Best Live Casinos in NZ & Newest Live Dealer Bonuses (2024)

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How We Rate & Analyse Live Dealer Casinos

At CasinoAlpha, we believe in providing players with the most reliable and enjoyable gaming experiences. To help you choose the best live casinos in New Zealand, we’ve developed a thorough and meticulous rating system. Our team of experts evaluates each casino based on several key factors, ensuring that only the top-performing sites make our list. From usability and payment options to game variety and customer support, we leave no stone unturned. Read on to discover the criteria we use to rate NZ live casinos and why our recommendations can be trusted for your next gaming adventure.

• Usability: We prioritize live casinos that load in under 1 second, offer a registration process lasting under 3 minutes, and complete KYC checks within a few days. Extra points are awarded for fully mobile-optimized sites and secure iOS & Android apps.
• Deposits and Withdrawals: Our evaluation of live casinos includes the availability of secure deposit and withdrawal methods like cards, e-wallets, and other popular services in New Zealand. We give high ratings for instant deposits, cashouts approved within 24 hours, and no extra fees.
• Slot Games: Our rating standards for slot games require a selection of over 500 titles from popular providers, covering all major types of slots with a varied range of betting limits. Higher ratings are given to live casinos offering progressive jackpots.
• Live Dealer Games: A top-rated live casino must include a selection of Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Poker, and Sic Bo from at least three major live game providers. Maximum ratings are awarded for a variety of betting limits accommodating all budgets.
• Customer Support: Excellent customer support includes live chat, phone, and email assistance. We rate higher if support is available 24/7 and live chat responses are quick and reliable.
• Reputation: A live casino earns a stellar reputation with over 5 years of industry experience and offers at least three different products, such as an online casino, live dealer casino, and online lottery.
• Legitimacy and Fairness: Every live casino we list must operate legally in New Zealand under a secure license like the MGA. Sites with eCOGRA certifications receive higher ratings.

CasinoAlpha’s Best Choices for Live Dealer Casino Games in 2024

Casino Alpha New Zealand experts give you our selection of the best casinos to play live dealer games for real money. Our selections are made with NZ players needs in mind, helping you find the best options to play your favourite games as if you were in a real casino.

Casino Days – Best online casino with live dealers for roulette

If you want to play a high-quality session of live roulette, Casino Days emerges as the exemplary choice. This is the best live dealer casino NZ punters can play roulette on, thanks to a robust selection of European Roulette games and a few French and American roulette variations.

Why Casino Days is the best live online casino for roulette

• Selection of live roulette covering +30 options
• Live roulette providers include Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Ezugi, and others.
• Optimized for mobile gaming
• Live roulette games contribute to bonus wagering requirements

Our Senior Editor Adina Minculescu recommends Evolution’s Immersive Roulette, Pragmatic Play’s Mega Roulette as the top games to play on Casino Days.

Mega Casino – Best live dealer casino NZ for live blackjack

Mega Casino is the best casino in New Zealand for live dealer blackjack. Our experts chose this live dealer casino after reviewing its 456+ games selection and finding an excellent range of high-quality live blackjack games.

Why Mega Casino is the best live online casino for blackjack

• Many providers include Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, Spade Gaming.
• Offers high-stakes and low-stakes live blackjack rooms
• Multiple licenses including MGA and UKGC
• Responsible gambling features tailored for live blackjack high-rollers

One of the best-quality games we recommend is Infinite Blackjack by Evolution which allows an unlimited number of players to join the game with a low minimum bet. Also, Power Blackjack is worth noting if you use the Double Down strategy.

Haz Casino – Best live casino online for live baccarat

Our recommendation for the best live dealer casino for baccarat is Haz Casino. If you prefer high-stakes gaming, playing baccarat on this online live casino is seamless. We tested a few games and found that Haz Casino offers a complete live casino experience with multiple game variations and excellent casino service.

