A trend that we see in 2024 is that live slots are more popular than ever before. When we reviewed the most popular online casinos where these titles are available, we established full ratings for all of them based on a number of criteria. However, what we saw over and over is that players absolutely love slots that use a real human dealer. With that said, these aren't your typical live games, and there's a lot more to know about them than meets the eye.
For several years, we have seen the audience for this genre grow more and more. Now, we see that numerous live slot casinos are seeing tons of players show up looking to get in on the action. A big part of this is because several of them are based on some of the most popular slots that particular software providers have ever produced. However, others are original titles. In either case, all of them have shown an increased interest from streamers on sites like Twitch, YouTube and others as well. When you add people hosting the games, you get an experience that's pretty tremendous. Read our Top10Casinos.kiwi guide to learn more and win real cash.
Since there are a variety of live slot sites that Kiwis can play with, we want to make it easier to choose the best option for each type of player. Along these lines, we have put together a proprietary rating system that we perform when reviewing all of the most viable options out there. This system incorporates a variety of data points and other considerations, many of which are listed in the following.
Some people might think that these titles are simply slots that you play in a land-based location, but that's not it. Instead, these are live online slots hosted by real human beings and played in real time through high-def audio and video streaming. The whole idea is that you're enjoy the experience with other players all at the same time, and the host narrates what's happening as the gameplay progresses.
The steady increase in popularity of this genre over the years largely comes from certain streaming channels and websites that have brought a lot of interest to what was once considered a niche style of game. Names like NG Slots may be familiar for those who like YouTube streams as well as Brian Christopher. This also includes people who play in real time on streaming platforms like Twitch. As communities have popped up around these individuals, many have decided to try the same titles they have seen played by the streamers they are fans of.
Evolution Gaming kicked off the entire genre back in 2011. At a trade show called ICE, they debuted the first live slot, which was Mermaid's Fortune. This title played in a traditional reel-based format with a person dressed like a mermaid hosting everything to the side of the screen. While it didn't catch on at first, it eventually picked up in popularity after the genre became more established.
When you want to play live slots, you may have trouble finding them in the casino interface. That's because most establishments group them with game shows at the best live dealer casinos in NZ to save space. While they have some similarities, they are two different genres, and as the number of titles in this one grows, we may see them get their own sections in the future.
While it is true, as we said above, that these genres are found in the same place, they are not identical. For one, most game shows don't focus on a reel (or wheel) based experience. Instead, they use other types of mechanisms. Additionally, game shows are often more feature-based and don't necessarily have a core game mechanic that players can be familiar with like what you see in live dealer slots. With that said, they do have some similarities with the pace of the action and since they have people hosting the games.
These titles are put together in a straightforward, fundamental way that are similar to what you would expect out of the more traditional formats. However, they are different from the RNG style titles (ie: top online pokies) since it's more of a social, group activity. Additionally, some of the specialty titles aren't available in an RNG format and can have their own somewhat unique style. While all of this is going on, your host will direct the action and let you know what's happening the entire time, especially if someone triggers a jackpot.
When you first sit down to play a live online slot, you may find that the number of options is greater than what you're used to. Much of this comes in the form of various features that you can use to customize how your experience looks. Since these aren't features that all pokies fans will be familiar with, we want to give you an idea of what you can expect here.
Some players may be wondering just what is so great about the games found at these live slot casinos. That's a really good thing to ask, especially if you've never experienced them yourself. To help you understand what people love about this genre so much, we want to show you some of the major advantages of these particular titles.
All of the above are great reasons to love these games, but not everyone enjoys every single element of them. Here we want to bring to your attention a few of the disadvantages of this genre that might stand out to some players. While not all of them may apply to everyone, we want you to know about them anyway.
The objective of these games is actually pretty straightforward. When you make your wager, you can win in a variety of ways with direct wins from the reels or from feature and bonus round triggers. In any case, having a good experience starts with choosing the right live slot casino to play with and goes from there. To make it easy to get started, here's a quick guide on how to get started.
The minimum bet sizes for titles in this genre can vary a bit. A lot of this depends on the software provider and the particular game you select. In some cases, the min wagers can be as low as RNG slots in the range of NZ$0.10 per turn. However, in others, it can be quite a bit higher. With that said, you'll have no problem finding options that fit within your budget because of the wide range of minimums available. Additionally, the maxes frequently top out around $100 to $200 per spin.
