
Any pubs or bars that have gaming machines are termed venues whilst a venue operator is a business that operates the venue. The person responsible for all the gaming machine operations is the venue manager. Here are the best 6 pokies venues in New Zealand.
Which society a venue operator wants to work with is based on:
- Alignment with good causes
- Solid reputation as both a fair and ethical operator
- Great service
After selecting which society to enter an agreement with, the venue hosts the gaming machines. Control over societies is not exerted by venue operators, nor do they influence grant decision making.
Venues – Pokies Venues in New Zealand

Costs
The proceeds from all gaming machines must be separate from all other funds by the venues. Any class 4 gaming machine is monitored electronically to determine how much money is put into each machine. This determines how much money the venue needs to transfer into the society’s bank account. All Proceeds are then provided to their respective corporate societies for distribution.
There is a capped payment that the venues will receive in exchange for hosting the machines. This amount reimburses them for actual, reasonable and necessary costs of operating a class 4 gambling machine. Should a venue payment be in excess of these costs, it is an illegal use of net proceeds and therefore a misuse of community money.
The legal system does not allow for any venue to profit from the hosting of a gaming machine. A requirement is that the venue does not rely on any gaming revenue for survival.
Advantages
The main reason behind a venue choosing to host a pokie machine is because it offers customers a wider range of entertainment at a pub or bar. Many people believe that venues that offer gaming machines are more attractive to customers, and this also leads to them drinking more alcohol, which increases bar business.
This however is not entirely true, as anecdotal evidence suggests that pokies gamblers in pubs tend to not drink very much alcohol. Gaming machines may also distract some customers and put them off going to the bar.
It is illegal for societies to encourage a venue to host its machines, induced by anything such as trips to Australia or sports award dinner tickets.
Pokies in New Zealand

Zew Zealand is home to six operating casinos, the first of which opened in 1994.
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1. Dunedin Casino
First opened in 1999 in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. The casino is located 0.5 kilometers south of the city center. The casino’s license was suspended by the Gambling Commission for two years in 2006 after it was found to let women gamble $6.6 million after three years.
Dunedin Grand Casino New Zealand is a fun place to play because it has the playful spirit of a place that was made just for the kiwis and their friends. This is a place where the casino floor is a space with many tables/slots, and it has been designed to make life easier for the player.
Games at Dunedin Grand Casino
Gambling on the property is split up into table games, slot machines, and video poker. They have special coffee tables in the rooms that make it possible for people to gamble, and they have games of every difficulty level on the casino floor.
Gambling in this casino is cheap and easy because players are not forced to spend all their money to have a good time.
New Zealand players who come in for a night of gambling can also enjoy the entertainment that is on the site. Players get everything they need, and they can come by any time they are in this part of New Zealand.
Restaurants & Bars
The land-based casino has all the restaurants and bars that people could want. This is a special casino in that it has bars and restaurants that can see the casino floor along with restaurants and bars that are far out of sight.
Some of the bars are very quiet so that people can recover from a night of gambling, and some restaurants offer a nice sit-down meal.
There are places where players can get a buffet dinner, and there are bars that sit right off the casino floor, and players could walk right back to play more games.
2. SkyCity Hamilton
This entertainment complex is in the central business district of Hamilton, and overlooks the beautiful Waikato river. The casino opened its doors in September 2002, with the SkyCity Entertainment Group gaining 100% ownership in 2005. This complex currently includes one casino, nine food and beverage outlets, a 600-guest function centre, a 300-space car park building and a ten0pin bowling alley. SkyCity Hamilton also currently employs 300 staff members.
Gambling
Boasting over 330 gaming machines and 23 tables of the worlds most popular casino games, such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and Caribbean Stud, as well as fabulous live entertainment and great food and bar offerings! SKYCITY Casino offers worlds of fun for everyone with Vue Bar and Number Eight Bar located directly on the main gaming floor, right next to the action!