Why Haz Casino is the best live online casino for blackjack

• The bonus of up to $1000 has no wagering requirements so it’s playable on any live table
• Top baccarat providers Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, Pragmatic Play
• Smooth play on smartphones and tablets.
• Customer Support available 24/7 via live chat and email

While testing Haz Casino’s baccarat live dealer table, our expert had the best experience on Classic Baccarat, Speed Baccarat, and No Commission Baccarat. We only recommend the Speed Baccarat game if you’re familiar with playing live games in a more fast-paced setting.

Live Online Casinos – Everything You Should Know About Them

CasinoAlpha will reveal everything you need to know about how online casinos with live dealers operate and how they are distinct from real land casinos.

What is a live online casino?

A live online casino is an online gambling platform offering table games in real-time format through video streaming technology. You interact with a dealer who either sits at a casino table in professional studios or actual land-based casinos.

Some dealers operate from the providers’ studios, while others orchestrate the games right from land-based casinos. In any case, both types of live casino online games replicate the feel of traditional casinos, except they are operating 24/7.

Differences Between Live Casinos and Land-Based Casinos

More than 45% of NZ players choose live online casinos over land-based venues compared to last year, based on Casino Alpha’s reports. New Zealand venues are fewer, while live dealer casinos online come in almost endless supply.

Despite looking very similar, live dealer casinos operate differently from a real-life casino. There are multiple cameras which capture the dealers’ actions from multiple angles and send it through optical character technology to a special software that then translates the dealer’s movements and players’ bets unto your screen.

Live dealer games are hosted by professionals who interact online with players via the streaming and live chat feature.

Live dealer casinos sites a unique blend of real casino allure and online gaming convenience, set in the privacy and comfort of your home.

You have a broader range of games and betting limits, including various versions of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, while land-based casinos are particularly suited for high-roller players. You won’t get complimentary rewards in a real casino except free drinks or live entertainment, unlike live dealer casinos which are more generous with bonuses and tournaments.

What You Should Know About the Chat Features

To continue to sustain the feeling of a legit online casino, Kiwis can chat with the dealers and the other players if the game is set as multiplayer.

On the set, dealers are hooked to professional mics and are filmed by high-quality cameras. When an NZ player enters such a game room, they will have to allow permission for the game to access their device mic. Alternatively, they can write your messages and comments in the chatbox on your screen.

Whatever means of communication you have at your disposal, you need to follow certain rules. Otherwise, you will be disconnected, or even worse, banned.

Best live online casino features

• Live dealer chat
• Multiple camera angles
• Several game types
• HD streaming
• Mobile compatibility
• Play history and statistics

How to Start Playing Live Casino Games

1. Start by signing up to an online live casino endorsed by CasinoAlpha on this page.
2. Make a deposit and claim your live dealer casino bonus (if applicable).
3. Study the casino’s terms and conditions, then look at the bonus policy to grasp the games’ wagering contribution.
4. Once everything is understood, choose your live dealer game.
5. Set a comfortable stake size – it shouldn’t exceed 10% of your bankroll, and 1% of your bonus funds.
6. Start placing bets through the live games’ interface.

Choosing a Top Live Casino Bonus for You

Live casino bonuses are pretty rare in the iGaming industry. We help you choose a suitable offer for you by first explaining how these offers present themselves and the types available.

Choosing the right types of live casino bonuses

Not every bonus can be used on live games, which is why you need some guidance here. You probably are looking for special offers to start playing. Luckily, the best live dealer casinos today at CasinoAlpha let you explore the live dealer lobby and play for real money winnings. Here are the main ways a live casino bonus presents itself:

