What Kind of Casino Games are Most Popular in New Zealand?
New Zealand is home to a plethora of casino enthusiasts who enjoy playing various different casino games. Although gambling in New Zealand is technically illegal, Kiwis can still enjoy their favorite casino games at off-shore operators.
So if you’d like to play some of these games you should take the time to browse this list of online casinos accepting New Zealand players and find an establishment that suits your needs the most.
But speaking of casino games, which ones do Kiwis prefer the most? Well, it all depends on individual preferences but online casino tend to keep track of games that are played the most by a certain audience or even a certain demographic of people. The main purpose is to craft better offers and promotions that will encourage local players to come back for more.
After all, casino games tend to be quite enjoyable and entertaining to play, especially these days when such games are powered by the latest and most advanced of technologies. So with that in mind, let’s have a look at what kind of casino games are most popular in New Zealand.
Pokies (Video Slots)
Pokies, also known as video slots, are a type of casino game that is based on spinning reels in order to try and get a winning combination. A long time ago, slots were played on physical machines and they often had three reels with different symbols on them.
The most common symbols were fruit hence the name fruit machines. Today, players from New Zealand can enjoy much more advanced types of slot games that are software-based and available online. These slot games have multiple reels, symbols, different combinations, hidden levels and a myriad of themes.
That’s one of the main reason they are the most popular casino game among Kiwis today as not one video slot game is the same and they all have something unique to them. And if you’re wandering why the name pokies, it’s because slot machines were always placed next to video poker machines so people form New Zealand and Australia began calling all machines pokies.
Video Poker
Video poker is a popular casino game that combines the elements of slots and poker, and is available on numerous off-shore casino websites so it’s perfectly legal to play it. It’s like a video slot game but instead of different symbols, video poker uses standard deck of card images.
Basically, you play a computerized version of poker that functions like a slot game and have winning combination just like in poker. The appeal of it all is that video poker comes in different varieties just like regular card game, only here you don’t have to play against other people but instead you play based purely on luck alone. Video poker uses cards from a standard 52-card deck.
The player can then choose which cards to keep and which ones to discard, after which new cards are dealt to replace the discarded ones. The goal of the game is to make the best possible poker hand with the five cards dealt. Depending on the type of video poker game being played, different payouts are awarded for different hands.
Keno
Keno is a lottery-style game that has been around for centuries. It is played by selecting numbers from a board of 80 numbers, and then 20 numbers are drawn at random.
Players can choose to bet on as many or as few of the numbers as they like, and if their chosen numbers match the ones that are drawn, they win. The amount won depends on how many numbers were matched and how much was wagered. Keno is a game of chance, so there is no surefire way to guarantee a win, which makes it all the more exciting.
Today, a fully digital version of Keno is available to players from New Zealand or a live dealer version that’s just like a traditional one, including the live dealer but in an online setting. Therefore, Kiwis can play Keno without leaving their home and enjoy this game of chance to the fullest.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a popular casino game that is played with one or more decks of cards. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 points as possible without going over.
Players are dealt two cards and can choose to hit (take another card) or stand (keep their current hand). If the player’s hand exceeds 21, they “bust” and lose the round. Online versions of blackjack are more convenient and multiple players can play the same game at once. The great thing is that they don’t play against each other but they’re all trying to beat the dealer.
In live dealer versions of blackjack, players can chat and have some fun while enjoying the game just like in a real casino. That’s why blackjack is a social game and many Kiwis enjoy meeting other people during a nice game of online blackjack.