Updated: 05/10/2024

Safe and Trusted Online Casinos for New Zealand Players

Updated: 06/10/2024

For new kiwi gamblers, finding a safe online casino that offers real money gaming services can be a bit challenging. This is because of the 2003 gambling act which prohibits all forms of online betting on websites that runs inside New Zealand. Under the New Zealand gambling laws, citizens are allowed to participate in online gambling as long as the casino isn’t based in the country. This law also states that the New Zealand government is not involved in vetting or regulating the activities of these foreign online casinos. Consequently, this means New Zealand players may have hundreds of online casinos that operate offshore at their disposal, but this luxury comes with a major risk.

How to Find the Most Trusted Online Casinos

Almost all casinos on the Internet claim to be trustworthy and safe. In reality, about half of these gambling establishments are not worth spending your money at. Since the selection of popular online casinos available to New Zealanders is quite huge, it is important for players to be able to recognize the cons and legitimate operators to avoid losing their money to scam websites. Most top online casinos NZ ensure their website is safe and secured for players. However, not all players can spot these casinos at a glance. Also, most of the time, one has to sign up with the casino and test their services to know if they are legit or not. This will take a lot of time and most players will prefer to skip the whole process of trying out one gambling site after the other to find the most trust online casinos.

Fortunately, we are here to make sure kiwi players don’t have to do the hard work themselves. On top-casinos.co.nz, we care about New Zealand players, so we have made it our point of duty to carefully vet hundreds of online casinos and come up with a guaranteed list of the safe online casinos NZ for New Zealanders. Our vetting process involves rigorous background checks and quality testing of various online casinos, which enabled us to come up with our list of the most trusted online casinos we feature on our website. In addition, our detailed guide highlights the features of these safe online casinos and how players can easily spot crooked websites. Our recommendations below are there to guide you when deciding on joining an online casino or when you are in doubt about the legitimacy of a gambling website you are about to sign up with. Our guide will focus on how to identify scam gambling websites and the key features of safe casino sites.

Top 9 Most Trusted Online Casinos in New Zealand

As stated earlier, New Zealand players who are new to online gambling won’t find it hard to locate a real money gaming website. There are various platforms that welcome kiwi gamblers with open arms. Because the New Zealand government cannot regulate offshore casinos, kiwis will have to trust foreign gambling regulatory bodies such as UKGC and independent online casino auditing agencies such as eCOGRA. Using safety as the core criteria as well as other qualities such as quality games, several payment methods options, top software provider, and good customer incentives, we have meticulously hand-picked and ranked the finest and trustworthy online casinos for players who reside in the Land of the Long White Cloud. We can assure you that each of these casinos has gone through various vetting stages. Our expert team have taken their time to sift through hundreds of online gambling sites to compile our list of trusted casino sites.

  1. JackpotCity: Voted in 2024 as the best real money casino online, Jackpot City has earned its position on the top of our list. A casino does not just get ranked as the best if it does not prioritize security and it isn’t licensed by a recognized regulatory authority. Jackpot City holds is licensed under the Malta Gaming Authority. This casino is considered one of the safest for New Zealand players because of its untarnished reputation and long years in the business. Jackpot City is also known for fast payment processing and a high return to RTP.
  2. Platinum Play: This gaming is site is one of the top casinos powered by Microgaming. This proves Platinum Play is a trustworthy casino because Microgaming is a key party in the launch of eCOGRA. Players are unlikely to find any casino associated with Microgaming involved in any dubious activities as the game provider takes strict measures when vetting their partners. Platinum Play has a viable license from the jurisdiction of Malta and runs on a website that is encrypted to prevent a breach of all customers’ information.
  3. Gaming Club: One of the pioneer gambling sites to accept New Zealand players, Gaming Club has been operating in the online gambling market since the early days. As a veteran in the business, this casino boasts a license from the reputable Malta jurisdiction and a seal of approval from eCOGRA. Gaming Club makes our list because of its untainted reputation and high payout of 96.51%. The gaming site also ensures player safety by using the Secure Socket Locker encryption technology.
  4. Royal Vegas: This casino is not only known for its reputation and consistency in the gambling market, but it also holds an award for its outstanding customer support. Royal Vegas is owned by Fortune Lounge and the operator is certified by eCOGRA. In addition to the eCOGRA seal, the casino holds a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. To show their legitimacy and integrity, the casino proudly displays its audit results and return to player percentage on its homepage.
  5. Captain Cooks: This gaming website is also proudly powered by Microgaming. Captain Cooks may not be popular, which is why it took us a while to discover it, but, it’s one of the hidden gems in the online gaming indutry. The casino is licensed in Kahnawake declared safe and fair by eCOGRA. The casino has an impressive variety of progressive jackpots and when we did our research to find out if they are eCOGRA certified, the outcome was positive. This is a good spot player can enjoy quality real money gaming and be rest assured their money is in safe hands.
  6. Spin Casino: Licensed in the Malta jurisdiction, audited and approved by eCOGRA for fair gaming, Spin Casino is at its peak when it comes to safety and trustworthiness. Also, this gambling site is safeguarded by the 128-bit Security Socket Security technology which ensures all personal and financial customer information is out of reach of third parties. The casino’s payout percentage is an impressive 97.6%, which means players are less likely to have issues cashing out winnings as long as all requirements have been met.

