Social Casinos: A New Way to Enjoy Free Casino Games
Fancy a flutter without the fuss? Social casinos are the latest craze in New Zealand, offering all the thrills of online gaming, completely free! These platforms let you play your favourite casino-style games without any real money changing hands.
Join the fun directly through social media like Facebook, or dedicated apps – it's a great way to spin the reels or try your luck at the tables without risking your hard-earned Kiwi dollars.
Whether you prefer a solitary game or a social experience with mates or other players, social casinos offer a flexible and entertaining way to enjoy casino games online. Give it a go and see what all the buzz is about!
Top casinos
What Exactly Are Social Casinos?
Social casinos are super accessible, mobile-friendly online platforms and apps that give Kiwi players a go at social gambling games on a completely free-to-play basis. Think of them as a fun, risk-free way to enjoy casino action.
What Sort of Games Can You Play at Social Casinos?
You'll find a massive selection of classic online casino games, like roulette, slots, Texas hold'em poker, and blackjack. Plus, there are heaps of new, exciting twists on the classics to keep things interesting.
Did you know that some of the most downloaded social casino gaming apps globally include titles similar to slots and card games? This shows just how popular these engaging games are.
Why Are Social Casinos So Hugely Popular with Kiwis?
Millions of players worldwide are using their phones and computers to dive into online casino games. In New Zealand, this trend is also booming, with many Kiwis exploring the digital casino landscape from the comfort of their homes.
This number significantly outstrips those who participate in real money gambling at online casinos.
The main draw for most social casino players, especially here in New Zealand, is the pure entertainment value of playing casino games online for free.
Around 80% of social casino enthusiasts access these platforms exclusively via their mobile devices or tablets. This means they're playing casino games just for a bit of fun on their phones while commuting on the bus, waiting in line at the supermarket, or just to break up the monotony of the day.
Another massive reason for their popularity is their connection to social media. We Kiwis love sharing our lives, photos, memories, and staying connected with our mates. Social media platforms act as our online communities, keeping us in the loop with what's happening.
So, it makes perfect sense that integrating social media with social casino features has caught on like wildfire.
Many social casino players love to keep track of their scores and then compare them with friends or family who are also playing on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter). This really boosts that sense of connection, mateship, and community spirit.
Another reason for their massive appeal is that, apart from the one-off setup of creating a login or user account, there's no actual cash exchanged. This means you don't need to fret about secure payment gateways, banking options, or making that first deposit.
New players get the thrill of gambling without any delays and without the worry of risking their hard-earned cash.
Plus, there are usually some sweet extras, like a free bonus, free spins, and more.
What About Payouts in Social Casinos?
Any 'winnings' you get on social casino apps are virtual, so you still get that buzz of a win. However, there are no actual monetary gains (or losses) to worry about.
For this reason, social casinos are a ripper, safe way to pass the time, hone your gambling skills, or just entertain yourself without any financial commitment.
How to Get Started with Social Casinos
Getting started on your mobile device or computer is a breeze. Just find a social casino you fancy for your gaming fun, and download its app to your phone or device.
You can even play your favourite games and access these online casinos in countries or states where online casino gambling might be restricted. This is because they aren't considered actual gambling.
How to Kick Off Your Social Casino Adventure
To get cracking, simply create your account on your chosen social casino site. You can use your email address or link up using your social media profile, like your Facebook, Instagram, or X account.
Then, you're all set to start playing your favourite games online.
There's a huge range of popular games to pick from, such as progressive jackpot slots, table games like roulette, card games like blackjack and baccarat, games offering free sweepstakes coins, big prize slots, and even live dealer games, like poker.
Many social casino games feature story-based gameplay with progression levels, much like progressive jackpot slots. You'll often find tutorials to guide you on how to play and get that winning feeling.
Your account will be pre-loaded with plenty of virtual chips, so you can jump straight into the action without any financial commitment.
The Rules of Play - How It All Works
The rules for playing social casino games are pretty much the same as you'd find in traditional online casinos or real money games, and they all depend on the specific game you choose to play.
