Online casinos have surged in popularity among New Zealand players, providing a convenient and exciting way to enjoy a wide range of games from the comfort of home. Whether you're new to online gaming or a seasoned player, getting started is easy, with many platforms catering specifically to Kiwi users.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essentials of online casinos, from understanding what they are to tips on choosing the best ones for New Zealand players. Let’s dive into the world of online gambling and how you can start playing today.
What is an Online Casino?
An online casino is a website that allows you to play your favourite casino games directly from your home without having to make the trip to your neighbourhood casino or poker room.
You can place real money wagers – or play with dummy money that the casino offers – once you register with the casino.
All you need is a computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. Once you load the casino and open an account, you will find a huge collection of games to play, just like at a land-based casino. These games are mostly pokies, table games, video poker games, casual games, live games, and jackpots.
Accessing an Online Casino: Download vs. Instant Play Format
To play at an online casino in New Zealand, you will first need to load it. In the early days, you would load it on a browser and download the software to the desktop of the computer you were playing from.
Things changed with the arrival of Flash technology. It allowed you to play at the casino directly on a browser, and downloading the casino software was no longer mandatory.
The emergence of the mobile phone and advancements in mobile technology yielded yet another format—the mobile casino: you could now play casino games on your mobile device, using a casino app, in either the instant play or downloadable format.
Differences between a Land-based Casino and an Online Casino
Quite a few differences exist between a land-based casino and an online casino. In this segment, we look at the important ones.
- Easy to access and play. An online casino makes playing easier by bringing the casino games to you. You don’t have to go to a casino to play; you can do so from the comfort of your home, at your pace.
- Big collection of games. There is usually a big collection of games at an online casino. This is especially true today, with the arrival of the multivendor casino – a casino that gives you access to games from multiple vendors under one roof. You get to view and choose from thousands of games.
- Play multiple games simultaneously. At a land-based casino, you can play only one game at a time. If you are at a blackjack table, for instance, you cannot try your hand at a slot at the other end of the room. At an online casino, on the other hand, you can play multiple games simultaneously.
- 24x7 access. Online casinos are available 24/7, while land-based casinos have fixed working hours.
- Wide range of bonuses available. Online casinos offer a wide range of juicy bonuses to all NZ casino players – you get a delightful welcome bonus as a new player, and for existing players, there are reload bonuses, free spins, cashback deals, tournament play, and more. The bonuses at land-based casinos are usually comps that include food – and also stay if you are a high roller.
- Free-play format. At a land-based casino, you do not get to play all the games for free; the exceptions are if you are taking a tutorial from a dealer or a croupier.
- The online casino offers a huge advantage by offering you the chance to play all the games – except the live dealer games usually – for free. You can log in and use the dummy credits that the casino offers to play for free; you cannot cash out winnings in this mode, though.
- Game environment. There is a big difference in the ambiance and game environment between land-based and online casinos. A land-based casino is alive because there are people there. You can chat with other players and the dealer or buy yourself a drink as you play. And you can cheer someone on with a massive winning streak.
- An online casino can be sterile as you play against casino software and not against other people. Interactions with others are limited except through live chat.
- Security and reliability. Security at an online casino is paramount as you are playing remotely. Online casinos offer security by using the latest technology to protect your money and personal data. You will need to authenticate and verify your account before you can cash out winnings. Security at a land-based casino involves CCTV surveillance and the presence of actual people to handle things in tough times.
- Cashout timeframes. At an online casino, cashing out your winnings takes a while because you are required to authenticate and verify your account before you can request a withdrawal of winnings. Not so at a land-based casino – all you do is you walk up to the cashier, cash out and leave.
Enjoying the Land-Based Casino Experience at Home: Enter the Live Dealer Casino
The online casino was a big step forward for casino gaming as it allowed you to play safely from the comfort of your home. However, there still remained one major hiccup – the ambiance could get monotonous as you play against a computer software and not against people.
The arrival of the live casino at New Zealand online casinos changed things forever. It allowed you to experience playing at a land-based casino as you played from home. Live dealer gaming involves playing games – mostly table games – with an actual person, usually a croupier or dealer. You can communicate with the dealer through live chat.
The way this happens is simple: The casino conducts these games at customised studios and shoots them with high-quality cameras. It then transmits the images live to your desktop, laptop, or mobile device using sophisticated live streaming technology. Some software providers tie up with actual land-based casinos and shoot these games live at authentic casino tables.
However, not all NZ casinos offer live casino action because the technology doesn’t come cheap. That is also one reason why live casino gaming is usually available only for real money play; there is no free practice play format. This is changing slowly now, with some vendors offering the free practice play option.
Is Online Casino Gaming Safe and Fair – How Do You Know?
Safety at online casinos in New Zealand has always been a primary concern, mainly because of the remote nature of gaming. There have been instances in the past of online casinos scamming players by delaying payments or not paying at all using some flimsy excuses.
That is where regulatory bodies and licensing authorities come into the picture. They offer licenses that casino operators must purchase to service players. These licensing bodies have strict rules that operators are required to follow. A combination of these two factors goes a long way in determining safety.
Casinos are required to display their licensing information at the bottom of every page of their websites. Check for this information to assure safety and reliability.
