New Zealand Venue Directory · Casinos
The 5 Licensed Casinos in New Zealand
Compare every licensed casino in the country at a glance — opening year, gaming floor, hours, and operator.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Scroll horizontally on mobile. Each column links through to the full venue page.
| Christchurch Casino Christchurch | SkyCity Auckland Auckland | Grand Casino Dunedin Dunedin | SkyCity Queenstown Queenstown | SkyCity Hamilton Hamilton | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opened | 1994 | 1996 | 1999 | 2000 | 2002 |
| Operator | Christchurch Casinos Ltd | SkyCity Entertainment Group | Dunedin Casinos Ltd | SkyCity Entertainment Group | SkyCity Entertainment Group |
| Pokies machines | 450 | 2,100 | 150 | 80 | 330 |
| Table games | 32 | 150 | 10 | 8 | 23 |
| Weekday hours | 12pm – 1am | 24 hours | 11am – 3am | 11am – 1am | 10am – 4am |
| Weekend hours | 12pm – 3am | 24 hours | 11am – 3am | 11am – 1am | Open Fri–Sun |
| Hotel on site | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Parking | On-site | Federal St car park | Street | Street / public | On-site |
| Nearest airport | CHC · 11 km | AKL · 21 km | DUD · 30 km | ZQN · 8 km | HLZ · 14 km |
Machine and table counts are indicative from published operator statements. For current floor detail, follow the venue link.
What Makes Each Venue Different
Christchurch · Est. 1994
Christchurch Casino
New Zealand's first casino.
- Pokies
- 450
- Tables
- 32
- Weekend
- 12pm – 3am
Auckland · Est. 1996
SkyCity Auckland
NZ's largest casino, under the Sky Tower.
- Pokies
- 2,100
- Tables
- 150
- Weekend
- 24 hours
Dunedin · Est. 1999
Grand Casino Dunedin
Heritage High Street building in the city centre.
- Pokies
- 150
- Tables
- 10
- Weekend
- 11am – 3am
Queenstown · Est. 2000
SkyCity Queenstown
Beach Street boutique — the only casino in Queenstown.
- Pokies
- 80
- Tables
- 8
- Weekend
- 11am – 1am
Hamilton · Est. 2002
SkyCity Hamilton
SkyCity’s Waikato venue, central-city location.
- Pokies
- 330
- Tables
- 23
- Weekend
- Open Fri–Sun
How Casinos in NZ Are Licensed
Only five venues in New Zealand hold a casino operator's licence under the Gambling Act 2003. The casino operator's licence is the only one that permits casino table games — blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker — alongside pokies machines. Every other licensed gambling venue in the country is a pokies pub or club and falls under a different licence class (Class 4).
The Department of Internal Affairs regulates both classes, but casino operations also answer to the Gambling Commission under a separate casino operator’s licence that specifies hours, minimum entry age (20, higher than Class 4’s 18), and host-responsibility obligations at the venue.
No new casino licences have been issued in New Zealand since a 2001 moratorium, and Queenstown's Wharf Casino surrendered its licence in 2024 — leaving the five venues above as the country's full set.
If you’re looking for somewhere to play that isn’t one of the five casinos, see the licensed pokie venues directory or pick your region.