Best Online Gambling Sites

Best New Zealand Gambling Sites

Gambling News

How to Sign up to Online Gambling Sites

We get it; you might be stepping out of your comfort zone a little bit by signing up to a gambling site that isn’t as well known in NZ as the TAB. Rest assured though, every site we review is legitimate, and while the sign-up process might vary a little from site to site, in our experience, it’ll basically look like this:

1. Find an online gambling site that you like on Gambling.com.
2. Click on our link that sends you to your exclusive offer.
3. Click sign up/register/play now.
4. Enter your details (name, date of birth, email, etc.) You might be required to submit a copy of your photo ID for security. If you’re not required to provide ID here, you will have to provide it when you cash out your winnings.
5. Create a username and password. The site might also ask you to create a security question for the future.
6. Agree to the terms and conditions.
7. You’re ready to make your deposit and have a crack!

Most of the time, this process only takes a few minutes, and you’ll be placing your bets in no time.

Online Casino Gambling Sites

The beauty of online casino gambling sites in NZ is that you don’t need to put on your flash jeans, drive into town, and deal with parking. Whether you’re on the couch, on a break at work, or just have five minutes to spare, you have access to the world’s best online casino games and the best new casino sites.

Top-tier online casino gambling sites will offer everything that a normal casino does — from pokies to table games, to bingo, and even live game shows. The following links are our recommendations for the best overall online casino experiences available to Kiwis. If you want to look for specific games like pokies or table games etc, keep scrolling and we’ll fill you in.

Online Pokies

In the last few years, online pokies have really taken off by coming up with different styles of games, bonuses, and ways to win big. For that reason, pokies come in all shapes and sizes — so you might want to do a little bit of reading up to find the game style that will appeal to you the most.

The world’s best online pokies have everything from themed blockbusters to classic pokies, magical genres, and progressive slot jackpots.

Gambling.com’s Slot Game of the Month

Best Online Slots

Play online slots for real money on your laptop, PC or smartphone! At Gambling.com, we have the lowdown on the best online casino slots from the most reputable developers.

Online Roulette

Roulette, in both American and European formats, is a classic casino game that also requires almost no learning curve. It’s such a popular game in real casinos and in the online world, many casinos are competing to be among the best online roulette sites.

It goes well beyond just the American and European versions of the game. There are a whole heap of other varieties, like live roulette, lightning roulette, and themed roulette. If you’re ready to have a spin, we absolutely recommend you click on one of the links below and claim a bonus offer.

Online Blackjack

Blackjack is a terrific game for those who don’t like a big risk. It’s also good if you don’t want to rely on just luck as it’s not that hard to develop your own blackjack strategy.Any decent online casino needs to cater to all varieties of blackjack with versions from as many different software providers and game variations as possible, including live dealer options. A good online blackjack game will have clear buttons for splits, doubling down, and side bets, and there should also be help for gameplay if you need it.

We look for certain criteria when judging the top online blackjack sites that have a good range of stake limits per hand available, and special editions such as jackpot and blitz blackjack. If you’re ready to have a crack right now, just click on one of the links below, avail of a sign-up bonus, and have a go against the dealer.

Live Casino Sites

Arguably one of the biggest developments in online gambling over the last few years has been the introduction of live gaming. While there’s a place for having a punt at your own pace in a game against the computer, there is really nothing like playing online against real people who you can see and talk to. Honestly, it’s pretty much the same as going down to the casino yourself. 

Live dealer games have made their way into nearly all online casinos in NZ over the last few years, but many Kiwis are just starting to see how fun they are. A really good live game will have full HD streams from actual casino locations, and unique games with real-time player interaction. If you haven’t tried the best live casino sites, you’re absolutely missing out. You’ll never look at an online casino in the same way again. If you’re ready to jump in, click on one of the links below to play on one of our recommended live casino gaming sites.

Online Bingo

Come on, admit it, having a game in a bingo hall is a ton of fun. These days you don’t have to go to the community hall or even the casino to play it — it’s all online so you can play it from your sofa. Online bingo is actually really big business, especially in the UK where they dedicate a lot of time and money into developing new and exciting online bingo games. That means Kiwis get to tag along and enjoy the fun too.

If you’re ready to get your virtual bingo dauber going, click on a link below to go through to one of the best online bingo sites and enjoy a free bonus on us.

Online Poker

Slip on your sunnies and your bluffing face, because we have some truly terrific poker games on hand to keep you entertained into the wee hours. Texas Hold’em is probably the most well-known form of poker, but there are heaps of other types of poker like straight up, Omaha High, Seven Card Stud, and Five Card Draw. There are even live games where you have a real-life dealer you can see and talk to in real time.

