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Live Casino NZ

By Ville Saari. Updated:

Bojoko helps you find the best live casinos. Live casino streams classic casino games in real-time to your desktop or mobile device. You can play roulette, blackjack and other games against a human dealer for real money. The games are interactive and the dealer will act based on your choices. Enjoy the real casino atmosphere in NZ live casinos.

The best live online casinos in New Zealand

With the number of options growing by the day, it can be hard to find the best live casinos that fit your needs. That is where we come in. We have done the legwork for you, and you can just reap the rewards and pick the casino that is just right for you.

The best live dealer casinos feature a large selection of tables and different versions of the classic casino games. Some of them also offer bonuses that can be used in live dealer games. On the list below, you'll find the top live casinos available via Bojoko in 2021. They're chosen by our live casino experts, based on the game selection, live dealer bonuses and overall quality.

On this page

Here, you'll find everything you need to know about live casinos.

Live Casinos in New Zealand

Bojoko helps you find the best live dealer casinos

Nowadays, most online gambling sites in New Zealand feature at least some sort of live dealer section. However, there's a huge difference between a half-hearted attempt to lure in table game fans and a site that takes live dealer offering seriously.

On this page, we list NZ casinos that have done some excellent work with their live casino. Find the broadest offering of games, live dealer providers and tables suited for both high rollers and budget players.

In addition, we list casinos that offer bonuses to live dealer games.

Go to our live casino list and use our selection tool to find exactly what you're looking for.

Don't have an account yet? Join the Bojoko community for free.

 

Find the best live casinos

Live casino sign up bonus

Live casino sign up bonus offers do exist for live casino game fans. Live casino bonus offers are usually in place since the regular welcome deposit offer does not allow live dealer games to contribute towards wagering requirements.

You can use your welcome deposit bonus funds to play live dealer games, but usually, the percentage contributed towards playthroughs is small.

The best live casino sites offer a separate live casino bonus offer upon sign up. Sometimes these live casinos also throw cashback on losses.

If you are looking to claim and play using a live casino bonus, please be aware that there might be table limits in place and the terms and conditions of the bonus might prohibit large wagers.

Advantages of playing at a live casino

Gone are the days when you had to dress up and drive for miles to play your favourite game of Blackjack or Baccarat. 

With advances in technology, casinos have re-created the high roller and VIP experience that you get from playing live card cards or spinning the wheel at live games shows. These games are no longer available solely for high rollers with big bankrolls. 

On the contrary, there are various tables that accept a range of bet sizes to suit your requirements making live casinos an all-including online gambling option.

If you are unable to travel to Las Vegas, you can join a live dealer casino site in New Zealand from the comfort of your own home or on the go at a mobile casino.

One of the biggest advantages of joining a live casino is the fact that your gaming options are vast, so you can easily find the best live casinos in New Zealand offering a myriad of tables, high and low stake limits, live casino bonuses, game types as well as exclusive VIP clubs to ultimately boost your online gambling experience.

All you require to join is a steady internet connection so you can enjoy uninterrupted gameplay. You might also have a preference when it comes to game suppliers, so you must look for a casino that hosts your favourite live game supplier's games.

Try a new live casino

New live casino sites are launched every week. Almost every brand new NZ casino features a live dealer section, so there are plenty of sites to choose from. However, some new casinos are in a hurry to go live and leave building a thorough live casino experience for later.

Go to our list of live dealer casinos and apply the New live casinos quick filter to see live dealer casinos launched in 2020 and 2021.

Read live casino reviews

Many live dealer casinos have their own, loyal fanbase. By reading the online live casino reviews and ratings made by the Bojoko community, you'll have a good sense where you want to play next.

Return to the live dealer casino list and browse the top-rated live dealer casinos on listed Bojoko.

Live casino bonus, promotions and offers

Live casino games are usually excluded from bonus wagering. However, there are live casinos that either

Here's how a live casino bonus works:

You can also play live casino games online with some regular bonuses:

EXAMPLE: With a 10% live casino bonus wagering contribution, NZ$10 wagered in live blackjack counts as NZ$1 wagered in slots.

