Online Pokies New Zealand

NZ online pokies are produced by dozens of providers and they have a few common properties that set them apart from other casino games. Every normal video slot has certain symbols used during the game. Symbols are normally positioned in a rectangular shape, forming columns (reels) and rows. As a rule, the overwhelming majority of online pokies have 5 reels and 3 rows (this means 15 symbols are displayed on the screen simultaneously). Slots known as classic tend to have 3 reels and 3 rows. Sure, there are many exceptions to these rules.

Each pokie has a paytable that shows all winning combinations of symbols and related cash (or coin) prizes. The greater a reward, the lower are chances of hitting it. In some pokies online, a prize exceeds 5000 coins. By the way, potentially high winnings are a major reason why players gravitate toward playing the best video slots. No other casino game is able to award a prize equal to the total bet times 1000. Other popular casino games, like blackjack and roulette, offer way lower returns.

Before beginning a round, a player may change a bet size if needed. This is done by altering the following values: a coin size (in some games, this is a fixed category) and the amount of coins on a payline. By making these adjustments, an NZ casino visitor may play pokies online spending a mere cent per line.

A spin can either bring a certain win according to the paytable or be lost. Generally, most winnings occur when a number of icons match on a payline (normally, at least three icons of a kind are needed). Multiple winnings are also possible in case that symbols match on several paylines simultaneously. Online pokies NZ often have modifiers, like wild symbols, that are able to multiply a winning sum by x2 or greater. Generally, a real online pokie has a couple of bonus features that add diversity.

Online pokie players can be selective when it comes to choosing titles at a video slots online casino. This is because there are several providers with different kinds of slots, designs, and features. If you are an NZ player, chances are that you'll come across pokies from a few popular providers at the best casinos. Below is a short list of some of the best-in-class software providers when it comes to pokies in NZ:

Microgaming

Even though Microgaming is one of the earliest suppliers of online casino software, it's still thriving. It's a well-known name in the pokies market because of its high-quality slots and generous payouts. With so many games to choose from, it might be a challenge to choose the finest from Microgaming. According to Guinness World Records, Microgaming has paid out the largest online slot machine progressive prizes ever. Mega Moolah, Microgaming's most popular online slot machine, is known for awarding the highest jackpot in online slots machine history, with a prize of NZD28,757,400 handed to a lucky player in 2015.

NetEnt

Founded in 1996, Net Entertainment (NetEnt) is an online game company that has weathered the test of time and gained the trust of NZ players. Their software today ranks as one of the finest in the world for internet gaming, outdoing firms in terms of graphics and overall game quality. They have way fewer games than Microgaming but they are allegedly more perfect visually. Gonzo's Quest (2011) is their flagship slot, which saw a revamped and extended edition in 2020. As expected, this slot provider also stays at the forefront of innovation when it comes to game creation. An example was its launch of the cluster pays mechanics with its Aloha Сluster Pays slot game. This model gained fans quickly and saw other providers incorporating it into their games in no time.

Pragmatic Play

One of the biggest software developers for online casinos, Pragmatic Play, was founded in 2015. As of late, their games can be found in many of the best online casinos in NZ, including a number of crypto casinos, thanks to the company's rapid rise in popularity. So far, the provider has offered many pokies, including a remake of the famous Dog House slot. They come up with many video slots with free spin rounds, Sticky Wilds, Raining Wilds, and other exciting bonus features that can boost your bankroll considerably.  

ELK Studios

ELK Studios is an online gambling software provider that came into the market in 2012 and offers an impressive games portfolio to players. Online pokies from this provider include attractive graphics. With this provider, pokie players can select a betting strategy to suit their gameplay. The Optimizer, Jumper, Leveller, and Booster options are the unique betting strategies applicable to pokies from this provider. Famous titles from ELK Studios include Tahiti Gold, Taco Brothers, and Wild Toro.

iSoftBet

iSoftbet is famous for creating impressive graphics and cinematic effects in their games. The company features some branded games made in collaboration with major TV and film studios. Some of the most well-known online slots from iSoftbet use movie props and settings to provide the illusion of playing in an actual film theatre. Popular iSoftBet titles include Beverly Hills 90210, Paranormal Activity, Heavy Metal: Warriors, and Basic Instinct.

Play'n GO

Play'n GO was founded by a group of iGaming aficionados who had previously worked as contractors for some of the industry's biggest names in the 1990s. First to launch a mobile casino game, this company ushered in an era of on-the-go entertainment in 2007. More than a hundred games, including video pokies, are available from Play'n GO. Games like Gemix, Golden Ticket, Mermaid's Diamond, and Moon Princess are amongst their popular offerings.