Top 3 Safe Mobile Casinos

Online casinos were invented to beat one problem; having to dress up and go out to land-based casinos every time one wants to wager money on casino games. Many players fell in love with this idea and the convenience of real money casino games on their PC or desktop computers. Subsequently, the use of smartphones was accepted by many and online platforms began to see the advantage of making their website suitable for these mini gadgets. The gambling industry wasn’t left behind in this revolution. More players are starting to value the ease of accessing casino games on their smartphones and being able to play anywhere and anytime.

A large percentage of casinos that operate online have a mobile duplicate of their website. This is to make it convenient for mobile users to gamble on their website. A mobile app or website comes in the same format as the actual gamin gaming website, only that it is optimized for smartphones and some games and features might be left out in trying to fit everything in a mobile device. However, some casinos strictly run on mobile platforms and players do not have to feel left out when they can’t access certain games or incentives. For players who are willing to give mobile gambling a try, our list of top safe mobile casinos will start you off on the right foot and inform you on the best sites to enjoy real money gambling using your smartphones. Also, we will give you a brief review of what these websites are all about to help you decide if they are worth your money and gaming time. Most importantly, you can be rest assured these sites have been tested and safe to gamble at.

We can assure you that the mobile casinos reviewed below are suitable for Android and Apple mobile devices as these are the most popular brands in the mobile market. Also, games on these platforms can be played instantly from your mobile web browser or can be downloaded, depending on the option each casino is offering. Playing on mobile platforms does not exempt you from bonuses and incentives as these mobile casinos reward their customers generously.

  1. All Slots Casino: This slot-focused casino was launched in the early 2000s, but they recently began offering their services to mobile users. The All Slots mobile casino is suitable for both Apple and Android-powered devices with no download required. The mobile platform is easy to use and players have a comprehensive list of slots and table games to have fun with. Like the desktop version, All Slots mobile casino is a licensed casino under the jurisdiction of Kahnawake.
  2. Rizk Casino: This operator has completely optimized its website to support various devices ranging from Android to Apple devices. On Rizk mobile casino, players are not restricted to games from only one provider, as this platform offers one of the most extensive game lists from several game vendors to mobile users. This gaming site holds a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority, and the UK Gambling Commission.
  3. Lucky Nugget Casino: This mobile platform offers everything. From video slots, pokies to live casino games without any installation or download required. Players can access the mobile website through their iOS, Android and Windows devices to enjoy the various bonus offers. Lucky Nugget Casino earned its gaming license from the MGA and uses the latest encryption technology. Our verdict; this casino is one of the safest places for New Zealand online gamblers.

Mobile Casino Apps

Another convenient alternative to gambling via a mobile browser is a casino mobile app. Many online casinos are starting to offer their customers dedicated smartphone apps that make gambling on mobile devices more easy and compact. Casino apps serve as an alternative to a mobile website yet offering the same features and games. In some cases, more games are listed on the casino app, compared to what mobile users can access via their browser. While choosing a casino app, we advise players to make sure the platform is licensed in a reputable jurisdiction and audited by an independent body such as eCOGRA. Although, most casinos with mobile apps have to be licensed and operate legitimately before their apps can be listed on Google or Apple store. Also, each casino has terms and condition which may be different on their mobile app. Players are advised to read about all what the casino is offering on their app and about payments methods before they start using the app.