Casinos that are licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) are automatically considered safe as they are among the strictest licensing bodies in the industry. Other safe and strict licensing authorities include:
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC)
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission
- Government of Gibraltar
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Government of Curacao (through eGaming Curacao)
Online casino software uses random number generators (RNGs) to guarantee fair gaming. The RNG used is tested and certified for randomness by independent testing and audit agencies for randomness and fair play. Casinos are required to display the certification in the form of a seal issued by the testing agency. Respected testing agencies include:
- eCOGRA
- Technical Systems Testing (TST)
- Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)
- iTech Labs
- QUINEL
- BMM Test Labs
How to Get Started with Playing at an Online Casino
Now that you know what an online casino is all about you may be looking to get started with playing at one of them. Here is how you would do it.
- Pick the right casino The first step is to pick a casino that works for you. You can do this by going through the casino site, checking out their games and bonuses and looking at payment options and quality of customer support. A good way of ensuring all of this at one go is signing up with a casino that is licensed by a reputed licensing authority.
- Create your own casino account The next step is to create an account with the casino; only then will you be able to play for real money. To create your account, click the Register or Log in button and fill out the form with the required details; choose your preferred currency as well.
- Fund your casino account Once you have created your casino account you will need to fund it in order to play for real money. To do this, visit the cashier section of the casino and do the following:
- Click the Deposit option.
- Choose a payment method from the list provided.
- Enter the amount you wish to deposit.
- Fill out all the other required details.
- Complete the process by hitting the button at the end of the form. You will need to verify your account as well; only then will you be able to cashout your winnings. To verify your account, you will have to provide scanned copies of your passport, driver’s license or any other valid photo id, along with proof of residence.
- Claim your bonus Now that your casino account is funded you can claim the bonuses that the casino offers. The first of these is usually the welcome bonus – there are casinos that offer a no deposit bonus as well as soon as you start off. Regardless of the bonus, go through the terms and conditions before deciding to use it.
- Visit the casino lobby and check out the games Now that you have your account and it is funded, visit the casino’s lobby and check out the games available. A good casino will list a wide variety of games.
- Cash out winnings Once you have played your choice of games and fulfilled the wagering requirements associated with the bonus you use, you can cash out your winnings. To do this, go to the cashier, choose the withdraw option and fill out the required details, including withdrawal amount.
Games Available at Online Casino
The following are some of the games you find at online casinos:
- Pokies (slots) A majority of the games at online casinos are slots. You get a wide variety of pokies nowadays, including classic slots with a maximum of 3 reels, the standard video slots, slots with the MegawaysTM game mechanic, branded slots based on movies, shows and comic books, 3D slots from vendors like BetSoft and EvoPlay and jackpots.
- Table Games Almost all casinos offer table games. These are variants of games like blackjack, poker, baccarat and roulette. You will find Solitaire, Craps and dice games as well in this category.
- Video Poker Video poker games are a hybrid between video slots and poker. Most casinos offer these games in single-hand variants as well as multi-hand variants. Popular games include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Bonus Poker, Joker Poker, Aces & Eights, Tens or Better and Aces & Faces.
- Casual Games Most casinos usually have at least a few games under this category. These are games of luck that are fast and easy to play. Popular types include scratch cards, bingo, Keno, instant win games,pl and virtual games.
- Live Dealer Games As discussed earlier, quite a few casinos offer live dealer games. These games are mostly available for real money play – some vendors nowadays offer them for free practice play as well – and include variants of blackjack, poker, roulette, baccarat and game shows.
- Jackpots If you love hitting the ball out of the park and scoring a big win, you must try jackpots. Casinos usually offer three types of jackpots – network progressive jackpots that come with 7-figure payouts, local progressive games with lower but equally valuable payouts and fixed jackpots that offer decent payouts. Remember, jackpots come with low RTP values.
Choosing the Right Online Casino
For a memorable online gambling experience, you must choose the right casino. That can be difficult, given the sheer number of casinos nowadays. Here are a few things to check for.
- Operator credentials When it comes to online casino gaming, the operator's reputation can be the difference between a great gambling experience and getting scammed. An operator with respectable credentials will usually be licensed by one of the stricter licensing authorities.
Look for casinos that are run by operators with impeccable credentials. A good way to do this is to visit player forums – you will get authentic information from players. - Licensing information Check for the casino’s licensing details. A casino with a license from the MGA or the UKGC is an automatic choice as these two are considered the toughest licensing bodies in the industry.
- Software vendors and game portfolio An important factor to check is the casino's portfolio of games and the list of software vendors behind it. A casino with a large collection of games is a good bet, as it gives you more options to work with.
- Security protocols and fair play Before you sign up with a casino, check its security credentials and fair gaming certification.
- Bonuses and promotions All casinos offer bonuses; the trick is in being able to find the casino with terms and conditions that are decent to work. Check for the terms and conditions governing the bonuses that a casino offers – for instance, a bonus of 200% up to $4,000 across your first 4 deposits may not be of much use if it comes with a 60x wagering requirement.
- Verify the payment methods supported Finding a casino that offers good payment support is critical. Especially, look out for the cashout times; you may avoid casinos with long cashout timeframes as it means it will take that much longer for your winnings to reach you.
- Customer support is important You must have help at hand whenever you need it. Therefore, it may be prudent to look for an online casino that offers 24/7 customer support. Another factor to consider is the response time—a casino with a swift response time is always a better option than one that takes long to get back to you.