only on the site and operator, while other things depend on partners, such as payment processing companies that power the banking options, and software developing companies that power the games in the lobbies. In the same way as casino sites do not invent their own banking methods, and use payment gateways, they also do not invent their own gaming software (very few do). Therefore, to assess how the site works, one should check both the website itself, and the software providers associated with it. The largest online casino software developer is Microgaming.  Below are the top four online casino software providers:

Outside the Casino

Online casino games software providers are software developing studios that make games, and also often offer different software solutions for different tasks. Mostly, they create games.

There are two main types of games – automated casino games, and Live Dealer games. Automated games are available on the site immediately, while Live games are hosted by the Dealers and streamed from special land based facilities. Whatever is the type of game, all of them are not actually owned or downloaded to the casino site. Casino sites only buy access to the games, and have the right to stream them on their platforms. The games are made, updated, and managed by the software providers.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even NZ online casinos cannot impact the outcomes of the bets unless they hack the gaming software. However, hacking the software will lead to the provider immediately taking measures, so this is not an option. All casino games except some Table Games, especially hosted by Live Dealers, cannot be impacted by the third party. All bet outcomes are defined not by a person, but by a remote (not belonging to a casino site) Random Number Generator.

Casino sites cannot impact how their partners work. However, they can change the rules applied to customers.

Inside the Casino

What casino sites can do is apply certain rules to the way their customers are allowed to deposit, play, and withdraw. New online casinos in NZ can allow the fastest banking methods for deposits, but limit withdrawals to the slowest banking methods in the list and can allow Demo mode for unregistered visitors, or disallow it, even if the software provider themselves does allow the free Demo mode.

Casino sites create rules for their bonuses and promotions, and this part is not regulated by any authority, because bonuses are a fun part offered for entertainment, and the customer has the right to reject the bonus. However, violating the bonus rules can directly impact the withdrawal, and inexperienced gamblers can eventually lose their money after breaking the bonus rules. Eventually, casino site operators form Terms and Conditions that determine how the customers’ personal data and money will be handled. These are the main things controlled by casinos, and this is why two casino sites can be completely different in terms of customer benefits, despite having the same software providers, same games, and same payment methods.

Casino Safety and Security

You should always prioritise safety when choosing the best online casino that accepts NZ dollars. One of the best ways to know about the security of a site is to check if it’s licensed. A license is a certificate that the platform has legal permission to offer gambling services. 

Licensing proves that the casino operator has met the requirements that prove it offers a safe gambling experience. Smart operators display these licenses at the site’s footer or in the About Us page. The best online casinos in New Zealand will also have a link you can click to verify their licenses. 

Besides being regulated, an online gambling site should also employ security technology to safeguard your personal and financial information. One of the most popular of these protocols is the Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This technology encrypts your details so that your information will remain safe even if there is a breach. 

Online Casino Customer Support

NZ’s top online casino sites build their platforms to satisfy even the pickiest player. However, gambling is not always rosy, and you might encounter a few problems. Once this happens, customer support is your first stop. This is an important factor to consider when choosing casinos online. 

Excellent customer service should be available around the clock. So, players can get assistance whenever necessary. There should also be different communication channels that you can use to reach out to the support team. The most common channels are live chat and email.

With live chat, you’re connected to a support agent via a chat feature available on the site. Through this medium, you get fast responses. On the other hand, if you email the support team, expect responses within a few hours. 

Top gambling sites also have a comprehensive FAQ page. Here, you’ll find answers to common questions about your account, bonuses, and payments.

Our goal as a team of experts is to make it easy for you to choose a casino quickly and easily so you can start playing immediately.

Oliver Kemp (NZCasinoMagic expert)

Gambling Licensing Situation in NZ

New Zealand allows online gambling, but there is a nuance. Online NZ casino operators must not be registered and located in NZ, only abroad. Therefore, local casino owners cannot run websites targeting local gamblers. Only sites registered and run from offshore can target local casino players.

The reason why this is done is most likely because the local government is aware how hard it is to monitor and regulate online gambling activities. Perhaps change in legislation is on its way for New Zealanders, but currently, only foreign platforms that hold relevant international egaming licenses are allowed to accept NZ customers as real money players.

Another important nuance which is the consequence of the NZ government not currently issuing licenses for neither local nor international online casino sites is that, in case of any complaint from the customer, the government is not able to protect them. Only the license issuing authority, or other authorities indicated by the casino site as those handling customer complaints will be able to protect the customers’ interests. This is why New Zealand players should choose sites licensed by reputable bodies. Some of them are MGA, UKGC, Alderney, Isle of Man, and Gibraltar. A bit less reliable but also popular are licenses by Cyprus and by Curacao.

Since local licenses are unavailable, players from NZ should look for any other proof of positive reputation on the casino site they prefer. These can be seals of trust, certifications about independent testing, etc. All extra measures to provide own safety should be taken by casino gamblers in NZ until the government starts licensing online casinos.

Best VIP Online Casino NZ

Safe online casinos in NZ have VIP programs that reward their players with even better bonuses. VIP schemes come in different forms. The most common are point-based programs, where you accumulate points and use them to climb to higher levels. 

You get points by playing games for real money, depositing, and completing other tasks on the platform. The higher you are in the program, the better your bonuses. 

There are also VIP programs you can join only when the casino invites you. In this case, the operator monitors your account activity and offers you an invitation if you meet the requirements. The perks you enjoy as a VIP member include better bonuses, a personal manager, higher cashback percentages, and higher withdrawal limits. 

Best online casinos in NZ by category

We have you covered if you’re looking for the best New Zealand casinos. We have sorted our gambling sites by category, making it easy for you to select one you prefer. You can narrow your search based on the best slots site, the best blackjack site, and so on. 

Best Online Casino NZ Site of the Month

We have presented you with the best NZ casino for the month! How did we pick this site? Simple! We considered all the factors we listed in this text, and it had a good rating in each category. The online casino has a great game selection, attractive bonuses, and multiple payment methods. 

What matters most to us is that it is a trusted online casino NZ players can gamble at without worrying about their safety. Our pick for the month operates with a license and uses the best security features to protect your information.

Conclusion

There are tons of online casinos sprouting in the gambling industry. That’s why it’s daunting to find the best of these platforms. We have saved you the stress of scouting the internet for NZ gambling sites by reviewing and listing excellent online casinos. 

A lot of work goes into choosing these platforms. First, we check to see if they are safe and licensed. Then, we look at their game selections, bonuses, and other characteristics to ensure that Kiwis will enjoy their time on the platform. So, you can rest easily knowing that we have listed the best online casinos.

Responsible Gambling

Always remember that gambling can lead to heavy losses, and only money that you can afford to lose should be funded into your account. A good, responsible NZ top online casino should look after its customers by ensuring they monitor their game time and depositing habits. They should make sure they offer guidance to players and the appropriate help and support should they require it. When playing at  casino online NZ it should always be fun, once it stops being fun it’s time to stop and re-evaluate your playing habits to make sure that gambling isn’t becoming a problem for you.

What’s New on Our Website

All casinos offer their customers different deposit methods. Money deposited into a casino account can be used to bet on any of the games offered. Our team has compiled and provided detailed information about the different deposit methods and explained which are considered the best among others for NZ players. You can read about it here.

Our team of experts also reviewed two other casinos for New Zealand players. You can read the review of 7Bit casino and casino Rocket on our website.