Whenever we think of gambling, it’s easy to think of only two types of games: poker or betting. But the world of gambling contains so much more, and maybe it’s time for you to have a look around. Below we will give brief outlines of the main forms of gambling and how they can appeal to you.
Casino
Casino is the type of gambling that has the largest variety and range. There are games such as slots that are quick and easy, or there are games that require more knowledge and brainpower, such as poker and blackjack.
Not only can you choose between hundreds of different games, but you can also choose whether you want to play in a physical or online casino. There are six operating physical casinos in New Zealand. These are located in Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton, and Queenstown. The largest of these is the SkyCity Auckland Casino.
On the other hand, the range of casino opportunities on online platforms is endless. You can choose whether you want to play on a practice-only casino or a live poker casino, a Bitcoin casino or a real money casino. Or maybe one that only offers slots or one that focuses on graphics and themes, etc. Online casinos are accessible from anywhere and everywhere, and is a never-ending treasure chest of possibilities.
Lottery
Did you know that the most common form of gambling in the world is the lottery? The New Zealand Lotto includes games such as Lotto, Powerball, Strike, Bullseye, Keno, and Instant Kiwi, and many of the games are available both online and in-store. The Lotto was opened in 1987 and has since then worked with the purpose of funding community projects. Every year, NZ Lotto sponsors over 3,000 community projects with over $3 billion.
NZ Lotto is easy to get started with, all you need is an NZ bank account. There is no age limit for most Lotto games, except for Instant Kiwi, for which you have to be 18 years of age to play either online or in-store. A winning ticket is valid for 12 months and can be scanned and cashed in at any point in that time.
Betting
A wildly popular worldwide trend is that of betting. Perhaps one of the most ancient forms of gambling, sports wagering, can be done in large and small amounts, and on pretty much any sport in the world. Wagers can range in purposes from general things, such as which team wins or what the end score will be, to minimal happenings within the game, such as who runs the farthest or how many yellow cards will be delivered.
There are several different ways to bet on a macro level as well. For example, you can bet on a single game or by using parley betting. Parley betting includes betting on several games at once, and requires all games to have the exact outcome to generate profit. You can also choose the option of live or in-game betting. This means you can lay a bet while the game is ongoing, thus being less dependent on analysis and more on gut feeling and is thus more volatile.
Today sportsbooks are available both with their traditional intent of providing the best sports bets, but also in the form of recommendations through podcasts and TV shows. For example, rugby podcasts such as “Bloke In A Bar” or “TryPod NRL Betting Podcast” help navigate the NRL betting scene through interviews and analysis.
Non-casino machines
The last option, which is still counted as one of the main ways that Kiwis are gambling today, is through machines that are not located within a casino. For example, perhaps you’ve seen a slot machine in the corner of a bar you went to, next to the karaoke machine. These types of gaming machines are also informally known as “pokies”.
Gaming machines are more of a social way of gambling, as they are often situated in social settings such as a bar or a club. This is the type of gambling that increased the most during the last fiscal year. It increased by as much as 23%, and expenditures – which were at a five year high – almost reached $1 billion.
General Gambling in New Zealand
Gambling in New Zealand is legal and regulated by the Gambling Commission under the 2003 Gambling Act. According to said legislation, Kiwi gamblers must be 18 years of age to gamble outside of casinos and 20 years of age to enter and gamble in casinos. Remote gambling, such as online casinos, are legal but if they are foreign the NZ government cannot provide the same customer protection.
The New Zealand gambling market has grown over the past five years, with the fiscal year 2020/21 facing the highest expenditures, or amount of money spent by customers, so far at $2,625 million.
