New Zealand is home to six land-based casinos, the number of casino licenses that are allowed in the country. Until a license is given up, there’ll be no casinos in the capital, Wellington.

In terms of playing online in New Zealand, you can, although you’ll need to use foreign operators.

Whether you live in New Zealand or have plans to visit the country, these are the best land-based casinos in the country.

1. SkyCity Auckland

SkyCity Auckland is at the bottom of NZ’s tallest buildng, the SkyTower

SkyCity is a casino located at the heart of Auckland’s central business district. Launched in 1997, SkyCity is more than a gambling establishment. It’s an entertainment complex.

It features an auditorium capable of hosting 700+ guests. It has bars, restaurants and a gaming floor armed with 1600 pokie machines. On top of that, the casino regularly hosts poker and blackjack tournaments.

In the usual spirit of large casinos, SkyCity has a four-star hotel with 323 luxurious rooms and all the bells and whistles of a modern hotel.

Interestingly, SkyCity has another hotel located adjacent to the casino opened in 2005, The Grand.

2. SkyCity Queenstown

You guessed it right. SkyCity Queenstown is owned and operated by the SkyCity Entertainment Group. It opened in 2000 as only the fourth casino in New Zealand.

It’s a small establishment with 86 pokies and four gaming tables. Although SkyCity Queenstown is small in size, it’s located in a picturesque area nicknamed as the ‘Alps of the Southern Hemisphere.’ This makes it an excellent stopover for someone in Queenstown as a tourist or for business reasons.

If you like to participate in community events, book a date with the casino during the annual Wine and food festival, or the Queenstown Winter Festival. The casino regularly sponsors these events in addition to completing donations to local charities.

3. Christchurch Casino

Christchurch is the oldest casino in New Zealand. It is located in the largest city of the South Island of NZ: Christchurch. Established in 1994, this casino enjoyed a monopoly for a few years before more casinos opened.

Although it was the first casino in NZ, Christchurch is not the largest. Armed with 500+ slots, Christchurch falls short of the more than 1600+ gambling machines you can play at SkyCity Auckland.

To be clear, a gaming floor of 500+ pokie machines is impressive. If you’re a guest at the establishment for one night, you could play all night and not be bored.

On the downside, Christchurch has restrictions about who can enter the casino. You must be a registered customer over the age of 20 years to get access. That’s disappointing.

4. Grand Casino Dunedin

Grand Casino Dunedin has a long history that dates back to 1883. Back then, the casino was designed to be a hotel, known as the Grand Hotel throughout the 20th century.

In 1999, the hotel launched a casino section and officially rebranded as the Grand Casino Dunedin. It has nearly 200 slot machines and a handful of table games like blackjack, poker and roulette.

Besides casino games, Grand Casino is also known for its prestigious hotel services. You can relax in a state-of-the-art lounge, drink beer at its bars or a sleep at the hotel.

5. SkyCity Hamilton

Operated by SkyCity Entrainment an armed with more than 330 pokie machines, SkyCity Hamilton is a solid Casino.

One of the main complaints some people have about this casino is that it has too many slots and not enough table games. For clarity, SkyCity Hamilton has slightly over 20 gaming tables, some of which only welcome VIP customers.

6. SkyCity Wharf Casino

Queenstown may be a small town, but they do have a second casino located on the waterfront. Unfortunately, as a result of the pandemic it is closed for the time being with no date announced when it’ll be open again.

New Zealand Online Casinos

Land-based casinos are great, but they have their flaws. For example, you must leave your house and drive to Auckland to enjoy games at SkyCity Auckland.

If you have a favorite pokie machine, you must hope it will be available when you get there. If you’re a poker player, you can only hope you will find a table with players you’re comfortable against, and at the right stakes.

Owing to that backdrop, online casinos are getting popular in New Zealand. Players particularly enjoy websites with online casino bonuses which give you a chance to run up your bankroll. And you can use the extra money to maximize your profits.

Here are some of the most popular online casinos in New Zealand:

Jackpot City

Jackpot City is one of the best online casinos in NZ. It has more than 400 pokie machines and 50+ live dealer games. The casino works on both mobile and desktop devices.

And there’s more. Like every leading casino in New Zealand, Jackpot City welcomes new players with a bonus. You can claim up to $1600 worth of bonuses during your first four deposits.

Casimba Casino

Casimba has more than 500 slots from over 20 software providers. It also features a live dealer section through which you can play poker, blackjack and roulette with friends.

Similar to its peers, Casimba doesn’t welcome you empty handed. If you make a deposit, you receive a bonus. The site gives out bonuses during your first four deposits for a maximum of $2000.

Royal Vegas Casino

Similar to Casimba, Royal Vegas awards you every time you make a deposit, up to the fourth time. Each bonus is worth a maximum of $1200. Keep in mind, though, you must wager through the bonuses 70x before you can withdraw your winnings.

With that in mind, Royal Vegas is an award-winning casino. It is also jam-packed
with games from leading software providers.

And there we have it, six awesome casinos you can play at in New Zealand. And if you find yourself in need of playing online casinos in New Zealand, there’s a few options for you too.