All of the best online poker sites we recommend will have a good mix of low and high stakes from a range of top-notch software providers. If you’re ready to put on your poker face, click on one of our links below to claim a bonus and get playing right away.

Online Lottery

Don’t bother going down to the dairy or supermarket to grab a lotto ticket — besides, NZ’s lotto jackpots are nothing compared to these international online lotteries. These online lotteries routinely offer prize pools of hundreds of millions of dollars.

We’ve collected a good range of online lottery sites that will give you access to world-famous European and American lotteries. All you have to do is click on a link below to get playing.

Online Sports Betting

There’s no doubt that having a cheeky punt is a part of the Kiwi lifestyle — there’s no better feeling than beating the odds with a weekend flutter. In New Zealand, we’ve kind of been restricted to the TAB, but there are actually a whole heap of other options out there that are totally legit, and in most cases, a better option. The top betting sites that cater to New Zealand generally have very competitive odds, more sports to bet on, and a whole heap of ways to win.

If you’re ready to dive in and give it a nudge, click on one of the links below, and get a bonus.

Sports Betting Events

Payment Providers

Online gambling sites have come a long way recently in terms of the number of ways that you can get your money in, and most importantly, out. Nearly all online gambling sites cover the major payment providers such as Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Apple Pay and even bank transfer. While it’s true we don’t get all of the payment methods that Europe gets, what we do have is fast, safe, and secure. Choosing your payment provider is about weighing up your options — there are a lot of ways to do it, and each has its pros and cons.

Payment methods for New Zealand players are usually broken down into several categories: The first of those is bank cards, like Visa, Mastercard and Maestro. Almost every single online gambling site will accept these cards, which is great given that nearly every Kiwi carries one. Deposits are usually placed instantly, and withdrawals can take between one to five working days (usually around two days).

Then there are e-wallets, like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. While they are not super-common in NZ yet, they are legit and will keep your hard-earned money secure and safe. E-wallets are usually the fastest way to cash out — withdrawals can be in your account within 24 hours and some of them even come with a physical card, so you can go to an ATM and get your cash straight away if you need to.

Then there is the old classic of bank transfers, which are usually used for payments that are large. These take the longest to process as they need to be accepted by the casino as well the bank, but they are often the safest method for large payments.

In every online gambling site we review, we thoroughly assess the payment options, and measure how long it takes to get your cash out from the gambling site and into your account. The following are popular payment providers in the online gambling world.

Recommended Payment Providers

Software Providers

Online gambling software providers are the companies that create the games for online gambling sites. These software providers are all separate companies from the actual online gambling sites, and what they do is crucial to providing punters with enjoyable gambling experiences. Online gambling sites don’t really have the time or ability to create their own games — not to mention, a big franchise brand gambling game could cost a few million bucks to develop.

The whole online gambling industry is a super-competitive marketplace and there’s a big focus on improving existing games and coming up with new, exciting titles. You’ll often see names like NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, and Microgaming, which are some of the biggest software providers in the industry

Customer Support Services

As we mentioned earlier, having quick and reliable customer support is very important — especially for us Kiwis living on the other side of the world. When you read our gambling site reviews, make sure they have a good support setup that can take care of any problems, like finding something on the site, or following up on a bet. Support or help should also be really easy to find, not some small link three clicks into the process.

Being in New Zealand, we are on the other side of the world for many of these European gambling sites, so it’s important that they have 24/7 live chat support. At the very least, they will have email or perhaps even telephone support. For every NZ gambling site we review, we test the site’s support services to see how quickly they respond and how helpful they are. We also message them at awkward hours to make sure they are truly 24/7!

 

Guide to Mobile Gambling Sites & Apps

Sometimes you don’t want to be sitting at the computer, and it’s not like you carry a laptop around with you all the time. Over 70% of Kiwis visit online gambling sites from their phone or tablet, so the industry has made sure to make the mobile experience just as good as the desktop experience. The idea is that when you switch from playing on your computer to your phone or tablet, everything still looks familiar. The site should also remember what games you played last and keep a list of favourites between devices. When browsing gambling sites from a mobile device, it should be just as quick and snappy as the desktop experience, and you shouldn’t miss out on any features or information.

Then you have dedicated mobile betting apps. Some gambling sites do them, some don’t. Generally these are ever so slightly more polished than the browser versions. There might even be some pretty slick stuff like logging in with your fingerprint or face. If a gambling website doesn’t have a dedicated app, it’s no big deal though, as the mobile websites are very good these days.

