Our team of casino game specialists spent a lot of time researching the New Zealand casino market to get answers to specific questions. Our research covered questions like what casino games do NZ players prefer? Do Kiwi players like playing at land-based casinos or online casinos? Why are certain casino games more popular than others? Do new casino players in New Zealand find it easy or difficult to learn and play games of skill like blackjack and poker?
We then analysed the information and stats that we obtained during our research and decided to share it with our readers to give them insight into the NZ casino market. We share a quick snapshot of our research below that will answer all your questions about the NZ casino market.
Our team has also put together several detailed ‘how-to-game-guides’ that will help new players in NZ to quickly learn how to play some of these popular casino games!
What Casino Games Do Kiwis Prefers?
While New Zealand does have a very diverse population and multiple cultural influences, we found that the number one game preference for Kiwi players at the casino are pokie machines. We did not find this surprising because pokie machines continue to be the most popular casino game type in just about every casino around the world.
Pokie machines and online pokies are the most popular game type that NZ players prefer over any other game. Kiwi players also enjoy playing different table games such as blackjack, roulette, poker and craps. We found that in general, players in New Zealand prefer casino games that are based purely on chance and after that the preference turns towards games of skill.
The casino game preferences of NZ players are determined by several factors, including a player’s bankroll, age, gender, economic status, location, exposure to casino games, problem gambling tendencies, and bankroll management. Our research shows that men in NZ play more casino games than women in NZ, and this does not come as a surprise as this stat is similar in most casino-friendly countries.
Based on our research, we will share below why we found that some casino games are more popular with Kiwi players.
Why Are Some Games Popular Over Others?
Most players in New Zealand prefer playing games of chance or games of luck over games of skill. The luck factor makes things a lot more exciting because the win/loss outcome is entirely out of their hands and this creates an adrenalin rush due to the unknown factor.
Pokie machines are the perfect example of games that are based purely on luck and that’s the main reason why they continue to be the most popular game at NZ casinos. We take a quick look below to see the difference between games of chance and games of skill.
Games of Chance
Games of chance are based purely on luck and do not place any responsibility on the player’s skill or game strategy. Players who are looking to unwind, have fun and not put any pressure on themselves prefer playing games of chance. Some of these games include pokies, roulette, bingo and craps. Most games of chance have a very low buy-in, making them affordable to all NZ players.
Games of Skill
Games of skill are not based on luck, although a small element of luck or chance may exist. Some of these games include blackjack, poker, and backgammon. These games require players to use their minds, develop robust game strategies, and then execute them under pressure to see if they can win. Games of skill are usually played by veteran players or new players who are looking to improve their game strategy or turn pro. Most games of skill have higher buy-ins than games of chance.
Do NZ Players Prefer Live Casino Games or Online Casino Games?
This was an interesting question due to the different information we received, which we share with you below.
NZ has six land-based casinos, and SkyCity is the main operator, controlling 4 out of the six brick-and-mortar casinos. These casinos are situated in Queenstown, Hamilton, Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland. There are no casinos in Wellington. The Gambling Act does not permit for any more land-based casinos to be developed in the country.
These six land-based casinos are very popular with Kiwis who like to have a night out and then test their luck playing pokie machine games. Some prefer games of skill. We found that many Kiwis do not want to dress up and travel to a land-based casino; they prefer playing at an online casino.
However, this is currently a problem for most Kiwi players as NZ currently does not allow online casinos. This is set to change as NZ is in the process of passing new gaming legislation that will legalize online gambling in 2026. While iGaming is currently banned in New Zealand, Kiwi players can still access many offshore online casinos that offer them access to all their favourite casino games. Many Kiwi players use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access offshore casino sites and play online casino games from the comfort of their homes.
Overall, our research shows that NZ players prefer online casino games over land based casino games and that’s one reason why the Government of New Zealand is pushing ahead with online gambling legislation.
What Are the Top 6 Casino Games For NZ Players?
After we compiled the game preferences of NZ players that we surveyed, we found that there are 6 casino games that Kiwis like to play. As we pointed our earlier, the most popular game category are pokie machines which more than 50 percent of the votes collected. The other games on our list did not have a vast difference in player preferences and hence we just list them below instead of ranking them based on popularity.
Some of the games that we had on our list included pokies, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, video poker, lotteries, backgammon, keno, baccarat, bingo, rummy and sic bo.
Based on the votes that 6 most popular games that NZ players prefer are pokies, blackjack, roulette, video poker, craps and keno. We give you a quick overview of each of these games below.
How to Play Popular Casino Games
While most NZ players are familiar with these 6 casino games, we know that there are some players who may have never played these casino games and don’t know how they work or how to play them.
