Casinos are an integral part of Oceania. It’s considered one of the most popular and heavily used forms of entertainment in the region, especially amongst tourists.

The islands and their climate make them a perfect destination for gambling in casinos or cruise ships, and many of the flagship casinos here are tourist attractions in their own rights. 

So if you’re headed to the Pacific and wondering where to roll the dice, the following countries have the best casino tourism options.

Countries in Oceania With the Best Casino Tourism

Australia

Australia has the highest number of gambling licenses in Oceania, with a plethora of online casinos compliant with jurisdictions worldwide, such as Star Casino Sydney.

It’s not surprising, considering that it has one of the largest economies in the Asia-Pacific region. And because Australia allows online gambling, casinos are part of how they generate revenue for their government by collecting taxes from players and operators.

It may surprise you to hear that iconic attractions like the Sydney Opera House, Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef don’t even come close to touching the number of tourists that the country’s top casinos do!

Some of the country’s top favorites include Star Casino Sydney, Jupiter’s Hotel and Casino Gold Coast, Wrest Point Casino Hobart, and then of course, there are these two:

Crown Casino Melbourne

One of the most popular casinos in Australia is Melbourne’s Crown Casino, which operates both the land-based and online casino industry. Pre-COVID it would beat out the likes of Uluru for tourists, welcoming 10.9 million visitors per year.

This is one of the most prominent gambling destinations in Oceania, and is the largest and most successful entertainment complex in the Southern Hemisphere. It offers excellent games from well-known providers, and over 50 live games. 

It’s famous for its floor of pokies, though great features are available on Crown Casino’s website too, including an education center for beginners to learn how to play the most popular table games. 

SkyCity Adelaide Casino

Established in 2005, SkyCity Adelaide Casino is the biggest casino in South Australia. It’s located at 1 North Terrace, and offers a wide range of different games to both locals and tourists that visit this part of Australia.

The casino has over 1200 slot machines available, as well as over 110 different table games, and has a great membership program where you can earn points for dining at selected SkyCity Adelaide restaurants and bars, and turn those points into play.

Points are automatically credited to a SkyCity Rewards membership account and are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. 100 Points = $1 in gaming credits. Points can be redeemed, subject to daily limits, for gaming credits.

Adelaide also has a rich poker history, and it was here that Texas Hold’em was first introduced to Australia. Known as the ‘Traditional Home of Australian Poker’, SkyCity Adelaide holds regular tournaments via The District Poker, freeze out tournaments and cash games.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s casino indsutry might be tiny compared to Australia, and it’s not really developed for online casinos either (though there are some online minimum deposit caisnos in NZ like the 5 nzd casinos).

But there are definitely options on both the North and South Islands, and much like Australia, pokies can be found in many of New Zealand’s hotels and bars.

Six casinos operate in New Zealand, which makes it the second best destination to visit for casino tourism in Oceania. Worth noting though that the minimum legal age to enter a casino in New Zealand is 20 unlike 18 in Australia.

There isn’t actually much difference between casinos in Australia and New Zealand, as most are owned and oeprated by the same companies / groups. Though the best to visit is Sky City Casino in Auckland.

SkyCity Auckland Casino

SkyCity Auckland Casino is the largest casino operated by SkyCity Entertainment Group. It’s the only casino in the city, and you’ll find it at the base of the famous Sky Tower.

There are more than 1,000 slots, 50 live-action table games from Evolution Gaming, 30 video poker games and 10 progressive jackpot slots, and it features special VIP rooms for high stakes gamblers, a 700-seat theatre, two dozen restaurants and bars, and the lavish 5-star Grand by SkyCity hotel.

As you leave Auckland and make your way around the country, you’ll also find a SkyCity in Queenstown, while further northeast on the South Island is Christchurch Casino which was the country’s first to open and continues to host the New Zealand Poker Championships.

Other Countries in Oceania

While Australia and New Zealand are the two most prominent countries in Oceania for casino tourism, the islands scattered across the continent do also have a rich history of gambling activities too.

Vanuatu & Solomon Islands are two great options in the South Pacific, though if you find yourself in a country which doesn’t have a gambling scene, online casinos can be wasily accessed while away.

And don’t forget that Asia is only a short hike from Oceania. You can try your luck at fantastic venues like Wynn palace in Asia’s own Vegas, Macau, the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, or City of Dreams in Manila. 

Check out the World Casino Directory for a truly comprehensive resource on Casinos in Oceania and Asia. As always, we urge you to gamble responsibly.