• First deposit bonus: Live dealer casinos like the ones we listed here usually give you a match percentage that you can wager in live games. Your deposit is matched with a certain percentage (100%, 200% or even more) allowing you to play different live games. These offers can be great for low rollers and high rollers alike, because in the New Zealand industry, match bonuses start with minimum deposits and can reach more than $1500 in bonus value. A good example is Red Dice Casino with its 200% up to $2000 bonus.
• Welcome package: This offer is the most lucrative you can find in a NZ live dealer casino, especially for high-rollers. Like the first deposit bonus, the key to these bonuses is that they allow you to gamble your promotional funds not only in pokies, but also in live dealer games. Unlike the first deposit bonus, the welcome packages also include multiple reload bonuses. For example, LeoVegas gives you an pack of up to $3000 on 3 deposits.
• No deposit free chip: With a no deposit free chip bonus, you get a chance to play a few bets and score a profit, usually with values more than $20 free and has no wagering requirements. Online casinos know that experienced players who use a strategy can easily convert them to real money, so don’t get too excited. Low rollers’ favourite lIve casino bonus is the most rare of them all.
• Cashback: This is another bonus we like for exploring popular live casino games. You can get one-time or continuous cashback deals on registration, but mostly online casinos offer them to existing players based on certain wagering, deposit, or loss quotas. Meet these limits to receive weekly or monthly cashback at Rich Palms.

Can you turn any bonus into a live casino bonus?

We have some verified hacks for you to play a range of live dealer casino games with your bonus, even if the games might initially not be available to wager. These strategies help you extend bonus play with live casino offers:

• Choose no wagering bonuses – playing a no wagering bonus, even a pokies free spins bonus, usually gives you a certain amount of real cash winnings which you can use in live casino games.
• Always prioritize low wagering – the lower the wagering requirement, the easier for you to complete it and start playing live dealer games.
• Play for fun – while most casino offers restrict usage in live dealer casino games, you may still be able to play them, but they won’t count for the wagering requirements. It might be a good idea to test your strategies in the live games, even if you forfeit your chance for real money winnings for bonuses. Simply study the wagering contributions and see if they are completely excluded.

Live online casino games wagering contributions

It’s important for you to be aware that live casino games may have limited contributions to wagering. This dictates the percentage of your bet which counts to the overall wagering progress, and in live dealer casino bonuses, the percentages are usually limited. The values differ from one casino to the next, which is why studying this aspect in the terms and conditions is very important for you as a player. For example, Mad Rush Casino allows bonus gameplay on almost every game, except high-rollers’ favourite, live baccarat.

Check the average values in the New Zealand industry:

Keep in mind this table doesn’t apply to golden chips and no wagering bonuses, where 100% of your bets count for gameplay.

Top picks for Live Casino Bonuses

CasinoAlpha’s Best Live Casino Games to Try

top-rated live casino games, each offering unique features and a thrilling experience. Whether you’re a fan of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or live show games, these selections are designed to provide a memorable gaming experience.

ONE Blackjack by Pragmatic Play

ONE Blackjack is our favourite live blackjack game, and we selected it because it fits both beginners and high rollers with a low minimum bet and a high enough maximum bet. We like that it also features side bets that add to the excitement no matter your stake level. You interact with the dealer in a more single-player way compared to other live blackjack games, which is a nice gameplay feeling. This is the perfect blackjack game to start practising your basic blackjack strategy. Handle the side bets with care!

• Provider: Pragmatic Play
• Minimum Bet: $1
• Maximum Bet: $5,000
• Special Features: Scalable game allowing unlimited players, multiple side bets including Crazy 7

Play ONE Blackjack at Caxino with an up to 200$ bonus.

Lightning Roulette by Evolution Gaming

One of the most exciting ways to play roulette comes from Evolution’s Lightning Roulette, which features a traditional European roulette betting interface. Lightning Roulette has become a long time favourite of our expert Adina Minculescu, because of the added thrill of the multipliers. Placing straight-up bets has the potential to reward you with high multipliers up to 500x your bet. Our expert advises you spread multiple straight-up bets with lower stakes across the roulette table to boost your chances for hitting the multiplier. Yet, you should pace yourself and combine these wagers with safer, even-money bets, to avoid burning through your bankroll too fast.

• Provider: Evolution Gaming
• Minimum Bet: $0.20
• Maximum Bet: $2,000
• Special Features: Lightning multipliers on straight-up bets can pay out between 50x and 500x,

If you want to start playing Lightning Roulette, check it out with the 400% bonus at PlayDingo.

