There’s nothing quite like the thrill of sitting down in front of a pokie, putting some cash in, and testing your luck. However, it’s not always easy — or desirable — to leave your house and play.
That’s why online pokies are so much fun. They allow you to have all the fun of gambling in front of a machine without any of the hassle of actually going down to a pub or hotel.
Of course, as with regular casinos, there are trustworthy operations and then there are some that are looking to scam you out of your hard-earned money. But how are you supposed to tell a good online casino from a bad one?
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best online pokies in New Zealand today. Not only are the sites on this list fun and rewarding, they’re also safe — so you don’t have to take any more of a risk than you’re comfortable with.
Top online pokies by category:
- Best pokies site overall (best paying): Spin Casino
- 8 figure jackpots: Jackpot City
- Best bonuses: Mansion Casino
- Best for new pokies: LeoVegas
- Best live casino: CasinoLab
- Best for free spins: Casino.com
- Best for sports betting: Winner.com
- Best no-download pokie: Sun Vegas
- No wagering requirements: PlayOJO
Runner ups for top online pokies:
- Royal Vegas
- Ruby Fortune
- CasinoNic
- Gaming Club
- PlayZee
- BetAmo
How We Chose the Best Online Casinos in New Zealand
Everyone knows that the best pokie is the one that pays out for you, but beyond that, how do you possibly rank them?
Below, we’ll reveal our criteria behind our rankings. As you can see, while the rankings are a bit subjective, there’s a lot of objective truth behind them as well.
Here’s what we looked at when compiling this list:
- Popularity in the New Zealand market
- Accessibility to New Zealanders
- Payout percentages
- User-friendliness
- Variety of available pokies
- Site trustworthiness
- Loyalty and casino bonus programs
- Secure and legit payment providers
- Size of progressive jackpots
Any online casino that made the cut is both most trustworthy and rewarding, making it one of the top online pokies providers available to New Zealand players today.
The Best Online Casinos and Pokies in New Zealand Reviewed
The online gambling rankings below represent the cream of the crop for online casinos in New Zealand. However, one online casino — Genesis — stands out above the rest.
That’s because Genesis does the best job of creating a fun variety of games to play while also rewarding their customers for playing them.
They have a great casino bonus program, so you can get the most bang for your buck (and spend more time playing without having to reload your account balance).
1. Mansion Casino — Best Bonuses and Promotions
Key Features
- 20 free spins
- Two welcome bonuses to choose from (up to €5,000)
- Minimum deposit: $10 (e-wallets) $20 (credit cards)
If you’re interested in hitting big money jackpots, Mansion is where you need to be playing. They have a variety of progressive pokies that often reach in excess of $1 million.
It’s also one of the easiest sites to play on, as they have a top-notch app. You can also play on your browser or download their client if you have a PC. There’s little reason to download it, though, as the other options work great.
Regardless of how you decide to play, you’ll have over 200 pokies to choose from, including those progressive options we mentioned above. There are a ton of fun titles as well, including some based on DC comics.
Just be aware that, when you finally hit one of those jackpots, it may take some time to get your cash. They have monthly withdrawal limits, so getting large amounts off the site can be tricky.
They offer your choice of initial casino bonus, as you can select between the basic or high roller options. The first is a 100% match option up to €500, while the high roller bonus gives you 50% extra on deposits up to €5,000.
2. Casino Lab — Best Live Casino
Key Features
- 300 free spins
- Up to $1,000 new player welcome bonus (over 4 deposits)
- Minimum deposit: $10
CasinoLab’s pokies are truly out of this world — and we don’t say that just because the site has a strong futuristic theme.
They have a massive number of pokies to play, so you’re almost guaranteed to find a few that you like. Better still, you can play any of them in demo mode, allowing you to give a new game a spin without risking any real money in the process.
CasinoLab knows how to get players to keep coming back, as you get a certain number of free spins and sweepstakes tickets for every qualifying deposit you make. They also have a variety of deposit bonuses, so you can stretch your dollars out quite a bit here.
New players can get 300 free spins with their first deposit — but there’s a catch. You only get 30 spins per day for 10 days, and they expire quickly, so you have to use them before they disappear.
The Lab also boasts several progressive slots, with Mega Moolah being the biggest of the bunch. Those jackpots can reach into the millions at times — which really makes it easy to justify coming back again and again.
3. Casino.com — Best for Free Spins
Key Features
- 200 free spins
- 100% new player welcome bonus up to $400
- Minimum deposit: $10
Casino.com offers a variety of table games like roulette and blackjack, but the pokies are clearly the star attraction here. They have a ton of them — so many that you might be overwhelmed by the selection.
That means you shouldn’t get bored, though, and many of them are progressive. You can see some truly massive jackpot sums listed on many of the games.
The site actually pools its jackpots with other casinos on their network, so many of their payouts can reach astronomical sums quite quickly.
While this can make it easy to win money on the site, getting it off isn’t so simple. There’s a 48-hour hold on all withdrawals, and it usually takes 4-5 business days for your cash to show up in your account.
Casino.com has a fairly good casino bonus program, but nothing that will blow your doors off. What really sets them apart, however, is how easy it is to make their rollover requirements, as pokies contribute 100% to earning those bonuses.
You don’t have to spend money to have fun here, though. They give you a variety of free spin bonuses in many games, allowing you to have the thrill of spinning the wheel without the agony of losing your money.
