Anyone who’s looked at an online casino before knows that pokies are the name of the game. You can find thousands of these bad boys online, each with something a little different to offer! And one of the best parts is all the fantastic free spins you can claim for them! If you’re interested in playing more for less, read on to learn about all the free spins you can claim for NZ pokies and some of the most popular games available.
What are Online Pokies?
Alright, let’s start right at the beginning, what actually is a pokie? Pokies, called slot games internationally, are games where you spin a set of reels with various symbols on them, and depending on which symbols the reels stop at, you can have a chance to win money. Different combinations of symbols will multiply your initial wager by different amounts. You may have encountered a physical pokie before, these are the same thing but online!
Many pokies also have bonus features like free spins rounds, scatter symbols, minigames and jackpot wheels. This is where a game will start to stand out from the crowd! Take a look through the rules of each game before playing to learn about all the features you’re about to contend with.
Pokies online are popular with Kiwi players thanks to their simplicity and huge variety. They’re easy to create, and developers have a lot of freedom to implement different styles, stories and even brand-new gameplay features. Pokies are also a casino game that doesn’t require any skill, unlike card games, so they’re easy to understand, and anyone, regardless of experience, can enjoy them.
Online Pokies Terminology
| Term | Meaning |
| Payline | The patterns for pokie symbols along which a payout is awarded. Pokies can have from as few paylines as 10 to over a hundred thousand on Megaways. |
| Reel | This is a trade-over from physical pokies, where physical reels are spun to display the winning symbols. Online, these are the verticle rows that spin to determine your outcome. |
| Multiplier | A feature that can multiply the amount of money you can win for a limited time; can range from x2 to x1000 and beyond. |
| Wild Symbol | One of the reel symbols in a pokie is usually rare. You can access high payouts or bonus features if you land enough of them. Wild symbols often have unique graphics and may even be animated |
| Bonus spins round | While playing a pokie, you can win free spins if you land specific symbols. This round lets you play a few times without wagering real money, often with higher multipliers. |
| Progressive jackpot | A special type of pokie that gives you a chance to win a jackpot that accumulates from many players’ collective wagers. Sometimes, multiple games on the same network contribute to the same pot. |
| Volatility | The rate at which a pokie gives out winnings. A high-volatility game doesn’t give out winnings often, but they’re usually high-value, while a low-volatility game gives out frequent but low-value winnings. A good measure of a game’s return rate. |
| RTP% | Short for ‘return to player.’ The RTP is the average amount of money returned to the player base compared to how much is put into it. I.e. a pokie with a 95% RTP will return $95 for every $100 wagered on it. This is a statistical average, not a guarantee, and is a bad measure of your likelihood to win. |
| House edge | The inverse of RTP. House edge is the amount of money a pokie is guaranteed to retain for the casino over time; it’s how casinos actually make money. The average house edge on a pokie should be around 4-5%. |
| Game developers | The company that makes the games. Pokies aren’t usually created by the online casinos themselves and are instead licenced from game developers who make many of them. |
Pokie Free Spins Bonuses
One of the best things about pokies is the multitude of bonuses you can collect for them! Free spins bonuses allow you to make a few wagers on popular slot games without risking any of your actual money! Here’s a closer look at free spins and why you should consider them when finding the best sites to play your pokies on.
What are free spins, and how do they work?
Free spins are a type of bonus that lets you make fixed-value wagers on various pokie games. You won’t get free reign over where you use your free spins — they’re usually limited to just one or a handful of games — but once you’ve used them, you can continue to wager them on whichever pokie you like. You can potentially win real money from free spins, but you have to wager them a specific number of times before you can withdraw them, this is called the wagering requirement.
Types of Free Spins offers
Free spins bonuses are surprisingly flexible, and not just between games. If you’re interested in claiming a free spins bonus, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the various kinds you might encounter:
- No-deposit free spins — claimed without putting any money down
- $1 free spins — claimed on a deposit of $1 or more
- No wagering free spins — free spins that don’t have wagering requirements
- Daily free spins — awarded for daily log-ins
- VIP free spins — available only through a site’s loyalty program
- Free spins on registration — given out for signing up and making your first deposit
The Benefits of Free Spins
There are many different ways to benefit from free spins! Even ways you might not have thought about before. Of course, there’s the obvious — you can win real money by using free spins, and you don’t have to spend any of your own money to do it. But there are other uses too!