No Commission Baccarat by Ezugi

No Commission Baccarat is great if you seek a better payout rate on baccarat. Since the standard commission on banker wins is removed, this opens up the potential for higher returns especially on high roller bets. Using the Dragon Bonus side bets might be an opportunity to increase your winnings. Keep track of in-game statistics to make informed decisions.

• Provider: Ezugi
• Minimum Bet: $1
• Maximum Bet: $10,000
• Special Features: No commission on banker wins, Dragon Bonus side bets for additional payouts, and a user-friendly interface with real-time statistics.

We recommend BetFast Casino if you want to play No Commission Baccarat with a high-roller up to $5000 bonus.

Crazy Time by Evolution Gaming

Crazy Time is designed for players who enjoy interactive game shows, offering varied bonus rounds and a lively and unpredictable gaming experience that appeals to a broad audience. We recommend diversifying your bets to increase the chances of entering a bonus round.

• Provider: Evolution Gaming
• Minimum Bet: $0.10
• Maximum Bet: $5,000
• Special Features: Multiple bonus rounds including Coin Flip, Cash Hunt, Pachinko, and high potential multipliers.

Choose a casino like Lucky 7 to explore Crazy Time. It offers a valuable $750 bonus.

Explore other popular alternatives

If you want to explore other popular live casino games in New Zealand, expect the best in this table of alternatives selected by Adina Minculescu, our Senior Editor:

Best Live Dealer Software Providers in New Zealand

CasinoAlpha experts review the best live casino NZ providers which have revolutionized the industry. It’s important to know the best software providers for live games, because they are the ones who develop and supply the live streaming technology for your immersive experiences. Find the best live dealer online casino providers in greater detail below.

Evolution Gaming

Since 2006, Evolution is the undisputed leader in the best live dealer casinos, and it’s a pioneer in the global iGaming industry. Evolution’s live dealer casino games’ portfolio is the biggest of all with 50+ titles. Not only does it offer the most games at New Zealand live casinos, but they have pushed the envelope with unique interactive features that players like us have grown to love. It combines a wide range of traditional games with more innovative series like the TV-inspired game shows or special-feature online roulette and blackjack, all presented in crystal-clear HD streaming.

Pick a top casino that offers Evolution’s best games

Pragmatic Play

Pragmatic Play is a newer provider on the best live dealer casinos NZ. The company was founded in 2015 and ever since has created a high-quality live gaming experience in a catalogue of more than 20 titles. Just like Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play has brought modern twists to classic games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat, and has created its unique formats, for instance the Mega Wheel game show. CasinoAlpha experts praise the mobile gaming experience on Pragmatic Play games, which work excellently on smartphones.

Play at a live casino online that offers Pragmatic Play’s top games

Playtech

Founded in 1999, Playtech is a veteran supplier in the live gaming industry, with +30 games under their belt. The flagship game in Playtech’s arsenal is the Quantum series, including Quantum Roulette and Quantum Blackjack, which introduces multipliers similar to Evolution’s Lightning games. You can find many interesting and creative innovations like in the The Age of the Gods Live Roulette game, which integrates the popular slot’s themes with live dealer gameplay, while also offering progressive jackpots.

Choose a top casino to play Playtech live games

High-Stakes vs Low-Stakes Live Dealer Games

The choice between high-stakes and low-stakes strongly depends on the budget you play on. CasinoAlpha helps you choose the right game for you by analyzing the features, benefits, and popular titles in both high-stakes and low-stakes live games’ categories.

Determine your budget

If you want to play your favourite live games with high-stakes, you can’t do so on a $1000 bankroll. This is just the starting bet in some VIP tables, which are generally more intimate. High-stakes gaming brings you closer to more rewarding bonuses because high-rollers usually receive enhanced status while playing with big stakes.

If you have deposited $100, your best bet is tho join a lowstakes table with a minimum of $0.1, $0.5 or $1. This allows you to strategize your bets by placing a small percentage of your bankroll on each stake. Even if you’re a high-roller, you can benefit from low-stakes rooms to reduce the risks and learn more about each game.