4. Winner.com — Best for Sports Betting
Key Features
- 99 free spins
- 200% new player welcome bonus up to €350
- Minimum deposit: €10
Winner.com definitely makes it easy for you to put your money on their site, as they offer one of the widest ranges of payment methods you’ll find anywhere.
This makes it easy for you to get started quickly, so you can hit one of their hundreds of pokies within minutes of signing up.
There are demos of each individual game available, ensuring you never have to risk real money without having a clear understanding of what you’re doing.
While it’s easy to put money on the site, getting it off can be a bit more complicated. They often ask for notarized copies of your ID and other documents, so it can be a pain to transfer your winnings to your bank account.
Also, if you hit one of their big jackpots, be prepared to only be able to cash out €9,990 every month. That could take forever in some cases.
All that can be forgiven, though, as the games are truly gorgeous, both on mobile and desktop.
5. Sun Vegas — Best No-Download Pokie
Key Features
- 20 free spins
- 100% new player welcome bonus up to £300
- Minimum deposit: £10
While primarily a U.K.-based site, Sun Vegas does allow players from New Zealand — and it’s a good thing, too, because they have an excellent selection of pokies.
These include popular titles like Buffalo Blitz and Reel King Mega, but they also have proprietary pokies like The Sun Winning Headlines. They’re adding new games all the time as well, so their selection is always fresh.
Dedicated players will appreciate their loyalty program, as it allows you to convert points into cash. You can do this even if you’re not a member, but registered members get better bonuses and offers.
Their basic bonus structure is good but not great, however. Their casino bonus only matches your initial deposit up to £300, which is a bit lower than many other casinos, and they have a 50x rollover requirement, which is a bit higher.
The site is gorgeous no matter how you play, but it looks especially good on mobile devices. This makes it the perfect time-killer during your daily commute or when you’re stuck in a waiting room.
Online Pokies FAQs
What are the Different Types of Online Pokies Available in New Zealand?
Given that there are so many online casinos out there, you can find just about any kind of pokie you want on one site or another.
Generally speaking, though, most pokies are video pokies. These can come in both three- and five-reel varieties and some of them support progressive jackpots as well.
Can You Play Pokies Free Online in New Zealand?
Yes. Many online casinos have demo modes that let you spin the wheel without wagering real money. This lets you test out new games without having to risk any hard-earned cash, and it can save you from losing any of that real money on a game before you have the hang of it.
What Payment Methods Exist for Pokies Sites in New Zealand?
If you want to put funds on an online pokies site, you have a variety of options. These include:
- E-wallets like PayPal or Neteller
- Credit cards (especially Visa and MasterCard)
- Bank transfers
- Instant banking providers like UseMyFunds or eCheck
- Prepaid debit cards
Withdrawals are usually processed back to the method of payment used to deposit funds.
What Online Pokies Offer the Best Payouts in New Zealand?
Many of the top pokies sites have payouts in the 95-97% range. For example, Spin Casino, our top overall pick, has a 97% payout rate. That’s fantastic, but you can find similar rates at other pokies sites as well.
At the end of the day, a percentage point or two won’t make a massive difference if you’re playing for fun. It’s better to find a site that you trust and enjoy rather than to chase every tiny little edge you can find.
What are Progressive Jackpot Pokies?
Progressive jackpot pokies have a jackpot that increases a little bit every time someone spins the wheel without hitting it. While this can be fun with real-life pokies, it’s amazing with online pokies.
That’s because, in real life, only one person can play a pokie at a time. Online, though, several people can play the same game simultaneously — causing the jackpots to skyrocket.
What’s more, many sites will link several different games together for a single jackpot. These prizes can get huge quickly, and the money you win from hitting one could be life-changing.
Who are the Top Online Casino Companies in New Zealand?
Many people make the mistake of assuming that the pokie sites make and maintain their own pokies. In reality, they function the same way that brick-and-mortar casinos do — meaning they just house the games, they don’t actually create them.
That means that not all pokies are created equal, and if you can find a site that uses one of the pokie providers on this list, you’ll already have a leg up on the game.
- Microgaming: creators of Avalon II and other popular pokies
- Play’n Go: creators of pokies like Book of the Dead
- NetEnt: makers of Guns N’ Roses and similar pokies
- Novomatic: they’ve made Book of Ra Deluxe and a few other titles
- IGT: the minds behind the hugely-popular Wheel of Fortune slots
The Top Online Casinos New Zealand Has to Offer
If you have the itch to spin a wheel or two, the pokies on this list can provide you with unmatched thrills. Better yet, they all payout well and take good care of their players, ensuring you’ll stay a satisfied customer for quite some time indeed.
There are other pokies out there that you could play instead, of course — but that’s the kind of gamble we’d never recommend you take.
You probably don’t need us to tell you that any form of gambling comes with risks and should not be undertaken as a solution to solve your financial troubles. It’s worth remembering the phrase…the house always wins!
If you suffer from a gambling problem or suspect somebody you know does, then we strongly suggest that you call Gambling Helpline at 0800-654-655 or text on 8006 to talk with an advisor for help and to make gambling safer for you or your loved ones.
Newzealandtravelinsider is committed to responsible gambling. Underage gambling is an offense, all sites are 18+ ONLY. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly and only bet what you can afford. Casinos listed on our site may not be available in your region. Check your local laws to ensure online poker is available and legal where you live. Newzealandtravelinsider is an independent and reader-supported review site and may receive commissions through links made in their website’s guides, this does not affect the ranking methodology or position of the top picks.
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