List of the best live casinos in New Zealand
Live casino games are one of the biggest advantages online casinos have over brick and mortar ones. Today New Zealand players can easily play the most popular live casino games online, just like they would at some of the biggest land-based casinos in the world.
The advantages are quite obvious. You never have to leave your house and you can play every table game you can think of, at tables hosted by professional dealers.
At live casinos you can play in real-time, against the real human dealer instead of a computer and feel the thrill like you are in the real land-based casino.
This feature brings the online casino concept one step closer to the real live casino experience. Below we have provided you with a list of the best live casino sites for Kiwis, and much more stuff you should know before you start playing live!
Best live casinos in New Zealand list ↓
Black Spins Casino
- Currency: NZD
- Games: 560+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 0-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Royal Panda
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 1600+
- No deposit bonus: 10 Free spins
- Payout time: 0-24 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Sports Betting
Casiplay
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 300+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 0-24 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Slots Magic
- Currency: €/$
- Games: 2000+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 0-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Wishmaker
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 1000+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 0-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Mychance
- Currency: NZD
- Pokies: 400 +
- No deposit bonus: 20 free spins
- Payout time: 12-48 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Dunder Casino
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 2000+
- No deposit bonus: 20 free spins
- Payout time: 2-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
Yeti Casino
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 750+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 2-72 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Lottery
Betzest
- Currency: NZD
- Games: 1200+
- No deposit bonus: NZ$5
- Payout time: 0-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Sports Betting, Live Betting, Virtual Sports
Bethard
- Currency: NZD
- Games: 900+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 12-24 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Sports Betting, Live Betting
BondiBet
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 900+
- No deposit bonus: 25 free spins
- Mobile friendly: 100%
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Races
CasinoHeroes
- Currency: €
- Games: 700+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Mobile friendly: 100%
- Products: Casino, Live casino, Map
LeoVegas
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 1000+
- No deposit bonus: 22 free spins
- Mobile friendly: 100%
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Sports Betting
Rizk
- Great customer service
- Daily casino races & rewards
- Fast payouts
- Mobile friendly: 100%
- Products: Casino, Live casino and Sport Betting,
PlayOjo
- Currency: €/$
- Games: 3000+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 12-24 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino,
MrGreen
- Currency: €/$
- Games: 1000+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Mobile friendly: 100%
- Products: Casino, Live Casino, Sports Betting
Hello Casino
- Currency: NZ$
- Games: 2800+
- No deposit bonus: x
- Payout time: 2-12 hours
- Products: Casino, Live Casino
How do live casinos work?
The founder of the live casino is Evolution Gaming. Even today they are the leading innovators when it comes to live dealer games. The concept behind the live casino is quite simple.
When the player opens a live dealer game the gameplay is in fact streamed in real-time HD quality from a real live casino floor. The live dealer software allows the player to take a seat at the table and interact with the dealer.
You can easily place bets on the tables and chat with the dealer and even with other players at the table. Depending on the software provider which supplies the games the gameplay can be different.
Still, in general, the live casino software allows players to communicate with the rest of the table, place bets, change the view of the table and easily check the bets history on the table.
Live casino pros
There is a lot of advantages to playing at online live casinos.
- The first and most obvious one is that you never have to leave the house in order to play the games.
- You can easily play at the casino simply by using your laptop or mobile device.
But what makes the online live casino truly attractive is the variety of games. At most local casinos you can’t find live dealer games.
They are all replaced by electronic versions, which is not quite the same experience. At almost every live online casino you can find games that are reserved for the biggest online casinos in the world.
- Wide range of live casino games: While the most popular table games are Roulette and Blackjack, at live online casinos, you will also find other games like Baccarat, Pai Gow, Craps, Sic Bo, Dragon Tiger, Dream Catcher, as well as a variety of poker games like Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud and 3 Card Poker. Such a big offer of live dealer table games is simply impossible to come by at most local casinos.
- Live casino bonuses: Another advantage when playing live dealer games at online casinos is bonus promotions. Most online casinos allow players to claim some bonus promo and use it to play the live dealer games.
- Multiple languages: Another great detail is that the tables are served by professional dealers which are fluent in many world languages. So if you are playing from abroad you can easily talk to the dealer in English or in your native language.
As you can see online casinos offer many benefits when it comes to playing live dealer games.
Live casino cons
As far as the live casino concept goes there are no known disadvantages. The only problem can arise if you are playing with a weak internet connection. This can result in game lagging and may disrupt your gameplay.
- Bonus wager requirements: The only real disadvantage of playing live dealer games is when you play with a bonus. The wagering contribution is a lot lower when playing live dealer games, sometimes as low as 5%. So if you claim a bonus to play at the tables be prepared to wager big amounts before you can ask for a withdrawal.