Check some top game recommendations in both categories:

Best Strategies for Playing at Live Casinos

Before delving into more advanced strategies for live dealer casinos, CasinoAlpha NZ experts share the best practices for playing live dealer casino games:

• Understand the rules: Become familiar with the rules of each casino game, especially if it has special features.
• Learn through bonuses: Claiming a bonus to play online live games can be a great way to learn more.
• Check the odds of each bet: Understand each game’s betting odds to plan your stakes accordingly.
• Bet on even-money bets: These bets are safer and have better odds than straight up bets in roulette or side bets in blackjack.
• Stay focused: Keep your concentration! It’s better to let a round go if you’re not sure of a bet. Take your time to make sound decisions, particularly if you’re gambling on high-stakes games.
• Manage your bankroll: Apply bankroll management strategies and staking plans. For instance, you can have a daily, a weekly or monthly budget, then you can divide it into smaller units to place on each bet.
• Know when to walk away: When you’ve gambled all your budget for the day, week or month, call it a day and come back at another time to protect your funds and play for longer.
• Avoid chasing losses: Avoid the temptation of betting more after you’ve lost a series of rounds.

There are more advanced strategies you can use to play on live dealer casinos. We only recommend these if you’re experienced with doubling systems.

For example, the Martingale strategy can be useful in live roulette and live blackjack games. It involves placing even-money bets with a simple core principle: double your bet after every loss. When you eventually win, you recover all previous losses plus a profit equal to the original bet. The downside of this strategy is that it only suits high-rollers with a large bankroll.

Another option for advanced players is the Reverse Martingale strategy, or Paroli, where you double your bet after winning not after losing. While playing with a live dealer, this can be a good way to capitalize on winning streaks, meaning it is less risky than the basic Martingale strategy.

Mobile Experience in a Live Casino Online

You can enjoy the games directly from your smartphone or tablet, but you should first know a few things. Playing live dealer games at mobile online casinos in New Zealand offers a realistic casino experience, but be mindful of data usage if you’re not on a Wi-fi network. Live streaming can take much of a limited data plan. In this case, you can opt for a lower resolution to use less data.

Looking for the best mobile casinos to play with a professional dealer? Our experts recommend brands like Wildz or BetCoco, where the convenience of playing on mobile is coupled with high-value bonuses. Check out live gaming on mobile apps like LeoVegas, which are so popular for Kiwi players seeking excitement on the go.

Banking Options for Online Live Casinos

When testing live casinos online, we discovered the best payment methods that allow you to handle necessary funds for live gameplay quickly and securely.

We picked Visa and Mastercard because they’re some of the most secure methods you can use for both deposits and withdrawals. However, they can be quite slow in processing your payments, especially your cash-outs, which can take between 2 and 5 days.

To avoid this, try Skrill and Neteller, which allow you to withdraw in up to 3 days. You can also speed up this process by playing at live dealer casinos that process your withdrawals within the day. Find them by looking in our fast payout casino list for sites with live dealer games. The only disadvantage of Skrill and Neteller are the payment fees they apply to your transfer.

If you want to avoid payment fees and keep most of your funds, we suggest Poli and MuchBetter. Paysafecard is also a great option for fee-less deposits. To maximize your transfers, play live games at the best payout casinos in New Zealand – we’ve just updated our selection with the best payout sites this month.

CasinoAlpha’s Verdict on Best Live Dealer Casinos NZ

You’re one step away from enjoying the best online casinos with live dealers. Our CasinoAlpha NZ experts, Adina Minculescu and Tudor Turiceanu, have provided you with all the tools and tips you need to start playing on live online casino sites. You can safely pick a casino where you’ll find the best live casino gaming options which we reviewed. The key takeaway from our recommendations is that no matter if you’re a low-roller or a VIP-status high-roller, you can find a suitable live dealer casino in New Zealand. Look for casinos offering a valuable bonus for your preferences at the top of this page and start exploring the advantages of live dealer casino gaming: more convenience to play from anywhere, and more inclusive betting limits compared to land-based casino sites.