If you already love online betting, you can now play top table games and pokies via your smartphone and tablet. There are thousands of mobile casino games for real money available. Players in New Zealand can download dedicated apps or simply gamble via their mobile browsers. The choice is huge!
"Free-play mobile action gives you a taste of roulette or blackjack without risking a dollar on your phone bill."
A mobile casino will look a bit different to a desktop version. You won't find an identical range of games, and in some cases, the lobby may be extremely limited. This is particularly true if you are downloading a dedicated app for your device.
For the latest smartphones, casinos make full use of your touchscreen. All the actions, like making bets or accessing the Cashier, are done via touch buttons. For mobile pokies and table games, developers will even have a special range of button ‘legends’ so you can tap the right function immediately.
For example, a mobile pokie will have a 'Spin' button used to spin the reels, a 'cog' legend which lets you change game settings, and a 'house' icon which gets you back to the lobby. Look for the dollar sign ($) - this is your one-tap button for the Cashier.
Similarly, table games like blackjack will have easy button legends so you can place bets (for example, a 'hand' for 'Stand', a '+' sign for a 'hit', and a 'card' icon to start a deal. In mobile roulette, the buttons will usually be 'Spin the wheel', 'Clear bet', 'Re-bet', or 'Double stake and re-bet'.
A mobile casino online has a limited range of games compared to its larger desktop counterpart. You may only find 50 pokies (compared to 500 online) and perhaps one or two blackjack versions compared to a dozen online. The number can vary depending on the developer.
There are two ways for gamblers in New Zealand to play via mobile. Download apps are designed specifically for your smartphone, while HTML5 or Flash games work in a mobile browser such as Safari or Google Chrome.
Mobile casino apps can be found in the App Store (iOS/iPhone/iPad), Google Play Store (Android/Google Nexus/Samsung, etc), or Microsoft Store (Windows phones like the Nokia, or tablets). Alternatively, point your phone at the mobile casino where you can download the casino apps directly.
Casinos usually have a full suite of games included, but they can take up a lot of your phone or tablet's memory. Alternatively, you can pick and choose which games you download to your phone.
In many cases, no-download gaming is a better option for casino mobile players. These are programmed in a browser-supporting language like HTML5 and work when you load up a casino via the web.
Instead of installing an app, you can simply log in via the website homepage. HTML5 is a slick platform for mobile gambling and is becoming the main choice for most developers. Instant-play is also great if you're on a BlackBerry or Windows phone that doesn't have its own mobile casino app available for download.
Good connectivity is vital for mobile gamblers. If your web connection goes down mid-spin it can be a pain getting reconnected. However, you usually won't lose any money and the casino will launch you back in the game when you do reconnect.
WIFI hotspots are everywhere in New Zealand, and what's better than free Internet usage while you gamble? Make sure your phone provider allows access to online gambling sites before you get started, though.
All instant-play games and web usage cost you data. An hour of web browsing can cost about 20MB, for example. Casino games are no different and if you gamble a lot you could end up paying the price.
Speak to your provider about data usage packages, as its costs about 1kb to play a card game like blackjack online. That means ONE game. With online poker, for example, it's thought to be about 10kb per minute. So, if you're playing 100 hands of blackjack on a mobile that can really add up over a session.
Whether you're on a tablet or smartphone, it's important to have an up-to-date browser running. That's especially true if you're on a no-download casino. Consider installing the latest Google Chrome or Safari whenever you can and check the mobile casino NZ system requirements first. Some casinos can manage an iPhone 4S, for example, but not all games will work. And one casino might demand Android 4.0 while another insists on Android 4.4 before it will operate.
The leading Apple product has amazing graphics and an unrivalled processor for mobile gaming. You'll find iOS mobile casino apps to enjoy in the App Store, iTunes, or casinos direct.
Similarly, the smaller Apple iPhone is powerful enough to run most apps and games. Even the older 4S and 5S can handle many of the new pokies.
Now the world's most popular mobile operating system, Android is accepted by Samsung, Nexus tablets, or cheap Hudl devices. Instant-play HTML5 games work seamlessly too.
You won't find too many casino mobile apps in the Microsoft Store, but the Windows Phone, using Windows 8, can handle a lot of instant-play pokies and table games.
All good casinos offer bonuses, and with mobile, you can sometimes get an exclusive deal. From welcome bonuses for new players to pokies leaderboard challenges, there's usually something that guarantees the players’ free money.
If you've signed up on your desktop, you might not be able to access the same games on your mobile device. That can be tricky if you want to clear a deposit bonus fast.
It can be better to open a new account on your phone and claim a mobile casino bonus. Sometimes, if it's the first time playing at the mobile casino, no deposit may be needed. Simply play eligible mobile casino games online and ‘work through’ a bonus requirement to claim the free cash.
Our expert New Zealand team takes care of finding the very best mobile casino apps and sites, so you don’t have to. Here's what our criteria looks like when we form our list of big hitters:
You know that you need to have a good selection of games to enjoy whilst on the move, from live casino to pokies to table games. That’s why we’ll let you know if an online casino has 500+ pokies but only 30 on the mobile client.
Just like online gaming sites, mobile casino games online need to be audited and licensed. That's why all our recommended rooms have proper licenses and security protocols in place. We make sure your NZ dollars are always safe.
Good mobile banking should be secure and protected. Mobile casino apps should have a decent range of NZ-friendly options with low fees, high deposit limits, and fast processing. The cash-outs should also be quick and accurate.
Does the casino have download apps for iOS and Android, or is it instant-play all the way? We check for all devices so that you know what the system requirements are. And if the casino just won't work on an older web browser, we'll let you know.
Good customer service shouldn't just be for online players. Mobile gamblers in New Zealand should have 24/7 support via their smartphone, mobile live chat, or email so that you can get your queries answered quickly.
A top real cash welcome bonus can mean the difference between a bad casino and a good one. Welcome bonuses help first depositors to lots of free real money, and you can sometimes claim an exclusive offer just by signing up on your smartphone.
If you haven't already opened an account with the online casino, you can register your details via your smartphone or tablet. Download the app first, either from the mobile homepage or app store, and follow the instructions on-screen.
It's simple to make a deposit at an online casino, even if you’re on your mobile. Simply tap the $ sign and the Cashier page will come up. Here, a list of available banking options will be shown. You can then redirect to your mobile banking BNZ app or ASB homepage to complete a Wire Transfer, or just enter your credit card details in the box.
Some casinos let you add on the cost of your gambling to your mobile phone bill. Alternatively, simply enter your credit/debit card or e-Wallet details on the Cashier page. If you have apps for NETELLER, PayPal, and/or Skrill, these can be used to complete your mobile casino online transactions.
Just as with online casinos, mobile gambling banking is simple and secure for NZ punters. Transactions are protected with SSL security to ensure mobile hacks aren't possible. And as with online banking, mobile deposits are instant. You can usually deposit in NZD as well.
Although some NZ banks have been hit with malware in their mobile banking apps recently, you won't have any problems at the safest casino mobile rooms.
With top apps and the best instant-play pokies for iOS, Windows and Android, you can enjoy the very best casinos around. The games play a little differently, but the odds, RTP, and security are all the same.
Mobile casino bonus offers are excellent to aim for as well. Just make your first deposit and see for yourself. Our recommended mobile casino NZ pages are packed with amazing offers and sites.
So, what are you waiting for? Give one a try today!
