PokerStars Casino

The world’s largest poker brand PokerStars also operates an online casino. It accepts players from New Zealand and offers games such as slots, tables, live dealers and instant wins. There isn’t a no deposit bonus, but you can earn some free bonus money from the welcome package for new players. Once a member, you can play on your computer or mobile, and take advantage of the rewards program. This gives you the chance to earn prizes such as free spins and cashback.

This online platform has been running since 2015 and operates with a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority. While the PokerStars brand is part of Flutter Entertainment, the company that owns the site is Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited. The operator uses a random number generator to ensure the games are fair; this has been tested and accredited by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). The rest of this PokerStars Casino review gives you more information about the site and what it offers.

Rundown of the Casino’s Bonuses and Promotions

The site has a welcome bonus for new players and ongoing races for both regular games and live ones. As well as these, there’s the PokerStars Rewards loyalty program.

• First Deposit Welcome Offer: This gives you a 100% match bonus of up to $100 when you make your first deposit. Make your deposit with a debit card or MuchBetter and use the bonus code CASINO100 to qualify.
• Weekend Races: Every Thursday to Sunday, take part in races and play select titles to collect points. Registering for each race is free but you only earn points for bets of at least $0.20.
• Live Casino Races: Play live dealer titles to earn points and work your way up the leaderboard. Every week the top players win cash prizes.
• PokerStars Rewards: A six-tier loyalty program that gives you chests with personalised rewards.

Quick Summary of the Casino’s Service

Below is a list featuring some key pieces of information about PokerStars Casino in New Zealand.

• Date of establishment: 2015.
• Licensing info: Malta Gaming Authority, licence number MGA/B2C/213/2011.
• Ownership: Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited.
• Number of games on the site: 2,800.
• Average RTP: N/A.
• Most popular slots: Legacy of Dead, Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Bonanza.
• Software developers: 23.
• Free Play: Yes.
• Types of bonuses available: Match bonus, free spins bonuses, cashback.
• Favourable wagering requirements: No.
• Recommended banking options for New Zealand players: Visa, Apple Pay.
• Deposit and Withdrawal Limits: $10 minimum deposit.
• Commission Fees: Yes.
• Customer care contact channels: Live chat, email.
• Mobile Play: Yes.
• Available responsible gambling tools: self-exclusion, deposit limits, game limits, restricting withdrawal cancellation, and blocking sports betting.

PokerStars’ Bonuses Department in Detail

As well as the welcome bonus, there are regular races for both regular and live casino titles. The operator also gives players rewards through the PokerStars Rewards program. These include cashback, bonus money and free spins.

The PokerStars Casino Bonus for New Kiwi Players

When you join PokerStars Casino in NZ, you’ll have the chance to claim the welcome bonus. This is for brand-new players only, so you won’t qualify if you’re already a member.

New Zealand Welcome Bonus Terms and Conditions

Below are some key facts about this special offer:

*You earn Redemption Points by spending real money on the games. The amount you have to wager to earn 1 Redemption Point varies depending on the game you play. For slots, the higher the RTP, the more you have to spend to earn a point.

PokerStars Casino online has an unfavourable wagering requirement for its welcome bonus. If you earn a bonus of $100, for example, you would have to earn 500 Redemption Points to satisfy the requirement. The rate at which you earn Redemption Points is quite high for most titles.

If you were to play a slot with an RTP of 96% (which is about average), you’d have to wager $8 to earn 1 Redemption Point. If you only play this slot, you’d have to spend $4,000 to satisfy the requirement. At 40x the bonus amount, this is a higher playthrough rate than many other platforms. If you played slots with higher RTPs, this rate would be even higher.

