Know what you are paying for
Best Online Pokies NZ compares pokies sites, but every comparison rests on a simple fact: pokies are built so the house comes out ahead over time. The cost of a session is the money you are prepared to lose, and that is how it should be budgeted. Gambling is not a way to make money, cover bills or clear debts. Online casino gambling is for adults aged 18 and over.
RTP and volatility in plain terms
A pokie's return to player figure is a long-term average across a huge number of spins. A 96% RTP does not mean you will get $96 back from every $100 you spend in an evening; short sessions swing well above and well below the average. Volatility describes how those swings feel. Low-volatility games tend to pay small amounts more often, while high-volatility games can go a long stretch without a meaningful win. Choosing a game that suits your budget, and expecting to lose your stake, keeps play in perspective.
A simple plan before every session
- Set a spending cap. Pick a sum you could lose without it affecting rent, food, bills or savings, and stop when it is gone.
- Set a time cap. Pokies are fast. Use a timer or phone alarm so a quick session does not become a long one.
- Use only spare money. Never gamble with credit, loans or money set aside for essentials.
- Decide what happens to wins. Choose in advance how much of any win you will withdraw, request it, and do not cancel the pending payout to keep playing.
- Think twice about bonuses. Free spins and match bonuses carry wagering requirements that can mean staking far more than you deposited. If an offer would make you play longer or bet more than planned, it is better left alone.
Tools inside casino accounts
Many casinos let players set limits in their account settings. Depending on the operator, you may find deposit limits, loss or wager limits, session reminders, short time-outs and longer self-exclusion. Check whether a limit applies to one site only or to every brand run by the same company. Blocking software, and the gambling blocks some New Zealand banks offer on cards, can add another layer of protection.
Signs that play is no longer fun
Consider taking a break and talking to someone if you:
- often spend more money or time than you intended;
- top up or raise your bets to win back losses;
- borrow, use credit or sell things to keep gambling;
- hide how much you gamble from people close to you;
- feel anxious, irritable or low when you are not playing;
- reverse withdrawals so you can keep spinning;
- let work, study or relationships suffer because of gambling.
Free support across New Zealand
All of the following services are free and confidential:
- Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 655, text 8006, or online chat at gamblinghelpline.co.nz, available 24/7.
- Gambling Debt Helpline: 0800 654 658.
- Youth Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 659.
- Māori Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 656.
- Pasifika Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 657.
- PGF Services: 0800 664 262, text 5819, pgf.nz.
- Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342.
Local services are listed at safergambling.org.nz. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 111.
Worried about someone close to you?
Gambling harm often reaches partners, parents, children and friends. The services above also help people concerned about someone else's gambling. Picking a calm moment, describing what you have noticed without blame and offering to contact a service together can make the conversation easier.
