If you’re looking for the best online pokies to play for free or real money, you’ve come to the right place.
On this page, you can compare the various pokies types, find the best bonus for your game and see the
leading titles from the most popular games makers.
To get started straight away, play free pokies here, or sign up with one of our
recommended sites below.
All sites on our recommended list of New Zealand casinos have passed our strict review process, designed to
protect players from unreliable and unscrupulous casinos.
Below you'll find the latest casinos to have failed our robust checks for safety, security and fairness. In our
opinion any sites on this list should be avoided at all costs.
Cool Cat
2 / 10
Misleading advertising undermining player safety
Unclear wagering requirements
Low quality games displayed on site
Grand Prive
2.3 / 10
Unresponsive to customer complaints
Misleading claims of international licensing
Poor casino practises used
Planet 7
1.2 / 10
Unprofessional customer support
Have stalled winnings being paid
Customer issues left unsolved
How We Review Online Pokie Sites
1
Security and Fairness
The first thing we’ll look at when reviewing a pokie site is the security it offers. We will
only ever recommend sites regulated by reputable organisations, such as the UK Gambling Commission, as this
means that there’s someone keeping a keen eye on everything. We also will only recommend a site if it can
prove that its games are completely honest and fair. They usually do this by getting a certificate from an
external company such as eCOGRA.
2
Games and Bonuses
Slots games are at the heart of all the best online pokies sites. There should also be a large selection of free and real money games. They should have big prizes and come in a variety of types and themes. We also expect good bonuses from every online casino in New Zealand, meaning you should be able to grab a great welcome bonus, as well as other bonuses, like free spins and loyalty points.
3
Banking Options and Customer Service
Banking might not be the most interesting topic, but it’s really important. We want to see a
large range of depositing and withdrawing options, including credit/debit cards and e-wallets, plus we
also don’t want to see any unnecessary charges. While reviewing a site, we’ll also contact customer
service and ask them loads of questions, and we want to get quick and accurate answers to all of them.
We also expect to be able to contact the site in question via many methods.
Give an Overall Conclusion and Assign a Score
Once we’ve looked at everything, we’ll be in a position to assign the site a score. We take a
long time deciding this score, as we know it’s important. If the score is high enough, we will then
place the casino in question onto our list of recommended places to play. We’ll then revisit the casino
on a regular basis, just to double check that nothing has changed. If it has, we will update the review
straightaway and reassess the overall score.
Playing for free is undoubtedly a great way to practice and learn how to play pokies, however you
won’t win money while playing free pokies. This means you have to make a choice -
play for free or start playing online pokies for real money. Take a look at the pros and cons of both below.
Free Pokies
Real Money Pokies
You can play free pokies with no download and also without registering for anything
When playing real money online pokies, you have the chance to play for the top progressive jackpots
You can try out a large variety of titles and play for as long as you like without worrying about your budget
When you play for real money, you’ll find that you have access to a much larger set of games
Playing for free allows you to practice without the risk of losing money while you’re learning how games work
Bonuses and promotions are geared towards those who play casino games for real money
When playing free online pokies, you won’t earn any loyalty points or other bonuses
It takes a little longer to get playing, as you'll need to log in and make a deposit
There’s no chance of winning any money when you play free pokies
You'll need to be mindful of how long you play and how much you spend online
You’ll find that online pokies come in many shapes and sizes, however they can generally be split into
five different categories - although some games might span two or more of these categories. From simple
3-reel pokies through to complex video slots, you’ll find everything, so why not try them all and see
which type of online pokies you prefer?
3 Reel
5 Reel
Video Pokies
3D Pokies
Progressive Pokies
3 Reel
3-reel pokies are usually very simple, with few or no bonus features. They’re best for the
purists, who prefer slots how they used to be.
5 Reel
5-reel slots generally have more features and more paylines. They can also feature things like
wild symbols, scatters and free spins.
Video Pokies
If you’re looking for pokies with all the bells and whistles, video pokies are for you. Not
only do they offer great features, but they also have huge prizes.
3D Pokies
As the name suggests, 3D pokies have fantastic 3D graphics, making every spin a fun one. Big
prizes and fun features are also usually found.
Progressive Pokies
Progressive pokies have the biggest prizes around, as they
keep building as people play. They can sometimes have jackpots worth millions!
Tips on How to Win at Pokies
Tip 1
While progressive pokies look very appealing, you’ll actually have a better chance of winning money when playing non-progressive titles.
Tip 2
Always play the maximum number of paylines as this gives you the best possible chance of winning on every spin.
Tip 3
Learn how to play pokies on the free games before you progress to playing for real money as this will allow you practice without risking your own hard-earned cash.
Tip 4
Only ever play pokies at a site we’ve recommended as we’ve already double checked to ensure that they’re reputable and trustworthy.
Bonus Calculator
Calculate the best bonuses available online.
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Casino
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As some casinos will give the best bonus right on your first deposit, and others might require several deposits to unlock the offer, the casino with the best offer here will change depending on the amount you enter.
Bonus Awarded
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Total bankroll figures depend on the way the casinos award their bonuses. A casino might offer the same bonus as another overall, but will require 1, 3 or several deposits to reach the full reward. This is why the same casino can rank differently for different amounts you enter.
Total Bankroll
New players can usually take advantage of a casino’s welcome bonus to get them
started. This will help you build your bankroll from day one and make the most of your deposit. Some
casinos also offer no deposit bonuses for new players, which allows you
to try out and win at real money games without risking your own cash. You can use our bonus calculator
to discover some of the best bonus matches available to you.
