New Zealand officially has 13 cities, and they are of different sizes. The cities are designated based on population size and administrative status under local government legislation.
Almost all the 13 cities have pokie accessibility, and the country has six licensed casinos located in major cities, including Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, etc.
The six licensed casinos are in the major cities, and they are the most functional ones.
Beyond the casinos, there are pubs, clubs, and hotels throughout the country where pokies are commonly found. Players who can’t make it to the casino can also visit clubs and pubs for gaming machines.
Pokies Laws in New Zealand
The New Zealand government has different rules for online and offline pokies. Offline or land-based casinos are legal and regulated under the Gambling Act 2003.
This act allows certain venues like pubs, clubs, TAB outlets, and brick-and-mortar casinos to have gaming machines or pokies machines and conduct gambling activities, but only by adhering to strict operational standards.
The operators must obtain proper licenses before starting to function, and they also need to focus on harm prevention and minimisation.
On the other hand, online gambling is currently not legal in New Zealand. At present, New Zealanders can only access online pokies through offshore websites.
These platforms fall under a grey area, where the government is neither officially allowing nor stopping them.
But starting in early 2026, the New Zealand government has decided to allow them to function.
They are going to give up to 15 licenses, and that too via auction. The auction will be held, and the operators will be called for that.
Pokies by Cities in New Zealand
| City/Region | Number of Pokie Venues | Number of Machines |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland City | 210 | 3,113 |
| Christchurch City | 76 | 1,240 |
| Dunedin City | 24 | 350 |
| Far North District | 17 | 262 |
| Ashburton District | 11 | 131 |
| Central Otago District | 9 | 107 |
| Gore District | 6 | 79 |
| Clutha District | 9 | 70 |
| Buller District | 7 | 58 |
| Carterton District | 2 | 27 |
| Central Hawke’s Bay District | 2 | 36 |
Which City has the most pokies lounges in New Zealand?
Here, we’ll discuss each city in detail.
1. Auckland
According to World Population Review, the current population of Auckland is 417,910 and it is the most populated city in New Zealand.
According to Auckland Council, there are 268 Class 4 gambling venues operational in Auckland. These include mostly
- 188 corporate society venues like pubs
- 45 sports and club venues
- 22 Returned Services Association venues
- 18 TAB venues
They all work under the regulations of the Gambling Act 2003. They have to follow certain restrictions as well, mainly the restriction on how many gaming machines a club or pub venue can have.
So, here is the following information on how many machines a gambling venue can have:
- Venues licensed before 17 October 2001 – 18 gaming machines
- Venues licensed after 17 October 2001 – 9 gaming machines
Auckland has 34 TAB venues, and all are working under the strict regulations of the Racing Act 2003.
Most importantly, Auckland has an outlet of SkyCity Casino, and the restriction of having a limited number of pokie gaming machines does not apply here.
SkyCity casino has over 2,100 gaming machines but is separate from Class 4 pokie venues.
2. Wellington
Wellington is the second most populated city in New Zealand, with a population of over 381,900.
It is situated at the southern end of the North Island, and according to Figure NZ’s data, there are 34 approved gaming venues in Wellington.
All of these venues collectively operate 633 gaming machines across the city.
However, there’s no stated minimum number of pokie machines operating, and the maximum number is the same as stated in Auckland, i.e.:
- Venues licensed before 17 October 2001: up to 18 machines
- Venues licensed after 17 October 2001: up to 9 machines
Although Wellington does not have any land-based casinos, there are pubs, clubs, TAB venues, and other places where gambling can be done.
There are different TAB locations like TAB New Zealand, Courtenay Place TAB, TAB Newtown, 225 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington, etc.
These are places where you can place bets on different ongoing or automated sports. Venues like the 1841 Bar in Johnsonville are noted as popular spots for pokies gaming and entertainment.
3. Christchurch
The third most populated city in New Zealand is Christchurch, with a population of 363,926.
Christchurch has 76 approved venues with pokie gaming machines.
In total, it has 1,291 pokie machines across all the venues, and this data does not include the machines in land-based casinos.
In addition to pokies clubs, pubs, and TAB venues, Christchurch has one major land-based casino — Christchurch Casino.
It is located at 30 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand, and has 32 table games and 450+ slot machines.
Other than the land-based casino, Christchurch has pubs, sports bars, and clubs that have gaming machines.
Places include O’Shea’s Public House with 18 gaming machines, Papanui Club with a sports bar and pokies, Fitz 2 Sports Bar with gaming machines, darts, and pool tables, and more places as well.
All the places with gaming machines in Christchurch have an age restriction of 18 years, and it requires you to submit age proof before accessing gaming machines at the venues.
4. Hamilton
Hamilton is a city in New Zealand that does not have a large population.
Its population is only 152,641, and for this much population, it has approximately 30 pokie venues, including pubs/clubs and land-based casinos.
SkyCity Casino is a brand; its outlets are present in 6 major cities, and Hamilton is one of them.