However, there are select slots that contribute 100%. These are:

• Viking Horde
• Tome of Madness
• The Dog House
• Sweet Bonanza
• Royal Cashgot
• Reactoonz
• Madame Destiny
• Legacy of Dead
• Great Rhino
• Gates of Olympus
• Cashzuma
• Book of Dead
• Big Blue Bounty
• Big Bass Bonanza

Best Games to Use Your Welcome Bonus

There are many slots where you can use this casino bonus for Kiwis. Below are some of our recommendations:

• Legacy of Dead: A popular Play’n GO slot featuring the intrepid explorer Rich Wilde. In this highly volatile slot, Rich is exploring an Egyptian tomb. The highlight is the free spins round, which has unlimited retriggers and up to nine expanding symbols. The slot’s RTP is an impressive 96.58%.
• Gates of Olympus: Inspired by ancient Greek mythology, this slot from Pragmatic Play has a unique win feature. Land eight or more matching symbols anywhere on the 5x6 grid to win. Thanks to Tumbles, you can win multiple times from a single spin. The RTP is 96.50% and the volatility is high.
• Big Bass Bonanza: Created by Pragmatic Play, this fishing-themed slot has an interesting free spins round. All fish come with cash prizes and if the fisherman appears, you collect all these prizes. There are also extra spins and multipliers that can boost your wins further. The slot’s RTP of 96.71% is very high and its volatility is medium.

How to Claim the PokerStars Casino Bonus for New Players?

Claiming this casino bonus in NZ is quick and easy. Follow the steps below and the PokerStars Casino bonus will be yours before you know it.

• Head to PokerStars.
• Complete the registration form.
• Make your first deposit using a debit card or MuchBetter.
• Enter the code CASINO100 when prompted.
• When your deposit goes through, the PokerStars Casino bonus will be in your account.

New Zealand Online Casinos with Similar Welcome Offers

A New Zealand casino with a similar welcome offer is SkyCity. Make your first deposit and you’ll receive a 100% match bonus of up to $100. You also earn 70 free spins. Fruity King has a similar offer: a 200% match bonus of up to $100.

Is the PokerStars Casino Bonus for New Players Worth Claiming? Editor’s Comment

Honestly, the PokerStars bonus for new players isn’t worth claiming. This is mainly because of the wagering requirement. Plus, the maximum bonus size is $100, which isn’t the biggest.

Bonuses for Current Kiwi Players at the Casino

The other promotions for Kiwi players are races. These are where you play select games to earn points and hopefully win a prize at the end.

Weekend Races

These run from Thursday to Sunday every week and each one is unique. To take part, head to the Casino Races lobby and register for free. To earn Leader Board points, you have to bet a minimum of $0.20 on qualifying titles. When a race is over, those who have earned enough points to be on the Leader Board will win a share of the prize fund.

Live Casino Races

These work in a similar way to the Weekend Races. The main differences are that they’re ongoing so you can take part every day of the week and they focus on live dealer tables. You earn points by making a profit from playing live titles. You’ll earn 10 points for every $0.01 in profit you make.

Does the Casino Reward Loyal Kiwi Players?

Yes, it does. Players can earn chests containing personalised rewards through the PokerStars Rewards program. Opt in and play games to collect Reward Points and earn chests. After opening enough of them, you’ll level up and will earn more valuable rewards.

There are six levels in total. If you go 28 days without receiving a new chest, you’ll move down a level. 

Are Tournaments Available at the Casino?

Both the Weekend Races and Live Casino Races mentioned above are tournaments. 

Are There Any Mobile-Specific Bonuses for Kiwi Players?

You won't find any mobile casino bonus for Kiwi players in PokerStars Casino. All the bonuses on the desktop site are available on the PokerStars Casino mobile site/app.

PokerStars Casino’s Gaming Lobby in Detail

The iGaming lobby is well organised. It presents the games in several type-based categories, each of which has a number of sub-categories. The My Casino section has several filters including themes and providers. On the whole, players should be able to find what they’re looking for quite easily.

Software Developers Working with the Casino

There are 23 software developers whose titles are available at PokerStars. Some of the most popular of these include Play’n GO, Evolution, and Big Time Gaming.