However, with online gaming on social gambling sites, if you win, instead of winning a payout or cash prizes, you will get more chips. But, if you lose the bet, you lose the chips you’ve bet on. Nor will your chips respawn right away.
You can always try to win more chips, or, if you don’t want to wait 24 hours, you can spend some real money and buy more chips to continue playing.
If you have gambled at a land-based casino, or an online casino before, then you will feel right at home on a social casino site.
This is because the actual gaming experience is pretty similar to a Real Money casino, where you play for payouts. The only difference is, social casinos are cash-free. However, you may be charged for upgrades or to access pro features.
What to Expect
When you play at your social casino, you can expect the same experience you are used to in real person or online at your regular online casino.
The Las Vegas-style games you find in these casinos are designed to imitate the look and feel, and even the sounds of casino games that you know from traditional casinos and your favorite online casino.
Most casinos offer other perks aside from social games, such as tournaments, a free bonus or two, maybe cash prizes, gold coins, maybe real money prizes, free sweeps coins, free spins, free slots, bonus features, and weekly challenges to keep you entertained.
Play Social Casinos for Free
Thanks to social media and social casino gaming apps, you can play for free whenever you want to. Once you have downloaded the app, or have logged into the social casino site, you can start playing.
You can play free slot machine games, free-to-play poker through Facebook, or any classic or modern table games or card games you like that you would usually find on an online casino or regular casino gaming platform.
You can even play big jackpot slots, with a progressive jackpot, and other Las Vegas-type gambling games.
Look on Google Play for android or on your iPhone’s app store to find your favorite online gaming app for casino games and free games.
However, even though the game is free and there is no financial risk, it is still a highly addictive activity. Winning gold coins, enjoying bonus offers, and playing favorite games online on a user-friendly platform is a great distraction, but it can be detrimental to those with a gambling problem.
Play Social Casinos for Real Money
If you are tired of playing for free, and you are ready to play for payouts, then you can find an online casino with real money gambling.
If you want a safe top online casino from anywhere in the world, then ensure the online casino is safe and trustworthy and offers casino bonuses and promotions, sports betting, sporting events, and other online casino games to keep you entertained for longer.
Then, use your money to buy chips and place your bet on your favorite online casino games. Or, if you prefer, you can do sports betting, bet on horse racing, or any other game you like.
Different Versions of Casinos
There are two kinds of online casinos: real money casinos, and free-to-play social casinos.
Land-based or online casinos
The traditional online casino is where gamblers buy chips to place bets on their game of choice with real money. Here, gamblers play casino games such as slot machines, table games such as blackjack or craps, or other games such as roulette, baccarat, poker, and more. They play with their own money and get real money payouts, and so these are called real money casino games.
Social casinos
These casinos, on the other hand, allow players to play whatever gambling game they want to, but with virtual chips that cost them nothing. Winnings are also virtual.
Social casino games are freely available as downloadable apps and, as a result of them being free and highly entertaining, social casinos are more prevalent than land-based or traditional online casinos.
While these present zero financial risk, and many gaming options, they also offer no real reward (aside from the thrill of winning).
Both of these types of casinos are available online, be it on your mobile phone, your tablet, or your computer.
How to Win at Social Casinos
These casinos on your mobile device or tablet follow the same rules as other casinos - be they brick-and-mortar buildings or online. However, the great thing about social casinos is that - aside from the games themselves - there are often storylines and a sense of progression for the players.
Winning on social casino sites and apps is all about making it to the next level.
Each game will have its own set of rules and criteria that you will have to meet in order to progress to the next level.
What to Look for in Social Casinos
The first thing to look out for when looking for the best social casino is that it offers free-to-play games.
You can also look for perks such as free spins, the number of virtual chips you get, the variety of games available, and ease of use to identify the best social casinos online.
Ideally, you want the site to have online games that include:
- Roulette - This famous game has some of the highest-paying online casinos for gamblers.
- Blackjack - Enjoyed by millions, online, and in real life, blackjack is a staple game.
- Baccarat - Popular and exciting, this online casino card game is played by baccarat lovers.