Free Spins
Free spins can also be a part of an online casino’s welcome package. For new players,
it means they can get more for their money and play with less risk of losing out. Whatever
the package, be sure to check the T&C’s for any wagering requirements before you start playing.
Tip: The best possible bonus is a large one, however it should also have a low wagering requirement
- we think anything less than 30x is decent.
Different types of Jackpots
When you play at real money casinos you might come across four different types of
jackpots. Each of these types
will help determine the size and frequency of the jackpot payout as well as which players contribute to the
prize pot.
Playing Pokies on the Go
These days, it’s more important than ever that we can take our entertainment with us wherever we go.
Thankfully, most online casinos and games makers understand this and have created apps
and mobile sites, so you can take your favourite games with you. Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, you’ll never have to miss out on the
fun.
Top Pokies Providers in NZ
It’s a common misconception that casinos create the pokies. Instead, they’re created by various software
providers, and you can learn about the biggest and best of them below…
Microgaming: The biggest name in the casino world and the company everyone else aspires to be.
They have created some of the world’s biggest and best pokies and have been doing so since back in 1994.
Most notably they created Mega Moolah, the progressive slot with the biggest ever jackpot.
NetEnt: NetEnt is a massive name and they are synonymous with creating innovative and interesting
games, such as Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest and Finn and the Swirly Spin. When you start playing a NetEnt
slot, you never know what the twist will be, plus the jackpot should be massive.
Playtech: Playtech is the final name in the big three, along with Microgaming and NetEnt, and
they have been making pokies for years. We think that their progressive jackpot slots in the Age of the
Gods series are superb, plus we also really love playing titles like Gladiator and Top Gun.
BetSoft: If you’re playing a BetSoft slot machine, you’re probably experiencing some of the best
graphics around. BetSoft slots often have 3D graphics, plus the animations are great. It’s not all show
though, as BetSoft slots also often have great bonus features and really big prizes.
Play n Go: You might not have heard of Play n Go, but if you’re a pokies fan, you’ll probably
have played one of their games. Book of Dead is one of their biggest titles and many casinos offer free
spins on this game, plus you should also love playing Wild North and Golden Ticket, amongst others.
Aristocrat: Aristocrat is an Australian company, best known for making land-based pokies. They
also have a foot in the online market with their popular Australian
online pokies, and have converted many of their best games into online
slots. Popular Aristocrat slots include Zorro, Queen of the Nile and Lucky 88.
IGT: IGT are also well-known for their land-based pokies, but they’re also responsible for
creating some of the biggest ever online titles as well. Da Vinci Diamonds and Cleopatra are both
massively popular with players, offering loads of excitement and huge jackpots.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do pokies work?
To start, you’ll need to choose how much money you’d like to bet with. Then you spin and wait
for the reels to come to a standstill. After that, you’ll be able to see if you’ve won or
even triggered an exciting bonus feature.
How do you win online pokies?
There’s no sure-fire way to win on pokies, but there are some strategies that can help you out. One way is to familiarise yourself with the game by playing for free first. This will help make you more aware of the game’s features, buttons and bonuses when playing with real money. If you want to try and win big, games with progressive jackpots are your best bet.
What are the best sites to play online pokies in New Zealand?
There are plenty of online gaming sites for New Zealand players, so it may seem difficult
choosing just one to sign up for. Our team of expert reviewers have created a list of the
best online casinos to play pokies at based on our detailed testing criteria.
What are the best online pokies games?
It all comes down to personal preference. Some people go for eye-catching jackpots,
unique visuals, a certain number of lines or just great bonus features. To find something
for you, we’d go with any pokies from top software providers like
Microgaming, NetEnt
and Playtech.
Are online pokies rigged?
No, as long as you pick a reputable casino. The best casinos online are all externally
monitored for fair gaming practices. This means that they use Random Number Generators
to run their games – one of the fairest software methods for online gaming.
What percentage do pokies payout?
Typically, online pokies have a payback percentage of between 75% and 99%. However,
this is not an indication of how often a player can expect to win. There’s always an
element of randomness that predicts the outcome for pokies.
Are online pokies safe?
Yes, as long as you choose a secure online casino to play at. Each casino that we recommended
is tested for its SSL encryption as well as how well they protect player’s personal details.
Beyond that, we check to see if a casino has been verified by global gaming regulators.
How do online pokies compare to land-based versions?
The rules remain pretty much the same. However, online casinos typically can have a wider variety of
pokies to choose from and give you 24/7 access to games – so you can play whenever you feel like it.
What progressive jackpots are available?
There are hundreds of high-quality pokies, many of which have progressive jackpots.
Some of the best in quality and winnings are the Marvel pokies like Iron Man, which all contribute
to the same jackpot. Other notable games include Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune, and Dark Knight Rises.
How do I find the best free pokie games?
Many online casinos offer their pokies for free so that players can learn the game features
before playing with real money. Head to our exclusive free pokie games table to get started
today, with no download required.
How to pick a winning pokie machine
All pokies are random so unfortunately, there’s no secret strategy that will help players win the top prizes. However, it’s worth keeping an eye on the prize pots for different games, and avoiding any that have been won recently.
How do pokies jackpots work?
It depends on the type of jackpot. Progressive jackpots are the biggest, but there are several other kinds you can win.