When wagering a regular NZ casino bonus, bets placed in table games and live dealer games usually contribute only a small percentage of their total value. In practice, every dollar bet on live roulette or blackjack only counts as 5¢ or 10¢ for meeting the wagering goal.

Live casino bonuses are different. Although they often have higher wagering requirements in relation to the bonus sum, all bets in table games contribute 100% for wagering.

Check the examples below to understand how this all works.

EXAMPLE 1: Live casino bonus

You get a 50% live casino bonus up to NZ$100. The wagering requirement is 60x (B). This means you have to make a NZ$200 deposit to get the full bonus amount. If you lose your deposit, you start playing with the bonus funds. 

You'll need to bet a total of NZ$6,000 (60 x NZ$100) on table games to turn the remaining bonus balance into withdrawable cash. However, every bet counts as its full value. And if you place only Banker bets, for example, in Baccarat, the house edge is just 1.06%.

To calculate the value of the bonus in relation to your original deposit, here's how you do it:

(Bonus sum - (total wagering sum x house edge)) ÷ original deposit = bonus value

Or in this case:

(NZ$100 - (NZ$6,000 x 1.06%)) ÷ NZ$200 = 0.182 = 18.2%

EXAMPLE 2: Standard bonus with partial contribution

You get a 100% welcome bonus up to NZ$100. The wagering requirement is 20x (B), and table games contribute 10%. You'll need to deposit $100 to get the bonus and start using the bonus funds once your deposit runs out.

Normally, you'd need to bet a total of NZ$2,000 (NZ$100 x 20) to turn the bonus into cash. However, table games only contribute 10% of their value, so you'll actually need to bet NZ$20,000.

Here's how you calculate the value of that bonus:

(NZ$100 - (NZ$20,000 x 1.06%)) ÷ $100 = -1.12 = -112%

If you are playing table games, these conditions result in a negative value. In practice, your bonus funds will likely run out long before you complete the wagering.

Even though the bonus percentage is much worse and the wagering requirement 3 times higher, the 100% contribution makes all the difference in live casino bonuses.

Return to our list of live casinos and apply the Live casino bonus quick filter to play live dealer games with bonus money.

How does a live casino work?

Live Casinos in New Zealand

Compared to online pokies, casino table games are fairly straightforward. However, a lot of effort goes into bringing them live to your screen. Take a peek behind the curtain!

DEALERS

The games are operated by live human dealers, also known as croupiers. They are thoroughly trained to lead the games in an elegant and efficient manner.

The dealers are usually young, attractive ladies and gents. In addition to knowing the games and equipment thoroughly, a good dealer will lift the general atmosphere of the table. This makes a huge difference, especially in game-show-style tables like Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher and Blackjack Party.

Dealers use monitors to stay on track of the players. Dealers need to be aware of betting decisions, wins, chat messages and new players entering the game and interact with the patrons.

What makes a great live casino dealer?

The best live dealers guarantee a fun, relaxed gaming atmosphere. Here's what it takes to be an awesome live casino dealer:

SHUFFLERS AND SHOES

Most dealers learn the ropes by working as a shuffler. Their job is to make sure every baccarat and blackjack table has randomly shuffled cards on hand.

Just like the brick-and-mortar casinos, also live dealer tables use a transparent box of cards called the shoe. Every shoe has a red card. When the dealer turns it over, it signals the last round before the reshuffle. After that, the dealer takes the new shoe to play. The shuffler then starts working on the cards of the previous shoe.

SENSORS

Card games such as blackjack, baccarat and poker utilise optical character recognition technology. All the cards have a barcode printed in the middle and every table is equipped with a scanner.

When dealers take cards from a shoe - special container for multiple decks of cards - they scan each card before turning it over.

Also, the live roulette tables are highly automatised. The cameras and sensors can accurately read where the ball has landed, and the dealer doesn't need to enter this information manually.

CAMERAS

Live casino tables usually have multiple cameras to capture different angles of gameplay and produce an immersive experience.

Depending on the game supplier, you can see the whole table or various close-ups. Most tables have a built-in rhythm for changing camera views. Some live game providers also let you choose your preferred view manually as well.

Blackjack is the most notable exception to the multi-camera rule. The players need to see every card on the table at a glance, so a single camera is used to capture the whole table.

