Pokie slots

Online pokies have always been a fan favourite when visiting NZ pokies online sites and many online casinos. Slot games are fun and easy, and most of the time do not require you to fork out a chunk of money to start playing your favourite games.

If you want to enjoy top pokies in New Zealand, there are 2 main ways to get your gameplay going. The first one is visiting a land-based NZ casino, that would offer a dedicated pokies lobby for you and other slot games lovers to unite and spin your go-to games. Alternatively, you can tempt your luck at New Zealand online pokies by visiting the best online casinos.

What makes online pokie games worth your time? And why are online pokies better than land-based slot games? For starters, you land casino bonuses when you opt to play online, as opposed to land-based pokie games. Bonus features are also available when playing online casino games, especially online slot games. Sticky wild symbols, cascading reels, wilds, and scatters are all part of your part of playing online pokies games, with tournaments, free spins and slot duels all available to binge on at NZ casino sites.

Ready to learn all about the thrills that slot machines online offer?

By Amelia Smith - Updated 03/10/2023 - Estimated reading time: 18 minutes.

Table of contents

Pokie slots

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Best online pokies casinos

  1. 1
    NeonVegas
    NeonVegas Since 2020
    More Information
    Casino Games
    InfoAmount of casino games offered
    2050
    Jackpot Pokies
    InfoAmount of slots with jackpot option
    25
  2. 2
    Wildz casino
    Wildz casino Since 2019
    More Information
    Casino Games
    InfoAmount of casino games offered
    3200
    Jackpot Pokies
    InfoAmount of slots with jackpot option
    165
  3. 3
    Viggoslots
    Viggoslots Since 2017
    More Information
    Casino Games
    InfoAmount of casino games offered
    6800
    Jackpot Pokies
    InfoAmount of slots with jackpot option
    52
  4. 4
    iBet casino
    iBet casino Since 2021
    More Information
    Casino Games
    InfoAmount of casino games offered
    4000
    Jackpot Pokies
    InfoAmount of slots with jackpot option
    0
  5. 5
    SkyCity Casino
    SkyCity Casino Since 2019
    More Information
    Casino Games
    InfoAmount of casino games offered
    1600
    Jackpot Pokies
    InfoAmount of slots with jackpot option
    25
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How to play online pokies

Getting your top online pokies gameplay going is not a hard task to master. The good news is that most pokies nz online casino sites offer you the chance to spin the best online pokies games for free to get acquainted with the game. For starters, your online pokies NZ site grants you a set number of free spins when registering and depositing for the first time. Your welcome bonus will consist of a deposit match, along with free spins, on selected video pokies games, that will see you spin and hopefully win.

If you want to play free or real money pokies, your strategy is simple. Head over to an online pokies legal site and head over to the lobby section. Online casino lobbies are equipped with a game section, that will easily help you locate the online slot machines section. Here, you can skim through all the New Zealand online pokies games available and finally choose your game. Once you locate the NZ pokies you want to play, simply set the number of paylines and your wager per spin. Once that is all set, you can hit the spin button and see the reels come to life in front of your eyes.

Other NZ online casinos

100% Up to

NZ$500

35 jackpot slots

100% Up to

NZ$200

35 jackpot slots

100% Up to

NZ$500

165 jackpot slots

100% Up to

NZ$400

150 jackpot slots

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Bonus Rounds and Features when playing online pokies games

The joy of real money online pokies lies in the instant gratification that online slot machines offer. As soon as you hit that spin button, your main task is to land 3 or more of the same slot game symbols across your reels. However, if luck is on your side, you could be landing more than 3 matching symbols, and you could also walk away with a generous NZ Pokies bonus feature or bonus games.

Wild Symbols

A wild symbol is a symbol found on the reels of the most popular online pokies and will be exchanged for pokie game symbols to help you land a win. The only symbol that the wild will not exchange is the scatter symbol which we talk about below. Apart from the traditional wild symbol, Pokies NZ online also offers you Stacked Wilds, Sticky Wilds and even Expanding Wilds taking over your whole reel.

