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Online pokies in New Zealand

What are the different types of online pokies available?

At Royal Panda Casino, we love playing online pokies as much as our players do. This is why we seek to provide you with a wide variety of themes, game mechanics, and types of slot games. You can split our online pokies into classic and modern multi-reeled video pokies. Classic slots are normally presented with three reels and one row. They commonly feature fruit machine symbols, including cherries, bells, and lucky number sevens. Payouts are provided when you land three identical symbols onto the slot’s main row, but some variants to this rule do exist. Video pokies are a more modern take on the classic one-arm bandits. The size of a typical modern pokie is five reels and three rows, but other combinations are also possible. These online pokies feature an incredible array of themes and symbols that match them, and you’ll also be able to trigger bonuses, free spins, and other features.

Which are some of the most popular online pokies in New Zealand?

The number of NZ pokies at Royal Panda continues to grow as we welcome the latest releases by many of the world’s top game developers. Whilst some online casino games are popular just for a short while, others have withstood the test of time.

If you would like to experience the gameplay of high-ranking online casino pokies, we recommend trying the following most favourite pokies:

  • Book of Dead by Play’n Go: This game rises above all other Egyptian-themed online pokies games thanks to its charismatic tomb raider, Rich Wilde. In addition, this game rewards you with special multipliers, expanding symbols, and a chance to win up to 5,000x your stake in a single paid spin.

  • Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt: The search for the lost city of gold will intrigue most pokie players, but this game also includes an Avalanche Function, awesome animations, and Free Falls with multipliers of up to 15x.

  • Immortal Romance by Microgaming: Influenced by successful vampire shows and movies, this video pokie offers an incredible soundtrack and mesmerising effects. The game also includes plenty of special features, including Wild Desires and the Chamber of Spins.

  • Starburst by NetEnt: Discover one of the slot games that ranked NetEnt as a world-leading slot designer. Enjoy this classic pokie game featuring visually-pleasing graphics, a simple set of instructions, and a chance to win up to 500x your bet.

  • Wolf Gold by Pragmatic Play: Based in the serene Native American territory, this slot offers an enchanting experience with its combination of visual and sound effects. Wild animals take on the role of standard and special symbols, and you can win 2,500x your bet with every paid spin.

Can I play pokies on the go?

Yes, you can play all our best online pokies games from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet. As long as you’ve got a stable Internet connection, you’ll be able to access the Royal Panda Casino platform and all of our games. We’ve developed our site to be mobile-friendly and accessible by any mainstream mobile web browser.

Do I need to download an app to play mobile pokies?

No, you do not. Whilst mobile casinos depended on apps in the past, current technologies allow slot games to be accessible on handheld devices without requiring any software download.

To cater especially to online pokies NZ players who prefer mobile games, our software providers have developed their creations with a responsive design. As a result, buttons and options move or fade automatically so that the majority of your screen is dedicated to the action on the grid.

Moreover, the Royal Panda Casino website is mobile-optimised and responsive to different screen sizes and operating systems. This means that you can play any of our online slots and other online casino games without needing to use a particular operating system.

What are the benefits of playing online pokies?

Online pokies provide an accessible way of entertainment with the added benefit of being able to make use of casino bonuses whenever they become available. If you were to travel to a brick and mortar casino, you could still play slot games, but there would be a much smaller variety available.

With the introduction of mobile devices and mobile casinos, playing online casino slots has become even easier. You can now play whenever you wish, no matter whether you’re at home or outdoors. That’s because all you need to start playing your favourite mobile pokies is a stable Internet connection.

New online pokies in NZ are continually being released by both top-tier and smaller software creators. Operating completely in a virtual world, these games are equipped with an incredible variety of bonus features, special effects, and high potential payouts. These and other exciting characteristics are either missing or only present in a small number of brick and mortar casino slots.

What are some of the most popular themes of online pokies?

Whilst classic slots tend to reuse the same general theme and set of symbols, video pokies provide an almost endless variety of themes. Every game is carefully created to showcase its theme throughout, including its symbols, bonuses, and features.

When a particular theme proves to be popular amongst Kiwi players, providers scramble to recreate it. Even though some of the best online pokies share similar themes, they usually include unique features and characteristics that help you tell them apart.

