Casinos in New Zealand

New Zealand has six Department of Internal Affairs-licensed casinos, located in Auckland, Hamilton, Queenstown (two venues), Christchurch, and Dunedin. The country also hosts approximately 1,100 DIA-licensed Class 4 pokies venues — pubs and clubs permitted to operate gaming machines under the Gambling Act 2003. This directory lists every licensed casino and every Class 4 venue, organised by region and city, so visitors and residents can find a land-based gambling venue near them.

How many licensed casinos are there in New Zealand?

There are six licensed casinos in New Zealand. The full list is SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Wharf Casino Queenstown, Wharf Casino Queenstown, Christchurch Casino, and Grand Casino Dunedin. No new casino licence has been issued in New Zealand since 1996, because the Gambling Act 2003 and its predecessor legislation cap the number of Class 3 (casino) licences at six.

The Department of Internal Affairs administers the licensing regime. Each casino operates under a Class 3 licence granted by the DIA and renewed at regulated intervals. The six-licence cap is legislative, not administrative — changing it would require parliamentary amendment.

Where are the licensed casinos located?

New Zealand’s six licensed casinos are located in five cities. Queenstown is the only city with two licensed casinos. The table below summarises the city, region, and operator for each.

Casino	City	Region	Operator
SkyCity Auckland	Auckland	Auckland	SkyCity Entertainment Group
SkyCity Hamilton	Hamilton	Waikato	SkyCity Entertainment Group
SkyCity Wharf Casino Queenstown	Queenstown	Otago	SkyCity Entertainment Group
Wharf Casino Queenstown	Queenstown	Otago	Locally operated
Christchurch Casino	Christchurch	Canterbury	Christchurch Casinos Ltd
Grand Casino Dunedin	Dunedin	Otago	Grand Casino Dunedin Ltd

Wellington, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Napier, Hastings, New Plymouth, Whangārei, Nelson, Invercargill, and every smaller city in New Zealand have no licensed casino. In those cities, the only land-based gambling venues are DIA-licensed Class 4 pokies venues — pubs and clubs that host gaming machines. Where to play in each of those cities is covered below by region.

What are Class 4 pokies venues and how are they regulated?

A Class 4 gambling venue is a pub, club, or similar DIA-licensed site hosting between one and 18 gaming machines under the Gambling Act 2003. Class 4 venues are distinct from casinos (Class 3). They operate at much lower per-spin stake caps and are embedded in ordinary hospitality venues rather than standalone gambling buildings.

There are approximately 1,100 Class 4 venues across New Zealand. The full register is published by the DIA at dia.govt.nz/Gambling-Class-4. Three rules define how Class 4 venues operate. First, no Class 4 venue may hold more than 18 gaming machines. Second, the maximum stake per spin is $2.50. Third, approximately 40 per cent of gross proceeds must be returned to the community as grants — typically funding sport, arts, and charity. Class 4 venues therefore function partly as community-funding mechanisms, which is why many pubs and clubs host them.

For a full explanation of Class 4 licensing, stake limits, and community-grant rules, see Class 4 gambling venues in NZ.

How do casinos in New Zealand differ from online casinos?

Casinos in New Zealand are physical venues under Class 3 licences. Online casinos operate under the separate Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, which comes into effect on 1 December 2026 and creates a new licensing regime for operators serving New Zealand players online. Before December 2026, online casino play by New Zealand residents occurs overseas-licensed offshore sites, which the DIA does not regulate directly.

Three practical differences matter for anyone deciding where to play. Land-based casinos are regulated under the Gambling Act 2003 with 24/7 in-person host-responsibility oversight, self-exclusion procedures at each venue, and a minimum entry age of 20. Class 4 pokies venues are also regulated under the Gambling Act 2003, with a minimum age of 18 and capped stakes. Online casinos — before and after the 2026 Act — operate entirely separately and are covered in detail on the casino vs pokies guide and the New Zealand gambling law explainer.

Where can I play pokies near me in New Zealand?