Quickspin

Quickspin is a Swedish game development studio with over 40 video pokies in its catalogue, each with its unique look and feel. One of the special features this provider adds to its games is the Achievements Engine. Quickspin has a wide variety of themed pokies, including ones based on fairy tales and well-known classics. Some of the best games available to NZ punters from this company include Big Bad Wolf, Sinbad, and Razor Tooth.

Red Tiger

Red Tiger is a young company, having been founded in 2014. The pokie machines from this company are stunningly designed. Despite the fact that they have a cartoonish aesthetic, they are never dull. Some of the company's best games include innovative features like Power Lines, Aztec Wheel, and Win Wheel. Fun games from this provider available to NZ players include Rainbow Jackpots, Cirque De La Fortune, and Aztec Spins.

Picking the best gambling sites with online video slots for real money is a tricky endeavour, even for NZ players. However, when you know what makes the perfect gambling site, you can have access to all the best games you want in no time. Below are some of the things we consider before listing the top New Zealand online gambling sites to play pokies.

Easy registration procedures

NZ players looking to play video slots online do not like wasting time on online casino registrations. This means setting up an account to play pokies should be straightforward. Before we recommend a site for gambling, we ensure to confirm that the registration process can be completed in a short time. Also, the required steps should be easily understood. Signing up at your preferred online gambling site should be possible regardless of the device you choose.

Diverse bonus program

In order to entice new customers, several online gaming firms provide bonuses. Several of them are quite impressive, to say the least. We only suggest gambling platforms that have player-friendly bonuses and promotional deals from time to time. A diverse bonus program will appeal to almost all kinds of players as these deals could bring a bankroll boost. 

When it comes to casino bonuses, we also take a closer look at the fine print. For example, a 500% welcome bonus for new players sounds wonderful, but if you must wager it 50 times in 7 days to keep it from expiring, it becomes nearly impossible for an average player to meet the requirements. 

Sometimes, you may need a video slots bonus code to claim free spins as part of a welcome offer. If that is needed, we ensure that the code is easily available to NZ players before listing a casino. Other promotional offers at the best NZ pokies casinos include:

• Welcome bonus: At registration, NZ casinos can offer free money, free spins, and other perks to encourage new players. Sometimes video slots with no deposit bonus codes can be played using a no deposit bonus. Other times, the first deposit will be needed to claim a welcome bonus.

• Reload Bonuses: Casinos offer reload bonuses when you top up your gambling account as a returning player

• Free spins: With these, you may play pokies and make money without taking any risks.

• Cashback: This bonus is perfect on days when you've hit a losing streak. Cashbacks offer you a percentage of your losses of a specified duration.

• VIP perks: If you've been loyal to an NZ casino, you deserve to be rewarded with some VIP treatment. This means you can get a wide range of perks, including faster customer support, tailored bonuses, and more.

Reliability and good reputation

Trust us when we state that if an online casino isn't completely legitimate and allowed to accept players from New Zealand, we won't suggest it. We always confirm that an online casino is authorised to operate by the proper regulator. Many websites have a badge from the relevant authorities in the footer. 

Even so, we look for casinos authorised by the leading regulatory agencies, like the MGA, UKGC, and other relevant bodies. These licences are proof of reliability as the authorities hold operators accountable for the quality of their services to players. Also, it will help if you never play in an online casino unless it has a positive reputation among other gamers. Reputation is everything for a gambling website.

Variety of online pokies

If you want to find video slots to play online, it's always a good idea to have a wide variety of options. We check the library of pokies at every NZ casino we review before adding them to our list. If the slot games section looks limited to a small number, such a casino might not be a good fit for pokie fans.

Software companies or providers that the online casino collaborates with is another element that we consider. The likelihood that the games the online casino offers will be outstanding in terms of quality and diversity is very high if it works with a reputable software provider. You will be able to take in stunning visual effects and images, which will add to the enjoyable online gaming experience.

Competent customer support

Every online casino should have a dependable customer service department that is open when you need them. We look out for sites with a reliable and knowledgeable customer support team. In the best-case scenario, you should be able to communicate with a customer service professional via phone, email, or live chat. It should also be easy to find the casino's phone number or email address on the website in a matter of seconds.

Because gambling involves a potential win or loss of money, it is certain that players will have concerns sometimes. If the support team is unavailable or irresponsive, it could affect a player's overall experience with a casino. You can test out the customer service of the NZ casinos we suggest ahead of time to see how dependable they are.

