Online Gambling in New Zealand
Online gambling in New Zealand is governed by the 2003 Gambling Act and regulated by the Department of Internal Affairs and the New Zealand Gambling Commission. Kiwi´s bet over NZ$2 billion a year on gambling activities, including playing gambling games and making bets on sporting activities. The most popular form of Gambling is playing slots, or pokies as they are often called, and the majority of sports bets are made on Rugby Union, Cricket, Football and Netball. Discover the slots and casino table games that Kiwis play the most and which legal online casinos accept players from New Zealand in our review.
Online Casinos in New Zealand
There are no online casinos that are located in New Zealand or use a .nz domain, as they are illegal. However, there are online casinos that are based in and legislated by other countries, who accept players that are residents of New Zealand. Online Gambling in New Zealand is allowed providing you play at offshore online casinos.
New Zealand Slot Machines
The most popular New Zealand Slot Machines were created by some of the largest software developers in the industry. Slots such as Starburst, Aloha Cluster Pays, Gonzo´s Quest and Guns ´n Roses were developed by NetEnt. Microgaming pokies Game of Thrones, Avalon, Thunderstruck II, Hitman, Battlestar Galactica, Immortal Romance and Playboy are also played often as well as jackpot slots Mega Moolah and Major Millions. The Egyptian theme of the Book of the Dead slot by Play ´n GO is also attractive to Kiwi players.
New Zealand Online Casino Games
The residents of New Zealand prefer online casino games, Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat, Sic Bo and Poker. There are many different versions of these games that can be played at online casinos and this is great news for Kiwi residents. The ability to access this games from the comfort of home is appealing, especially with the addition of Live Casino games. These allow players to get a more real casino experience as they watch the wheel spin,the cards being dealt or the dice thrown by real people at a real table. It is also possible to interact with the dealer and other online players that are active at the table.
Casinos in New Zealand
The Gambling Act 2003 states that there will be no new casino licenses issued and only the licenses for the 6 existing casinos in New Zealand can be renewed. The first casino opened in Christchurch in 1993 and is still operational today, although in 2004 it became a part of the SkyCity Entertainment Group. In addition to the Christchurch Casino, the SkyCity Entertainment group operate 4 more casinos across New Zealand. SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Queenstown and the Skycity Wharf Casino. The only other legal casino is the Dunedin Casino that opened in 1999.
Gambling Act New Zealand
Gambling in New Zealand is legislated under the Gambling Act 2003. Lotteries were first established in 1933 and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission was launched in 1987. This commission runs the Lotto and Big Wednesday lotto, Instant Kiwi Scratch cards and daily keno games. Sports betting is also legal, however in 1920 it was illegal to make a bet unless it was at the racecourse where the race was being run. However in 1961 it became legal for people to be able to make sports bets via the Totalizator Agency Board.
