SkyCity Donates $40 Million!

SkyCity New Zealand online casino, the second largest casino in New Zealand, will pay around $40 million on its pending online gambling service and whether a government irked by its offshoring plan wants it or not, the deal will still go through.

The casino Chief Executive Operator, Graeme Stephens, outlined the plan for online gaming in August last year. He confirmed that SkyCity online casino would launch their online casino by the end of 2019. The decision to launch a self-regulated and secure online gambling casino was meant to help both the country and the government and with a budget of around $ 40 million in tax revenue for the project, there are some in the country’s leadership that have opposed this venture, thereby delaying the project even further.

Online gambling in New Zealand and Australia is not yet legal, and for this reason SkyCity online casino was delayed year after year. However, the powers that be at SkyCity were determined on setting up an online casino, and so they did. Sky City Casino was launched in August of 2019, with the goal of covering the online segment of the New Zealand market. Visit our NZ home page for more information.

What Is The Purpose Of The Donation?

While SkyCity will be prohibited from adverting its offshore-based online casino to New Zealanders, search engine optimisation, the media and word of mouth will be used to attract international punters. Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin is reported to say that she’s very disappointed they are forging ahead but SkyCity’s management maintain that the online casino will be a positive move for the government.

Although SkyCity’s website that is hosted offshore will be beyond New Zealand jurisdiction, the company will self-regulate, based on the host responsibility measures it has in place in its real-world casinos. Players will be closely monitored for unusual gambling patterns and problem gamblers will be kept in check with time and spending limits.

What Does It Mean To Self-Regulate?

Self-control is defined as the ability to function normally in society while controlling one’s behaviour, emotions and desires in the face of external demands. Self-control in the casino works the same way. There are gamblers that struggle with self-control and have managed to wipe out their entire life savings on the slots, and others turn to white-collar crimes such as fraud to fund their addiction.

In the world of online gambling, regulatory bodies play a huge role in ensuring games are fair and casinos are legitimate. Responsible gambling is also a very important part of self-regulation, and Responsible gambling covers the many ways gambling operators prevent and reduce gambling addiction. However, there are those who strongly claim that gambling addiction is ruining more and more lives and self-regulation by the industry is not enough.

Problem gamblers are people who suffer from an urge to gamble continuously, despite their gambling being a risk to jobs and families. With gambling addiction being more addictive than alcohol or drugs, and the estimation that one in five problem gamblers attempt to kill themselves, online casinos take this very seriously.

Under New Zealand law, and in fact in most of the world today, players can exclude themselves from most gambling venues. If a player feels they are playing past their limitations, the venue operator must by law, exclude the player from the venue. Not doing this means huge fines for both the player and the venue operator.

SkyCity CEO, Who Is Graeme Stephens?

Graeme Stephens is the CEO of SkyCity. The former chief executive of Sun International, a casino, resorts and entertainment company listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange, Stephens has always worked in diverse and fast-growing listed companies in various locations. He was awarded the position of CEO of SkyCity, and his job is to redevelop the Adelaide Casino and plan the next stage of SkyCity’s strategy.

In a ceremony by representatives from Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua, Stephens was given a korowai, or hand-woven ceremonial Maori feather cloak that was designed especially for him.

SkyCity Online Casino Fire

At the time of going to press, a massive fire blazed through SkyCity’s convention centre. The flames continued to burn through the centre for 16 hours and as the fire was wedged between two concrete layers in the roof, firefighters struggled to control the blaze.

However, Chief Executive Graeme Stephens made a decision to open parts of the business 24 hours later. Although residents in the central business district had been warned to stay indoors and not inhale the black smoke, there were no casualties.

SkyCity Online Casino

SkyCity new online casino finally opened for business in August 2019! SkyCity has not only brought something special to the NZ casino landscape but has also incorporated many of the aspects online players love about some of New Zealand’s best online casinos.

The casino is a collaboration between the SkyCity Entertainment Group and the Gaming Innovation Group (GIG). It’s licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority and for the first time, New Zealanders can take advantage of the fact that offshore operators can offer real money gambling to Kiwis.

For new players, SkyCity offers a sensational Welcome Bonus! Register at SkyCity today and collect a 100% match bonus up to $100 and 10 free spins per day for 7 days. The minimum deposit is $10 but prior to making your deposit, opt in via the cashier to trigger the bonus. If due to a technical hitch the bonus doesn’t credit as expected, players can contact customer services via the chat box that’s open 24/7 or through an email that can be sent to [email protected].

The 70 free spins will be awarded on eligible games at 10 per day for 7 days. Much like other online casinos, Wagering Requirements are applicable. This bonus has a wagering requirement of 35x which means that the bonus must be re-played 35 times before a withdrawal is allowed.

SkyCity Games

Sky City has a multitude of great, high-quality gaming providers that help to make Sky City Online Casino the best it can possibly be. In addition to the many game providers from Sky City Entertainment Group, players can rest assured that the selection and quality of games is top quality! Software developers including NetEnt, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, NYX Gaming and so many more power the slots and casino games. You can play pokie games such as Immortal Romance, Book of Dead, Starburst, Avalon and the ever popular Blood Suckers. If you’re feeling very lucky and want to try your hand at a Progressive Jackpot, games like Mega Fortune and MegaMoolah are also available to play

The casino offers a large library of table games and players can enjoy the classics like Blackjack, Roulette and Craps as well as variations of the favorite traditional table games. Games like Premier Blackjack High Street Gold, Three Wheel Roulette and Casino Hold’em continue to provide sensational gaming time.

There’s also a Live Dealer casino available powered by Evolution Gaming with top games available such as Dream Catcher, Immersive Roulette, London Roulette, Baccarat and many more.

When you’re ready to make your minimum deposit of $10, you can choose from an impressive variety of deposit and withdrawal options. You can top up your account with VISA or Mastercard or choose from Paypal, Skrill, Neteller, PaySafeCard, Interac, EcoPayz, Sofort, Cubits, Wirecard, Zimpler, Trustly, and iDebit. Check out our NZD currency page for more information on payment methods.