Play’n GO is known for creating popular slots such as Book of Dead and has been around since 2005. It’s one of the biggest, most prolific providers of online casino games. Evolution specialises in live dealer tables. 

As well as creating live versions of classics such as blackjack and roulette, it’s created its own titles including Dream Catcher and Football Studio. Big Time Gaming is based in Australia and pioneered the innovative Megaways mechanic, now seen in over a hundred pokies.

Recommended Games for Kiwi Players

New Zealand players have access to many top-quality games when they join this platform. Below are descriptions of some of the best ones.

Online Slots/Pokies

Most of the titles you’ll find here are pokies. There are lots of popular titles and new ones are added regularly. Some of the best ones to play include:

• Bonanza Megaways: A mining-themed slot from Big Time Gaming that kicked off the Megaways trend: Every spin can have up to 117,649 ways to win.
• Frog of Fortune. A PokerStars exclusive, this slot’s highlight is a free spins round with up to seven enhancers that can help you win big.
• Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness: One of several instalments in Play’n GO’s hugely popular Rich Wilde series. Join the much-loved explorer as he ventures to archaeological sites to unlock the secrets of the past.

Classic Tables

The Table Games category has nearly two dozen original titles from Stars Studio. Most of these are video poker. The remaining ones include blackjack, baccarat and roulette. The best ones to play are Classic Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette. Each of these follows the standard rules and has low betting limits.

Jackpot Slots

There are quite a few progressive jackpot slots at PokerStars Casino online. You’ll find these by clicking the Jackpots tab in the Slots category. Each one has a red bar along the bottom that displays the current jackpot value. Some good ones to play first are listed below:

• Age of the Gods: This is a series of slots from Playtech inspired by ancient Greek mythology. There are currently 17 instalments. All of them share a progressive jackpot.
• Blitz Joker: This is one of many exclusive pokies from Stars Studio. Some of these unique games share a progressive jackpot. The one you can win when playing Blitz Joker can reach as high as seven figures.

Instant-Win Games

PokerStars Casino in NZ has over two dozen titles in the Instant Win category. They include scratch cards, bingo and other similar titles. Some of our recommendations include Slingo Sweet Bonanza, Viking Runecraft Bingo and King Kong Cash Instant.

Live Tables

The Live Casino category offers an extensive collection of games from Playtech Live and Evolution. The titles can be split into the following categories: Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat/Sic Bo, Poker and Game Shows. Some of the best options to play here include XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, Monopoly Big Baller Live and Deal or No Deal.

Video Poker and Poker

Kiwi players will find over a dozen video poker options in the Table Games category. Some of the best ones to play include Super Jackpot and Bonus Deuces Wild, each of which has its own progressive jackpot. Another one worth playing is Triple Bonus, where all four-of-a-kind wins have better payouts.

High RTP Pokies Reviewed

Many players stick with high RTP pokies so they’re more likely to win big. Below are some of the top-paying pokies.

• 1429 Uncharted Seas: Created by Yggdrasil, this nautical slot has a very high RTP of 98.6% and isn’t available at many platforms.
• Ali Baba Jackpot: This Leander slot’s RTP is a very respectable ​​98.19%, which is much higher than most other online slot RTPs.
• Rosella’s Magical Multipliers: One of the exclusive PokerStars slots, Rosella’s Magical Multipliers has an impressive RTP of 97.07%.

Does the Casino Have Free Play Mode?

Free play doesn’t seem to be available at PokerStars Casino in NZ. If you want to play games for free, check out other platforms such as Rizk or LeoVegas.

Is the Lobby Easy to Navigate? Editor’s Comment

The lobby is easy enough to navigate both on desktop computers and mobile devices. Everything’s easy to find and there’s not too much clutter getting in the way.

Website Design, Mobile Compatibility, and Usability

PokerStars is quite well designed and players should have no problems accessing it on computers or mobile devices. Both the site and the games should load fairly quickly however you access them. 

