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Recomended Casinos
Before creating this list, our team analysed hundreds of reviews on independent online resources and tested all casinos on their own. You can use this info to make the right choice and boost your game experience.
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How We Review the Best Pokies Casinos in NZ
When making this review, our team experts followed clear algorithms for the analysis of each casino. We also found answers to key questions, which are given below.
Our team pays attention to casinos with an official license that is relevant in New Zealand jurisdiction. This is a document that guarantees timely payments, fair play, and the fact that the casino will not scam you. Also, casinos should have quality encryption security (128-bit keys and higher) and support SSL. This is a guarantee of protection from hacking (man-in-the-middle attacks) and data leakage.
Our team considers pokies casinos that offer high-quality and multilanguage support 24/7. We test all available methods (reaching experts through email, via phone call, using live chat, etc.) to find out the speed and completeness of the response.
We checked and added only those casinos that offer to use multiple currencies (including digital money) while playing on pokies. But first of all, we figured out if it is possible to deposit funds and withdraw winnings using NZD.
The RTP level is an important indicator that shows the percentage of the whole bet amount that the casino returns to clients over time. Most pokies have an average RTP level (95-96%), but we did our best to find out and test titles with an RTP of 97% and higher.
Our experts studied casino bonuses associated with particular online New Zealand pokies and found out their time limits, wagering requirements, available payment getaways for withdrawing funds, and so on. We also determined the possibility of activation and the number of free spins within bonus packages or single offers.
If you check our list, you can see that we focus on instant-play casinos. These are platforms that do not require you to download any software to start playing. Instead, you can use your PC, laptop, or any mobile device to register an account, claim bonuses, and play your favourite pokies.
Trusted and qualified game providers guarantee that you have the best game experience. While picking providers, we paid attention to those peculiarities:
✅ Game library offers
✅ Feedback from clients
✅ Individual development
We choose casinos only with trusted financial getaways that support NZD based on our experience and experience from other clients’ users we gather on our site and independent review portals. In our list, you can find banking methods that support e-wallets, bank cards, and various cryptocurrencies.
Types of Online Pokies for Kiwi Players
Below, you can see all types of pokies for Kiwi players that we found on NZ casinos. All of them are relevant, and you can find them in our list.
Classic 3-Reel Pokies
This is the best option for newbies. It is fairly simple since it comes only with a few symbols on reels. On the other hand, most 3-reel pokies can not offer high betting options and the same big wins. All you need to do is to activate reel spinning and collect three matching symbols.
Video Pokies
Technically, they are similar to 5-reel pokies in terms of graphics and features and offer bigger betting options thanks to additional paylines. The peculiarity of these games is that they are often themed: there may be famous movie heroes, members of popular music bands, and so on. They also have “Wild” and “Scatter” symbols, triggering bonus rounds.
Progressive Jackpot Pokies
As a rule, these are also themed online real money NZ pokies, which use the mechanics of the 5-reel game. But they also feature a jackpot that gradually grows as gamblers play the pokie until someone wins it. Hence, the word “progressive.”
No Download Pokies
Games from this category do not differ from all other pokies gameplay-wise. The peculiarity is that you do not need to download any software on your device to start playing. Instead, you just register on one of the platforms from our list, create an account, place a real money deposit and start playing.
Mobile Pokies
Most of modern pokies is optimized for playing from mobile devices. This is the rapidly growing niche in the pokies industry since most casinos try to cover the needs of gamblers who play on the go. You can launch them directly from the mobile version of the site or through that casino’s app.
In our review of the best pokies in NZ, you can find games available on almost any up-to-date Android tablet or smartphone. All representatives from our list are well-optimized and do not cause lags or freezes on your mobile device.
Pokies for iPhone and iPad users enjoy the same popularity as the previous option. All you need to do is visit the casino site from your mobile device or download and install the app to get started.
Pokies Bonuses
Bonuses are a perfect method to attract and promote new game software and attract potential clients to boost a casino's income. But for you, it is an option to diversify your game experience and get a chance to increase your income. Below, you can see the most popular pokies bonuses available for Kiwi players.
This is a reward you get after registering on the platform. Usually, these promos offer the biggest cash amount you can use to play. To be able to withdraw pokies to real money winnings, you should stick to the time limits and wagering requirements stated in the bonus description.
