New Zealand Venue Directory · Casinos
The 6 Licensed Casinos in New Zealand
Compare every Class 3 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 | SkyCity Queenstown Queenstown | SkyCity Hamilton Hamilton | Dunedin Casino Dunedin | Wharf Casino Queenstown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opened | 1994 | 1996 | 2000 | 2002 | — | — |
| Operator | Christchurch Casinos Ltd | SkyCity Entertainment Group | SkyCity Entertainment Group | SkyCity Entertainment Group | Dunedin Casinos Ltd | Queenstown Casinos Ltd |
| Pokies machines | 500 | 1,600 | 85 | 340 | — | — |
| Table games | 35 | 100+ | Select tables | 20 | — | — |
| Weekday hours | 12pm – 3am | 24 hours | 12pm – 4am | 11am – 3am | — | — |
| Weekend hours | 24 hours | 24 hours | 12pm – 4am | 11am – 3am | — | — |
| Hotel on site | No | Yes | No | No | — | — |
| Parking | On-site | Federal St car park | Street / public | On-site | — | — |
| Nearest airport | CHC · 11 km | AKL · 21 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
- 500
- Tables
- 35
- Weekend
- 24 hours
Auckland · Est. 1996
SkyCity Auckland
NZ's largest casino, under the Sky Tower.
- Pokies
- 1,600
- Tables
- 100+
- Weekend
- 24 hours
Queenstown · Est. 2000
SkyCity Queenstown
Beach Street location, tourist-focused.
- Pokies
- 85
- Tables
- Select tables
- Weekend
- 12pm – 4am
Hamilton · Est. 2002
SkyCity Hamilton
SkyCity’s Waikato venue, riverside location.
- Pokies
- 340
- Tables
- 20
- Weekend
- 11am – 3am
Dunedin ·
Dunedin Casino
Queenstown ·
Wharf Casino
How Casinos in NZ Are Licensed
Only six venues in New Zealand hold a Class 3 casino licence under the Gambling Act 2003. The Class 3 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. The six venues above are the full and permanent set.
If you’re looking for somewhere to play that isn’t one of the six casinos, see the licensed pokie venues directory or pick your region.