Top 5 land-based casinos in New Zealand

Published: 25/01/2022

Even though nowadays there is an abundance of New Zealand online casinos to play on, many players prefer Playing in a land-based casino gives the full gambling experience, including the exclusive interior, exquisite drinks and unforgettable atmosphere.

New Zealand offers several great land-based casinos where you can get the best casino experience, enjoy the popular games, have your favourite cocktail and meet like-minded people. So here are the top casinos in New Zealand to visit.

Christchurch Casino

Address: 30 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, New Zealand, View in Google Maps

Christchurch Casino is the oldest casino in New Zealand. It opened in 1994 with a motto – Let us entertain you. They are definitely still entertaining New Zealanders and tourists to this day, having almost 30 years of experience. It is located in Christchurch, a city on the south island of NZ.

What makes this Casino one of the best ones is the sheer size of it. Covering 4087.5 square meters of entertainment. The casino has 36 tables and 500 slot machines to choose from. You can choose different games, such as Roulette, Baccarat, and several poker variations. But that is not all.

Christchurch Casino provides the full experience, allowing you to enjoy live music during the weekends, different cuisines, and several bars where you can grab a drink while choosing the next game to play. Moreover, the casino offers transportation to some tourist accommodations. To enjoy the most of the casino, we advise joining their loyalty program – players club, which offers many exciting bonuses.

SkyCity Casino Auckland

Address: 72 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand, View in Google Maps

Established in 1996, SkyCity Casino Auckland is one of the oldest casinos in New Zealand. But that is not the only thing that makes it special, it is also the largest casino in NZ, covering 5,500 m2, and it works 24/7, 365 days a year, allowing you to enjoy the fun nonstop, all year long.

You can enjoy more than 2000 slot machines and over 100 tables, playing all the popular games like blackjack, Texas Hold ’em Poker, Roulette, and many more. And the best part is that you do not need to worry about currency exchange, it is done at the casino with no commissions.

As the Casino is part of the SkyCity Hotel complex, you can enjoy a night stay at the luxurious suites and enjoy fancy restaurants, more than 10 bars, and even a theatre to keep you entertained.

SkyCity Casino Queenstown

Address: Stratton House Level 2/16-24 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand, View in Google Maps

Another treasure in the SkyCity lineup, this time it’s SkyCity Casino Queenstown, located in the heart of the city. It was opened in 2000, giving it more than 20 years of experience in the field. It is considered to be the most sophisticated casino in New Zealand.

It might not be the biggest casino in size, however, it still gives the players quite a selection of the most popular games to choose from. Providing 86 slot machines and 12 gaming tables, four of which are in the VIP room.

SkyCity Hamilton

Address: 346 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204, New Zealand, View in Google Maps

SkyCity Hamilton is another masterpiece of the SkyCity Entertainment Group. If you ever visit the city of Hamilton, you have to check this casino out, and you can do it anytime since it is open 24/7 all year round.

It is one of the top casinos in New Zealand with a wide range of games to choose from, offering 23 tables to play blackjack, Pai Gow, baccarat, poker, and roulette. In addition, there are 330 slot machines. Trying blackjack in this casino is a must as it offers many versions of the game.

If you want to entertain yourself differently, you should try out the casinos bowling alley or the restaurants provided in the location that provides different menus for different tastes.

Grand Casino Dunedin

Address: 118 High Street, Dunedin Central, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand, View in Google Maps

Last but not least is the Grand Casino Dunedin. This land-based casino has been entertaining its visitors in the City of Dunedin since 1999. Its name says it all – it is pretty grand in every way. The casino offers a wide selection of 180 slot machines and 12 table games, including baccarat, roulette, Caribbean Stud Poker, and blackjack. As a player, you can also enjoy many perks, promotions, and bonus offers, such as triple Tuesday draw.

The Grand Casino offers high-quality food from all over the world in its restaurant, along with contemporary cocktails in the bar. We highly recommend trying them out between the games.

Honourable Mention – SkyCity Wharf Casino

If we are talking about casinos located in Queenstown, it is important to mention SkyCity Wharf Casino, which opened in 2000. This casino gives a contemporary feeling that is more attractive to younger players and tourists. It is a boutique casino adventure that you definitely have to experience.

The casino is located in Steamer Wharf and works every day from 4 PM, giving you the perfect opportunity to enjoy the scenic view and the atmosphere that comes with the location. All the gamblers can enjoy 120 machine games and 24 gaming tables.

Unfortunately, if you want to try out SkyCity Wharf Casino, you will need to wait a bit, as it is currently closed until further notice. Just remember that there is another option where to try your luck in Queenstown.

Summary

To sum it up, there are high-class casinos in New Zealand to try out. It all depends on which city you are staying in. Just remember that the age limit for entrance is 20. Before going to one, we suggest checking the opening hours, some work 24/7, however, some open up during the day or in the afternoon.

It is safe to say that you will be entertained during your visit to NZ if you try any of these land-based casinos to experience the real casino feel. Gambling online is extremely fun, but making a visit to any of these land-based casinos is a special occasion.

Author: Lucas Arauz

Lucas Arauz is our senior casino analyst and chief editor of TopCasinoSites.BET. He loves playing all kind of games but roulette is his favourite. He's looking for payouts, withdrawals, safety and other aspects of a casino site. Alex is passionate about learning new languages and travel around the world.