- No free live games: Another small issue is that you can’t play live dealer games in fun play. So if you want to learn to play the game first you will need to find its electronic version, where you will be allowed to play for funny money.
Tips to consider when choosing a live casino site
When choosing a live casino site you have to take the same factors into consideration as for any other online casino. In the end, live casino sites are simply online casinos where beside pokies and other casino games you can also play live dealer games. So the most important tips when choosing a live casino site are:
- A safe and reputable operator
This is absolutely the first and most important step to choosing a live casino site. Before you make a deposit and start playing make sure that you are playing at a reputable casino.
Make sure to check whether the operator has a valid license. Also, it’s always a good idea to do some basic research across the internet and see what players have to say about the casino in question across gambling forums.
- A rich offer of live dealer games
It’s always a good idea to play at live casinos which have a big offer of live dealer games. Even if you only play roulette you will see that some casinos have a big number of roulette tables.
The game is basically the same, but one table has different rules or limits from another. You can easily try the different roulette variants and find the one which suits your needs the most.
The same rule applies to any other live dealer game. The bigger the games offer, the better your chances are in winning.
- Fast withdrawal time frame
It’s a well-known fact that New Zealand players want to get their winnings as fast as possible. This is why it’s always a good idea to play at live casinos which have a fast withdrawal timeframe. Once you win at the casino you can make a withdrawal and you can use your winnings to play at another casino or simply enjoy spending them.
- Master the game first
Yes, if you’re a newbie it’s imperative that you master the game you want to play first. You can easily do this by trying the electronic version in fun play and you can also find a big number of tutorials on how to play. You see, live dealer games are games of skill as much as they are games of chance. So in order to get the best results, you will first need to become a master in playing the game.
- Use a betting strategy to optimize your gameplay
Using a betting strategy will greatly increase your chances of winning at the casino. There is no proven 100% betting strategy which will help you win all the time. If there were, the casinos would be out of business a long time ago.
But there are a lot of betting strategies that you can use in order to optimize your gameplay and increase your chances of winning in the long run. The betting strategies differ from one game to another, but one is common for all casino games.
Leave while you’re ahead, the longer you play the bigger the chances are that you will lose.
What games can I play in a live casino?
When you visit the live casino section of an operator you will be amazed by the number of games. If the casino is powered by several software providers you can choose from 100+ live dealer games. But at most casinos the classic live dealer games are:
Live baccarat
Baccarat is a very popular game across online casinos and land-based casinos alike. Even though the game was popular at casinos across Asia at first, it’s online casinos which brought it world glory. The goal of the game is to get a score of 9 or as close to 9 as possible. The outcome of the hand can be a win, lose or draw. This simplicity makes the game easy to play and popular among newbie players.
Live blackjack
Blackjack is a well-known casino game where the goal is to beat the dealer by hitting 21 or as close to 21 as possible. There are many variants of blackjack across online casinos, the most common one being 6 deck blackjack with standard rules. The game is fairly easy to play, but you will need to employ some betting strategy and know the rules. With some hard work, you can easily become a blackjack master and take on the dealer.
Live roulette
Roulette is a classic when it comes to living dealer games. The game is very easy to play, but you will need to learn the payouts of the bets and work out a strategy that will maximize your gameplay. It’s also a good idea to play European or French Roulette where the wheel has a single 0. This lowers the house edge and you will have a bigger chance of winning.
Live poker games
Pretty much every live casino offers live poker games. At most casinos, you can play Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud and 3 Card Poker. Depending on the casino you can also find other live poker games, but these are the classic ones. The rules here are simple. You will need to learn how to play the game and take on the dealer or other players.
Importance of internet connection!
As we mentioned earlier the live casino software is basically an HD streaming service, where the gameplay is streamed from the casino floor to your computer or mobile device.
Now some players may think that you need a high-speed internet connection for seamless gameplay. But this is not the case. Any standard broadband connection will be enough for you to enjoy the full effects of the live casino games. What’s important here is to have a stable connection.
You may have noticed while playing pokies that if your internet connection is interrupted for a few seconds the reels will lag and you will eventually keep on playing from where you stopped. In live casinos, this is not the case.
If your internet connection is unstable the stream will freeze and continue in real-time. This may lead to some problems like not being able to place a bet or not seeing the outcome.
So, unless you’re using a dial-up connection you should have no problems playing the games.
Live dealer casino providers
Today there are a number of companies that offer players live dealer games. Every casino provider has its own casino floor offering players a different experience.
So if you want to play the same games in a new light it’s always a good idea to try different software providers.
The biggest names in the live casino industry are:
Evolution Gaming
As we mentioned earlier Evolution Gaming is the founder of the online gambling industry. The company was founded in 2006 and ist headquarters were based in Riga, Latvia. This is where they built the first casino floor, marking the birth of the live online casino.