Is the Casino Accessible to Kiwi Mobile Players?

New Zealand mobile gamblers can visit the browser-based website or download the PokerStars Casino app. The app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices and offers thousands of options to play.

PokerStars Casino Mobile Games We Recommend for Kiwi Players

New Zealanders have lots of choices when it comes to gambling on the go with PokerStars. Some of the best titles to play on your phone or tablet include:

• Fugitive Gold: A western-themed slot from High 5 Games. Fugitive Gold is an exciting, highly volatile pokie with an RTP of 96.00% and 243 ways you can win.
• Action Boost Amber Island: The newest original slot from Stars Studio. It’s set on a tropical island, is themed to a volcano and has several free spins rounds, each with different enhancers. Its RTP can reach as high as 96.37%.
• Jungle Fortune: A Blueprint slot set deep in a jungle. It’s highly volatile, has 4,096 ways to win and comes with an RTP of 96%.

Is the Casino Accessible on All Devices?

The usability across all devices is pretty good. There are no major issues with the platform or its games whether you’re on a computer or a handheld device.

Is It a Great Choice for Kiwi Mobile Players? Editor’s Comment

The PokerStars Casino app and mobile site are quite good overall. They’re user friendly and fully responsive and they make the mobile gambling experience seamless and hassle-free. New Zealanders can’t go wrong if they pick PokerStars for gambling on the go.

Licensing, Fairness, and Security

PokerStars Casino in New Zealand has a licence from the MGA and takes the safety and security of its players seriously. It makes an effort to promote responsible gambling and protect players from harm.

Is Fairness Guaranteed?

All the titles on this iGaming site are fair. A random number generator is used to ensure every outcome is completely random and unbiased in any way. This piece of software has been given the seal of approval by Gaming Laboratories International, a company that tests games for fairness.

PokerStars Safety and Security Measures

The site uses a range of security measures to help keep things safe. For accounts, there’s SMS validation, PINs and RSA security tokens, all of which can prevent third parties from gaining access to accounts. The site is also SSL encrypted.

PokerStars Casino’s Remote Gaming Licences

The operator has a licence from the MGA; its number is MGA/B2C/213/2011. The MGA is a trustworthy and reputable organisation that hands out licences to gambling sites. To qualify for one, a site and its operator must pass a series of stringent checks. 

Similar NZ Online Casinos Licensed by the Same Authorities

Quite a few NZ casinos have been licensed by the MGA. Examples include Casimba, which has been around since 2017, and PlayOJO, which is well known for not having wagering requirements.

Responsible Gambling Tools

Players can make use of deposit limits, game limits and the ability to block certain titles. There’s also self-exclusion, where you block yourself from the site for a set amount of time.

How to Use Responsible Gambling Tools Featured at the Casino?

The deposit limits let you put a cap on how much you can deposit into your account every week. As for the game limits, these can reduce the maximum bet size for table games and the buy-in for tournaments.

Is the Casino a Safe Choice for Kiwi Players?

PokerStars comes across as a safe choice. It takes all the necessary steps to protect players and secure their data. Plus, it offers plenty of help and resources for problem gamblers. You should be in safe hands when gambling here.

PokerStars Casino’s Banking Department in Detail

There are nine banking options that can be used here. Of these, eight are available for deposits, six for withdrawals and five for both. The list of options includes bank cards, e-wallets, a prepaid card, mobile payment options and wire transfer.

How to Make a Deposit and Available Options

To add some money to your account, follow the steps below:

1. Complete the PokerStars Casino login process and head to the Cashier.
2. Click the Deposit tab and choose a payment method.
3. Select an amount of money or enter one yourself.
4. Type in any PokerStars Casino bonus codes you may have.
5. Enter any payment method details you might need.
6. Click the green arrow to confirm.