At Royal Panda Casino, we’ve found that some of the most popular themes in New Zealand have ancient Egypt, Norse or Viking mythology, movies or TV shows, and inspired by various cultures, such as Aztec or Oriental ones.

Which are the most common types of bonus features in online pokies?

To boost the excitement and potential payouts of their slot games, many software providers include special features. Different online pokies offer one or more of these features, and these can be triggered randomly or when the right combination of symbols lands on the slot.

Free spins and respins are the most popular bonus features and either one is commonly available in the majority of our online slot machines. These features provide one or more free spins rounds but do not require you to place a new bet. Very often, during such a bonus round, special symbols or features are also in play. These could include an additional bonus feature, like wild symbols transforming into expanding wilds or scatter symbols triggering new winning combinations and the removal of low-value symbols.

Bonus games or minigames are other common types of special features present in top online pokies. During this round, practically anything can happen, including battling clans, car races, and shootouts. Most times, the result of the bonus game is automatically and randomly selected, but there are instances when your input is required.

To boost the excitement and potential payouts of their slot games, many software providers include special features. Different online pokies offer one or more of these features, and these can be triggered randomly or when the right combination of symbols lands on the slot.

Free spins and respins are the most popular bonus features and either one is commonly available in the majority of our online slot machines. These features provide one or more free spins rounds but do not require you to place a new bet. Very often, during such a bonus round, special symbols or features are also in play. These could include an additional bonus feature, like wild symbols transforming into expanding wilds or scatter symbols triggering new winning combinations and the removal of low-value symbols.

Bonus games or minigames are other common types of special features present in top online pokies. During this round, practically anything can happen, including battling clans, car races, and shootouts. Most times, the result of the bonus game is automatically and randomly selected, but there are instances when your input is required.

How are progressive jackpot games different from other online pokies?

As their very name suggests, jackpot slots are online pokies that include one or more high-value jackpots. These valuable cash prizes could be either progressive or fixed and can be awarded either randomly or after the successful completion of a bonus game.

Beyond the fact that progressive jackpots offer players an additional prize, they look and feel very much like other video slots. These games each have their own theme and feature animations, designs, and sounds to reflect it. They also normally include special symbols, such as wilds, and smaller payouts provided by a collection of standard symbols.

How do I play and win online pokies?

Playing pokies is normally a two-step process. Once you’ve launched the game, all you need to do is set the value of your wager and click on the spin button to get started. The reels will begin to spin automatically and when they stop, any winning combinations will be paid out.

Beyond setting the value of your wager, there is very little for you to do other than enjoying the gameplay.

There are many different types of online casino slot winning combinations. Paylines are the more traditional type of combination, but these are increasingly overshadowed by adjacent reel wins and cluster payouts. Some of the most popular online slots even provide a number of free spins rounds every time the spin lands a winning combination.

What is the RTP in online slots?

The return to player percentage (RTP) is the theoretical payout each slot provides over thousands of spins. As an example, a slot with an RTP of 96% should return NZ$96 for every NZ$100 wagered.

However, in practice, there is no guarantee what the return to the player will be, and every spin can result in a loss or a win. It is purely a game of luck. This is why you should play online games just for entertainment and treat any payout as a fun bonus. Always remember to set a budget and gamble responsibly.

What does the term volatility mean for online pokies?

In addition to the RTP, software providers will indicate the slot’s volatility level. This could help you understand whether a particular game will provide frequent or less frequent payouts and if these tend to have a smaller or higher value.

Low volatility online games also are statistically more likely to provide more frequent but smaller-value payouts. On the flip side, high volatility online slots have a reputation for paying out higher-value payouts, but these are less likely to occur. There are also medium volatility slot games that provide average payouts with average frequencies.

However, just like with the return to player, volatility levels do not provide any guarantee of the outcome, but add to the thrill factor.

Why play online pokies on our site?

We’ve got over 2,000 reasons - games - to play online pokies at Royal Panda. By partnering with numerous software providers - leaders in the online gambling industry, we are constantly increasing the number of games in our catalogue. This also means that as soon as a new online pokie is released in New Zealand, you’re likely to find it here first.

Once you register your casino account, you’ll be able to go off on space adventures, explore the deepest caves, or play your favourite games and meet popular game characters without ever leaving your living room. Our single, mobile-friendly platform provides every experience our software providers could think of, and they’re quite a creative bunch indeed.