GAME CONTROL UNIT

All the data gathered by sensors is interpreted and encoded by the Game Control Unit or GCU. This is a shoebox-sized piece of equipment found in every live dealer table.

GCU is responsible for matching what happens on the physical table to the results on your screen. This is achieved by combining rigid game rules with accurate data and reliable software.

The order of play is pre-determined by the game rules. The GCU automatically knows where each card is going and whether or not they produce a winning combination.

USER INTERFACE

The user interface of live dealer games enables you to have full control and flexibility over your bets and gaming experience. In all tables, you can select the chip value and repeat or double the bets of your previous round. Some providers also allow you to save your favourite betting combinations, which comes in handy in roulette.

STATISTICS

For players looking for patterns in the online live table games, most suppliers offer a handsome set of statistics. Often you see the results of previous rounds directly in the default view. You can access more detailed info by going to the history or statistics tab. Each supplier has its own way of communicating the game history.

Roulette stats

Roulette stats include the distribution of spins on each number and group, as well as hot and cold numbers. In addition, you can often see the raw data of up to 500 spins.

Blackjack stats

In blackjack, the stats are less robust, because the casinos don't want to encourage card counting. NetEnt does show the 10 previous hands of the dealer, but with continuous shuffling machines in use, this data won't help you much.

Baccarat stats

In baccarat, there are many traditional ways to keep track of the results. Depending on the supplier, you can select between different scoreboards. In Evolution Gaming's tables, you can simultaneously see:

You can also zoom in to take a closer look at your preferred scoreboard.

Studios

In a live dealer studio, there are usually several tables for different games. The dealers work in shifts, especially if the tables are open 24/7.

There are live dealer studios all over Europe. Here are some of the top locations:

Some studios are built to mimic the style of the brick-and-mortar casino floors or a more futuristic setting. Others take full advantage of the blue screen. With some digital wizardry, you may even find yourself playing blackjack on the deck of a pirate ship.

Live streams from brick-and-mortar casinos

Not all live dealer games take place in a studio environment. Many live suppliers also have set up cameras in brick-and-mortar casinos. This enables streaming roulette from tables that are open for the physical casino patrons as well as their online peers.

Since the tables occasionally get quite busy, the atmosphere is a big part of the live streaming. However, dealing out the winnings and raking in the chips takes time.

Live casino game suppliers

The best live casino sites in New Zealand work with leading live game developers and suppliers on the market. Here are some of the most prominent live dealer game suppliers available across real money casinos in New Zealand.

Evolution Gaming Live Casino

By far, Evolution Gaming is the most popular live dealer game supplier out there. It has paved the way for many other suppliers to develop their own live casino games. Besides offering all the classics, it has created its own range of game shows, including Dream Catcher, Monopoly Live, Crazy Time, Deal or No Deal Live and Mega Ball.

Evolution Gaming's live casino games also come with their own progressive jackpot programme, with some games offering massive jackpot prize pools with seven figures.  Players have a range of tables and game variants to pick and choose from.

Playtech Live Casino

Playtech caters for some of the world's leading casino operators, including Sky Live Casino and Paddy Power amongst others. Their games offer players a fully immersive live casino action that is akin to the brick and mortar casino experience.

The Playtech studio embodies the casino floor, allowing players to visit tables, browse around the rooms and try different variations of live dealer games. At the same time, players can also engage with the dealer via live chat and other players.

Players who prefer faster play can opt for the ‘lite' version with less camera angles and more rounds per hour. Amongst some of the best Playtech products, there is Live Blackjack, Speed Roulette, Pokier, Sic Bo and the Grand Royal amongst others.

Live casino games

Live casino is the best place to play classic table games in an authentic setting. Online casino live dealer games consist mainly of the staples from land-based casinos. The most innovative suppliers also launch new live casino games every now and then. New online casino sites also tend to come up with great live casino games to attract players. 

Online live roulette works just like the ordinary roulette in land-based casinos. You place your bets, the dealer spins the wheel and you collect your winnings. Simple as pie!

Best live roulette casinos have plenty of different live roulette games to choose from. Players don't have to wait until there's an open seat. It's more convenient to play live casino games online than in land-based casinos where tables might be full and players need to wait their turn.