Today the company is a giant in the online gambling industry with over 3,000 employees and close to 100 live casino games. The most reputable online casinos for New Zealand players offer the Evolution Gaming games, along with games from other software providers.
Netent
Today NetEnt is the leader in the online gambling industry, but they entered the live casino market quite late. Since they managed to climb to the top of the industry it was very easy for them to expand to the live casino market. The live dealer games were simply added to their games portfolio, so they became a strong competitor for Evolution Gaming.
Microgaming
Microgaming is considered to be the founder of the online gambling industry, but they too were late to enter the live casino market. But even so, their live casino games are very popular among players, since they have a rich portfolio.
What’s interesting about Microgaming is that they launched the Playboy Live Casino. The casino floor here is in the dominant red color and all the dealers come with the recognizable Playboy Bunny costumes. Needles to say that these games are incredibly popular among New Zealand players.
Live dealer games vs Online casino games
Live dealer games and online casino games are very different in every way. Usually, you can divide the players at the casinos into these two categories; slots players and table games players.
Many players like to play slots and other casino games because they are simple to play and offer a massive return on your bet.
You can easily score payouts of 1,000 times the total stake or even millions of dollars per spin if you play some of the Mega Jackpot slots.
But these games have a high house edge and you can easily lose your balance. On the other hand, live dealer games have the lowest house edge compared to all other casino games.
But in order to be a successful player at the tables you have to master the game and come up with a strategy that will suit you the most.
Even though the potential bet return on table games is a lot smaller when compared to slots the low house edge means that you can win bigger in the long run.
Live casino bonuses
Claiming a casino bonus at live casinos is basically the same as claiming any other bonus at the casinos. But there are some things which you need to be aware of and look out for when claiming a live casino bonus.
- Allowed live dealer games
When playing at a New Zealand live casino you can come across some bonus promo which can be a 100% match deposit bonus up to $500 for live dealer games. But when you look at the fine print you can see that the bonus is allowed for play only on live roulette and live blackjack. This can be tricky if you like playing other live dealer games like poker or baccarat.
So before you claim a live casino bonus always make sure to see whether the games you want to play are in fact allowed for play.
- Maximum bet per hand
This is one of the first things New Zealand players pay attention to when claiming a live casino bonus. At some casinos, the maximum allowed bet per hand can be only $5 or $10. At others, it can be much higher like $50 or even more.
Always make sure to know what the limit is in order to avoid any problems with your future withdrawals.
- Wagering contribution
The wagering contribution is one of the most important features when it comes to the live casino bonuses.
At all online casinos live dealer games have a much lower wagering contribution than other casino games. At some casinos, this can be only 5%, while at others it can go as high as 25%.
So in order to increase your chances in meeting the wager always make sure to go for those promos where the live dealer games wagering contribution is higher.
Live mobile casinos
When the live casino software was first launched players couldn’t access the games from their mobile devices. The technology at that time simply wasn’t advanced enough to provide this feature.
But with newer mobile devices this problem was overcome and today players can enjoy every live dealer game from their mobile device. This is mostly done thanks to the multi-view feature where you get several viewing angles of the table.
For example, in live roulette, the camera shows the bets table when you place a bet and is then transferred to the wheel when the bets are closed, so you can clearly see where the ball lands.
This way you will have a clear view of everything that is happening on the table while playing from your mobile device. Naturally, the software is fully optimized to run on all Android and iOS devices, guaranteeing a problem-free and seamless gameplay.
Future of Live Casinos
Well, the future of live casinos is without a doubt in VR. This project is already on the way and in the future, it’s expected for a player to use Virtual Reality and play the games as if he were in a real live casino.
You will be able to casually stroll across the casino floor, take a seat at any of the tables and play. For now, the only thing that remains is to wait and see what the casino industry has in stock when it comes to living casinos.
Evolution Gaming. They were the first to introduce this software in the industry and still hold the throne even today.
Yes, you can play legally at any of our recommended live casinos.
You will always find an available seat at the tables, even while playing Blackjack thanks to the Bet Behind feature.
Yes, on each live dealer game there is a chat window. Here you can talk directly to the dealer and with other players on the table.
Yes, all of the live dealer games are proven to be legit by independent testing agencies.
Yes, you can claim a live casino bonus and freely play the live dealer games.
Yes, all of our recommended casinos allow Poli deposits for New Zealand players.
Not necessarily, a basic broadband connection is enough for smooth gameplay.
Some casinos next to the regular interface, offer you to download applications. Again it’s all up to you. Some people prefer to play through discounted apps while some play partially through the browser.
No, the casino has high costs for running the games so fun play is not allowed for live dealer games.