Beyond the themes, our mobile pokies also are packed with innovative features and a variety of payouts. These casino games are designed to cater to wide audiences, so they are able to accept typical minimum bets placed by casual online pokies NZ players as well as high bet limits that are sought by high rollers.

We’ve also collaborated with several world-leading software providers, including Microgaming, Play’n Go, and Yggdrasil, to create exclusive slot games with unique features. This is all part of our continued efforts to provide you with an exceptional and unique entertainment experience.

What pokies bonuses can I get?

As soon as you join Royal Panda Casino, you’ll become eligible for a generous welcome offer that will enhance the value of your first deposit. Once you’ve used this new player bonus, you’ll be able to participate in a variety of ongoing promotions.

The values and specific terms of each offer change frequently in order to offer the latest mix of games and casino events. You should visit our promotions page to browse through the updated list of offers and rewards. This list normally includes reload bonuses, free spins, and prize draws. You will also find useful information about the perks of the Royal Panda Loyalty Club and how we make our most loyal players feel like royalty.

What are the best pokies for NZ players in 2023?

View the latest and best online pokies, by visiting the new games page of our casino. Just as in previous years, our software developers have been busy creating a wide variety of engaging games, and you can be among the first players in New Zealand to play them.

Champions of Olympus is a popular new slot that was released in 2023 by Microgaming. This game revisits the popular Greek mythology theme and includes the Link&Win feature that includes special symbols, bonus multipliers, bonus rounds, and payouts of up to 12,500x.

If you’re not in the mood of travelling back in time, perhaps you might enjoy a galactic adventure in classic pokies. iSoftBet’s Euphoria Megaways pokie features three optional betting options and up to 117,649 winning combinations in a single paid round.

Our collection of new pokies games also includes several that have been developed by smaller brands. Fastasma, for example, has recently released Wicked Kitty, a feline-loving slot providing respins, multipliers, and mystery symbols. This game also includes superb animations that this brand is well known for.

When was the first pokie machine invented?

The first pokie machine was invented across the Pacific, in San Francisco. Charles Fey is said to have created the first machine, named Liberty Bell, in 1894. This machine had three reels and one row. It was also able to dispense payouts automatically.

Throughout the first part of the 20th century, pokie machines evolved to include additional symbols and features. However, they remained primitive when compared to today’s games.

In 1976, the first video pokie machines were invented. These machines removed the need for long levers and were instead played with buttons. They also featured basic graphics and animations that made them much more entertaining.

Less than 20 years after the release of the first video slot, the world witnessed casinos going online. Pokies soon followed, and in 1994 the first online pokie was created.

How to win a progressive jackpot?

Many NZ players seek out progressive jackpot pokies online for the opportunity of winning big prizes. These games use a portion of every wager to grow one or more jackpots. These mega prizes can drop at any time, and sometimes, they have transformed lucky players into instant millionaires.

There are no set rules to win a jackpot on most progressive jackpots pokies. While some games require specific symbols to land on the slot, others can trigger a bonus game randomly with every spin. In some cases, jackpot pokies will only award their top prizes to players who wager a certain minimum bet.

What is common among all progressive slots is that, just like all other in-game payouts, the result of every spin is random. These games are similarly powered by random number generators that are unbiased and cannot be influenced by the player.

Are online slots and online pokies the same?

Yes, online pokies games and slots are exactly the same. It’s not clear when New Zealanders began referring to these games as pokies, but we do know the reason for it. Before video pokies became popular, electronic video poker machines were the main type of single-player games at casinos.

As time went by, players simply started abbreviation the term ‘poker’ to ‘pok’. When video slots started appearing, the term "pokie" was used to describe all sorts of video machines, no matter whether they featured slots or cards. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Are online slots and online pokies the same?

Yes, online pokies games and slots are exactly the same. It’s not clear when New Zealanders began referring to these games as pokies, but we do know the reason for it. Before video pokies became popular, electronic video poker machines were the main type of single-player games at casinos.

As time went by, players simply started abbreviation the term ‘poker’ to ‘pok’. When video slots started appearing, the term "pokie" was used to describe all sorts of video machines, no matter whether they featured slots or cards. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

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