Casino Games Online – Best Gaming Sites for NZ Players

Online Slots

Slots, or pokies as they are known among NZ gaming circles, make up the bulk of any casino game online collection. At their base, these are games in which players spin the reels in the hope they can land matching symbols across the reels. If they do, they win payouts. Rounds typically last a few seconds, and the simplest 3-reel pokies have fixed paylines and are pretty easy to understand. But leading game providers constantly push the boundaries, and nowadays, there are loads of different types of online pokies.

These can include jackpot games, pokies with alternate mechanics such as cluster pays or cascading reels, and special symbols to add a more dynamic edge to the gameplay. Some online casino games NZ lobbies will have special features through which players can filter the games with bonus buy, bonus round, hold and win, cascading reels, and other special pokie features.

• Bonanza Megaways
• Book of Dead
• Gonzo’s Quest
• Wolf Gold
• Starburst

Online Blackjack

Blackjack, or 21, is a popular card based game in which players are drawn cards and have to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. They are drawn 2 cards initially, and then have a choice between standing or hitting. In some variants of blackjack online, players have additional options such as surrender, double down, or split. The numbered cards are taken at face value, Royal cards count as 10, and Ace either counts as 1 or 11. If the player hits and goes above 21, they instantly lose. If they hit 21, they make a blackjack and win. Otherwise, if they have a score of 20 or less, the dealer draws, and players can win if the dealer either goes bust or doesn’t match their score. If they do, the round is pushed.

Because of this decision making during rounds, blackjack is seen as a skill based casino game online, and there are plenty of associated strategies to beat the house, such as card counting.

Online Roulette

Online roulette is a game in which players must predict where the ball will land on a spinning roulette wheel. They have a wide range of bets to pick from, with odds ranging from 1:1 up to 35:1. Kiwis can bet on the exact numbered segment the ball will land on or spread their coverage to include multiple segments. There are three major variants of roulette offered at online casinos.

American roulette is the only one to have 38 segments, with 0, 00 and numbers 1 to 37. In French and European roulette there is no 00 segment and only 37 segments. The difference between the two is that the French has En Prison and La Partage rules relating to what happens when the ball falls on 0. Then, there are alternate variants with multipliers, special rounds and even jackpots.

Online Poker

Online poker can relate to two different genres of games. The first is Casino Poker, which are RNG powered table games that bear similarities to poker. The other are poker cashgames, in NZ casino games in which players take on real opponents for real money. These cash games can be supplied by poker rooms, and the most popular variants include Texas Hold’em, Omaha Pot Limit and Stud Poker.

The Casino Poker games resemble these poker cashgames, only instead of playing against peers, Kiwis are play casino poker against the house. The games have the same blinds, raising and folding mechanics, only they aren’t as flexible as playing cashgame poker against peers. However, rounds are a lot quicker and games like Caribbean Stud, Five Card Draw, Texas Hold’em and Omaha can have exotic side bets and associated strategies to reduce the house edge.

Other Online Casino Games

Beyond the main online casino games NZ, online casinos can supply a huge range of exotic and alternative titles. The collection is generally a lot more diverse than what Kiwis can get at landbased casinos, and each has its own special gameplay.

Online Craps

Craps is a betting game on the throw of a dice. The gameplay is quite complex, as rounds are separated into two phases, the Come Out and Point phases. Players can stake their bets on the roll of the two dice in the Come Out phase, and then place further bets on what will be thrown in the Point phase. It may take a few rounds to fully master, but players can then build extensive betting strategies and systems on craps games.

Online Baccarat

Baccarat is a card game in which the house draws 2 cards for two hands, the Banker and the Player, and gamers must bet on which hand they think will win. Numbered cards are counted at face value, Royals count as 0, and Aces count as 1. When a point count reaches 10, then 10 is subtracted from the score to make a single digit value. The game is then made more complex with the third card rules. If the conditions suffice, the dealer draws a third card for the Banker bet, and can then also draw a third card for the Player bet.

Online Keno

In Keno, players can draw or pick numbers and then hope that they are drawn in a lottery style tumble. It is very similar to the lottery, only instead of playing for one grand jackpot, there are payouts based on how many numbers players correctly predict. Keno doesn’t have many variants, but it is a high paced and extremely exciting game that is popular the world over. This thrilling lotto game can be found at practically all online casinos in the Other Games category.

Online Sic Bo

Sic Bo is another dice throwing game, only here the rounds are not divided into phases. Instead, players can bet on what will happen in one throw. Sic Bo uses 3 dice, and players can bet on the total number of the dice, or pick various props wagers such as one number, two, or the result of all three. There are loads of opportunities to mix wager and make cross betting tactics, making Sic Bo a huge favourite among real money casino gamers.

Online Bingo

In bingo, players buy tickets and have to cross off the numbers when they are randomly called out. Online bingo follows this mechanic, only the gameplay is much quicker and there are many variations that may have alternate payouts and jackpot prizes.

Gamers can find video bingo in which they play casino games solo against the house, or bingo rooms where they can play against their peers and even connect to the online bingo communities through chat boxes and other social features.

Video Poker

Video poker comes from 5 card draw poker, in which players have to make poker hands for payouts. In these games, the house draws 5 cards for players, and they can pick which ones they want to hold onto and which should be discarded. After the dealer discards the cards the player doesn’t want to hold, they draw new ones in their place.

Players win if they can make a poker hand, and the paytables depend on the variant of video poker chosen. There are loads of versions of video poker, and each has its own payout hierarchy and associated strategy.