You'll notice that all of the best live slots online have a great set and presentation. A big part of the quality you see is that these titles are produced in special studio locations in most cases. These studios can be situated virtually anywhere, but most of them are set up in Europe and Asia for all of the most popular providers. However, one side effect is that you can pick from dealers in different parts of the world along with different styles of sets for some of the same kinds of games.
Chatting is always available to other players, but some people don't realize that they can actually chat with the dealer as well. New Zealand is known for a culture where people chat it up while enjoying pokies in person, and that extends to the online crowd as well. You'll see and hear the dealer speak back to you instead of typing, however, since his or her hands will be used when moving the game along.
A type of randomization is needed in any slot style game. Along these lines, many live titles use mechanical features like wheels or dice to give that randomizing element. However, when it comes to live slots, an RNG is used, which means a "random number generator" that runs on a computer. The reason for this is simple: To generate the randomness in these games, no physical mechanical option is available. Therefore, these providers typically go with an RNG instead.
The popularity of these titles is constantly increasing, and we see more and more people looking to get in on the action each year. A big part of the reason for this is that we keep seeing new additions to the genre from software providers. The more great games available, the more interest we see in people wanting to try them out. Additionally, the coverage these titles have gotten on streaming sites like YouTube and Twitch has helped the popularity as well.
Something worth noting is that you basically have three ways that slots can be presented: online RNG, online live and in person. Minimum betting limits are higher in person than the other two, and it's more of a hassle to go play in a brick and mortar location. However, the RNG style played on the Internet lacks the social interaction and presentation that you see elsewhere. It's simply a completely different experience.
If you want as many of the advantages with the fewest disadvantages, then we believe that online live slots are the way to go. You get the convenience and social factors with a great presentation all in one package anywhere you want to play.
From the most popular providers in this space comes the most played titles. While there aren't hundreds of options to pick from like what you see with their RNG cousins, the fact of the matter is that quality beats quantity in this particular arena. Here we'll look over some of the top games you can find in this space and what they have to offer players.
If you want to take a trip to a candy-based land of adventure, then the Sweet Bonanza Candyland title is where you should start. You'll be able to play for only $0.20 per turn with a large reel in the shape of a wheel that turns to give you instant wins. Additionally, it can pick up triggers for a variety of bonus features like the Sweet Spins, Bubble Surprise and Candy Drop. If you go with the Sugar Bomb side bet, then you'll double each multiplier that comes from the Sugar Bomb symbols found in the gameplay.
Gonzo will be a familiar character if you've ever seen the Gonzo's Quest line of titles before. This title from Evolution Gaming builds on that franchise in a different way than ever before. Wagers are based on picking tiles from a game board and trying to match up wins. However, at just $0.10 per spin for a minimum wager, the avalanche feature comes in as a tremendous value, giving you multiple chances to win on each turn.
Playtech designed Everybody's Jackpot Live to be a combination of the styles of classic and video slots. That's one reason why you'll find it at most of the best online live dealer slot sites. It's laid out with six rows and columns that are actually formed up by four different 3x3 sets of reels. Additionally, the Pick Me Plaza, Walter's Bubble Bar and Block Mini Game features add more excitement to the mix with a minimum bet size of only $0.10 per spin.
When you look at Crazy Coin Flip, it really just feels like it should belong with its classic fruit symbol theme in a five-reel format. Between this presentation and the fun host, the other main draw is the sizable multipliers found in the feature set. For example, it gets its name from a coin flip style feature where multipliers can be doubled several times over. Produced by Evolution Gaming, they set the min bet size at just $0.10.
You can take a trip down the rabbit hole with the Adventures Beyond Wonderland title produced by Playtech. The story of Alice in Wonderland comes alive in this feature-heavy experience. While gameplay is based on a wheel that represents a single reel, being able to trigger bonus round like the Caterpillar Mystery Multiplier, Card Soldiers and WonderSpins really get to the heart of what it's all about. Minimum wagers of $0.20 make this title accessible as well.
The buffalo is back with Buffalo Blitz Live. Playtech brings the action with six reels and four rows using the "all ways" style to give you 4,096 ways to land prizes with every spin. The host has a busy job in this one because of all of the action despite the reasonable $0.40 minimum wager per turn. If you're a fan of the buffalo sub-genre, then you will definitely want to take a shot at what ultimately turns out to be one of the most popular title in any live slot casino that uses Playtech's offering.