SKYCITY Casino is open 24 hours everyday with room for players of all skill levels! If you’ve never played, or want a solid refresher course, just ask any of the friendly casino team! SKYCITY prides itself on being a responsible host, and would encourage you to play only at levels you can afford.
Remember – you must be aged 20 years or older to enter the gaming areas at SKYCITY.
3. SkyCity Auckland
The casino is both a casino and an event centre and you can find it in the central business district of Auckland. Sitting at the bottom of the Sky tower, it was the second casino to open in New Zealand, and still the only one in Auckland.
This mega complex has two casinos, restaurants, bars, hotel, theater and the 1,000-foot high Sky Tower, the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere, which offers magnificent views and bungee jumping. The casinos offer favorite table games such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Jai Sai and Roulette plus more than 1,200 slots and gaming machines.
4. SkyCity Queenstown
Fourth casino to open in New Zealand, back on 7 December 2000. The casino license currently runs until December 2025. Queenstown hosts eight gambling tables, an additional four gaming tables in the VIP room, and 86 gaming machines. More than NZ$128,600 was donated in 2015 by the Queenstown Casino Community Trust, towards grants to community groups. The casino is also a major sponsor or co-sponsor of local events, and since May 2016, they have sponsored the local ice hockey team, SkyCity Southern Stampede.
It is for a place that thrives on its tourism industry we were a little let down by the lack of restaurants within the Skycity Queenstown Casino. There is one restaurant and that is the Wild Thyme Restaurant. On the plus side, as the only eatery in the casino, it has to come to the party in providing succulent dishes.
Plus, there are great dining benefits at Wild Thyme. You can enjoy delicious meals for as little as $10. The restaurant is known for its $10 lunch deals. The menu is itself quite eclectic, offering starters as simple as mince and toast, specials like croquet monsieur, salads like the Thai beef salad, and hearty meals such as lamb shank and char-grilled Angus rump.
5. Christchurch Casino
This casino was New Zealand’s very first casino, and it opened in 1994. Inside the casino, you can find five hundred slot machines and thirty-four table games. There are three restaurants and two bars on the property, and entry is only for persons above the age of 20.
Christchurch Casino is New Zealand’s first casino and one of the best places to see in Christchurch that offers a whole lot of entertainment options. It is open 7 days a week and you can enjoy fantastic food, fun games and dance every weekend to the live music.
It is a casino with a popular selection of table games and slot machines, alongside restaurants, bars, and stage performances.
You can become a part of the players club.- Their food highlights are The cafe, Monza Sports Bar, and Valley Bar.
6. SkyCity Wharf Casino
The opening of the casino was in June 2013, and it currently holds a licence that runs until September 2024. The SkyCIty Wharf Casino is authorised to operate six gaming tables and 74 gaming machines. Six gaming tables and 61 gaming machines are operated by the casino. It is one of the most Pokies Venues in New Zealand.
SkyCity Wharf is the best place to go in this area because it is already set up on the water. Players come here to have a good time in many restaurants, bars, and on the casino floor. Also, this is the best place for people to play in the area.
It allows the players to have a good time, does not require them to dress in formal attire, and helps the players relax with friends they have met for a party.
SkyCity Wharf casino games & offers
SkyCity has a special rewards program for all players who are allowed to sign in with their casino card, collect rewards as they play in the casino, and earn prizes.
The casino has massive rewards for customers, and they have much food and drink options for customers who have been investing in the casino every day with their gaming. This is one of the most popular Pokies Venues in New Zealand.
The casino has member’s only benefits, and the casino has events that allow people to come in because they are a rewards member.
Plus, these players will find that they can win more money because they are getting bonuses from the casino.
The casino has special member events for people who come through often, and they have a lovely restaurant that allows people to sit down for a meal when they have been gambling all day.
Being one of the Pokies Venues in New Zealand, the casino also has a wonderful rewards program that will pay people back for the games that they have played. The special member events are quiet events where people can win more money, and these people often come back because they live in the area.
In fact, people who live in the area come through often to have a nice meal, to bet a little, and then they get to head home after a show.