Although the legal situation may seem somewhat confusing when it comes to online gambling in New Zealand, getting started with an online casino of your choice is fairly easy. The most important thing you need to understand before you start is that gambling online isn’t illegal in New Zealand, as long as the casino is located outside the country.
The local laws prohibit offshore casinos from marketing to Kiwis and they warn players they are not protected by any local bodies in the event of a dispute, but there is nothing in the current gambling act that would prevent New Zealand residents from playing online.
Funding Your Casino Account
With that out of the way and before we look into some of the best online casinos accepting Kiwi players, let us briefly discuss the best way to deposit to your online casino of choice. New Zealanders have a wealth of options available to them in this regard, including various e-wallets, credit and debit cards, as well as POLi, which is a special method available to residents of Australia and New Zealand.
E-wallets and POLi are probably the best and safest choice for those looking to gamble online. These methods are fast, reliable, and don’t require you to leave your sensitive credit card information with the casino operator, which is a concern for many players.
Top Online Casinos in New Zealand
Once you figure out what is the best banking method for your particular circumstances, it is time to pick your online casino. There are quite a few of them accepting Kiwi players, but the following five come highly recommended.
JackpotCity Casino
Jackpot City Casino is an excellent choice for all the fans of Microgaming pokies as the casino hosts well over 300 Microgaming machines. Their portfolio is also constantly refreshed by new games from the developer’s workshop, so you’re not likely to run out of options. JackpotCity is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gambling Authority, new players are eligible for a large NZD1,600 welcome bonus, and you can actually deposit, play, and withdraw in NZD.
LeoVegas Casino
LeoVegas is one of the better-known names in the world of online gambling. Licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gambling Authority, this online casino offers a safe and enjoyable gaming environment for everyone, including players from New Zealand. They also have a huge library of pokies and other casino games as well as a live casino section, so they cater to players of all shapes and sizes.
LuckyDino Casino
LuckyDino is a fresh online casino that came out swinging, quickly attracting the attention of players from all over the globe. More than happy to welcome Kiwi players, LuckyDino offers a generous welcome bonus of up to €/$400 together with 100 free spins. Although the casino doesn’t offer NZD as an option, it is still well worth checking out because of its impressive gaming portfolio, which includes titles from NetEnt, Microgaming, Yggdrasil, Pragmatic Play, WMS, and a few others.
BGO Casino
If you’re looking for an online casino that’s truly different to what you’re used to, BGO might be the answer you seek. The casino turned their bonus policy upside down, doing away with traditional bonuses and offering their players Fair Spins instead, with everything you win awarded with no wagering requirements. In addition to this interesting and player-friendly policy, BGO Casino also offers a good selection of pokies as well as their own, in-house developed and hosted live games.
Casino Heroes
For those who want a casino experience that offers more than just gambling, CasinoHeroes is the right choice. From the moment you register and start playing, you’ll become a part of an adventure taking you across three different islands, filled with action and excitement. To progress through the levels and defeat the bosses, you’ll need to play your favorite pokes from the likes of Yggdrasil, Play’n GO, Microgaming, Quickspin, and many others.