Out of all the casino gaming categories supported at online casinos in New Zealand today, video slots are the most played. Not only are there thousands of online video slots to enjoy, but these games are also incredibly easy to play, have relatively low bet minimums and, depending on the game, can be home to some potentially huge rewards. We’ve hand-picked the very best video slot sites currently open to New Zealand players and listed them for you below.
You can sign up with one site to test the waters, or you can sign up with multiple sites for access to more bonuses and more games. The choice is yours!
What are video slots?
Online video slots are games which consist of multiple reels and multiple rows, with various symbols listed on each of the reels. These symbols and their combinations dictate your potential winnings per spin. You can usually spin the reels on these games for anywhere from a few cents up to a few dollars. While online video slots all operate through these basic fundamentals, there is enormous variety. Factors such as RTP (return to player), staking limits, in-game bonuses, designated themes, number of paylines and so much more can impact how the game works and whether it will suit you or not.
How to play video slots
One of the main reasons video slot sites are so popular with New Zealand gamers is because they are just so simple to play. Unlike alternative casino games such as poker and blackjack, which require a certain degree of skill, there is little skill involved with online video slots. In fact, all you need to worry about is how much you are staking per spin and what impact this has on your potential winnings, which are always described in the ‘how to play’ section for each game.
There is nothing more to it than that. You can just sit back, spin the reels and see whether you get lucky or not. This makes video slots the perfect starting point for beginners, and even for advanced players, as the sheer variety of titles available means this gaming category always has something fresh to explore.
Video slot features
As you might imagine given the enormous range of video slots in the market today, there are a stack of features you can find for these games. We’ve covered some of the more common slot features right here:
- Wild symbols – substitutes to make combinations between symbols
- Jackpots – huge payouts obtained through rare symbol combinations
- In-game bonuses – mini-games which pop up during certain scenarios
- Free spins – a chance to get the reels spinning without wagering anything
- Gamble winnings – the option to gamble what you’ve just won on your spin
- Expanding wilds – a feature where wild symbols will extend across the board
Naturally, the best online video slots boast a combination of these features. All of this adds up to provide gamers with an unpredictable yet exciting experience.
Playing video slots with free spins
There are two ways in which you can use free spins at video slot sites. Firstly, new customers can often bag free spins through online casino bonuses – known as welcome offers. Some sites will give you free spins just for signing up, but some sites need you to make a deposit before having access to the free spins. Either way, you’ll get a chance to spin the reels without spending your own cash on each spin, and there’s always the chance that free spins will lead to actual winnings too.
You can also get free spins during the game itself. Usually, you’ll need to combine a set of designated symbols to be granted free spins with video slots. The number of free spins you get can vary substantially from game to game, but there are games out there where you could win up to 50 free spins or even more.
Mobile video slots
The simplicity of video slots is what makes them perfect for integration with mobile apps and mobile sites. This is why you’ll find that the vast majority of online video slots you can play at the top sites have been included in the gaming libraries of the respective mobile platforms. Thanks to vast improvements in software and gaming development over the last few years too, the quality of video slots on mobile are just as good (if not better) than what you get with desktop sites. This means that hundreds, if not thousands of premium online video slots are sitting right there in your pocket once you’ve signed up with a leading online casino.
Software providers and popular video slot titles
There is no shortage of software providers behind some of the very best online video slots you’ll find at leading casino sites. But of course, in order to play the best games, you have to know the best providers. We have identified them below:
Playtech
These guys have a simply incredible development team at their disposal, and they are responsible for several top-notch video slots – especially movie-themed slots like Superman and Gladiator. Although it’s great that Playtech has created many themed games, the progressive jackpots they have to offer is what really makes them one of the best. With multiple Age of the Gods progressives and arguably the best of them all, Jackpot Giant, Playtech is a provider which clearly brings the thrill of chasing huge payouts to the table.
Microgaming
Speaking of huge jackpots, Mega Moolah – one of the very best jackpot games that Microgaming has ever developed – is responsible for the largest single payout of all time. That is a serious record to hold, but Microgaming also has many others in its locker. Games such as Thunderkick II, Bridesmaids and Game of Thrones have all proved to be huge hits. They each possess a feature that Microgaming is well-known for – very high RTPs!
NetEnt
When you browse through the featured section at any of the best online video slots sites, it’s almost a given that you’ll find games from NetEnt. These guys are behind some of the most popular slots of all time, with some of the more recent titles being Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest. Although these two games have made waves around the world, NetEnt is one of those providers that has truly strived to cover every angle. Whether it’s themed games, progressives or pub classics, NetEnt has it all.