While Adventures Beyond Wonderland is based on a brand in popular media that's more popular than Gonzo running around the Amazon, the latter is more popular among the target audience. With that said, Gonzo's Treasure Hunt also has a little less to offer in terms of the raw number of features while making up for that with a somewhat more traditional style using the avalanche mechanic. Both of them look great, however, and both have excellent hosts that immerse players in the experience more and more.
Between the two, we have to give the slight edge to Gonzo on this one. Not only is this title one of the best live slots in the entire industry, but it's also a part of one of the most played franchises that didn't come from some preexisting film, television show, book or video game.
If you're familiar with RNG style games like online roulette games, video poker titles, specialty games, or top blackjack games in this genre, then you'll have a pretty good idea of how things work in the live versions with some exceptions. However, despite how familiar Kiwis tend to be with pokies, you'll see that some of these exceptions really matter when you sit down to play live slots. As such, we want to give you a solid overview of the rules and what you can expect that may be a little different.
While we looked at some of the differences above, the types of bets you can make are actually very similar to what you see with RNG titles. In the following, you'll see the three kinds of wagers you can make in these games and what they have to offer.
The house edge when playing at live casinos is the percent of each wager that the house takes, on average in the long run, and is expressed as a percentage. Likewise, the remainder of that percentage out of 100 is what players call the payout rate or the RTP, which stands for a return to player percentage. You'll typically see RTP rates of around 96 percent in this genre, which corresponds to a house edge in the range of 4 percent.
What really makes these titles come alive like nothing else in the industry is the wide array of bonus rounds and special features that can be triggered. It makes these games a whole lot of fun and adds a tremendous amount of excitement. With that said, there are certain types of features that you'll run into most of the time, and we want to introduce you to them in the following to make it easier to know what could be headed your way.
A number of different software providers are available that produce the titles found at live slot casinos. With that said, plenty of popular names also do not offer games in this space. To make it easier to know which is which and what you can expect from the companies that do produce these titles, consider the following overviews.
You'll have a difficult time finding a more popular provider in this space than Evolution Gaming simply because they've been around the longest by far. While they eventually ran into more difficult competition, they've still remained at or near the top of the pyramid. Titles like Gonzo's Treasure hunt take advantage of their portfolio after purchasing Net Entertainment and showing players that they are still top-notch providers.
Another major name with a serious catalog of titles to pull from, Playtech has really taken to the live slot space in a major way. Their Adventures Beyond Wonderland game is a good example of this since it's based largely on an older video slot they produced years ago with an updated presentation. It's expected that they will continue putting out games in this space since the reception of their current releases has been so positive.
You'll frequently see Visionary iGaming, or ViG for short, praised for having play money versions of most or all of their titles. However, what you won't find is any entry into this particular genres of games. Instead, all of their releases are based on table games. Likewise, we don't expect them to jump into this particular space in the future despite putting out a solid product otherwise.
The company Extreme Live Gaming was popular for so long that many players don't realize they were purchased years ago. This company was folded into Pragmatic Play and helped to provide the foundation for their live dealer line of titles. As such, you won't find any games from them anywhere, let alone in this genre. With that said, they did seriously influence how Pragmatic Play set up their presentation in their modern day releases.
Ezugi is another one of those big names that players know and love but that was purchased by another company. Back in 2018, Evolution Gaming bought out what was often considered their longest standing rival in the industry. Nonetheless, we get to see how their presentation style, one of the things they were the most known for, comes out in this genre even in new releases now.
Another major player in this space is Pragmatic Play. Drawing on their own sizable catalog of titles, they have releases like Sweet Bonanza Candyland that give players a whole lot to look forward to. Additionally, we expect more consistent releases from them in the future based on how much interest they've shown in this genre. This is great for players because the quality of what they offer is up there with the best the industry has to offer.
Many players wonder which was actually better between Pragmatic Play and Ezugi considering the latter was purchased before the former started making their live games. If we account for the time period in which their titles were made, that makes the comparison a bit easier to make. Additionally, we have to consider the range of titles produced.
While Ezugi never had any live slot releases, if they did, we believe Pragmatic Play would still be better. They simply come into the game with so much more experience producing these types of titles that it's hard to see how it would be close.
The selection of bonuses for playing live casino slots isn't always the best because of limitations placed on wagering requirements. However, you can still get a pretty good value for your play if you know where to look. Our recommended sites for players in New Zealand include assessments of their bonuses, and here are the types that people ask about the most.
Because this is a slots genre, free spins are the first thing that come to mind for many players. While that is understandable for sure, it's also mistaken since free spins casino promotions aren't typically available in the live dealer space. We know that a lot of players are seeking out these deals, however, and that's why we want to let you know how the situation with them is different in this particular sector.