Live roulette games are streamed either from:

  • a dedicated studio, or
  • a brick-and-mortar casino

In addition, live roulette games come in a completely digital variant called auto-roulette. There's no dealer, but the round results are the same for every player.

There are many types of live roulette games in New Zealand casinos. Discover the different versions below and play live roulette online. You can also read our complete guide to Roulette here.

American roulette

American roulette is a live casino roulette variant with an additional number: 00 or double-zero. Because of the extra zero, the RTP percentage 94.73% (36/38) of American roulette is worse than in other roulette versions.

Live American roulette is available on many online casinos. With bets ranging from 20¢ to NZ$10,000, you can find American live roulette on most Evolution Gaming casinos.

European Roulette

European live roulette is the standard version available on EVERY live-dealer casino. In addition to a regular, dealer-operated variant, you can find live European roulette as:

  • Slingshot auto roulette
  • RNG auto roulette
  • Mini live roulette
  • Speed live roulette

Depending on the version you pick, the minimum bet in automatic live roulette tables is usually 10¢.

If you're looking for a human touch, live-dealer European roulette minimum bets start from 50¢.

French roulette (la partage)

French roulette uses the European layout but comes with the 'la partage' rule. When the ball lands on zero, half of all even-money bets are returned.

EXAMPLE: If you bet NZ$2 on red and hit zero, you get NZ$1 back.

The RTP in the French live roulette is a respectable 98.65% (36.5/37 odds). This makes the French version the best payout live roulette game available anywhere.

New live roulette variants

The last couple of years have seen some new live roulette games published by popular game suppliers. These include:

  • Double ball roulette (Evolution Gaming)
  • Lightning roulette (Evolution Gaming)
  • Reel roulette (Extreme Live Gaming)
  • Jackpot live roulette (Playtech)


There are many different live poker casino games available, but one thing remains the same: you play live online poker against the dealer, not the other players.

The most popular live casino poker variants include:

  • Casino Holdem
  • Caribbean stud
  • Three-card poker
  • Bet on poker

Discover the basics of live dealer poker and play your favourite version online.

Casino Holdem

Texas Holdem is an online poker variant with two face-up cards and five community cards. You'll go head-to-head against the dealer.

Live Casino Holdem is a fast-paced game blending luck and skill, but you don't need to bluff.

Live Holdem features a single hand for all players around the world. So, there are always seats available for everyone. In addition to the main game, you can also place side bets.

There are different versions of live dealer casino Texas Holdem available online. All of them have slightly different rules, side bets and payouts:

  • Casino hold'em
  • Texas hold 'em bonus poker
  • Ultimate Texas hold'em

Depending on the game supplier, the minimum bet for Texas Holdem is usually 50¢.

Caribbean stud

Live Caribbean stud poker is a live-dealer poker version without any community cards. Featuring a 5+1 bonus bet and a progressive jackpot, Caribbean stud is the poker version with the highest individual payouts.

The minimum bet in live dealer Caribbean stud poker is NZ$1.

Three card poker

Live three-card poker is a beginner-friendly live dealer poker variation. The hand rankings are simple and the dealer needs a queen high to qualify.

In addition to the main game, live 3-card poker features:

  • An automatic ante bonus
  • Pair plus bonus bet
  • Six card bonus bet

The minimum bet in three-card live casino poker is NZ$1.

Bet on poker

Bet on poker is a live poker variant made by Betgames.tv. Instead of playing against the dealer, you're trying to guess which hand will win the round of Texas Holdem.

Bet on poker features:

  • 6 hands dealt every round
  • Constantly updating odds
  • Betting rounds before deal, flop, river and turn

If it seems like your earlier bet is going to lose, you can rectify the situation with a new bet on another hand.

Bet on poker is a unique, exciting live dealer poker game. However, the RTP of c. 90% is much worse than in the traditional live casino poker versions.

Live dealer blackjack is the cornerstone of live casinos. With an RTP of 99.50%, live casino blackjack online is single-handedly the best payout casino game.

Live blackjack is one of the most popular live dealer games in New Zealand casinos. The basic rules are simple to learn. However, understanding the basic strategy takes a bit of effort. That's why blackjack is the choice of seasoned casino players.  Our complete guide to Blackjack should help you learn the ropes and the ins and outs of this game in no time.