Scatter Symbol (Free Spins)

The scatter symbol is the one symbol that will grant you either bonus-free spin rounds or access to bonus games. When you land 3 or more scatter symbols, you trigger the free spins rounds, which can also be re-triggered when you land more 3 or more scatters) during the bonus round.

Multipliers

Multipliers are scattered across your slot game, and once landed, your total win will be multiplied by the amount of the multiplier available which is normally x2, x3, x4 or x5 max payouts.

Cascading Reels

You will find popular games that offer you a cascading reel feature. This means, that when you land a winning combo during your online pokies gameplay, reels will fall from the top of the online slots game, in the hopes of assisting you in landing more winning combos thereafter.

Re-Spins

Ample video pokies offer players a re-spin once a winning combo is landed. Re-spins also might offer multipliers, amplifying your overall winnings when spinning both free and real money online pokies.

Pick Me Bonus Feature

A selection of NZ online pokies also goes the extra mile by offering a Pick Me Bonus. When landing 3 of the special symbols found on the reels, you get transported to an additional screen where you will be presented with gifts and asked to choose one. Gifts contain multipliers and free spins rounds.

Gamble Feature

A Gamble feature is available at the end of a winning spin during Pokies online games. The game adopts a guess-and-win feature and will see you doubling up on your online pokies game winnings when you guess correctly. A wrong guess will see you walk away empty-handed, losing all your real money winnings in the process.

NeonVegas slots

NeonVegas has a huge slot games collection

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Online Pokies and Slot Game Variations

The world of online gaming sites is a vast and colorful one, with casino games to brighten up your gameplay. Online pokies lovers have the luxury of binging on some of the best online pokies with game developers going head to head to offer the best UX and gambling experience out there. Once you register and deposit at an online casino, you will find yourself in the casino lobby, which hosts casino games that suit any type of player.

Table games, live casino, and online slots all don your casino lobby, with online pokies available in many variations. To make the best of your casino slot game experience, it would be wise to understand what type of slots are available and what type of bonuses they offer. Here is a glimpse of the pokies video slots available to you at online casinos.

Classic/3 Reel Slots

Classic slot machines are not elaborate in their gameplay, and sometimes also lack both bonus features and bonus rounds, with no free games or free spins up for grabs. Classic pokies offer you 3 reels with symbols composing your reels including bells, Lucky 7s, cherries, lemons, and oranges. The beauty of classic pokies is the simplicity of the game, along with a straightforward gameplay.

5 Reel Online Slots

Landing at an online casino site, most of your current and new slot games will offer you 5-reel gameplay along with 3 or 4 rows and 20 paylines. Most 5-reel online pokies also feature bonus features including scatters, wilds, and free spins, with ample themes to choose from.

1024 Ways Online Pokies

The more paylines a slot game offers, the better chances you have to win big. 1024 ways online pokies up the ante of your game with the amount of possible winning ways available to you. If you want to win online pokies, a good place to start is spinning 1024 high-variance NZ online pokies that are widely available at casino slot game sites.

243 Ways Online Pokies

Online casinos also offer you the chance to play pokies that offer you 243 ways to win. The games offer you the same gameplay and fun as 1024 ways video slots offer, with the same exception of having 243 ways of winning as opposed to 1024.

Progressive Jackpot Pokies

Progressive jackpots are games that can only be played for real money and investing wisely in the game could see you walk away with millions in your pocket. Most progressive jackpot slots will have a ticker available on the slot game, indicating the growing amount of the jackpot, and inviting you in to wager and play.

Some of the most celebrated and sought-after jackpot pokies include Mega Moolah by software provider Microgaming. The game is known to turn your small wager into millions, with a website dedicated to the game that also highlights the latest progressive jackpot winners.

Linked Progressive Jackpots

Many times software providers link a specific amount of games, to grant you the possibility of landing progressive jackpots. Let's say 4-5 games from the same developer would be linked, with a portion of each spin players take going towards the linked jackpot. One lucky player will eventually land the linked jackpot, taking home all the winnings and stakes from the linked games.

