The best bonuses for NZ players in 2024
Looking for the best bonuses for casinos out there? Check out our list of the best online casinos, their bonus offers, and how much you need to wager.
What is a casino bonus?
An online casino bonus can come in various guises. But they share the same aim – to give you bonus money or spins to play with – even though they all come with specific terms and conditions. Online casinos in NZ use bonuses as their primary marketing tactic to attract new players and retain existing ones too.
But are casino bonuses always worth going for? Or can they simply be empty promises, designed to get you to part with your cash?
Use our casino comparison tool
To make your search easier, Nzcasino.nz lets you compare bonuses offered by licensed casinos. All you need to do is visit our casino comparison tool, follow the instructions, and enjoy browsing offers for free!
Are casino bonuses worth it?
The reality is that some casino bonuses in NZ may indeed be too good to be true. There are some unreputable casinos that will lure you in with bonus money, but it will be difficult to win anything from it! That’s where we come in. At NZCasino, we keep an eye on all online casinos that welcome players from New Zealand, in our search for the best casino bonuses.
Our mission is to make casino welcome bonuses easy to understand, and to list the biggest and most worthwhile bonuses too, naturally.
We only select safe bonuses from licensed casinos in New Zealand
Every casino bonus listed on our site if offered by a NZD online casino that is licensed by a reputable gambling jurisdiction.
These include the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority and Curacao eGaming, all of which have stringent licensing conditions related to fair gaming.
By selecting the best casino bonus offers from licensed casinos, our visitors can rest assured that each bonus complies with the below:
- All terms and conditions linked to a casino bonus are accessible and not ambiguous.
- All players will have their bonus funds stored separately to their cash funds, and will know when they are playing with a bonus and when they’re not.
- Terms and conditions related to the casino bonus cannot be changed once a player has opted in.
| Did you know? |
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| Online pokies generally contribute 100% towards the wagering requirements of a casino bonus. Some table games will contribute less, which means that you need to keep wagering your bonus for longer, whereas some games are excluded from bonus wagering altogether. |
What you should look for when choosing a bonus
There are a number of things to watch out for before you decide whether a casino bonus is worth getting your hands on.
By looking out for the below factors in a bonus’s terms and conditions, you will be in the best position to make the best of your bonus, and find the best casino rewards in NZ.
Always read Terms and Conditions
We cannot stress this enough – double-check these terms to know exactly what you’re getting. It’s the number-one rule of thumb to follow before claiming any casino bonus. This will help you wager your bonuses in time, and avoid disappointment later on.
What are wagering requirements?
Wagering requirements, or playthrough requirements, come hand in hand with even some of the best casino bonuses.
They are displayed as a number followed by the multiplication symbol (x), which shows how many times you need to wager the bonus amount before you can withdraw any winnings in cash.
For example, a NZ$50 casino bonus with a 20x multiplier must be played through 20 times (so you must wager a total of NZ$400) before the casino will allow you to withdraw any remaining winnings as cash to your bank account or e-wallet.
What are game restrictions?
Some online casinos will exclude some games in their collection from bonus wagering. This means that you won’t be able to use your bonus on these games.
For example, it’s very common for operators to exclude Blackjack and Baccarat from their bonuses.
This is because these games have the lowest house edge, which makes it much easier for players to clear their wagering requirements without losing.
However, the best casino bonuses can be used on a vast selection of pokies and table games.
Minimum / maximum stake
If you decide to go for a bonus, it’s important to deposit at least the minimum required to claim that bonus.
Most online casinos offering a deposit match bonus will also put a limit on the number of bonus funds you can get.
What is the bonus validity?
It’s important to note if your casino bonus comes with an expiry date.
Most online casinos in New Zealand offer bonuses with a validity of between 7 days and two months.
Free spins bonuses usually expire faster – in as little as 24 hours!
This bonus validity usually includes the time limit for clearing the wagering requirement attached to that bonus as well. In other words, if you would need to use up and wager the entire bonus within that time.