Here’s a full list of the deposit options:

• Neteller
• Skrill
• Skrill 1-Tap
• Visa
• Mastercard
• Apple Pay
• Paysafecard
• MuchBetter

How to Make a Withdrawal and Available Options

Making a withdrawal is as easy as making a deposit. The step-by-step guide below shows you how to cash out:

1. Log in at PokerStars and visit the Cashier.
2. Click the Withdraw tab
3. Enter an amount of money and click the green arrow.
4. Select a payment method (unless one is automatically chosen for you).
5. Check your withdrawal limits and the current exchange rate, then click the green arrow.
6. Enter your payment method’s details and click to confirm.

Below is a list of the withdrawal options you can use:

• Neteller
• Skrill
• Skrill 1-Tap
• Visa
• Wire Transfer
• Apple Pay

Recommended Payment Services for Kiwi Mobile Players

Apple Pay is a reliable and secure payment method for those who like to gamble on the go. It lets users make payments conveniently in just a few steps, though it’s only available on iOS mobile devices.

Another option worth considering is Skrill 1-Tap. This is another mobile-friendly option that lets users make payments from their phones quickly. It has the added advantage of being available on Android devices as well as Apple ones.

Both of these options can be used for both deposits and withdrawals at PokerStars Casino in New Zealand.

Banking Limits and Other Crucial Details 

The New Zealand dollar isn’t accepted here. The only currencies that the operator lets players use are USD, EUR, CAD and GBP. 

The minimum deposit amount is $10 and the maximum depends on the payment method. For withdrawals, the limits aren’t stated on the PokerStars Casino online site. 

If the site can’t confirm your identity when you sign up, it will ask you to send KYC documents. These are also known as ‘Know Your Customer’ documents and they’re used to confirm your identity. Examples of these include your passport and driver’s licence and copies of household bills and bank card statements.

Deposits should reach your account right away. For withdrawals, providing you don’t have to send KYC documents, it can take up to 72 hours for your withdrawal request to be processed.

Is the Banking Service Efficient? Editor’s Comment

PokerStars’ banking section is pretty good on the whole. Enough payment options are available and most New Zealanders shouldn’t have any problems funding their accounts. However, the site could have faster processing times for withdrawals and more information about transaction limits.

PokerStars Casino’s Customer Support Department in Detail

There’s a live chat option along with an email form you can fill out. Even though this is helpful, it would be good to see more contact options made available.

Recommended Contact Options

PokerStars’s only contact methods are not very extensive. The live chat bot can resolve many of your issues but the lack of human assistance might be an issue for some players. Here are the available contact methods:

1. Live Chat
2. Email

Is There a Help or FAQs Page on the Site?

There is a FAQs section and it covers just about every aspect of being a member. It splits the questions into several categories and there are hundreds of questions in total. Lots of players should find the answer/solution they’re looking for here and won’t need to contact customer support.

Can I Get in Touch with the Customer Care Agents on Social Media?

Near the bottom of each page are links to the platform’s social media pages. PokerStars Casino is active on:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Twitch

You’re able to contact a team member through social media, though it’s probably easier to use live chat.

Is the Customer Support Helpful? Editor’s Comment

The FAQ section is large enough that players should get the help they need from it a lot of the time. The email service is reliable and helpful too. The live chat bot can resolve many of your issues.

FAQs

• Does Pokerstars Accept the New Zealand Dollar? No, the only currencies it accepts are USD, EUR, GBP and CAD. New Zealanders can still gamble here, though they'll have to choose one of the four accepted currencies to play.
• What Customer Support Options Are There? There's only email. The FAQ section is extensive so a lot of players should find the help they're looking for there.
• Are There Live Dealer Tables? Yes, PokerStars offers a few dozen live options.
• Is the Site Safe and Secure? Playing here should be safe. The site is fully licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and it seems to do a lot to promote proper gambling.
• What Mobile Options Are There? There's the browser-based PokerStars Casino mobile site, plus apps available for iOS and Android devices.