The New Zealand land-based casinos can be counted on fingers of one hand, and players who live hundreds of miles away from the nearest casino might have a hard time placing wagers on pokies, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat or Poker.
Luckily, the NZ players do not need to visit a brick and mortar casino as long as they have an Internet connection and an account at a legitimate online casino. If you have recently found your online gambling passion, you might find the information below useful.
Approximately 1 327 000 males and 1 325 000 females gamble in New Zealand.
Are Online casinos legal in New Zealand?
The legalization of electronic gaming in 1988 has seen the New Zealand gambling landscape changing rapidly over the last few decades. The 2003 Gambling Act and the 2003 Racing Act regulate all forms of gambling on the island. Every law relevant to sports betting and racing is contained within the Racing Act, while the Gambling Act addresses all other types of gambling within the New Zealand territory.
Today, six land-based casinos are operating within New Zealand. Gambling has become an everyday part of New Zealand life, and it is worth looking briefly at how the gambling landscape evolved over the decades. The result is a thriving network of betting systems, pokies, casinos, and online casinos easily accessible to Kiwis and tourists locally and internationally.
Regulating a Betting Culture
The gambling trend became more and more common during the New Zealand colonial periods as a growing number of Europeans settled on the island. It also gained a foothold in indigenous New Zealand cultures, seeing the most common form of gambling becoming bets being placed on horse races. Other popular gaming activities to rise from this period were bets on athletic results and card games.
The final leg of the 19th century saw a sharp rise in gambling activities leading to tough opposition from the Protestant Church within New Zealand. Gambling was viewed as corruptible and immoral. In the early 1900s, betting activities were mainly seen as illegal.
Apart from the armed forces playing two-up games during all the World Wars, and the Chinese community playing Pakapoo, the government restricted gambling to horses and occasional, charitable Art Unions. In 1908 the New Zealand Gambling Act was introduced into the constitution, banning nearly all forms of gambling; other than horse racing. This activity remained the only viable and legal gambling activity in New Zealand for quite a few decades to come.
Refuel Casino was established in 2020 and is a no-account casino. It allows gamers to play without any account setup. There are several game providers associated with Refuel.
Refuel Casino offers 10% Cashback bonus to all players from New Zealand
Refuel Casinos accept players from different countries, although most countries are restricted. It is a medium-sized and very popular casino in the Netherlands. There is also a wide selection of game providers.
As a medium-size casino in terms of revenue, this means that the casino can process big amounts fairly fast. Usually, larger casinos don’t have a problem when they have to pay out large winnings.
The licensing authority for the site is Malta. The site offers the following languages: English, German, Norwegian, French, and Finnish.
Casino Gods was established in 2019 and has a cartoon Greek gods theme with a fantastic game selection. Casino Gods is considered an overall good casino. They offer English customer support and a live chat.
Casino Gods welcomes you with $1500 + 300 Free Spins
Several game providers are associated with Casino God’s, such as NetEnt, Microgaming, and Quickspin. Casino Gods is associated with other casinos as well. They are directly associated with casinos such as Vegasoo Casinos and Casino Masters.
The casino is considered a small international organisation legalisation favourites. Casino Gods accepts players from many countries and has a wide variety of currencies. For players looking for variety in currency, this is the casino for you.
The website offers 11 languages: English, German, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish. The licensing authorities are Malta, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The casino, in terms of revenue, is a medium-sized casino. As we have already mentioned, revenue size is associated with payout. Commonly bigger casinos do not have challenges with payouts of large amounts; this is one factor to consider as a player when selecting an online casino.
Captain Spins went live in the year 2019, and it sets itself apart from other online casinos by offering amazing deals. The site focused on giving its players an amazing experience through fun games. The main focus is to win and win big.
Captain Spins Casino gives you NZ$1200 + 260 Free Spins
Captain Spins has an excellent reputation making it an excellent choice for you. There are no customer complaints associated with the site. Captain Spins is associated with other online casinos, such as the popular NetEnt.