There are three conventional types of pokies, each also subdivided into smaller categories. Video pokies, the most sought-for and appealing game type, have at least five reels and many winlines. By rough estimates, they make up around 90% of casino libraries. Some games fall under "classic pokies". They normally have three reels and fruit symbols, that is why they are occasionally labelled as Fruit slots in some casinos. Asides from these, there are pokies with six or more reels. Finally, progressive jackpot pokies are also famous but can come in the form of any of the three conventional pokie variants.

Classic 3-reel pokies

These are the most basic slot machine games, also referred to as three-reel slots. One-armed bandits, a term that comes from the old-school mechanical slot machines, is another name for these pokie games. Classic pokies are perfect for new gamers trying their luck in the online gambling sector. 

By replicating the antique slots in the original Las Vegas casinos, these classic pokies are trying to evoke a sense of simplicity. Reputable software developers try to offer a variety of elements that make three-reel pokies more intriguing. Mega Joker from NetEnt, Genie Nights by Red Tiger, and Little Gem Slot from Pragmatic Play which has a "Supermeter" option, are just a few illustrations.

5-reel pokies

It's very likely that a five-reel slot will be the first one you see in an online gambling site. Pokie machines with five reels typically have many themed icons and more interesting aesthetics than fruit machines. Another significant distinction is that a 5-reel pokie machine always permits the use of more paylines for play, whereas a 3-reel slot machine only permits a few lines active at a time. Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness, Thor: The Trials of Asgard, Safari Gold Megaways, and other titles are among the many 5-reel slots you may play online.

Pokies with 6 and more reels

When video slots games have more reels than the standard five, they also have extra paylines. Many six-reel slot machine variations have up to 100 paylines to connect symbols on six reels. Players can also find slots with seven reels and even more from many of the respected providers offering games to NZ players. A few 6-reel slots to try in NZ include Extra Chilli Megaways and Bonanza Megaways to name a few.

Pokies with a progressive jackpot

Some slot machine games have a progressive jackpot. Each player adds to a prize pool with progressive slots that grow incrementally with each bet. The prize pool grows as more people participate. The games can be linked between different internet casinos, and the jackpot amount increases as more players place bets. The pot will reset and begin replenishing once the prize has been awarded to a lucky winner. While wins from a progressive jackpot slot can be life-changing, you'll need to play for real money to stand a chance. Essentially, if you play a demo version of pokies with a progressive jackpot, you're only playing for fun and will not win real money. Some progressives available to NZ players include Gladiator slot from Playtech and Divine Fortune from NetEnt.

Payline: The reel positions where matching icons count as a winning combination. 

Paytable (also referred to as the "payout table"): A pokie's paytable lists the prize values for each possible combination of symbols.

Pokie provider: A video slots software company that develops different kinds of pokies.

Winning combination: A combination of symbols that must appear to give you a win.

Bonus feature: Fun elements that are added to a pokie and work differently from the base game. A bonus feature can increase players' winning chances.

Wild symbol: A wild is somewhat like a joker. It is a special symbol that can be used in place of any other symbol. It can act as a stand-in for a missing symbol when it appears on a payline. Wilds increase the player's chances of landing a winning combo.

Scatter symbol: Scatter symbols are unique symbols with special abilities seen in online pokies. Depending on the pokie you're playing, having a scatter may help trigger a bonus feature, activate a multiplier, or do whatever the game designs it to do.

243-ways-to-win pokie: These kind of pokies give players more winning ways. This means players can make up to 243 different combinations to record a win.

Megaways pokie: Based on a special mathematical model and feature a random reel modifier that can change how various icons appear on the reels and how many paylines are available on each spin. Thus, there are always between 2 and 7 icons on each reel and 324 and 117,649 possibilities to win available to players.

Autoplay mode: A feature that enables you to program the slot machine reels to spin continuously for a predetermined period.

Gamble feature: An extra bonus round where a player should select between possible right or wrong results. While the incorrect outcomes result in the loss of a previously awarded prize, the right outcome doubles winnings.

Progressive jackpot: When a game has a progressive jackpot, it keeps growing every time a player makes a real money bet on that progressive pokie.

Pokies are one of the best casino games to play because there are thousands of them to suit every player's taste. If you are in NZ, choosing the best pokie to play can be a little confusing since many providers have their own unique features that are potentially rewarding. However, some igaming companies are known to have some creative strength over their competitors. Some of the best pokies you can play in NZ come from the software companies we have reviewed above. 

Pragmatic Play, Yggdrasil, Microgaming, and NetEnt have released some of the most interesting games available to NZ punters. To play the best online pokies for real money in New Zealand, you can try any of the online casinos on our list or follow the guidelines with which we select the top online casinos for NZ players. The best casinos may offer video slots welcome bonus deals, so you can test out selected pokies without risking cash from your bankroll.