Casinos in New Zealand

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Introduction

Researching any topic and finding information about it today is a simple process that can take just a few minutes. Instead of walking in a casino, investing funds and playing games and only then discovering what kind of a casino it is and whether you like it, in our modern society, you can read all about it prior and decide how you feel about it and if you want to give it a go. Knowing regulations and laws is of great importance but it is also useful to know what are the favorite spots of gamblers, what do they offer and perhaps a bit about the history of the country and gambling in general!

New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is divided into two main islands, the North and the South Island and there are over 700 additional islands. In the 13th and 14th century, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and they developed Maori culture. The first European to set foot on and map New Zealand was captain James Cook in 1769. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony of Britain. After that, there were many conflicts between Maori tribes and the colonial government. In 1907, New Zealand became a dominion and it declared full independence in 1947.

Today, there are over 5 million people in New Zealand, most of whom are of European descent. The culture is a mixture of European and Maori and it has been expanding due to the recent influx of immigrants. The capital is Wellington but the city with the most residents is Auckland. The official languages are English and Maori and the operating currency is the New Zealand Dollar.

The History of Gambling

It seems that gambling in New Zealand goes back to the 19th century. During that time, people placed bets on cards and athletic competitions but the most popular was wagering on horses. Protestant churches did not approve of this and by the end of the 19th century, bookmakers were not allowed to attend horse-racing meetings. Until the 1980’s, gambling was limited to lotteries and betting on horses. In the 80’s, there were some large changes in this area. The lotto, which was a weekly draw of numbers, gradually attracted the interest of many residents and in the 2000’s, the game was regularly played by more than a half of the population. Electronic gaming machines (‘one-armed bandits’ or ‘pokie machines’) became legal in 1988 for sports clubs, hotels, chartered clubs and the like. In 2003, land casinos were introduced in several major cities and the effect of this was a reduction in the interest and spending in racing. As a result, other sports to bet on were offered and from then on, various forms of betting became popular (gaming machines, casinos, lotteries, betting on sports…).

Legislation and Jurisdiction

Gambling in New Zealand is controlled by the Department of Internal Affairs. In order to have a legal gaming venue, it must be authorized by or under the Gambling Act 2003. It is prohibited to offer online gambling within New Zealand so there are no online casinos however, players are allowed to participate in online gaming when it is offered by casinos outside the country. This has its good and bad sides. On one hand, anyone can join any of the thousands of online casinos all over the world but on the other hand, if you are mistreated at an online casino there is no one to turn to for help.

When land casinos are concerned…

To play lotteries, engage in sport betting and purchase scratchcards, individuals must be at least 18 years old. In order to enter a brick and mortar casino, they need to be at least 20 years old.

Gambling in New Zealand has produced massive revenues in recent years. There aren’t that many land casinos here but they sure are spectacular and offer top notch entertainment!

Popular Spots and Games

The casinos here are never just casinos, they are a part of a resort or a hotel that also has restaurants, bars, shops and other forms of amusement. The casinos are usually packed with numerous slot machines and games like Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Tai Sai, Snake Eyes, Casino Wars, poker variants…

Some of the available land casinos include SkyCity Casino, Grand Casino and Christchurch casino. SkyCity owns multiple casinos: one in Auckland, one in Hamilton and two in Queenstown.

Banking

New Zealanders are big fans of cards and the majority of transactions are made by cards. The cards that are accepted include American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Diners Club; however, Visa and MasterCard can be used widely throughout the country while the others have a shorter list of places that accept them.

There are plenty of e-wallets around the globe and they surely are a rather convenient way of making payments so they may be used in New Zealand. Some of the favorite ones are PayPal, ApplePay, GooglePay and AliPay. If you go to New Zealand you will maybe hear about Stripe, a payment processor for online payments, and last but not least are wire transfers that are generally welcomed everywhere.

To Conclude

The gambling market in New Zealand may be limited in the field of online gaming but when it comes to land casinos, it has just started thriving and will only go up from here!

The government of the country has recognized the entertainment factor and appeal but also the revenue to the country that this type of industry has. The figures generated in gambling in recent years have been astronomical which proves that the casinos have got it right. If you are in the mood to travel to New Zealand, apart from the amazing nature and sights, you can get the thrill of slot machines, table games and live casino games in any of the venues. Hopefully, we have brought you enough insight and information about this and satisfied your curiosity!