This is also a medium-sized online casino in revenue. The Licensing authorities for the site are Malta and the United Kingdom. The website offers the following languages: French, English, German, Spanish, Finnish, and Norwegian.
Security is an important factor when it comes to selecting an online casino. How can you be sure that as you go through hundreds of websites, you choose the one that will best suit your needs?
Know what you want
Casinos are different and vary with sites. Picking your favorites in a casino can be as difficult as picking some jewellery or a car. There are thousands of websites for online casinos that can have something ideal for you.
Do some research
When researching for the casino of your choice, consider the following:
Your experience as a casino player
Check for the gaming service provider by checking the difference between casinos that run NetEnt games and those that offer games from companies like RTG.
Check out the casino site by visiting it
When you find the ideal site check it out. Look at the various reviews on the site, and then take the next step by visiting the site yourself. Once you land on the site, you should do the following:
Navigate the site, try to load some of the games, make sure all the sites button work, look at the design, try out the free games, check out the site’s promos and ask questions by testing out the customer service for yourself.
Choose no bonus options if available
Choosing to try out what the casino offers for free reduces the risk of losing on the site. This tends to be a final step after you’ve registered or signed up with the site. No deposit bonuses are usually available as a sign-up reward.
Register with multiple Casino sites legalisation
By registering with many Casino sites, you can try them out and see what they have to offer. You can try out their free games. You never know you could get some free spins to play your favourite slots.
Check out their withdrawal
You can usually see this by checking out reviews from other players. The reviews should detail the amount of time it took for a client to get back gambling funds.
New Online Casinos in New Zealand
As technology advances, the growth of online casinos has been seen. Digital technology has allowed businesses such as Casinos to remain in business despite the pandemic.
The beauty of online is the accessibility, as most of these online casinos can be accessed from anywhere in the world, attracting new players globally. In addition to that, online casinos allow you to use your mobile devices to access their games.
In New Zealand, quite a number of Casinos have sprung forth, offering amazing welcome bonuses and free spins. Punters have a wide variety to choose from. We will outline some of the best new online casinos New Zealand offers.
Slots are very popular with most casinos. Here we’ll look at the following slots: Book of Dead, Gonzo’s Quest, and Wolf Gold.
Slot Name
RTP
Provider
Max Win
Book of Dead
Unknown
Play ‘N’ Go
5000 x Stake
Gonzo’s Quest
96%
NetEnt
2500 x Stake
Wolf Gold
96%
Pragmatic Play
Progressive Jackpot
Book of Dead Free Play
Book of the Dead
The Book of the Dead is a simple slot with 5 reels and 3 rows. The game has an ancient Egyptian theme, with an Indiana Jones character with an Egyptian book that keeps the world of the Dead secrets. Some say that it is a replica of the book of Ra slot and seems similar to many other Egypt-themed games.
Gonzo’s Quest Free Play
Gonzo’s Quest
Gonzo’s quest is another five-reel game. The game is a journey to finding a lost city, Eldorado, and its famous riches. The game has 20 fixed paylines and uses an avalanche system instead of the standard rolling reels. The Mayan Legend inspires all the game’s key symbols.
Wolf Gold Free Play
Wolf Gold
Wolf Gold is an online slot with 5 reels and 25 paylines from Pragmatic Play. It has a native American theme of the Shaman’s, the wolves, and their symbols. When you decide to play the game, it will be easy to see this amazing theme.
However you call it we have 1000+ casino games available for free play.
Pragmatic Play – New Zealand’s most popular game provider
In the Gaming industry, Pragmatic Play is a leading content provider prevalent in most online casinos in New Zealand. They offer a portfolio with multiple products which are strictly regulated and mobile-focused. Pragmatic Play strives to create the most engaging and unique experiences for all customers across various products, including slots, bingo, and Live Casino.
It is an organisation that strives to deliver premium entertainment to its customers. Pragmatic Play has a single ATI in-game and promotional tools.
They also have an Innovative hub product and a certificate that licenses them to design to entertain. Pragmatic play exists in over 20 jurisdictions as a multi-award-winning company that allows players to use their mobiles and desktops with over 31 languages and all currencies.
