In New Zealand, online gambling is becoming an increasingly popular activity. More and more developers from around the world are targeting players in the country, as they are known to enjoy gambling as a leisure activity.
For the past few decades, land-based gambling has been a primary form of entertainment for individuals across the country. Now, online gambling is taking over, as an increasing number of residents are becoming attracted to the concept of internet casinos.
As it stands, online slots are among the most popular online casino games in the country. This is because New Zealanders have a long history of playing poker machines. Electronic gaming has thrived in the country for decades, with residents spending millions of dollars on pokies and slots at casinos and gaming clubs, so it has been a natural transition.
Many of New Zealand’s land-based slot machine manufacturers have taken advantage of this revolution, taking their most popular poker machines online. Companies like Aristocrat and IGT have created internet versions of their best slots, attracting a wide range of land-based casinos players to the online gambling market.
Online gambling was previously not a significant consideration for the local government, so there is still very little information available on the subject. However, a recent study has shed some light on the situation. According to a report released by Southern Cross University, half of the country’s residents have gambled online over the course of the past 6 years. Another study has shown that individuals of Maori descent are more likely to gambling online than those of any other background, as they make up 17% of the population of online gamblers.
With the increase in online gambling activity, land-based casino profits are falling. In 2011, Australian slots profits dropped by £5 billion from $17 billion in 2010. This downward trend is likely to have been emulated in New Zealand as well.
The online casino market is gaining steam in New Zealand because it offers players many benefits that they cannot experience in the land-based gambling world. Firstly, players are able to take part in low-stakes and free casino games. For example, online poker rooms provide games with $0.01/$0.2 stakes while the lowest land-based stakes you can find are $0.50/$1. When it comes to electronic gaming, online casinos offer free slots, something that you simply would not find in the land-based casino market.
Players in the online gambling world as also eligible for bonuses and promotions that are unique to the market and also enjoy the convenience of being able to play when and wherever they want.