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Casino Slots paytables explained

If you play online pokies at online pokies sites, you might have come across a slot machine paytable. A paytable is basically a summary of all the rules, symbols, bonus rounds and RTP% that all the games offer. In summary, if you locate a slot game that you would like to play, and click on the Infomation button, here is what you will be able to learn about the game:

Paylines - The number of paying lines and winning ways the slot game offers

Rows - The number of rows that the online pokie game offers

Reels - The number of available reels

Bonus Features - The bonus rounds that the online slot machine offers, including scatters, wilds, cascading wild symbols and any other additional bonus rounds that the game offers.

Gamble Feature - Y or N - Many times you will source a video slot that will offer you the chance to gamble away your winnings in the hopes of doubling up in your winnings. When a Gamble Feature is marked as Y in the online slots paytable, this denotes that a bonus game is available after every winning combo is landed.

Symbols - All the symbols that compose your slot reels and the value of each symbol across the casino slot games.

Special Symbols - This highlights the special symbols to look out for across your NZ pokies, that will eventually trigger your bonus rounds.

Betting Requirements - This part highlights the slot machine wagering requirements to spin the reels. Keeping in mind that some slot game features, are only triggered when you are playing at a specific max bet (e.g. - triggering a progressive jackpot game)

RTP % - Return to Player is referred to as RTP for short, and highlights the total amount wagered by the player, returned to the casino player via online pokie winnings. RTP is sometimes compared to the odds of winning at casino slot games.

Mega Moolah Paytable

Paytable of the Mega Moolah slot

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How to find the best online pokies sites for playing pokies online?

If you want to start playing at the best online pokie sites and spin top online slot games, you might need to use a special formula to source reputable gaming sites. the NZ gambling markets offer many online casino sites, but which ones are worth your wagers in reality? This is the question that every online pokies player has, hence why we suggest that you go through the below checklist for locating and sourcing top NZ online pokies gaming sites.

Legal Gaming Sites

Finding a legal gaming site is imperative for your overall successful gaming experience. Most sites offering online pokies in NZ are regulated by either the MGA or the UKGC, 2 gambling regulators that are known to be stringent, yet placing the casino player at the forefront of all regulations and operations. We suggest that you stay away from rogue unregulated and unlicensed sites, as they might not be the ideal location for you to kickstart your casino slot games journey. You can check a Pokies NZ online site’s legal status by heading over to the ‘About Us’ section.

Checking the Pokies Section

It would be useless to register at an online pokies NZ gambling website that has a limited number of slot games for you to binge on. Heading over to the video slot section and checking out the casino slot games section would be wise when comparing and checking out sites to register. You can check the slots available in little time, all you need to do is head over to the casino’s lobby and click on the slots. If you are lucky enough, the NZ pokies would have game filters that will let you skim through all the games by game developers. Some of the top game production companies to look out for include NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Playtech, Play’n’Go, Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Wazdan, Skatelogic, Red Tiger Gaming, Microgaming, iSoftBet, Big Time Gaming, Thunderkick and many more.

Compare Sites via Casino Reviews

Your search for the best online pokies site does not have to be a tedious one. Whilst you might find ample NZ pokie sites to delve into, some research and comparing gambling sites is a must. You can do so by visiting casino review sites like ours, which provide you with an unbiased approach to reviewing casinos. Such sites compare gaming websites by the bonuses available, game availability, licensing information, cash-out process and security that the sites provide. Head over to the top of this page for all of your NZ online slot action.

Bonuses and Promotions

Many online pokie NZ players see bonuses as a make-or-break matter. The bigger and chunkier your online casino's welcome bonus is, the better chance you have in testing a new NZ pokies site. Casino welcome bonuses serve as a way for you to check if the site is worth your time and money, however, reload bonuses will also keep you engaged and returning back to the gaming site for more pokies fun. Head over to the bonus section and view all of the available bonuses and promotions on offer. A great gaming site would offer a welcome bonus with lower or no wagering requirements, throughout-the-week deposit reload bonuses, cashback on your live casino play and hopefully a VIP Loyalty Program that rewards you along your casino journey.