Our team has put together a detailed ‘how to play’ guide for each of these 6 games. These detailed game guides will help newbies quickly understand how each game works, the rules of the game, how to play them, game strategy tips, frequently asked questions and where you can find these games.
Blackjack
This is one of the most popular games of skill at NZ friendly casinos and will require you to put your thinking cap on and use robust blackjack strategies to win against the house. When you play a game of blackjack, you play against the house and will have to beat the dealer. The objective of the game is to beat the dealer by getting a hand value that is higher than the dealer and does not exceed 21.
Read our detailed ‘How to Play Blackjack Easy’ guide to quickly understand how blackjack works and the strategies you can use to win at blackjack friendly NZ casinos.
Roulette
This game is based purely on chance and is fun to play whether you play it at a land based casino in New Zealand or an online casino. This game is played on a roulette wheel which has a set of numbers, colours and a ball. The player will have to place a bet on which number they think the ball is going to land on when the roulette wheel spin in over.
Multiple players will place bets on different numbers and if the ball ends up falling on the number you bet on, you end up winning! If it does not fall on the number you bet on, you end up losing!
While roulette is based on luck, there are a few strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning. Here is our ‘How to Play Roulette Easy’ guide to help you boost your odds of winning at roulette!
Pokies
The most popular game category for NZ players as well as from players around the world. Pokies can be divided into land based pokie machines and online pokies which are found at online casinos. These games of chance are operated by a computer program called a Random Number Generator (RNG).
Each pokie machine will have a theme and a betting range that can start from anywhere between NZ$0.01 a spin and go up to over NZ$100 plus a spin. When you press the ‘spin the reels’ button, the RNG will turn up a combination for each spin. If you end up getting winning symbols based on the pokie paytable, you will end up with a winning payout.
Read our ‘How to Play Pokies Easy’ guide to get the dos and don’ts of increasing your odds of winning while playing pokies in New Zealand.
Video Poker
Video poker machines at land based casinos can often look like pokie machines but they are different as the game play is different. While slot machines require you to spin the reels and wait for a winning combination of numbers and symbols, video poker is a card game.
Video poker is run on a computerized program and is based around 5 card draw poker. The game starts when you place a bet and hit start. The video poker machine then gives you a set of cards and you must decide which cards to keep and which to put down. You must then match your final hand with the video poker paytable to see if you have won anything!
Check out our ‘How to Play Video Poker Easy’ guide to use these tips and tricks to your advantage!
Craps
Craps is a popular dice game that is based on chance and does not require you to use any real skills, although you can use a simple strategies to help you boost your chances of winning. Craps games can be divided into two categories which are street craps and casino craps.
Street craps are played in a very informal setting and does not involve any craps table. Its players against friends or other craps players who bet against each other. Casino craps is played in a casino setting on a special craps table where the bets are made against the house.
Read our ‘How to Play Craps Easy’ guide to understand how the game works and where you can play craps in New Zealand.
Keno
Keno is a lottery-type game in which players pick and then buy a set of numbers. Most keno games let players pick from a set of 80 numbers. During the keno draw, a total of 20 numbers are picked. These numbers are usually generated by a Random Number Generator (RNG), while some keno games use a ball machine like the ones used in a bingo game.
If you end up getting any of the lucky 20 numbers drawn, then you will have to match your numbers to the keno paytable and see how much you ended up winning.
Check out our ‘How to Play Keno Easy’ guide to see if you want to play this game and see if you get lucky!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are online casino games legal in New Zealand? As of this writing, online casino games are banned in New Zealand. However, the government is in the process of legalizing online gambling, and online casinos are expected to go live in 2026.
- What is the difference between games of chance vs. games of skill? Games of chance are also known as games of luck and do not involve any skills as the results are determined by chance or luck. Games of skills will require you to use your mind and a game strategy to influence the outcome or result.
- How can I increase my odds of winning when I play casino games? If you are playing a game of skill, then it will come down to your game strategy and ability to execute it under pressure. Learn as much as you can about game strategy and remember you get better with anything when you practice. If you are playing a game of skill, the outcome is left to chance and you ending up with a win is left to lady luck!
- Can I win a big jackpot playing at a land-based pokie machine? You certainly can! But you will have to get very lucky to win a big jackpot at a land-based pokie machine as the odds are heavily in favour of the house! To increase your odds of winning, play at pokie machines that have a history of giving out big wins.
- How do I find reliable online casinos in New Zealand? There are many online casinos that players in New Zealand can access, but not all of them are safe and secure. Our team of casino review specialists has put together a list of recommended online casinos in New Zealand. We suggest you check out our list of NZ-friendly casinos.