- Poker - As far as popularity goes, this card game wins, hands down.
- Slots - Whether online or in a classic casino, slots are a firm favorite game.
- Bingo - Popular around the world, this game has been around since 1530!
- Craps - A dice game played online and in land-based casinos with great enjoyment.
- Dragon Tiger - One of the most popular casino card games played online today!
Plus, if you really want the best social casino for your online gaming, then find one that also has some of the other online gambling games.
These could include games such as Caribbean Stud, Faro, Keno, Mini Roulette, Slingo, Punto Banco, Casino Holdem, Flop Poker, Lottery, Monopoly Big Baller, Rummy, Sports Betting, Casino War, Football Betting, Mahjong, Video Poker, Online Betting, Scratch Cards, Texas Holdem, Dream Catcher, God of Fortune, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow, Sic Bo, and Three Card Poker, to name a few.
Here are some of the best sites for online gambling games, with free bonuses and spins:
- 1xBet - Get up to €1500 plus 150 free spins.
- Play Ojo - Get 80 wager-free spins.
- Casino.com - Get up to $400 plus 200 free spins.
Discover Top Social Casino Providers
There are many sites that say they are the best social casinos available. However, there are a host of social casino providers you can choose from. See our list at the top of this page.
If you want to dip your toe into the world of real money online casinos that are safe, well-trusted, and easy to play, then check out our list of top online casino games.
Safety and Security
There are plenty of social gambling sites on the market, but not all of them are safe to gamble on.
As a result, we have created lists of safe online casinos and providers that have been investigated by us, against our strict protocols and years of experience.
This ensures that you will only get the safest, most trustworthy online sites and the best online gambling games.
Since social and online casinos have many overlaps but some differences, our approach to security and safety is different between them. When evaluating a site, country laws and regulations must be taken into account.
Our main concern is ensuring that the site is regulated and that the deposit methods available are legitimate and reputable.
Online CasinoRank won't feature a site that isn't secure!
FAQ
Can social casinos in New Zealand use games from multiple software providers?
Yes, absolutely. Many different software providers are often used to ensure a wide variety of safe and engaging online casino games are available for Kiwi players.
Is it possible to "beat" social casinos?
No, it's not. Social casinos, just like real-money online casinos and traditional brick-and-mortar establishments, rely on random number generators (RNGs) to determine game outcomes. This means there's no strategy, skill, or trick that can guarantee success at social casinos. It's similar to playing pokies (slots); no matter how much you try to strategise, practice, or plan, the outcome is always random.
How important is Return to Player (RTP) in social casinos?
Return to Player (RTP) is a crucial factor for regular online casinos where real money is involved. However, it's less relevant for social casinos. RTP represents the percentage of all wagered money on a specific game that is paid back to players over time. It's a key element in how real-money casinos maintain profitability.
In social casinos, RTP doesn't play a significant role because the games are primarily for entertainment and don't involve real-money payouts. The focus is on enjoying the experience rather than generating profit.
Are social casinos vulnerable to hacking or rigging?
Online casinos invest heavily in robust cybersecurity measures. Consequently, hacking attempts are rare and usually unsuccessful.
Furthermore, since social casinos don't operate for profit, rigging the games would be pointless. Winnings are purely symbolic, represented by virtual tokens or chips. These serve as indicators of a player's progress and engagement, not as financial rewards. The longer a player remains active on the platform, the more opportunities there are to display advertisements, which is how these sites generate revenue. Therefore, it's in their best interest to ensure players aren't discouraged by excessive losses, which could lead to them abandoning the game.
Which social casinos offer free bonuses to players in New Zealand?
Most online casinos, especially social casinos, provide free bonuses. You can often find free spins and free tokens or chips to play without spending any money. Social casinos aim to keep you playing for as long as possible, as their revenue comes from advertising. The more you play, the more ads they can show, increasing their profits. Therefore, rewards and free bonuses are commonly offered to both new and loyal players to encourage extended gameplay and repeat visits. Other bonuses may also be available, depending on the specific site or app.