All the venues have either 9 or 18 pokie gaming machines. Older venues that were licensed before October 2001 have 18 gaming machines.
The minimum legal age to play gaming machines (pokies) in pubs, clubs, and sports bars is 18 years old.
Some venues may choose to impose a higher age limit, such as 20 or even 23. Many pubs, clubs, and bars with pokies also offer TAB betting facilities for racing and sports.
SkyCity Casino is the only land-based casino present in Hamilton, with over 300 gaming machines, including slot machines, electronic gaming machines, etc.
Entry to the casino gaming areas is strictly limited to those 20 years or older and is under the ownership of SkyCity Entertainment Group.
SkyCity Hamilton has a TAB venue on-site for betting. The casino complex features a dedicated TAB area where guests can place wagers on racing and sports events.
This is located within the Zone Sports Bar, making it convenient for visitors to enjoy both gaming machines and TAB betting in one location.
5. Dunedin
Dunedin is a city in New Zealand with a smaller population of only 114,347 people living there.
Dunedin has approximately 31 pokie venues across the city, with approximately 200+ pokie machines.
In addition to different clubs, pubs, and sports bars, Dunedin has Grand Casino, which is a land-based casino offering pokies and unique gaming tables.
Dunedin has fewer pokie venues than Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Wellington, but more than Invercargill and many smaller districts.
Grand Casino Dunedin is the only land-based casino in Dunedin, New Zealand, and offers pokie machines, table games, and other games.
More specifically, the Grand Casino in Dunedin has over 180 electronic gaming machines, indicating that the number of pokies in Dunedin venues is at least this many or more.
The Grand Casino Dunedin alone has over 180 electronic gaming machines. The number of venues may fluctuate slightly over time, but 31 is the most reliable and current published figure.
The main pokies venue in Dunedin is the Grand Casino Dunedin (also known as Dunedin Casino), located at 118 High Street in the central city.
It has gaming options such as Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker, and other table games.
Analysis: Which City Has the Most Pokies Lounges in New Zealand?
New Zealand’s gambling infrastructure is tightly regulated under the Gambling Act 2003, which restricts the expansion of non-casino (Class 4) pokie venues and limits the number of gaming machines.
Despite this, the distribution of pokie lounges varies significantly across major cities due to factors like population, historical licensing, and the presence of land-based casinos.
Let’s compare five major cities – Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, and Dunedin – to see where you’ll find the most pokies (slot machines) and venues.
Auckland stands out as having the highest concentration.
1. Auckland – The Biggest Pokies City
- 268 pokie venues (pubs, clubs, TABs, RSAs)
- SkyCity Auckland Casino adds 2,100+ machines
- Why it stands out: It has the highest number of venues and a big casino that can house thousands of machines.
2. Christchurch – Fewer Venues, But Still High on Machines
- 76 venues (pubs, clubs, sports bars)
- Christchurch Casino adds 450+ machines
- Why it’s notable: Even with fewer venues than Auckland, it has over 1,200 pokie machines, plus a busy casino.
3. Wellington – Big City, But Not Many Pokies
- 34 venues
- No casino
- Why it’s lower: Even though it’s the second most populated city, there are fewer venues and no casino. Around 633 machines total.
4. Hamilton – Small City with a Casino Boost
- About 30 venues
- SkyCity Hamilton Casino has 300+ machines
- Why it matters: Not many venues, but the casino adds more machines and makes it a good pokies spot for its size.
5. Dunedin – Smaller City, Fewer Machines
- 31 venues
- Grand Casino Dunedin has 180+ machines
- Why it’s smaller: Has a decent number of venues, but fewer machines overall. The casino helps, but not enough to match bigger cities.
| City | Approx. Pokie Venues | Major Casino | Total Machines (est.) | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 268+ | SkyCity (2,100+ slots) | 2,500+ | #1 – Most |
| Christchurch | 76 | Christchurch Casino | 1,700+ | #2 |
| Wellington | 34 | None | 633 | #3 |
| Hamilton | ~30 | SkyCity Hamilton | 600–700+ | #4 |
| Dunedin | 31 | Grand Casino Dunedin | ~400+ | #5 – Least |
Editor’s Verdict
Auckland is still the top city in New Zealand when it comes to pokie lounges. It has more pokie venues than any other city by a big gap.
According to the Department of Internal Affairs, Auckland has over 200 pokie venues.
This is much more than cities like Christchurch, Hamilton, Wellington, and Dunedin, which each have between 39 and 87 venues.
Even though the number of pokie machines and venues is going down across the country because of local council rules that limit new ones, Auckland stays on top. This is mostly because it has a large population and covers a big area. But the situation is not simple. While the number of venues is going down, the money made from pokies is still going up in many places. In smaller areas like Hawke’s Bay, people can actually lose more money per person than in big cities.
Pokie machines have both good and bad effects. On one hand, they make over a billion dollars in profit each year and a lot of that money goes to help local communities. On the other hand, they also cause serious problems, especially for people living in poorer areas.