In addition to the classic live blackjack in New Zealand, there are different live blackjack online games to suit every skill level and budget:

Bet-behind

When you enter a live blackjack table, you see the other players. Instead of taking a vacant seat, you can place your bets behind your fellow gamblers. They will call the shots; when they win, you win.

Bet-behind live casino blackjack is the perfect option when you:

  • Are just learning the ropes
  • Want to play with smaller minimum bets (50¢ per hand)
  • Play live blackjack online but there's no room at the table

Common-draw blackjack

Common Draw Blackjack was first introduced by NetEnt in 2017. It combines the classic live casino blackjack with bet behind.

All players from casinos all over the world play the same hand. You can hit, stand, double down and split, just like in a regular version.

Because a single dealer can serve all the players simultaneously, the minimum bet in common-draw blackjack is only NZ$1.

Live casino baccarat comes in all shapes and sizes. There's always a version to suit your rhythm. The variants range from fast-paced speed baccarat to the almost ritualistic baccarat squeeze.

While the banker is always your safest bet, there are also side bet options in live baccarat online.

In addition to the universally available basic game, you can also play live baccarat online variations. These include no-commission baccarat and the simplified baccarat version called Dragon Tiger.

Online baccarat with a live dealer usually has a minimum bet of NZ$1.

Sic bo is a traditional Chinese gambling game played with three dice. Live dealer sic bo is a very simple game and easy to learn. You can bet on a specific number of combinations or the total sum of the throw.

Evolution Gaming has recently launched its own live sic bo version called Super Sic Bo. It offers dozens of different bets. The table limits range from 20¢ to NZ$5,000.

Live money wheel is the online version of the iconic wheel of fortune found at many land-based casinos.

Playing live money wheel is gameshow-style gambling at its best. The outgoing, funny dealers chat with the players and make every round a unique, social experience.

There are currently two live money wheel versions available for New Zealand players:

  • Dream Catcher (Evolution Gaming)
  • Monopoly Live (Evolution Gaming)
  • Spin A Win (Playtech)

Live casino games with the highest RTP

The Return-to-Player (RTP) is not only reserved for online pokies and RNG table games. You'll be surprised to learn that the RTP rate is also available on live casino games in New Zealand. These can vary from one game variant to another. Here are the games with the highest RTP:

Live casino software providers

In the NZ market alone, there are many suppliers for live dealer casino software. Here are the household names that make the top live casino games:

Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming is the leading live casino supplier and trendsetter. This company has done well for itself, even going as far as acquiring game suppliers NetEnt and Ezugi Gaming. It has

Evolution Gaming is adored by live casino aficionados all over the world.

Evolution's offering goes well beyond the basics like baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. You can:

Evolution has live games for every budget and preference. There's always a seat open in Infinite Blackjack, and high rollers can check out the VIP tables for some high stakes fun. 

NetEnt Live

NetEnt used to have its own live dealer product. Launched in 2013, it catered both to mobile and desktop audience. 

In June 2020, NetEnt was bought by Evolution, and later that year the new owners decided to discontinue the NetEnt Live product suite.

At live dealer casinos, NetEnt live tables have been mostly replaced by Evolution. However, NetEnt slots are still going strong at the best NetEnt casinos.

Extreme Live Gaming

Extreme Live Gaming offered several versions of baccarat and blackjack from its studios in London. The company was subsequently acquired by Pragmatic Play and now supplies a wide range of NZ casinos with the old Live Extreme Gaming's catalogue.

The company has brought some extra excitement to the classic roulette game with its unique titles. They include Golden Ball, Reel Roulette and Roulette 360.

Extreme Live Gaming tables work great on desktop and mobile. Rotate your screen and play the games any way you like.

Playtech

Playtech slots are widely available online. Unfortunately, Playtech live dealer casino games haven't reached similar popularity.

This is a shame because Playtech offers a solid selection of live casino games:

Check out the Playtech live casino games in these Playtech online casinos.

Authentic Gaming

Authentic Gaming focuses mainly on live streaming from brick-and-mortar casinos.