How do we Review Online Gambling Sites?

First and foremost, to give Kiwis any decent advice at all, we need to know what we’re talking about when it comes to the New Zealand online gambling industry. We have a solid team of industry experts who work across the NZ online gambling scene, and work with all reputable operators to give you a good deal, a good time, and a safe experience.

At Gambling.com, we’ve spent years developing a system to fairly review the best online casinos and sports betting sites, and we’re stoked to be able to use that knowledge to help our New Zealand-based punting friends. There’s no doubt that there are thousands of online casinos and sportsbooks out there in internet-land, but only the best cut the mustard to make it into our review system. Rest assured, after spending some time reading our articles and reviews, there’ll be no pulling the wool over your eyes.Let’s take a look at the criteria we use to judge each and every NZ online gambling site on Gambling.com.

1. 

   Game Variety

   These days any NZ online betting site or casino worth your attention really needs to have a complete online gambling and/or casino service. So if it’s just an online casino, it needs to have table games like blackjack and poker, live table games with all of the progressive jackpots, and of course the classic pokies. If it’s a top sports betting site, you want to be able to bet on a wide range of sports (especially the ones popular in NZ like rugby, cricket, rugby league, etc.), and the odds need to be the same if not better than what the TAB has to offer. Rest assured, our team at Gambling.com have done the hard yards to make sure that when you click through to one of our NZ gambling sites, you’ll know it’s got great variety in online gambling.

2. 

   Bonus/Welcome Offers

   Nearly every online gambling site will try and attract new members with what they call welcome bonuses. For online casinos, this is usually something like offering to match your deposits (e.g. you deposit 20, they give you an extra 20 to bet). For sports betting sites, they will probably do something similar, where if you deposit and bet 20, they will give you a free 20 bet. There are even VIP programs on offer where gambling sites will offer you extra perks like free bets and dedicated account managers. We read all the small print for you, so it makes it way easier for you to make informed decisions in terms of where you want to spend your time having a flutter.

3. 

   User Experience

   While online gambling is very competitive, we’re not going to lie — some providers don’t offer the best user experience. When we review an NZ gambling website, we make sure it’s clear, simple, easy to use, and that you’re able to find everything you need with a few clicks. If it’s not the best user experience out there, we’ll tell you why, and how much it will affect your enjoyment of the site.

4. 

   Payments

   Kiwi punters should always have access to payment methods that are trusted, fast, and secure. There are actually quite a few payment methods available to Kiwis, so in every online gambling site review, we tell you the types of payment methods, how fast they are, and how much you can deposit and withdraw at any one time.

5. 

   Mobile App Experience

   More than 70% of online Kiwi gamblers use their mobile devices to play. To cater to these customers, the top online gambling sites will have fully responsive mobile websites or dedicated apps for iOS and Android. For every gambling site we review, we will let you know what it’s like to play via mobile and how it differs from playing on your computer.

6. 

   Safety and Security

   It can be pretty daunting to send your money to a website on the other side of the world. It’s our job to let you know whether or not you can trust a gambling site to keep your money and information safe and secure.

7. 

   Customer Support

   There are a lot of good things about living in New Zealand, but having to put up with the timezones of almost every other country is not one of them. If you have a problem with a gambling site that has its support team on the other side of the world, you don’t want to have to wait 12 hours for them to reply.

Licensing and Legislation for Online Casinos in New Zealand

Probably one of the most common doubts for Kiwi punters is worrying how legitimate these international gambling sites are. It’s completely understandable to worry about giving your money to some website that isn’t based in New Zealand. But in actual fact, every site that is allowed to offer their services to New Zealand must adhere to the laws set out by the New Zealand Gambling Commission, including the New Zealand Gambling Act of 2003.

Let’s take a look at how licensing and legislation is set up for New Zealand online gambling:

Online Gambling Laws in New Zealand

On most gambling websites, if you scroll down to the bottom, you’ll see that the Malta Gaming Authority licenses the website, which means it follows all of the rules for NZ gambling laws. If an online gambling site doesn’t hold a Malta Gaming Authority license, it will most likely have a license from either Alderney, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, or the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Again, all of these licenses mean the gambling website adheres to New Zealand law. These gaming authorities do the regulation for commercial gambling in New Zealand which includes casinos games, sports betting, bingo, pokie machines, and lotteries.

These licenses are extremely strict, which makes sense given that they look after a billion-dollar industry and its customers. They are so on to it, that their work is often used as a framework for a country changing or creating its own gambling regulations. So rest assured, all of our best online gaming sites are legit, and the NZ Government is sweet as with you having a crack on their websites.