Payment method restrictions
Some online casinos will exclude certain payment methods from their bonuses. So, for example if you want to pay with the likes of Visa, Mastercard or Bitcoin, double check you can.
For instance, the e-wallets Skrill and Neteller are often excluded, and you will not be able to claim a bonus if you deposit using these methods.
However, this is usually specified in very small print, which is why you should read the terms and conditions carefully.
On our side, we’ll always specify any restrictions that come with a casino bonus featured on our website.
Market restrictions
Some casino bonuses on offer may not be available to players from specific countries.
At NZCasino, we only list those bonuses that can be claimed by residents of New Zealand.
How do turnover requirements work?
Different casino games often come with different ‘weightings’ with regard to bonus wagering requirements.
Certain casinos will limit the weighting of live casino games and table games to just 10%, which means that only NZ$0.10 of every NZ$1 staked will contribute to the wagering requirements.
This means that it would take you much longer if you decide to wager your bonus on these games.
| Did you know? |
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| Most online pokies will carry a 100% weighting towards turnover requirements, and every cent you stake will contribute towards clearing that bonus. |
What types of bonuses are out there and which one is the best for you?
We shall now take a look at the various types of casino rewards offers that you’ll come across at a NZ online casino.
- Welcome bonus (sign-up bonus)
- No deposit bonus
- Free spins bonus
- Reload bonus
- No wagering bonus
- Low wagering bonus
- Cashback bonuses
- Non-sticky bonuses
- Live casino bonuses
- Mobile casino bonuses
- VIP bonuses
Welcome bonus (sign-up bonus / bonus on registration)
The most common type of casino bonus is the online casino welcome bonus. It will be available either immediately on sign-up or once you make your first deposit.
Most casino welcome bonuses come in the form of a deposit match bonus.
This typically ranges between 50% and can even go up to 500% of your first cash deposit!
However, you’ll find that a 100% match bonus is the most commonly offered. It is very hard to find a NZ casino without an online casino welcome bonus!
No deposit bonus
If you would fancy getting casino rewards simply for signing up, then you’ll find, no deposit bonuses very tempting!
These bonuses are totally risk-free; you don’t need to deposit a cent of your own money – all that is required is that you register for an account with a new casino.
It’s important to note that, just like the online casino welcome bonus, a casino sign up bonus can only be claimed once per person / per household.
The only downside to no deposit bonuses is that you’ll typically get a very small amount of bonus cash or spins. These may still need to be wagered in order for winnings to be withdrawable.
Free spins bonus
Slot sites may also offer free spins bonuses for use on a selection of pokies.
These may come alongside a deposit match bonus, or on their own.
Free spins bonuses will give you an opportunity to try out a variety of pokies without risking any of your own money.
You may even get lucky and win a jackpot as you use your free spins!
Reload bonus
Reload bonuses can be any type of bonuses on offer for existing players, and which are typically made available on a regular basis.
A casino deposit bonus can take the form of a deposit match bonus, but some casinos also offer free spins reloads on deposit.
You can get anything from 20% to 100% in bonuses if you deposit on certain days of the week and opt-into a reload bonus promotion.
These reload bonuses will typically be usable on specific games, or on the casino’s chosen Game of the Week.
No wagering bonus
Although no wagering bonuses are not as common as we’d like them to be, these are the best casino bonuses you can get your hands on!
Any no wagering bonus credited to your account will allow you to use your funds and withdraw any winnings instantly, in cash!
This means that you can forget about playthrough requirements altogether, and there is no risk of losing any of your winnings!
Low wagering bonus
Low wagering casino bonuses are increasing in popularity as a way of starting off new online casino player experience.
General wagering requirements of a standard welcome bonus generally range between 35x and 70x.
Those that go below the latter range, are considered as a low wagering welcome bonus – that can go even as low as 10x and 5x
Cashback bonuses
Cashback bonuses will refund you a percentage of your losses on certain games.
They could be part of a casino online casino welcome bonus or even an ongoing offer for existing players.
On average, casino cashback will range from 5% to 25%.