Pokies are available at all six licensed casinos and at every DIA-licensed Class 4 venue. The six cities with the largest concentrations of Class 4 venues are Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Dunedin, and Queenstown. Each has a dedicated directory page listing every Class 4 venue by suburb with addresses and hours.

• Casinos in Auckland — SkyCity Auckland plus ~240 Class 4 venues across the Auckland region.
• Casinos in Christchurch — Christchurch Casino plus ~160 Class 4 venues in Canterbury.
• Casinos in Wellington — No licensed casino; ~130 Class 4 venues across the Wellington region.
• Casinos in Queenstown — Two licensed casinos (SkyCity Wharf and Wharf Casino) plus ~45 Class 4 venues in Otago Lakes.
• Casinos in Hamilton — SkyCity Hamilton plus ~95 Class 4 venues in Waikato.
• Casinos in Dunedin — Grand Casino Dunedin plus ~55 Class 4 venues in Otago.

Smaller cities with their own dedicated pages include Tauranga, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Napier, New Plymouth, Whangārei, Nelson, and Invercargill. For a single nationwide index, see pokies near me.

What is the legal gambling age in New Zealand?

The legal gambling age in New Zealand is 20 for casinos and 18 for Class 4 pokies venues, lotteries, and the TAB. All six licensed casinos enforce the 20-year minimum age at entry and require photo identification. Class 4 venues enforce the 18-year minimum age at the gaming room rather than the venue entrance — the pub or club itself remains accessible to anyone of legal drinking age for ordinary hospitality.

The age differential reflects a deliberate policy distinction. Casinos offer higher-stakes table games and uncapped-stake pokies; the Gambling Act 2003 therefore treats casino entry as a more consequential decision and raises the minimum age by two years. Class 4 pokies machines have the $2.50-per-spin cap and are embedded in regular pubs, so the 18-year age aligns with the general drinking-age framework.

How are gambling venues licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs?

The Department of Internal Affairs issues gambling venue licences under the Gambling Act 2003. The DIA is the primary regulator for all land-based gambling in New Zealand. Its functions include granting and renewing Class 3 and Class 4 licences, auditing venue compliance with host-responsibility rules, publishing the authoritative Class 4 register, enforcing problem-gambling signage requirements, and prosecuting breaches.

Two licence classes matter for physical venues. Class 3 is the casino licence — capped at six, each granted to a specific operator and venue. Class 4 is the pub and club gaming-machine licence — a much larger register, each tied to a specific pub or club. Separate classes exist for Lotteries (Lotto NZ), non-commercial gambling (Class 1, Class 2 — raffles), and now online casino under the 2026 Act. Full regulatory detail, including complaint procedures, is covered on the New Zealand gambling law page.

What responsible gambling resources exist in New Zealand?

The Gambling Helpline NZ (0800 654 655) is the primary responsible-gambling support line in New Zealand, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service is free, confidential, and accessible from anywhere in the country. Every DIA-licensed venue — casino or Class 4 — must display the Gambling Helpline number prominently at gaming areas.

Three other organisations play central roles. The Problem Gambling Foundation (pgf.nz) provides counselling, harm-reduction programmes, and advocacy. Safer Gambling Aotearoa coordinates multi-agency responses. The Ministry of Health funds host-responsibility training for venue operators and publishes problem-gambling prevalence research.

Every licensed casino operates a voluntary self-exclusion scheme; the six casinos jointly operate a multi-venue exclusion programme so a self-exclusion at one casino is enforceable at all six. Class 4 venues support single-venue self-exclusion. Anyone concerned about their own gambling or a family member’s should call 0800 654 655 or visit responsible gambling in New Zealand for the complete list of support services and exclusion procedures.

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Regions

Browse casinos and Class 4 pokies venues by region:

• Auckland Region
• Waikato
• Bay of Plenty
• Gisborne
• Hawke’s Bay
• Taranaki
• Manawatū-Whanganui
• Wellington
• Northland
• Marlborough
• Nelson-Tasman
• West Coast
• Canterbury
• Otago
• Southland