Below we’ll look at some forms of entertainment that Pragmatic Play deals with:
Slots Slots are one of the most popular and common games provided by most casinos, and Pragmatic Play always strives to create the best slots with the best bonuses and rewards.
Live Casino Live casino involves games that are played in real-time. There is a dealer to assist the players as they engage in the game. The dealer is similar to the one you would find at a land-based casino.
Bingo Bingo is a game of chance with numbers that are printed on cards. Numbers are randomly selected, creating a winner.
Virtual Sports Virtual sports are one of the newest additions to pragmatic play. Players can enjoy the wide range of virtual sports that Pragmatic Play’s portfolio provides. Virtual sports are available on multiple devices, with customised options and localisation. Virtual sports create opportunities for betting, reducing the void between sporting events by keeping players engaged. This section also has amazing 3D graphics that can send you to a sports universe.
Other popular casino games in New Zealand are roulette, blackjack, Baccarat, Esports, and the lottery.
Roulette has a small revolving wheel and a ball that tosses into the wheel. It is also a game of luck where the player guesses where the ball could land.
Blackjack is one of the most popular card games with casinos. Blackjack is played across many land casinos and online casinos.
Baccarat is the most glamorous casino game that players love. It is also a card game comparing two hands, the Player and Banker.
Esports are organised video games and are very competitive. They are very popular for taking your favourite sport and allowing you to participate from home.
The lottery is also another game of chance where the player can guess the numbers that will give them the jackpot. Typically 6 numbers guessed get you the jackpot
New Zealand Sports betting sites
Sports betting is common worldwide, and it comes as no surprise that New Zealanders also take part and love it. New Zealand permits most forms of online gambling, and sports betting is one of the main sections that are legal. They operate under what is termed the Totalisator Agency Board, which is a division in the New Zealand Racing board.
Kiwis can find quite a substantial amount of sports betting sites with great bonuses and high odds. Most sports betting sites have an amazing sportsbook from which you can select and bet on your favourite games.
Sportsbooks have a wide selection, from popular games such as soccer to less popular games. You can bet on rugby, horse racing, darts e.t.c. All you have to do is know your favourite game.
When you enter a site, you can see if a particular online provider is permitted in your country. It may be very hard to find your favourite with so many options to choose from. We’ve made it easy for you to find some of the best sports betting sites in NZ. Below we’ll give you a list of the best sport betting sites in New Zealand.
POLi payment is available in Australia and New Zealand and allows for secure payments through your internet banking portal direct to a business. You don’t need to register, so your information is not stored.
POLi focuses on its security system and software by not capturing any forms of sensitive information. The system does not store any usernames or passwords.
At POLi, they have a regular security text to ensure that their system meets security standards. When making a payment or money transfer with POLi, the payment goes through instantly and at most can take up to 60 Seconds.
Purple Pay
Purple pay is a transaction account that can be used every day and has a $0 monthly fee. This type of account can be used for any transaction, from purchasing lunch to receiving your monthly salary or sending money, and even paying your bills.
Ecopayz account allows you to receive, send and spend money worldwide online. It is a free and easy-to-open account.
It can be done in minutes with a credit check or bank account. It also has many ways to top-up your account, and funds become available to spend immediately.
The latest security and fraud protection Technologies are used by ecoPayz to ensure secure and fast transfers. With ecoPayz, you are guaranteed security as it is treated as a top priority to safeguard your financial information.
Bitcoin is one of the most common peer-to-peer technologies with no central Bank. All transactions are managed through a network called blockchain. This is also fast becoming a common payment method with online casinos. Bitcoin is more flexible as a payment method allowing fast international transactions.
The Department of Internal Affairs controls and regulates all gambling in New Zealand. They do all the licensing, enforcement, and compliance for gambling. There is a New Zealand gambling guide law.
The guide for New Zealand is surrounded by class 4 gambling. It is continuously updated, taking into account any recent laws and regulation changes.
The guide is an essential tool and aid for all licensed companies that operate gaming machines. The author for the guide is Jarrod True, and Alastair Sheriff reviews it. Gaming activities in New Zealand are controlled by the Gambling Act of 2003.
