Boom in Online Casino Gambling Observed in New Zealand
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health says 13% of adults in the country participate in online gambling. Most people engage in lotto games and horse race betting—the only forms of gambling regulated in the country.
Beyond local betting, there’s a demand for overseas casinos in Kiwiland. NZ does not regulate online casinos per se. But it also does not prohibit its citizens from using these platforms.
Indeed, a handful of New Zealanders have won million-dollar jackpots gambling online in the past few years. The biggest winner so far is Rawiri Pou, a Matamata-based man who won $10M playing online slots in 2016.
Continue reading to discover why more and more gamblers in NZ are embracing iGaming.
A Wide Range of Safe Casinos
When New Zealander’s ministry of health first surveyed online bettors in 2018, only 2% of the country said they gambled at offshore casinos. The number has since risen as more casinos entered the Kiwi market.
Most casinos that accept New Zealanders are based in Europe. They have licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority. Some of them also hold licenses from the UK Gambling Commission.
Licenses provide proof that a casino is safe. However, this isn’t the only way to judge a website for its safety. A secure website, trustworthiness, and reputable partners go a long way in showing whether an operator is safe or not.
With that in mind, bettors in New Zealand have access to hundreds of online casinos and sportsbooks. In most cases, all you need is an email address to create an account and a small budget to spend on your favorite games.
If you’re looking for the best online casinos in New Zealand, check the recommendations of bestonlinecasino.com. The site does the heavy lifting of finding safe and reliable casinos for you.
Lots of Casino Games
Ever since Rawiri Pou won $10m in 2016, the number of slots websites in NZ has ballooned. Everyone wants to be the next Rawiri. Now, not everyone can win a multi-million jackpot, slots offer a great chance to win money.
For clarity, there are all sorts of Pokie machines online—classic slots, video slots, progressive jackpots, and Megaways. Each pokie machine has its advantages and drawbacks.
For example, progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah can win you millions of dollars. However, they have low payout rates—meaning it’s tough to win. Video slots have more enticing features: wilds, scatters, multipliers, and bonus rounds. They also have better payout rates, but they don’t pay as much as progressive slots.
Beyond slot machines, Kiwis can also play table games like poker, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. Nowadays, casinos offer these games in a live setting—you can see and interact with your opponents.
Not every operator offers live casino games. You must choose the right operator if you want this experience. Look out for software providers like Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and Playtech—they offer the best live dealer software.
Bonuses and Promotions
Freebies work miracles for online casinos. A casino only needs to give you 10 free spins as a welcome gift and you’ll probably make your first deposit. Sometimes they offer a bigger reward, say a 100% match on your first deposit.
Bonuses grab your attention. They make you want to play more games. And if you successfully do so, they help casinos gain a new customer. That said, bonuses aren’t just beneficial to the operators.
A bonus can help maximize your gambling profits. Let’s say you have $20 to spend. Then you get an extra $20 bonus. You now have $40. If you have $100, some sites may give you twice the amount ($200), leaving you with $300 to spend.
Although bonuses look like free money, they’re not. Don’t join a gambling site for the promotion alone. Consider its terms and conditions: wager requirements, withdrawal limit, game weighting, and validity time.
Convenient Banking and Withdrawal Options
Gambling wouldn’t be popular in NZ if people had no way to deposit and withdraw money from casinos. Instead, you can use your Visa or MasterCard. Alternatively, you can bank through Google Pay, PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller.
Other accepted banking options at NZ casinos include bank transfers, Bitcoin, and digital checks. Although you have a lot of ways to deposit money at online casinos, keep in mind the casino dictates what payment methods you can use.
Some operators accept bitcoin. Others don’t. If you want to deposit through crypto, you need to find a bitcoin-friendly casino. If you’re a PayPal person, look for a site that supports the digital wallet.
Beyond payment options, consider the limits, fees, and transaction speeds. Find out the minimum and maximum you can deposit and withdraw from a casino. Also, ensure it has low fees and processes payments fast.
Convenience
New Zealand has a handful of brick-and-mortar casinos. Some of them are huge, beautifully designed, and luxurious. But when you think about it, these companies don’t offer convenience.
If you want to play a couple of slots on a Wednesday evening, it makes more sense to use an online platform. Let’s say you want to spend $10 or $20. It’s more reasonable online than to drive for hours to bet $20 worth of slots at a physical casino.
Then there’s privacy. You can play poker every day online. And no one ever has to know about it. If you ever win money, you can keep the secret to yourself. Another benefit is the ease of finding games.
At land-based casinos, you have to hope the establishment has your favorite slot machine. Also, it shouldn’t be occupied. Otherwise, you must wait for your turn. With iGaming, you can play any game you want at any time.
Mobile Support
Almost every adult in New Zealand owns a smartphone. These devices have browsers that allow you to play a wide range of slots and card games. The beauty of mobile gaming is that you don’t need an expensive gaming machine.
A $200 android smartphone can support the same number of games as the iPhone Pro Max. Of course, the graphics, speed, and live casino gaming experience may vary. But the point is mobile gaming makes it possible for everyone to access iGaming.