Free spins are an especially good deal for beginners. You can usually find generous welcome bonuses that offer hundreds of free spins off the bat. These free wagers can introduce you to popular games, and then you can use the bonus funds you have left to explore the site and get acquainted with how online casinos work. Bonus funds also give you a risk-free way to test out pokies you’ve never played before, which is good for new and existing customers.
As for ongoing bonuses, free spins are the most readily available. Free spins are sometimes given out on a daily basis or through a VIP scheme, which allows you to be more adventurous with your regular play. Try out brand new pokies you’ve not played before, or see what a particular game dev has to offer.
Popular Online Pokies New Zealand
There are tens of thousands of online pokies, and with so many, it can quickly get overwhelming for a new player. If you’re new to online gambling, we’ve put together a list of some of the most popular games in New Zealand as a starting point.
Starburst
We’re kicking off with Starburst, a timeless classic from renowned developer NetEnt. This Bejewelled-esque game features astounding graphics, considering it was first released in 2013, and it still stands up perfectly today! It’s not the most flashy game, but it has a reputation for being player-friendly and one of the best games for newbies. It’s hard to beat the classics, and Starburst embodies them. There’s a good reason it’s considered the most popular slot ever!
Immortal Romance
Going even further back in time, we have Microgaming’s Immortal Romance. This slot has many more bells, whistles, and even a story! Inspired by moody supernatural romances in the vein of Twilight or The Vampire Diaries, Immortal Romance has an atmospheric theme that lends itself well to the various bonus rounds and wild symbols you can activate. While Immortal Romance doesn’t hold up visually alongside more modern titles, its engaging gameplay and memorable characters keep people coming back for more all these years later.
Mega Moolah
Now for something a little more unique! Also from Microgaming, Mega Moolah is a game that might not look like it should have stood the test of time, but this title is a pioneer and helped to shape the landscape of slots forever. Mega Moolah was the first progressive jackpot, which pools every wager made on it across multiple sites together until one lucky player gets to take the whole thing. We’ve seen many more progressive jackpots show up, but Mega Moolah continues to draw faithful players year after year.
Wolf Gold
Wolf Gold is a more rugged pokie from one of the younger developers around, Pragmatic Play. This is one of their first-ever titles, and it’s remained beloved for years. With its attractive graphics, excellent sound design, interesting bonus features and fixed jackpots, there’s a lot to like about Wolf Gold! And as a medium volatility slot, while the win potential isn’t so high, you’re in for a more relaxed, rewarding experience.
Gonzos Quest
Back to NetEnt, we have their most influential slot for your consideration. Gonzo’s Quest is a conquistador, adventure-themed slot featuring NetEnt’s recurring character Gonzo. His debut game doesn’t look as good as some other titles, but it’s notable for introducing the concept of cascading reels, a feature that’s become commonplace in modern pokies! However, Gonzo’s Quest still stands up today with exciting multipliers and unique bonuses!
Reactoonz
This slot from Play’N GO isn’t so similar to the traditional pokies you’re familiar with. Reactoonz is what we call a ‘grid slot,’ and its gameplay is more akin to games like Candy Crush, where many symbols fall, and if you get many that match next to each other, they disappear, and more symbols keep falling. If you’re looking for something different, check out this exciting, high-volatility game to shake up your experience.
Thunderstruck II
Thunderstruck II is a cult classic from Microgaming, and after almost 15 years, it still manages to attract faithful players. It’s a classic style pokie with five reels and a whopping 243 paylines, making for diverse, unpredictable gameplay. Paired with the medium volatility and wealth of bonus rounds, Thunderstruck II is an entertaining game you can sit back and enjoy.
Book of Dead
One of the most common games you find free spins attached to is Play’N Go’s Rick Wilde and Book of Dead. Themed after exiting Indiana Jones-esque adventures, Book of Dead is renowned for being a beginner-friendly title that anyone can pick up and enjoy. It even has a unique ‘gamble feature’ which gives you the chance to double or quadruple your winnings from any round!
Big Bass Bonanza
Big Bass Bonanza will be right up your alley if you’re after a straightforward online pokie. It’s a simple game that isn’t trying to be groundbreaking but masters the basics so well that it excels as a modern classic. The clean graphics and simple bonus features make for a fantastic experience, and if you’re looking for something with a few more frills, you can check out one of the Big Bass spin-offs. With more than a dozen games to pick from, you’re sure to find something up your alley.