Below the classes of gaming will be listed:
Class 1 – no licensing needed
Class 2 – no licensing needed
Class 3 – is for instant games and large-scale lotteries, and an operational license is required
Class 4 – is for operating gaming machines outside a casino; an operational license is required
Casino – operational license is required; and
Lotteries – all games are conducted by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission
Currently, NZ does not permit any gambling that the Department of Internal Affairs does not regulate.
New Zealand -specific Gambling restrictions
The following gambling restrictions exist in New Zealand, and all gambling activities outside these specifications are prohibited.
Class 1 gambling is not allowed to have a price greater than $500. All proceeds, including interest for an individual, must be applied to winners. Individuals cannot do class 1 gambling.
Class 2 gambling might have total price values between $500 and $5,000. Turnover from gambling must exceed $500 But cannot exceed $25,000. This class of gambling does not require a license and should be conducted by societies as defined by the Gambling Act.
Class 3 and 4 gambling must have a prize size with a total value exceeding $5,000. Class 4 gambling looks at forms of gambling that use gaming machines. Both classes of gambling cannot be done without a license.
For more details on classes, check sections 22 to 31 of the Gambling Act 2003.
Remote Interactive Gambling is prohibited in section 9(2)(b) of the Gambling Act 2003. Interactive gambling is defined as gambling done by a person through interactive means of communication. Communication devices include computers, telephones, radios, and similar devices.
The exemptions that exist to the general rule are:
Any sales promotions like lotteries conducted in New Zealand are not included in the ban.
The Racing Board and Lotteries are approved to conduct remote interactive gambling.
Class 3 lotteries are licensed and are excluded from the ban.
The prohibition only exists on remote interactive gambling in New Zealand and, therefore, can’t prohibit any gambling done overseas.
Gambling taxes in New Zealand
The excellent news for all gamblers from New Zealand is that all gambling activities are grouped and governed by the 2003 Gambling Act. This act states that all gambling is to be considered a hobby. The state will levy no taxes if the activity yields winnings on either land-based or online gambling.
That would mean that no winnings from online casinos and pokie plays are taxed by the New Zealand government either according to the 2007 Income Tax Act. The ruling applies to online casino gambling, online poker, and even online sports betting.
The only possible exception to this law is if a person is a professional poker player. If the primary source of a Kiwi’s income is generated by playing online poker, they may pay potential taxes on that regular source of income.
Online casinos and gambling sites that host New Zealand players are not required by law to report any payouts or winnings of any kind to any authority within the Kiwi government. That leaves the bonus in the hands of the professional poker player to do so if his regular income includes winnings from online poker games.
The following table briefly represents the current gaming activities available to Kiwis and tourists in New Zealand. It is based on our discussion on the gambling activities available within New Zealand earlier in the article.
New Zealand Gambling Regulations & Taxes table
Gambling Activities
Legal Status
Tax On Winnings
Horse Racing
Legal
0%
Lotteries
Legal
0%
Pokies
Legally provided pokies in restaurants and bars are run by charitable organizations.
0%
Land-Based Casinos
Legal
0%
Online Casinos
Illegal within New Zealand territory. It is legal for Kiwis of age to access and gamble on online casinos offshore.
0%
History of Gambling in New Zealand
As access to the internet became more readily available over the last few decades, people started looking for more convenient ways to enjoy their gambling activities. Since the launch of online casinos and gambling platforms in 1988, the industry had snowballed to an estimated 20 billion US dollar industry worldwide.
More and more sites have started offering players easy access to online casinos from the comfort of their homes and the ability to play their games from wherever they want to do so. Punters were also allowed access to a wider variety of pokies and fun, which they usually would not have access to. Land-based casinos suddenly faced tough competition from the lucrative online gambling environment.
Despite the online casino industry seeing substantial growth of gambling activities in New Zealand in years to come after the launch of online casinos, it is still illegal to host online casinos within the territory of New Zealand. The state does not appreciate online gambling. The prohibition applies to interactive gambling from within New Zealand borders only but does not outlaw gambling activities conducted on sites overseas by punters.