The best cashback bonus will also give you real cash back even if you don’t lose. Some casinos will give you a percentage of the total amount wagered in cash, as part of their loyalty scheme!
Non-sticky bonuses
Non-sticky bonuses are bonuses that don’t stick to your deposit amount. Your deposit and the bonus are kept separate.
One of the best things about non-sticky bonuses is that the deposit has no wagering requirements, unlike bonus money. A casino non-sticky bonus can also be called cashable or forfeitable.
The Live casino bonus
Live dealer casinos are becoming very popular with table game players.
You can play table games with real croupiers and dealers, streamed in real-time to your desktop or mobile.
Some casinos run two different types of welcome bonuses – one for slot and table game players, and the other one for live casino games.
The live casino bonus usually takes the form of a deposit match bonus without any weighting, allowing you to have a go at live blackjack or spin the live roulette wheel using your bonus funds.
Mobile casino bonuses
Several online casinos have their dedicated apps downloadable on mobile.
Some may even offer exclusive mobile casino bonuses that can only be used on the mobile app. These offers cannot be redeemed on the desktop site.
However, these days, most casino bonuses can be claimed both on desktop and mobile, so players can transition seamlessly between the two using the same account and get access to the same bonus balance.
It’s also free to sign up for a casino on mobile and still get a bonus!
VIP bonuses
A VIP bonus is a bonus offered by online casinos to high rollers and regular players.
These bonuses are normally tiered. This means that the higher your tier is, the bigger perks you will get.
The bonus might include free spins, cashbacks, reload casinos, and higher withdrawal limits.
| Did you know? |
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| HTML5 technology has revolutionised mobile gaming in recent years, making it possible for games to be played on different screen sizes. For this reason, casinos that do not offer a mobile app are still accessible via the mobile browser, and the games will load just as well. |
How to activate a casino bonus
- Registration – It all starts with registering as a new player by completing a sign-up form.
- Deposit – Most online casinos have a ‘Cashier’ section, which allows you to choose your preferred payment method to make deposits or withdrawals.
- First game – Make sure your casino will allow you to use your bonus funds and spins first, before playing with your cash deposit amount.
- Withdrawal – Once you clear your wagering requirements, all your remaining winnings from the bonus will be transferred to your cash balance, and you can make a withdrawal.
Solutions for common issues
- My bonus was not activated – You should get in touch with customer support as soon as you can. The casino will check that you fulfilled the deposit terms, and if everything is in order, they will activate it for you.
- My bonus is missing – You may have forgotten to enter the required bonus code, or used a payment method that is excluded from the bonus. If this is not the case, contact the casino customer support team as soon as possible.
- I am unable to find my bonus wagering requirements – It may be that you’ve claimed a cash (no wagering) bonus, in which case there will be no wagering requirements.
- I want to cancel a bonus – If you still haven’t wagered your bonus funds, you may be able to cancel your active bonus or free spins from your account.
| Did you know? |
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| At casinos licensed by the UKCG, “The deposit balance and bonus balance must always be displayed separately in a clear and prominent manner”. Most non-UKCG licensed casinos have also adopted this practice for the purposes of fairness and transparency. |
Closing tips for taking advantage of casino bonuses
- Keep an eye on the NZCasino bonus guide – Visit our bonus offers page regularly to learn about new casino bonuses. We continually update the bonus list at the top of this page with the latest bonuses from licensed NZ casinos.
- Make sure to opt-in for your bonus – Always check the terms and conditions of any casino bonus that you consider claiming. Most bonuses require you to opt-in by ticking a box or clicking a button. Some may also require you to use a bonus code.
- Watch out for new casinos – Our bonus list at the top of this page also includes a bunch of licensed casino newcomers. And you can also check out our new casinos page for the full list.
- Free spins bonuses are a great way to try new pokies – Don’t ignore free spins casino bonuses. Although they don’t consist of cash to play with, you might just get lucky and hit a big win or jackpot!
- Only play amounts you can afford to lose – We cannot stress the importance of responsible gambling.