The Best Pokies & Slots NZ Offers In 2024

At OnlineSlotsNZ, we always recommend that our readers play the online slots they’re most interested in for free, in Demo Mode, first before wagering any real money on slots. You’ll generally be able to play these games without having to register for an account at the site offering them and can spin the reels on your desktop, mobile device, or tablet. They’re a great way to play for fun, practice strategy, and see if what’s on offer is to your liking. Explore our expert slots guides for NZ players right now to find your winning strategy today.

All the New-Zealand friendly online casinos our experts have given the green light to have enormous slots catalogues, jam-packed with classic, video, and Progressive Jackpot pokies. We make sure that a diverse range of 3- and 5-reel games are on hand and keep a special eye out for sites that offer top-of-the-range free titles.

The best online slots sites have pokies games from top-tier software developers like Crazy Tooth Studio, Foxium, Just For The Win, Rabcat, and Snowborn Games. You’ll always be able to find online slots with cutting-edge graphics and a range of dynamic features that run as smoothly on your desktop as they do on mobile. Whether you're playing on your computer, or mobile slots via Android or iOS smartphone, these providers have got you covered.

When you’re playing online slots for real money rewards, you need the proper reassurance that your money is in good hands too. You can depend on our recommendations holding licenses from the relevant jurisdictions and that game fairness is guaranteed because of regularly tested Random Number Generator software governing how each title ends up playing out.

You can rest assured that all the time you spend at the online casinos we’ve researched, investigated, and ended up giving a good review to is as safe as it is potentially lucrative. Our expert team checks for a good range and variety of slots and other real money games for desktop and mobile slots players as well as generous bonus rewards and comprehensive customer care.

And not only is our initial review process a very stringent one, but we also then do follow-up checks every few months so that we know our information is accurate and up to date.

Although free pokies are amazing when you just want to play for fun, perhaps to hone your skills before you start spending real money, there’s nothing quite like real money gambling to get your blood pumping. We look at the pros and cons of each approach:

In the iGaming industry, there are four clear slot categories. These encompass the straightforward classic 3-reel games all the way through to the jazzed-up slots extravaganzas with bonus features and special symbols galore:

Although online slots are totally reliant on chance at the end of the day, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t things that players can do to get themselves in the best possible position to win. Experienced players know that following strategy works, whether this means limiting their gameplay to pokies with high payout percentages, practising bonus rounds in Demo mode, or knowing the required paylines inside and out.

Top Tips for Online Slots: Knowledge is power. It’s not possible to increase your chances of seeing a return when you’re playing games that are utterly random and totally dependent on chance. But there are certain things you can do to boost your bankroll when you’re spinning the reels:

When we talk about Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Poker, or Roulette, we commonly refer to the house-edge. But when we talk about pokies, we use the acronym RTP, which stands for Return to Player.

This rate tells you how much the player can expect to see back from a particular slot over the longer term. So, if we’re talking about a pokie with a 94.78% RTP, you can theoretically expect to eventually get 94.78c back for every NZ$1 you spend. 

Online slots have much higher RTPs than their land-based counterparts do. Physical machines offer roughly 85% but internet-based games average out at 96%!

After you’ve set your budget, the next step is taking a long look at the paytable. Naturally, you intend to win the game you’re about to play, and this is impossible to do if you don’t understand how it works! The paytable will display a list of all the icons the game uses and reveal what they’re worth if you manage to land a paying combination.

The paytable will also reveal any special symbols in use in the slot, be these online casino Bonuses, Multipliers, Scatters, or Wilds. If you spot a Bonus icon in the paytable, you can safely expect an extra round in the game which generally award items like cash prizes and free spins. Follow this checklist when you’re reviewing a pokie paytable:

1. Make careful note of what each symbol pays out.
2. See if there are any special symbols available.
3. Ascertain what you need to do to win the biggest jackpot the slot has available.
4. Make note of bonus rounds or other special features.

1. Become a part of the club. And we’re not just talking about the one for people who love playing pokies! Most online casinos have Loyalty Programmes and VIP Clubs that bestow special benefits on members and while you’ll usually automatically be entered into these when you sign up, make sure there’s no Opt-In or other action required from you to do so.
2. Bonus rounds can be very profitable. This is where you’ll find additional jackpots and how you get free spins which can really ramp up your returns. Make sure you know where these are and what you need to do to get hold of them.
3. Don’t rush! As easy as it is to get caught up in the adrenaline-pumping action of fast-paced online pokies, resist the temptation to hurry. Take all the time you need, focus on relaxing and having fun, and seriously consider what your next move will be, especially when it comes to bonus rounds.
4. Focus on playing more straightforward games, especially in the beginning. You may find that the more complicated a game is, the more time and money has been spent on it by the developer. And this may mean that they want to increase play before a big payout occurs. While this is certainly not always the case, when in doubt, keep it simple.
5. Look for games that pay out on a regular basis. Ironically, the best way to ensure you take a Progressive Jackpot is by playing games that provide smaller ones more regularly! There’s nothing more disheartening than systematically feeding money into a machine that never returns anything, so mixing up your gameplay trying for prizes big and small is a great way to ensure you keep having fun.
6. Mind your budget. Your guiding thought needs to be that you’re only ever betting money that you won’t miss if you lose it. When you play this way, putting your focus on the entertainment of the game itself rather than on the possible payout, you’ll find that your gambling experience as a whole improves. When wins become happy extras, you know you’ve done a great job!
7. Payline awareness is an important part of playing pokies. Beyond helping you decide if you want straightforward or more intricate gameplay, paylines help you determine the size of your bet and indicate how likely seeing a return is.
8. Progressive Jackpot slots can be a blast. And although they pay out a lot less frequently than games with smaller rewards, it’s always a good idea to get in the running for a life-changing win every so often.
9. Stick to licensed, regulated casinos like the ones recommended by the OnlineSlotsNZ experts. What could be worse than finally hitting the multimillion-dollar jackpot only to find that you’re never going to get paid out because you’re dealing with a rogue operator? Do your homework and stick to legitimate online casinos.
10. Take note of bonuses, promotions, and special offers. These have become an industry standard and are available to both new and returning players. They may be available in the form of bonus codes, cashback, No Deposit Bonuses, free spins, or Refer-a-Friend offers and listed in Promotions or similar tab at the site you’re signed up at. Check in there frequently.

There you have it! Everything you need to know about playing real money pokies AND where to find them too!