It's also common for players to seek out no deposit bonuses that can be played with these titles. The idea is that the casino will give you a free bonus with no deposit attached that can then give you an opportunity to hit real money payouts and prizes if you're able to run up some wins. However, these are also not frequently available for these titles for much of the same reason.
The most popular way for you to get extra value for your play with this type of game is with welcome bonus packages. These offers add percentage matches, usually at around a 100 percent rate, to your first deposit. They're a good value in terms of the amount that you get in bonus money, but they also tend to have reasonable terms and conditions with wagering requirements that aren't exceptionally high.
You'll run into the occasional special promo that doesn't fall into one of the above categories. These really cover a wide range of ideas and styles in some cases, but we don't see them often in this space. This means that leaderboard competitions, tournaments and that sort of thing don't often apply here in most cases.
Getting in on the action has to start with moving funds back and forth. A variety of NZ options are available for both deposits and withdrawals, providing plenty of safe and reliable banking methods. In fact, we recommend having primary and secondary options available since it's relatively easy to do. Here we'll look at some of these options and what you can expect from them in terms of requirements, speed, and more. Players in New Zealand will also find these payment solutions at top minimum deposit casinos online, catering to players who want to play on a budget in 2024.
One of the most popular options by far is to simply use your debit card or credit card. The convenience level is high since many people have these available already. Additionally, the fees are about average compared to other options. With that said, withdrawal speeds can take a few days just because how the banking system operates is outside of the hands of the casino in questing, and these transactions aren't necessarily the fastest, but they don't take a long time either.
In New Zealand, Poli is a very popular electronic wallet. These are typically quick options that provide a "buffer" between your bank account and casino account. While a number of options are available here, the fees tend to be slightly below average overall. However, you should know that Poli is not available for withdrawals, so you may want to cash out with a bank transfer instead.
The main thing that has kept lots of players from using cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals is the learning curve. However, that curve has been flattened out a lot leading up to 2024, so there's no worry there. Instead, you can enjoy quick transaction times and low fees with options like Bitcoin and Ethereum and a learning curve that's around the same level of complexity as setting up an e-wallet account.
While it's not always the most convenient, prepaid options do add a level of privacy since they don't connect your bank accounts to anything. This includes the Neosurf option, which is particularly popular in New Zealand. Fees are slightly higher than average, but deposits process very quickly. Players should note, however, that Neosurf cannot be used for withdrawals, so another way of cashing out will need to be set up.
The format of live online slots translates well to the mobile arena. This is because virtually any screen size on a smartphone or tablet is viable for these games without the view getting to be too small. Additionally, each of our recommended brands in NZ has Android and iOS mobile options, allowing all kinds of devices to connect and play wherever you are.
Due to the terminology, some players get mistaken on the differences between land-based titles and live slots found on the Internet. While we are discussing the latter, the former are still enjoyed by tons of people all over the country at some vary popular locations. Along these lines, here are some of the most well-known spots for playing in brick and mortar casinos in New Zealand.
Located in Auckland, as the name implies, Skycity is known for being a large entertainment complex. They have more than 1,6000 total machines, most of which are various types of pokies, in addition to over 100 table games. This location is open around the clock with a casino that never closes, and they have a tremendous range of different types of titles available.
Famous for being the first to open in New Zealand, Christchurch Casino hosts around 500 slot machine games. While they aren't the largest land-based location in the country, they are frequently seen as the most well-known. Generally open from noon until some time after midnight, this is a popular spot for players to go to enjoy a lot of different options, including several dozen table games.
Many people know this location as the Dunedin because that is where it's located. However, its official name is the Grand Casino Dunedin, which is known for being based around the Grand Hotel, which was originally constructed in the late 1800s. This is a smaller location with a couple hundred options to choose from, but it's a place that puts more of a focus on quality over quantity with its gorgeous architecture and local restaurants.
Every player wants to maximize their chances of taking down wins. However, the available strategies at live casino sites may not be obvious at first. To help you out, we want to show you some of what's available in term of strategic decisions to help you keep your chances of winning as high as you can while also having a good overall experience.
Everything about the best live dealer slots comes down to a combination of the titles and picking where to play. While we have recommendations of the best NZ casinos we think are the most suitable for players, the fact of the matter is that different people have various types of preferences. Along these lines, we have some specific options listed below based on certain things that players maybe after. Our goal here is to help you find what fits you the most.
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