It is stated that it is entirely legal for Kiwis of legal age to gamble and bet on sites being hosted off the shores of New Zealand.
Land-based gambling in New Zealand
Land-based casinos are legal in New Zealand as long as they are regulated. Currently, there are only six regulated state-owned casinos in NZ located in six different cities. Namely: Christchurch Casino, Skycity Auckland Casino, Dunedin Casino, Skycity Queenstown Casino, Skycity Hamilton Casino, and Skycity Wharf Casino.
The six casinos were operating from the most significant cities on the New Zealand island by 2003. These cities were the tourist hubs of New Zealand and saw many tourists visiting the casino complexes throughout the year.
They also serve the local communities within the city borders, providing jobs and leisure to all Kiwis and visitors passing through their doors. The Skycity Casino Group owns the majority of the casinos.
These casinos provide a wide variety of entertainment and elegant hotel rooms for their guests. Like online casinos, the brick and mortar casinos also have similar games. The most popular are roulette, poker, slots, blackjack, and more.
These casinos are not functioning in full capacity because of the pandemic. Christchurch is one of the casinos that was still operating under alert level 2 in November 2021 but had to close their Cafes and restaurants.
New Zealand Gambling addictions help
Many New Zealanders enjoy buying a lotto ticket and playing an occasional pokie game. However, gambling gets out of hand for some people, and they become addicted to the game.
The main key points when it comes to gambling addiction are:
Gambling is addictive, and it can harm you in many ways causing emotional distress and psychological effects.
Gambling also has financial harm and can cause poor performances in your studies and at work.
Gambling can also destroy relationships.
Gambling is an addictive behavior and can be tough to stop on your own that’s why getting help is recommended. New Zealand has set up a few helplines to assist addicted gamblers. Find a list below of some helplines.
Helplines
Problem Gambling Foundation of NZ 0800 664 262 or text 8006
Choice, not Chance 24 hour helpline 0800 654 655 or text 8006
The Salvation Army – 0800 530 000
Maori Gambling Helpline – 0800 654 656
Pasifika Gambling Helpline – 0800 654 657
Youth Gambling Helpline – 0800 654 659
Gambling Debt Helpline – 0800 654 658
Problem Gambling Foundation Asian Hotline – 0800 862 342
New Zealand Online Gambling Infographic
FAQ
Yes, it is legal, but all bets in New Zealand are placed with a bookmaker located overseas. This means that bookmakers from British and European countries are legal. Bookmakers are not required to have a license to accept players from New Zealand.
The Department of Internal Affairs (the Department) is the primary regulator for gambling in New Zealand. They do all licensing, enforcement functions, and compliance aligning with the gambling Act of 2003 (the Gambling Act)
Like all other land-based and online casinos, the most famous games in New Zealand are roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat.
The biggest lottery prize won in New Zealand is $44 million, a Powerball prize won by a couple in 2016 at Hibiscus Coast.
Approximately 1 327 000 males and 1 325 000 females gamble in New Zealand.
Final verdict
Have a playing strategy that will see you enjoy gambling. If possible, try out free games first. It should be a fun activity; do not allow it to become the nightmare you wish you never had.
The legalization of gambling in New Zealand has opened the doors to Kiwis to a world of gambling opportunities. With casinos operating at reduced capacity or not being open over the last two years, the world of online gambling sees more people visiting gambling sites more frequently than ever before.
It has also seen plenty of dodgy gambling sites appearing more frequently on punters’ computers and mobile screens. Make sure you do adequate research before embarking on an online gambling journey. Look out for red flags and if you are suspicious of any fraud on a site, double-check it.
Support well-known brands or trusted casino sites registered and regulated by National Gambling Boards rather than just following a link to an unknown gambling site. Read the terms and conditions of any site before registering.
Make sure you understand what you read. Think twice before entering any credit card or banking account information on a site if you feel unsure about the site you are using.
Gambling rules and laws in other parts of the world