Bonanza Megaways
Finally, we’re rounding everything off with Big Time Gaming’s ‘Bonanza Megaways.’ Megaways games started with Bonanza and are a popular type of pokie. Bonanza is stuffed with bonus features that will keep any play session from growing stale. The most popular feature is the Megaways mechanic, which gives you 117,649 ways to win! With a feature like that, you’ll never be able to predict what comes next.
Pokies Software Providers in NZ
If you’re new to the iGaming sphere, you might not know that the online casinos themselves don’t usually make pokies. Online casinos just host various games created by talented game developers with their own style and gameplay loops. Here are some of the top NZ software developers, according to our experts at Unlimitedfreespins.com.
Games Global (Microgaming)
You can’t talk about casino game devs without mentioning Microgaming and Games Global. Microgaming has been a big name in casino software development since it was first launched in 1996, but today, it’s moved away from games and focuses on website software instead. Since that pivot, Games Global has taken over all of Microgaming’s IPs and continues to create excellent pokies for you to enjoy! Some of their most popular titles include Mega Moolah, Thunderstruck II and Immortal Romance.
NetEnt
NetEnt is one of the business’s oldest and most respected pokie developers. They’ve been around since the late 90s and have never been anything less than the best. Their games are renowned for being attractive, fun and innovative, with NetEnt pioneering many of the most common pokie features we love today. Currently, NetEnt is owned by Evolution Gaming and enjoys unprecedented freedom and funding to create only the best games! Some of NetEnt’s best-known games are Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest and Divine Fortune.
Playtech
Playtech is one of those casino software devs that has its fingers in every pot: website development, bingo networks, sportsbooks, live dealer games and, of course, pokies. Their games tend to look a little dated, but they’re popular and great fun to play in spite of that. If you’re on the hunt for a classic, any of Playtech’s ‘Age of the Gods’ series will be perfect for you.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play is easily one of the most recognisable casino game devs in the modern space, which is highly impressive considering just how young it is! Founded in 2015, Pragmatic Play has well and truly conquered the iGaming world with its diverse collection of attractive, innovative games and reliable casino software. Popular Pragmatic Play titles include Big Bass Bonanza, Sweet Bonanza and Wolf Gold.
Hacksaw Gaming
Younger players might be more accustomed to modern graphics and aesthetics and expect a little more from their pokies. Well, one of our favourite modern devs is Hacksaw Gaming! Founded in 2017, Hacksaw has quickly proven itself as one of the most competent and talented developers currently making games, and anyone will be thrilled with its content. Hacksaw titles to check out include Itero, Hand of Anubis and Rotten.
BTG
Big Time Gaming is another dev that’s made a big name for itself while not being around for long. Big Time Gaming is an Australian developer that has proven itself reliable, produces entertaining games, and is a true pioneer in the field. Its crowning achievement ‘Bonanza Megaways’ introduced the Megaways feature, bringing a whole new way to play slots that continues to inspire other pokies in the industry. If you want to check it out, BTG’s best titles include Bonanza Megaways, Outlaw, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire Megaways.
Recommended New Zealand Online Pokie Sites
Whether you’re a newbie to online pokies or just looking for some recommendations for new sites, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the top site recommendations from our experts at Unlimitedfreespins.com:
Jackpot City Casino
Jackpot City is a popular international casino brand with sites all over the world. It has a smaller library than most places, but all of its games are of high quality, and we can guarantee that you’ll find something that fits your tastes. Most of the library at Jackpot City consists of Microgaming/Games Global pokies, so you can expect classic titles like 9 Masks of Fire and Gold Blitz. Jackpot City has you covered if you prefer to play on mobile.
Spin Casino
Spin Casino is a site that excels in appearance and class. Its website is slick and easy to navigate, it has a fantastic games library and a top-notch mobile application. Spin Casino also stands out for its VIP scheme, which rewards players regularly with exclusive bonuses you can use on pokies across the site! You’ll mostly find Games Global titles at Spin Casino, but you can also enjoy its wide range of live dealer options if you need a break from the pokies.
Royal Vegas Online Casino
Royal Vegas does its best to evoke its namesake with a well-designed website and excellent games to play. You’ll find pokies, table games, live dealer titles and those coveted progressive jackpots here! And don’t forget to check out Royal Vegas Online Casino’s dedicated mobile apps for a more streamlined experience. The icing on the cake is Royal Vegas’ excellent gaming licence from the AGCC, so you can play there confident the site is trustworthy and respects its users.