How New Zealand Players Can Identify Unsafe Casinos

For players who are quite familiar with online gambling, it may be relatively easy to spot rogue casinos. However, in certain cases, even expert gamblers can get scammed by dubious gaming establishments. This is because these rogue operators consistently come up with new ideas on how to deceive players. In essence, while some gaming websites will scream “dubious” at first glance, others disguise as legitimate and manage to operate without getting noticed by many. You would rarely find the latter on any list of blacklisted casinos, or find any review on them. Also, some casinos start as a legit website but become dubious after running into a loss. All casinos like this should be avoided if you are keen on making a profit when gambling online

As stated earlier, our list of safe casino sites have been tested and verified, kiwi players can always follow this list to stay on a safe side. However, we know it would be useful to know what to look out for when choosing a gaming site and to know how to differentiate between good online casinos and a scam site. So let’s get started with the list of pointers that gives off unsafe casinos.

No Licensing: First thing first, before you even consider creating an account with any gambling website, it is important you find out if they hold a license from a recognized jurisdiction. If the casino has a license from a country like Costa Rica, you might want to double-check their activities before you make a deposit. The criteria for getting a license from this jurisdiction is quite easy and any illegitimate gambling site can easily get one.

No Security: You log on a casino site and click on your URL bar, only to find out the website isn’t protected. At this point, you should know better than giving your personal or financial details to the operator of such sites. Most shady casino sites do not bother to protect user-information from third parties, thus you are left vulnerable each time you gamble on these sites.

Payment Issues: Scam websites always find their way out of paying winnings to their customers. If you read it anywhere that the casino struggle to pay out winnings, desist from gambling with them or cash out immediately. Some of these casinos are popular for blocking player accounts when they can’t pay out winnings.

Regularly Changing Terms and Conditions: When it comes to changing terms of payment and bonuses, these websites are on steroids. Playthrough requirements or payment terms will regularly be tweaked to avoid paying out winnings. Once you notice this when you are about to cash out your winnings, it is time to take your losses and bid such gambling site goodbye.

Unknown Game Providers: You will rarely find top game providers such as Microgaming, NetEnt and Playtech (to name a few) get affiliate with rogue websites. These companies have built their reputation for many years and will not partner with any website that is not legitimate. Unsafe casinos spot games from unknown studios because they cannot afford to partner with big studios.

Unrealistic and Unwanted Offers: It is not uncommon to find generous bonus offers on online gambling sites. But when the big bonus is being offered by a “not so big” casino you barely know, it is best to avoid such a site. Generally, only top sites can offer big bonuses because they can afford to pay off winnings, small sites who offer huge bonuses are either setting themselves up for bankruptcy or are just out to dupe players. Also, it is not uncommon for shady gambling websites to try and force bonuses on their customers. This is a way to have players wager more when trying to meet wagering requirements and eventually lose their winnings to the casino.

Negative Reviews: There are high chances you are not the first to discover any online casino you are about to join. It will save you money and time to surf the internet to read reviews about a gambling site you want to play real money games on. If by chance you see more negative reviews than positive ones about a casino, it is a key pointer that you should avoid such sites.

Few Payment Methods and Use of Cryptocurrencies: What better way to cover your track when doing shady business online than using cryptocurrencies. While many legitimate casinos allow the use of bitcoin any other cryptocurrencies, they do not force players to use it or overly promote them. Legit gambling websites usually have several payment options including credit, debit cards and e-wallets. On rogue casinos, you will likely only find bank payment option and cryptocurrencies listed as their payment methods. This is because most reputable financial institutions are very careful about who they do business with and they will immediately withdraw their services if they notice their client is into any shady business.

All the parameters listed above are to be double-checked before you sign up with any casino online as most scam platforms do not always look like one. When a gaming website has more than one of the features listed above, that’s a red flag and you should desist from becoming their customer.

How top-casinos.co.nz Finds the Most Trusted Online Casino

As it is important to know the warning signs of an unsafe online casino, it is equally vital to know the characteristics of a trusted casino site. To assist you in finding the safe casino sites, we will share some of the measures we use to test and rate a gaming website before we deem it safe for real money gambling. As you use these parameters as a measure for choosing an online casino, you will find out only a few gambling sites check all the boxes. These are the sites we recommend you join to enjoy quality gambling experience and a chance to increase your bankroll.