Often, this is a promo tool to engage gamblers for playing specific pokies (e.g. newly added). Free spins offer players to spin the reels in pokies a certain number of times for free. To get free spins, you should place a minimum required deposit within a certain time period.
Pokies Symbols
These are special images that appear on reels and pay tables after each spinning. They collect into particular combinations to give you a signal of winning and provide you with free spins, various bonuses, multiple payouts, and many more.
Shifting Wild
This is a special symbol that can move or shift from one position to another on the reels. When a Shifting Wild Symbol appears on the reels, it can help you form winning combinations by substituting for other symbols to complete a payline. Normally, these symbols stay on a particular line and move to the left or right with each spin until they are removed from the final reel. However, the behaviour of the Scatter Wild symbol also depends on the particular pokie. Therefore, you can try playing the slot in Free Play mode or read the casino game descriptions to understand how the wild symbol works in the game of your choice.
- Shifting Wilds can be a fun and exciting feature as they create more chances to win and keep the gameplay interesting
Suppose you're playing a five-reel, three-line pokie, and a Scatter Wild symbol appears on the second reel. If there are two matching symbols on the first and theird reels, the Shifting Wild can move to either the first or third reel to complete the payline and give you a win.
Sticky Wild
This is another type of special symbol that stays on the reels for a certain number of spins or until a certain condition is fulfilled. When a Sticky Wild appears on the reels, it can help you complete winning combinations by substituting for other symbols. Sticky Wilds can be a fun and rewarding feature in pokies. One of the characteristics of the Sticky Wild Symbol is the number of spins the Wild symbol remains on the screen. You can read more about this in the game description.
- Sticky Wilds can come with multipliers to increase your winnings
- Sticky Wilds can stay in place for more than one spin (although there are some Sticky Wild pokies that only stay in place for one spin)
Imagine a pokie with five reels and three lines, and a Sticky Wild symbol appears on the third reel. If there are two matching symbols on the first and second reels, the Sticky Wild can substitute for the missing symbol on the third reel to complete the payline and give you a win. The Sticky Wild will then remain in place for the next spin and possibly more, meaning you'll have an even better chance of winning on the next spin.
Trailing Wild
Trailing Wild is a special symbol that leaves a trail of wild symbols behind it as it moves across the reels. Symbols are placed one on top of the other and occupy the entire level. When a Trailing Wild appears on the reels, it can help you complete winning combinations by substituting for other symbols. Overall, by creating more chances to win and keeping the gameplay interesting, Trailing Wilds can be a fun and exciting feature in slot machines.
- Trailing Wilds can pay multipliers
- Trailing Wilds can only move down one line at a time, while in some pokies Trailing Wilds can move across the entire reel set
As in the previous examples, we will take any slot machine with five reels and three lines. Suppose the Trailing Wild symbol appears on the second reel. As the reels spin, the Trailing Wild moves down one row on each subsequent spin, leaving a trail of wild symbols behind it. This means you'll have more wild symbols on the reels each spin, which can help you make more winning combinations.
Expanding Wild
The Expanding Wild can, you guessed it, cover an entire reel or even several reels. This gives you more chances to win. For this reason, it could be the most expected type of wild, but of course, you should read the description of the pokie you are playing to understand the behaviour of the Scatter Wild. Returning to the Expanding type, when it appears on the reels, it can help you complete winning combinations by substituting for other symbols.
- Expanding Wilds can come with other features, such as multipliers
- Depending on the game, some Expanding Wilds only expand if they are part of a winning combination, while others expand whether they are part of a winning combination or not
Let us look again at our standard five-reel, three-line pokie. While an Expanding Wild appears on the second reel, the next few spins you take will see the Expanding Wild grow to cover the entire second reel, increasing your chances of making a winning combination. Some Expanding Wilds can even continue to expand to cover additional reels, giving you even more chances to win.
Guide How Real Money Pokies Work
Our team prepared a detailed guide to help you understand how real money pokies in NZ work. Virtual pokies may include up to 256 symbols. They form winning combinations (a.k.a play lines). The “heart” of each pokies machine is an RNG that creates a random combination and guarantees that the casino does not manipulate the outcomes.
Random Number Generator
This program controls the outcomes after each spin activation. All spinning symbols in pokies have their specific values. Gamblers can win if the symbol matches its specific value.