Zodiac Casino
Zodiac Casino is a member of the Casino Rewards program, so you know it’s a high-quality site. The Casino Rewards casinos all feature an extensive game library with pokies from some of the most popular game devs around. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with the Casino Rewards VIP scheme, where you can exchange loyalty points for exciting bonuses of your own choice! Unfortunately, Zodiac Casino doesn’t feature a dedicated mobile application, but you can still play on the go through a mobile web browser.
Lucky Nugget Casino
Lucky Nugget Casino is a bit of a Cinderella story, as this older casino site recently underwent a huge overhaul! After taking notes from consumer feedback, Lucky Nugget completely redesigned its website to feature an in-depth prospector town theme complete with characters to populate it. The game library is extensive, and you can claim free spins for just $1, not to mention the rest of the ongoing bonuses.
Tips to Maximize Your Free Spins
Our experts at Unlimitedfreespins.com know a thing or two about free spins, so they have plenty of tips to help you make the most of them! If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to have fun with your free spins and maybe even win a bit of cash while you’re at it:
☑️ Understanding Wagering Requirements – Once you’ve reviewed your free spins and found a deal you like, you first need to scrutinise the wagering requirements. Also known as playthrough, wagering requirements are the number of times you need to wager your bonus value before you’re allowed to withdraw it as real cash. I.e. if your bonus is worth $10 and the WR is 40x, you have to wager $400 worth of bonus funds before you can withdraw any of your winnings. You should also check out which games count towards this total because while pokies tend to contribute 100% of every wager, table games like blackjack or craps will contribute less.
☑️ Looking for the Right Games – When you’re playing a pokie, there isn’t anything you can do strategically to increase your likelihood of winning. That’s why online casinos like them so much. But you can be wise with the games you choose to play to increase your chances. There are two stats you can use as a measure of game returns: RTP and volatility.
RTP is another way to look at the house edge for games. The higher the RTP, the more money is returned to the player base as a whole. However, this is an overall average across thousands of wagers and is usually a poor indicator of potential returns. You’re better off looking at volatility since low-volatility games return more frequently (although in smaller amounts). Finding a high RTP, low volatility game is your best bet!
☑️ Managing Expectations – This is important across all forms of gambling, not just free spins. You need to be realistic about the results of your play. Gambling is inherently a risk; while there’s a chance that you can win real money from your bonus, don’t be surprised if you don’t. We all have good and bad days, and at least with free spins, you aren’t losing real money when you have a bad one. If you approach free spins — and pokies in general! — with an attitude of just having fun rather than making a profit, you’ll always improve your experience.
☑️ Types of Promotions – We recommend looking through a variety of free spins bonuses before agreeing to one. Find a deal that appeals to you and has reasonable T&Cs. Free spins can come as no deposit, no wagering, daily, seasonal rewards and more! Finding the one that works best for your style of play or game preferences will be key to having a good time. Also, consider whether free spins are the best choice for you in the first place. Obviously, We love them, but if you’re more interested in table games like blackjack or live casino games, you might find regular bonus funds a better option.
Responsible Gambling
Remember to keep online gambling in check and make sure it stays fun. If you or someone you know is finding it hard to control the habit or might be dealing with a gambling problem, there are resources available for support and guidance. For example, you can call the New Zealand gambling helpline at 0800 654 655.
Conclusion
Online pokies are the star of the show at online casinos; you’ll find thousands upon thousands to search through. The variety is endless, with dozens of excellent game developers and many types of pokies to choose from. Free spins bonuses can also provide a way to play your favourite games for free, at least for a little while, or explore new ones! If you’re interested in trying your hand at one, find yourself a trustworthy online casino with a reliable gambling licence. And remember to always gamble responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are online pokies free spins, and how do they work?
Free spins are a casino bonus that lets you make wagers on pokies without leveraging your own money. Once they’ve been used on their assigned game, you can withdraw what’s left as real cash if you play with them enough.
Which pokie sites offer the most free spins?
Online pokie sites often change up their free spins bonuses and can offer different amounts depending on where the promotion comes from! The best free spins bonus we found was from Jackpot City Casino, offering a total of 295 free spins across two games and four deposits.
Can I use free spins on any New Zealand online pokies?
No, your initial count of free spins will be limited to one or a handful of games. However, after you’ve played them once, bonus winnings can then be used on whatever pokies you like.
Are free spins available for mobile players?
Yes, you can use free spins on mobile casinos like when playing on the computer.