  • License: The legal status of the casino is the first we consider first before we start checking out other features. While New Zealand players are allowed to gamble on any offshore casinos, it is important they only stick with gaming platforms that operate legally from a reputable jurisdiction. This way, they can be sure they are in safe hands and the casino is less likely to get involved in shady business. Getting a license from jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Malta, Gibraltar, Curacao, and the Isle of Man is quite expensive, and any casino that cannot afford getting licensed will definitely struggle with paying out winnings. The process of getting licensed by a reputable online gambling jurisdiction is quite long and vigorous, and a casino that can’t measure up is definitely subpar.
  • Software: The software partnered with will always tell the good guys apart from the bad guys. We only choose casinos that offer software from leading game providers such as Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Microgaming, Yggdrasil, Playtech and other reputable companies. These providers offer quality games, which uses RNG and are regularly audited by independent agencies such as eCOGRA. Games from these renowned studios have been certified fair and unbiased, so players are rest assured the system is not rigged against them.
  • Banking (safe deposit and withdrawal methods): Another way we rate online casinos before we include them on our safe casino list, is by checking their financials. We look through their payment options and how easy they make deposits and payment process easy for players. The payment options should only be easy but should also consist of several options. We also look out for payment options like PayPal. This financial institution is very selective of who they allow using their services and only genuine casinos can list them as one of their banking options. Asides the payment methods used, we try to find out if the casino has a record of consistent payments when it comes to paying out winnings. If they rarely hold back player’s winnings, then they are one of the trusted casino sites.
  • Terms: Most players don’t like to put themselves through the herculean task of reading the terms and conditions of each casino they are about to register at. Sometimes they are just too long or written in a manner that is unclear what they are offering. We read the terms of all the casinos we review and make sure to go back and read them again, in case they have been changed. While doing this, one thing we have noticed is that trusted casinos are very straight-forward with their terms and conditions. They also have fair terms when it comes to wagering requirements, dormant accounts, game malfunctions and bonuses.
  • Company information: Safe casinos are always transparent about who their parent company or operator is. Other things like contact details are also usually clearly displayed on the casino homepage to make sure customers have the means to contact the casino if the need arises. We choose sites with excellent customer support with professional staff that handle queries as urgently as possible. This is a good way to know if a casino is legit or not.
  • Blacklists: Before we declare a casino to be safe, we scour the internet for any indication such a site has been blacklisted. All casinos on our list of safe gambling sites were not found on any list of blacklisted casinos.
  • Search for bad reviews: The last thing we take into consideration is the number of negative reviews a casino has garnered over the years since it started operation. A few bad reviews here and there can be overlooked, but if it is consistent and more than positive reviews, we don’t list such casinos. We also refer to casino forums such as Casinomeister.com and AskGamblers.com. These forums feature unbiased reviews of several gambling websites and they are trustworthy.

Conclusion about Safe Online Casinos in NZ

It is natural to only want to gamble on trusted casinos online. It is also normal to want to try your luck and test new waters by giving a new casino a trial now and then. But what we all want to avoid is getting scammed. In the search for an online casino, it is important New Zealanders to aware that not all casinos are open to them. Depending on the gambling laws, some casinos are only able to accept players from certain countries or players within their jurisdiction. Most casinos will have a full list of countries they accept on their page, so players can always refer to the list before the attempt to sign up.

When it comes to options, New Zealand players have various safe casinos to play at. With these options, we can assure you that you won’t need to waste a second at any gambling site that isn’t offering the best safety and quality possible. Gamblers sometimes worry about the number of online casinos they will be left with, when the use several standards to sort the legit sites from the scams. But in reality, there are various safe and trustworthy on the Internet to choose from. Once you know what you are looking for, the search would not be as tedious as you think.

Our safe casino sites guide, as well as our list of most trusted online casinos, are there to guide you when selecting a gambling platform to sign up with. The casinos we have reviewed are known to offer games from the best studios, have diligent customer service, protect user information with the best encryption technology, spot various safe payment methods and most importantly, hold one or more licenses from reputable online gambling jurisdictions. We also make sure to check on the bonus offered by these gambling sites, we can assure you they are part of the best you will find in the market.

All in all, we believe everyone should only gamble on legitimate casinos, this will mean rogue casinos will have to close down their business as they will have fewer players to prey on. This is why we have shared the tips to finding the safe casinos and spotting the bad ones above. With time, you will also be able to tell after a few clicks and scrolls on a scam website that there is something wrong. This is an expertise one gain after years of doing business with several online casinos.


Contributor

Kendall Y. Phillips

Kendall Y. Phillips

Responsible for exploring the gambling market and finding new local brands for our analysts and authors.

Interests: Casinos, Betting