Casino Life in NZ

For decades, a row of flashing pokie machines behind a pub door was one of the most recognisable sights in New Zealand gambling. A night at a casino meant travelling to Auckland, Christchurch or another city with a licensed gaming floor. Today, casino-style games can appear on a phone without the player leaving home.

A Lotto ticket is a more familiar gamble for many New Zealanders than a seat at a blackjack table. Powerball draws, TAB NZ sports bets, pub pokies and casino visits all count as gambling, but they take different amounts of time and money. The pace of play matters as much as the number of people taking part.

An evening at SkyCity Auckland and a few rounds of roulette on a phone share the same basic gambling maths. Everything around the bet is different. A physical casino offers a night out, real tables and people to talk to; an online casino removes the journey, puts far more games within reach and makes it easier to lose track of time.

A pokie machine once meant a trip to a pub, club or casino. Now a similar game can sit beside the weather app on a phone. That change helps explain why online casino gaming appeals to some New Zealanders: no travel, a larger choice of games and the chance to play whenever a spare moment appears.