While some of you may fear scams, I would like to note all pokies from our list have special fairness certificates from reputable third-party auditors like eCOGRA and do not allow them to interfere with this process from the outside.
Check and Understand the Pay Table
The paytable contains information about available pay lines, main requirements, jackpot details, and other data. During the review, we tried to focus on pokies with the interactive paytable, which is easy to read and understand for newbies and experienced gamblers.
Volatility of the Pokies Game
This parameter shows the risk you take while playing particular NZ pokies, the size of real money winnings, etc. Currently, you can find pokies with the following volatility types.
High volatility pokies come with a low chance of hitting a winning combo. At the same time, the prize amount for a combination maybe 10,000 times bigger than the initial bet size. This means that you may get no winning combos for an hour, but when you land one, it will compensate for all previous bets and add some more money to your bankroll.
Here, the situation is the opposite: your chances for hitting a winning combo are pretty high, but the win amounts are fairly low. Low volatility pokies usually pay out small winnings every few minutes.
Betting Limits
This is an individual feature that differs from one NZ casino to another. However, you should understand two basic types of limits.
The least amount of funds you can use to activate spins (for example, 0.01 NZD).
On the opposite, it is the maximum amount you can place at one time. As a rule, this figure may vary from NZ$ 15 to NZ$ 100 (sometimes up to NZ$ 500).
The Dependency Between Bets and Winnings
Most NZ casinos with pokies utilise only the amount of individual bets to calculate possible winnings and do not increase your chances by using multiple bets. The more you bet - the higher the payout you can possibly get. At the same time, you have a relatively low probability of getting big wins (like jackpots). While playing on pokies casinos, try to avoid overbetting by using only multi-denomination games.
Bonus Rounds Playing for Real Money
Bonus rounds can diversify your game experience and help casino providers to keep players engaged. Check out the most popular bonuses available in pokies from our list.
This feature is most associated with the “Wild” symbol and increases the initial bet amount.
These are additional play rounds you can activate in different ways. You can claim them by resolving the puzzle, unlocking new game levels, etc.
This feature may be implemented when the system asks you to guess the card suit/color after the end of the spin. If you guess right — casinos increase your winnings.
How to Understand the Paytable
Understanding the paytable in slot machines is crucial for anyone looking to try their luck at the game. The paytable is a chart that outlines the different winning combinations and their corresponding payouts. In the paytable, you can check which symbols are available and what value they have, how they work, what possible outcomes you can count on, etc. It also explains how Wilds and Scatters work during the regular games and Bonus Rounds.
To read the paytable, look for the different symbols and their values, which can be found either on the screen or in the game's instructions. Most paytables will also explain the rules of any bonus features that the game might have. It's important to note that the paytable will also indicate the minimum and maximum bets for each spin, as well as any special features or jackpots that may be available. Understanding the paytable is essential for knowing what to expect from the game and how to maximize your chances of winning.
How to Select the Best Real Money Pokies in NZ?
First, you can check pokies from the list we provided, but if you want to do little research on your own, just follow the simple rules
- Pick casinos with a license, as they’re safer.
- Use pokies by verified providers (Novomatic, Microgaming, Betsoft, etc.).
- Try to choose online New Zealand pokies with a high RTP level (95% or higher).
- The more paylines, the higher your chance of winning you have.
- Pay attention to pokies with free spins and other bonuses.
How to Play Pokies for Real Money
There is a standard algorithm to get started with any real money game.
- Search for a licensed casino or use trusted platforms from our review.
- Create the profile and complete the verification process if required.
- Replenish your balance with the minimum required deposit via available payment methods.
- Check the pokie’s description and select the suitable one.
- Start the game, collect winnings and meet the wagering requirements to withdraw funds.
To withdraw funds, most real money pokies require you to bet from x20 to x40 (or even) more than your deposit bonus amount. For example, if you use a 200% bonus on a NZ$ 20 deposit with wagering requirements of x30. In this case, you should wager at least NZ$ 600.
Real Money Pokies: Popular Types and Genres for Kiwi Player
Variants from our best online NZ pokies list are often themed games that use various popular movie or cartoon characters, members of top music bands, etc.
These are the most catchy pokies with vivid graphics and impressive audio effects. Here, you can see characters from Jumanji, The Hulk, and other movies.
No casino is complete without old-school pokies with symbols like cherries, oranges, kiwis, etc.
A vivid example of this theme is the Bloodsuckers or Gothic pokies.