Payment Methods Availability

A wide selection of payment methods is a great way to let you gamble freely, at your own pace and using the payment options of your choice. You will find a good number of NZ pokie sites that offer you NZ-targeted payment options to help you fund your slot games action at NZ gaming sites. To view the payment options available to you, head over to the payment section via the cashier, or check out the payments FAQ section.

Mobile Pokies

Playing via your mobile has become the norm for many gamblers across the globe. The need for having your gambling at the touch of your mobile device is imperative, especially with the fast life we all seem to be living. You will find many NZ online casino sites that offer you a dedicated mobile application for you to download and enjoy mobile pokies in NZ on the go, on a 24/7 basis. To download the app, you would need to visit your mobile app store, locate the application and hit the download button. Use your username and password to sign in and start enjoying online pokie spinning on the go. If the online gaming site does not offer a dedicated casino app, you can still access the site via mobile browser, however having an app downloaded is always more convenient.

Website Security

A stress-free gambling experience means you have the peace of mind that both your personal and financial data will be protected by the online slot games site. Many websites offer you enhanced protection via 128-bit SSL Data Encryption technology, which goes to additional lengths to ensure certain any shared information with the casino does not end up in unwanted hands. To check out the security measures a gambling site takes, you can either check out the FAQ section or the Security policy that the site develops.

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What is Online Slots Volatility?

Volatility is another feature that makes up your NZ online pokies gameplay. Before you choose any pokies in New Zealand to spin, check slot volatility to understand how much return you get and what winnings to expect from the online slots you are spinning.

Low Volatility Pokies NZ Online Games

Low-volatility games do not grant you big real money wins, however, they do promise you to win money at a frequent pace. Wins are spread out through your gameplay, with smaller wins secured.

High Volatility Real Money Online Pokies

High-volatility games work the opposite of low-volatility slots and grant players bigger and chunkier payouts, but at a less frequent pace.

Should You Play Online Pokies with High or Low Volatility?

Many players ask this question, and the answer is simple: It depends on you, the player. Would you rather wait for a big win to make your day or are you happy to walk away with smaller real money wins that land your way at a stead pace? If you are a big win chaser, high volatility slots are the best option for you. Smaller wins but regular ones are targeted for low volatility slot players.

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Frequently asked questions about casino slots

Can I play free games at online casino sites?

Many slot games at online casino sites offer you free spins for you to try out the game. When you are playing for free (or for fun) you will not be wagering any of your cash and will be playing with fictitious money. Progressive NZ pokies online and all jackpot games cannot be played for free.

What are free spins?

Free spins are free online pokies offered by online casino sites. Normally, you would get a set amount of free spins as a welcome bonus when registering and depositing at online casinos for the very first time. After that, free spins are offered through online casino reload bonuses, VIP programs, and deposit bonuses.

Can you play pokies for free?

You can play casino games for free at online casinos when playing for fun. This is a way for you to test new online pokies NZ games and also try out new pokies in New Zealand sites. When playing for free, you cannot win real money; you would need to wager money to play real money online pokies.

How do I find the best online pokies to play?

Many online pokie sites offer you game filters to assist you in locating the best online pokies. Once you land at the casino lobby, you will be welcomed with Top Games or Popular Games sections. This section will give you a glimpse of the top games you can binge on, and also group the top games favored by New Zealand online pokie players.

Are online pokies safe to play online?

The online gambling industry in New Zealand is regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority and also the UK Gambling Commission. If you play at legal sites, you are 100% safe. To check if an online Pokies NZ site is legal, simply scroll to the bottom of the page, and check the license accordingly. Alternatively, you can check out the 'About Us' section.

Author: Amelia Smith

Amelia Smith

Amelia Smith knows a lot about different areas of gambling. She's been our main writer for most things since 2019. She spoke at a big conference in London in 2022 and has been recognized at several industry events.

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Article published 18/05/2019

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