License and security

Licensing is the proof players need that they are playing at a reliable and trustworthy casino. Online casinos with licensure by leading gambling regulators such as Malta, the UK or Curacao, must meet the gambling requirements of the industry. They also provide top tier security to ensure that all the personal information and money gamers have on their accounts are always kept safe.

Game variety and software providers

The best online casinos don’t prioritise one type of game, but they have all kinds of pokies, table games, live games, video poker and alternative games. Gamers should be sure to check the table games and video poker collections, as having a more substantial range of these games is the mark of a good casino. Plus, they should explore the game providers, as having more of these makes a more diverse and eclectic range of casino games.

Payment methods and processing times

Deposits and withdrawals should be handled efficiently and securely. Good practice from online casinos is to provide players with a flexible array of options, so they can find convenient banking methods for their needs. Beyond that, these options should have comfortable minimum and maximum limits, and withdrawal processing should be up to 2 days to make sure players get their money fast. Different payment options have different transfer times, so Kiwis should bear that in mind when choosing their preferred withdrawal methods.

Customer support and FAQ

While support seems like something that is only needed when things go wrong, it is anything but. Players need good support to handle all kinds of queries, from how to unlock new bonuses to what the best ways to withdraw money are. Having 24/7 live chat support is a must, and players can also look for casinos that have phone support, email support, and extensive FAQ centres to get answers for commonly asked questions.

Safety at Online Casino Sites

Security cannot be ignored at an online casino; it is the core building block on which player-operator trust is built. Gamers should only consider online casinos that are fully accredited with gambling licenses and that have trustworthy game integrity. Besides using data encryption tools and high level firewalls, licensed online casinos must also prove that their games are fair to play. All of their titles are tested for RNGs by independent auditors to show gamers that they are not rigged and are provably fair to play. The licensed platforms cannot release games until they are tested, and the titles need to undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they are not rigged or that the house is not given an unfair advantage. The result of the tests is provided to players through the RTP, giving players full transparency.

House Edge and RTP

RTP indicates the house edge in a game. It is a value that is calculated through the game testing, after auditors simulate hundreds of thousands of rounds on a single game to probe the RNG algorithms. At the end, they give the RTP, or Return to Player, which is a percentage of how much the game pays out.

This percentage is never equal to or over 100%, as this would imply the casino would lose money by offering them. The remainder, between the RTP percentage and 100%, is the house edge. By analysing RTP values, players can look for games with lower house edges and theoretically win more. But they should always bear in mind, RTP values are theoretical.

Game Variety and Software Providers

Most online casinos are slot-heavy, but that doesn’t mean they can’t offer top quality table games, video poker, live games, and more. Players should assess the games collections carefully, exploring how well stocked the table games, live games, and other categories besides pokies, are stocked. While they won’t have as many blackjack games as pokies, a good online casino should cover the basics and provide a handful of quality variants.

Software providers are the studios that make the games. Top game software providers develop all kinds of online casino games, and their titles are highly sought after by gamers. Therefore, players should look at the type of software providers a casino works with, each of which has its own unique approach to building games and experimenting with additional features.

Online Casino Games Bonus Offers

Most casino online games bonuses come either in the form of cash bonuses or bonus spins. Cash bonuses can generally be used on any game, whereas bonus spins are only for pokies. Of course, bonuses may be tied to specific games or have contribution requirements that mean they are tied to specific genres.

But the top online casinos have a huge variety of ways through which they can offer these bonuses. They can do it through reload bonuses, recurring bonus spin offers, loyalty perks, cashback offers, tournaments and even hot drop prizes. Learning about the full extent of the bonuses gives the player an idea of what they can expect at any given casino, and will undoubtedly weigh heavily in their decision making.

Fast and Secure Payment Options

Kiwi gamers are going to have to make online money transfers to play at gaming sites, and for that, they must carefully assess their options. The best online casinos accept numerous payment gateways, including bank card transfers, e-Wallets such as PayPal, Skrill or NETELLER, and various prepaid voucher transfers. Anyone who doesn’t want to use bank cards can also look for casinos that support Apple Pay and Google Pay to make completely anonymous and secure payments.

Then, there are online casinos that support cryptocurrencies, giving gamers the chance to win BTC at blackjack or ETH playing roulette. Some crypto casinos also support fiat, or NZD, payments, whereas others are crypto only and don’t have fiat gaming opportunities. The latter usually provide options for gamers with no crypto assets, in that they can purchase BTC or other cryptocurrencies on the site.

Mobile Compatibility

More Kiwis are moving from desktop to mobile platforms to play online casino games, and the top gaming platforms accommodate them with excellent mobile features. Some online casinos have native mobile apps for iOS and Android users, which players can download, set up, and then launch their games.

But they don’t necessarily need to. There are also online casinos with mobile optimised sites, equipped with scrollable interfaces and resized menu and portal options to give them ease of access. Mobile games run like charm, though players should note that some live dealer games may not be optimised for mobile play. But in terms of blackjack, slots, roulette, video poker, and virtually any other game, Kiwis can play on the device of their choice.

Customer Support

Customer support is offered for players who need assistance in regard to practically anything the casino offers. They can ask questions about the security protocol, how to verify their accounts, what kinds of loyalty bonuses the casino provides, and more. It can come especially in handy for players who want to unlock their bonuses, or who need a hand cashing out bigger sums of money.

Support comes in various forms, including live chat, email, phone, or even FAQ help centres. Top platforms have 24/7 live chat support, and NZ friendly working hours for the phone and email support. That way, players always have a channel to reach out at any time of day, and they can always contact an agent directly during working hours.