Instead of using dedicated studios, it is streaming roulette from land-based casino floors all over the world. Tables full of real casino players and the clicking of chips provide the most lifelike online gambling experience available.

Sometimes, the tables on the casino floor can get crowded, and it takes a lot of time for the croupiers to change chips and deal out the winnings. Authentic Gaming has solved this by setting up separate tables for the online players inside the casino. This combines the atmosphere and efficiency.

Live casinos and responsible gaming

Live casino games are a great form of entertainment, and that is all gambling should be, entertainment. Gambling is not a fix for any financial problems or a way to make money.

Always know your limits, take a break when you need and never gamble with money you can't afford to lose. Play responsibly.

Live casinos NZ: FAQs

A live casino mimics the brick and mortar experience. You can play a range of classic casino games such as Blackjack and Roulette as well as game shows, in a live setting. The games are streamed from professional studios around the world and you play against a real-life dealer and players.

Yes. All NZ live casino providers are optimised for mobile gaming. You can enjoy a wide range of live gaming options on iOS, Android and Windows phones. 

We always recommend that you connect to a steady WiFi connection to ensure a smooth online gambling experience. Live games require plenty of data.

Yes. All NZ live casino providers are optimised for mobile devices. You can play live casino games on Android or Apple devices, and some suppliers also support Windows Mobile.

Live casino games have many betting options and areas on mobile. With their bigger screens, an iPad or your Android tablet is the most convenient option for playing live dealer games in a mobile casino.

Here are the main things to consider when picking a live casino on mobile:

  • Selection of games and suppliers – make sure the live casino has your favourites.
  • Landscape and portrait mode – turn your screen to control which way you want to play.
  • Banking methods – choose a pay by phone casino to deposit with your phone bill.

Yes. Knowing the rules and how to play specific games is your key to success. Even so, you should focus on extending gameplay by having a solid bankroll management system, and most importantly, having fun.

Games such as Evolution Gaming's game shows require no skill whatsoever. On the other hand, Poker and Live Blackjack do require prior knowledge and some skill to achieve good results. This can only be achieved by knowing probabilities, knowing the rules well and having a money management system in place.

No. We do recommend that you play at New Zealand's licensed live casino sites to ensure that you have a safe and secure experience.

Like all reputable games by leading suppliers, live casino games are independently tested for fairness and randomness. Provided you play from licensed game providers, the games can't be rigged.

There's no magical way to beat an online live casino. Instead of trying strategies and tricks that will fail at some point, it's better to focus on money management and to play for the right reason: to have fun.

Games like blackjack and poker also require some skill. Understanding the rules, probabilities and strategies will go a long way.

The games are designed to produce random results that can't be predicted or beaten by betting strategies.

The roulette wheel, dice games and wheel of fortune don't have a memory, so every round is independent of the previous results.

Card counting can be used to determine when the odds are in your favour. However, live dealer casinos discourage this by using low deck penetration (i.e. changing the card shoe often).

Deck penetration is the percentage of cards played before it's time to change the shoe. In baccarat, roughly two-thirds of the cards are played before a reshuffle. In live blackjack, deck penetration is usually only 50%.

Some game suppliers have experimented with continuous shuffle machines to eliminate card counting altogether. However, they've quickly switched back to traditional shoes.

In casino poker, the dealers shuffle the cards after every round. Alternatively, they put the old deck into a single-deck shuffle machine at the end of each round and start the next one with a fresh deck.

Most online casinos in New Zealand have a separate live casino section, that offers a wide range of gaming options. The more live game suppliers it features, the bigger the diversity of the games on offer.

Most casinos let you view their entire live table selection even before registration. In others, everything related to live dealers is only visible after login. This can be frustrating, but shouldn't be an automatic red flag.

On Bojoko, casinos list detailed info about their live casino. You can easily see how many games they have and which game providers they feature. Some also let you play live dealer games with bonus money.

Go to our list of live casinos and use our quick selection tool to find the best live dealer casinos.

 

Find NZ live casinos

 

Ville Saari

Article by:

Ville Saari

Ville is an industry veteran, who has written thousands of gambling-related reviews and articles since 2009. He is an IT engineer with a passion for game and strategy optimisation, and to teach the world to play better.
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