Casino Games

Our job at this site is to provide players from New Zealand with a guide that helps you to have the most enjoyable gaming experience possible. That’s why we introduce you to all the games you’ll find at our recommended online casinos, along with tips on how to play, wagering strategies, and where to play free games as well.

As well as our reviews of all the biggest and latest release pokies, on these pages you can learn more about the whole range of casino games that are played online. If you want to know more about Basic Strategy in blackjack, how to manage your bankroll when you play roulette, or discover what all the different bets are in craps, this is where you should look first.

Read on or just click on the icons below to learn more about these casino games now.

Pokies

Pokies are undoubtedly the most popular games at New Zealand online casinos, and they offer a huge variety of themes and game styles. Our casinos have pokies in every category, including progressive jackpots, and so slots players will always be able to find a game to enjoy.

• Classic pokies: Many people, when they think of pokies, think of the classic 3-reel version with fruit and number symbols, and this classic version of the game is still regularly played online. Offering straightforward gaming action without the distraction of bonus rounds and other features, these are pokies in their purest form.
• Video pokies: This is a broad category, although it generally refers to 5 reel versions of the game that include many innovations and variations, such as wild and scatter symbols, free spin bonus rounds, rolling reels, expanding wilds and a host of other additions that have broadened the appeal of pokies to meet the demands of a new audience.
• Progressive jackpot pokies: These are networked games that mean you’re playing for potentially enormous prizes from a worldwide jackpot prize pool. A proportion of every losing spin contributes to the jackpot and so these reach astronomical sums very quickly. What’s even better is that to be in the running for these prizes costs no more than playing a regular online pokie.

Card games

Card games have always been an integral part of gambling, and they are firmly entrenched amongst the games offered at online casinos. You can enjoy classics like blackjack, baccarat and poker online in both electronic and live dealer versions.

• Blackjack: A quintessential casino game, blackjack online is equally as popular, and our casinos offer many different varieties of the game, including American, Atlantic City and European blackjack, along with more exotic versions such as Spanish, HiLo13 and Pontoon.
• Baccarat: Baccarat has always been associated with sophistication (it’s James Bond’s favourite game) and the classic punto banco version is played in our recommended casinos, along with other variations of the game. Baccarat is also a very popular live casino game because of the interaction it offers with a real dealer.
• Poker: Poker was at the heart of the electronic gaming revolution, and for many remains the best game to play online. It offers players the opportunity to sit in on a game at any time of the day or night, take part in big money tournaments, and also to play a wide variety of games, including the classics Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud and Omaha.

Dice Games

The origins of dice games can be traced back to antiquity, but their popularity shows no signs of declining – if anything, online gaming has breathed new life into them and opened old favourites up to a new generation, while also introducing little-known Asian dice games to the wider world.

• Craps: One of the most intimidating and confusing games when you see it being played in a land-based casino, craps is actually a relatively straightforward and easy game to understand. It’s popular because of the large number of betting options it offers, and the fact that unlike some games, a single bet can be alive for several rolls of the dice.
• Sic Bo: It’s unlikely that many people could have predicted how popular this ancient Chinese dice game would become online, but it’s now more widely played than ever before. Played with three dice and a virtual table, Sic Bo bears some similarities to both craps and roulette, and is a fast-paced game that’s surprisingly easy to learn.

Roulette

Popular for over 300 years, roulette is played at all the casinos that we list, and you can enjoy European, French and American versions of the game. With its spinning wheel and multitude of betting options, roulette is a lively game that is also popular in live casino versions, where it’s streamed in real time and dealt by real dealers.

Video Poker

Video poker is adapted from classic 5 card draw poker, and features a lower House Edge (and therefore better odds for the player) than just about any other online casino game. Requiring strategy and a clear approach to wagering and bankroll management, popular video poker variations include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Aces & Faces, and Aces & 8s.

Number Games

Popular because of their simplicity and the opportunity to win big prizes, number games are like mini lotteries and are games of chance that offer fun and easy enjoyment.

• Bingo: Online bingo is usually played in 75-ball and 90-ball versions, and the rules are the same as in bingo halls across the world, including the crucial social element through the introduction of chat rooms and side games as an added bonus.
• Keno: A fun and fast-paced game, keno online is straightforward to play and gives players a range of betting options in every ‘race’. Like a lottery, players pick numbers on a card, with wins and payouts determined by how many correct numbers you manage to select in a draw.

Live Casino Games

The appeal of live casino games is that you get the best of both worlds – live gaming action but in the comfort of your own home. Popular games include blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker, and the action will either be streamed from a land-based casino or a purpose-built studio, with the games being dealt by real dealers with whom you can interact.

Some players prefer live casino games because the cards are being dealt to them from a real deck (or multiple decks, in the case of blackjack) and not by a RNG (random number generator).

Mobile Casino Games

For those who want to enjoy casino games on the go on a smartphone or tablet, our recommended sites all have mobile casinos offering an outstanding selection of games including pokies, table games, video poker, live casino games and progressive jackpots.

Syncing accounts across platforms is easy, so that only one username and password is required no matter what device you’re playing on, and games can be played on all of the major operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry.

Mobile casino games can be played directly in the browser of a hand-held device, or via a specialist app which can usually be downloaded from the casino site itself or online stores like iTunes and Google Play.

Other Online Real Money Games

Online scratch cards: Very popular in New Zealand, online ‘scratchies’ are entertaining, easy to play and come in a wide range of themes. A very straightforward game with no complicated rules or terminology, scratch cards offer players a range of stake sizes, making them widely accessible as well.

Playing Casino Games for Free

Most of the casinos we list on our site offer players the chance to enjoy games for free in demo mode (Instant Play), very often without the need to open an account. This means you can try out a new release, practise your strategies, or simply get a feel for what it’s like to play at an online casino, all without it costing you a cent.

Conclusion

The range of pokies and other casino games you can enjoy online today is extensive, and so players from New Zealand have plenty of choice. Our game guides are designed to help you get the most out any game that you choose to play, by sharing the history and origins, explaining the rules, and introducing strategies that can help you to become a better player. Enjoy!