Usually, these are story games that use the theme of robbery, with symbols of gold, precious stones, etc.
These are usually catchy and thrilling pokies with hieroglyphs, images of the gods of the Egyptian pantheon, and so on.
Mobile Pokies in NZ
These are games you can launch on your Android/iOS mobile device via a special casino app or through the mobile version of the site. They have their own pros and cons.
- Ease of access and use
- Some casinos have exclusive bonuses for mobile players
- Faster loading speed
- Small screen size
- Dependence on stable Internet connection
Comparison Pokies for Real Money & Free Pokies
Each pokie type has its one strong and weak sides, you can check from the table below.
Real money pokies online
- A lot of various prizes
- Huge promo offers (free spins, sign-up packages, tournaments, etc.)
- Ability to win real money
- You should place the initial deposit
- You need to provide personal information
Free pokies
- You do not need to pass the registration
- Instant playing
- Ability to try new games
- Low or absence of real money winnings
- A narrow range of rewards
Popular Pokies Payment Methods
Below, you can check the list of trusted financial gateways you can use on casinos from our list.
If you pick this secured method, you should buy a special voucher in Paysafecard points of sale with a special 16-digit code.
This is also a pre-pay voucher method, so to use it, you should get a special card with a code in the outlets.
One of the most popular methods in online casinos. Here, you can buy a gift card powered by Visa.
This is a widely-used electronic wallet that supports over 40 currency types.
This is an electronic money transfer service that operates with 26 major currencies.
This is a popular electronic wallet. All you need to do is to create ecoAccount and add a pre-paid or virtual card.
This is a payment application you can use on iOS and Android mobile devices. Using peer-to-peer technology, you can send money in three simple steps.
Here, a casino may add a fee directly to the phone number bill.
If you are an iPhone or iPad user, you can easily transfer money using this secured and contactless service.
This is a simple transaction way that requires you to input your card name and security number on a casino site you play.
This is the most secure and fast way to pay pokies casinos since you send funds directly, without any intermediary financial institutions.
The Best Pokies Software Providers
Below, you can check the short list of the top providers based on real gamblers’ reviews and our own experience.
This is a top provider that works as a gaming B2B and B2C. It is aimed not only at pokies but also card/table casino games with dealer, bingo, and sports betting.
It is a popular software developer from Albania that is focused mostly on mobile gaming and betting entertainment.
This representative from the gambling market offers high-quality pokie, card/table games, and lottery-type entertainment available in different languages.
This developer offers over 800 different game types and cooperates with over 800 operators all over the world.
This is a relatively new representative in the gambling market that offers a lot of scratches, bingo, and lottery-type games.
Benefits of Pokies Casinos
Check the key advantages of playing online pokies:
- High payout percentages
- Simple control over bet limits
- Ability to play on the go
- High jackpots
- A wide variety of games
- Bonuses and extra cash prizes
Drawbacks of Pokies Casinos
The main minuses of pokies are the following:
- No socializing compared to when you play at home
- Lack of special casino atmosphere
- It may be a long withdrawal time
Pokies Tips and Strategy
Though this game mostly depends on your luck, there are some tips that can help you boost your game experience.
- Set your budget limits.
- Start with playing free pokies.
- Learn available paytables, symbols, and wagering requirements.
- Explore the legality of casinos and particular game operators by checking their licenses and certificates.
Odds of Winning Pokies for Real Money
Always remember that every casino has an advantage from a long-term perspective. It is reflected in the level of RTP and shows the percentage of the total bet amount a casino gives back to players.
As a rule, most pokies offer from 85% to 99%. But in our list, you can find examples with 97% and more. We recommend you pay attention exactly to real money pokies online from the high RTP category.
My analysis of this product shows that playing for real money gives players the opportunity to win real cash prizes while enjoying a wide range of gaming options. Options such as classic three-reel, video pokies and progressive jackpot pokies allow you to find something for every taste.
The convenience of download-free pokies and mobile device compatibility makes it easy to play on the go. Understanding the payout tables is crucial to maximizing your winning potential. For the best experience, I recommend following our tips and playing at licensed casinos, reliable providers and high RTP levels.
John Gold
After a decade in gambling, I've transformed from a casual player into an industry expert. Having tested over 500 pokie machines, I'm ready to share insider tips for an optimal gaming experience.