POLi Casino NZ – Discontinued. Here Are the Best Alternatives

Why Was POLi Discontinued for NZ Gambling?

POLi Payments was once the go-to deposit method for New Zealand online casino players. It allowed instant bank transfers by connecting directly to your online banking portal, no e-wallet sign-up or credit card required. For many Kiwi players, it was the perfect solution: fast, familiar, and linked straight to their bank account.

So what went wrong? The short answer: New Zealand banks decided that sharing online banking login credentials with a third-party service was a security risk they were no longer willing to accept.

How POLi Worked (and Why Banks Had a Problem)

POLi operated by essentially logging into your online banking on your behalf. When you selected POLi at a casino cashier, you were redirected to a POLi interface that accessed your bank's internet banking portal. You would enter your bank login details, POLi would initiate a payment, and the casino received confirmation almost instantly.

The problem was that this required you to share your banking credentials with POLi's system. While POLi claimed not to store these credentials, the very act of entering them into a third-party interface violated the terms and conditions of every major NZ bank. This created a grey area where:

• Banks could deny fraud claims if your credentials had been shared with POLi
• Open Banking standards in New Zealand were moving towards API-based access, making screen-scraping methods like POLi outdated
• The Reserve Bank of NZ and Financial Markets Authority were tightening rules around credential sharing
• NZ banks (ANZ, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank, ASB) progressively blocked POLi access to their online banking platforms

Once the major banks pulled support, POLi could no longer function for the vast majority of NZ customers. Casinos had no choice but to remove it as a payment option.

The Timeline of POLi's Decline in NZ

POLi did not disappear overnight. It was a gradual process as banks individually tightened their policies. ANZ was among the first to restrict access, followed by BNZ and Westpac. By the time ASB and Kiwibank followed suit, the service was effectively dead for NZ gambling transactions. Some casinos kept the POLi logo on their payment pages for months after it stopped working, creating confusion for players who attempted deposits only to find the option unavailable at checkout.

Best POLi Alternatives for NZ Casino Players

We tested every major alternative payment method at NZ casinos and ranked them by the criteria that mattered most to former POLi users: speed, ease of use, and how closely they replicate the POLi experience.

Alternative 1: Skrill – The Closest POLi Replacement

For most former POLi users, Skrill is the best replacement. Here is why:

• Instant deposits – like POLi, Skrill deposits appear in your casino account immediately
• Fast withdrawals – our tested payout times range from 1.5 hours (Spinjo) to 3 hours (HellSpin, Rooster.bet)
• NZD support – Skrill supports New Zealand dollars, avoiding currency conversion fees
• Widely accepted – available at every casino we tested
• Free casino transactions – most casinos do not charge fees for Skrill deposits or withdrawals

The main difference from POLi is that Skrill requires a separate account. You need to sign up at skrill.com, verify your identity, and fund your Skrill balance before you can deposit at a casino. This adds an extra step, but it also adds a layer of separation between your bank account and the casino, which some players actually prefer for privacy reasons.

Alternative 2: Cryptocurrency – The Fastest Option

If speed was what you loved about POLi, cryptocurrency is the upgrade you did not know you needed. While POLi deposits were instant, POLi could never handle withdrawals. Crypto handles both, and crypto withdrawals are the fastest available at any NZ casino:

Alternative 3: Neteller – Another Solid E-Wallet Option

Neteller works almost identically to Skrill. Both are owned by the same parent company (Paysafe Group) and offer similar features. Neteller is a good backup if you already have an account, or if you want to keep your Skrill and casino accounts separate for budgeting purposes. Payout times are comparable at 2-4 hours.

Alternative 4: Debit Card – Most Familiar for Former POLi Users

If you want the simplest possible replacement, your Visa or Mastercard debit card is the most straightforward option. Deposits are instant, just like POLi was, and you do not need to create any additional accounts. The trade-off is that withdrawals are slower (1-3 business days). Note that under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2025, credit cards are banned for gambling deposits – only debit cards are permitted.

Alternative 5: Bank Transfer – Direct but Slow

Bank transfer is the closest to what POLi actually did (move money directly from your bank), but without the instant confirmation. Deposits take 1-3 business days to clear, and withdrawals take 2-5 business days. This is only recommended if you cannot use any of the faster methods above.

Alternative 6: Paysafecard – Privacy-Focused Deposits

Paysafecard is a prepaid voucher you can buy at NZ retailers including dairies, petrol stations, and supermarkets. It is deposit-only (you cannot withdraw to a Paysafecard), so you will need a second method for cashouts. However, it is excellent for players who want to keep their banking details completely separate from casino activity.

POLi Alternatives Compared – Which Should You Choose?

Will POLi Ever Come Back for NZ Casinos?

It is unlikely that POLi will return in its original form. The direction of NZ banking regulation is towards Open Banking APIs, which are more secure than the screen-scraping approach POLi used. When New Zealand fully implements its Open Banking framework, there may be new instant bank transfer services that fill the gap POLi left, but these will work through official bank APIs rather than by accessing your login credentials.

The Online Casino Gambling Act 2025 does not specifically address POLi or similar services. It focuses on licensing operators and banning credit cards and BNPL for gambling deposits. If a new instant bank transfer service emerges that complies with both banking regulations and the Gambling Act, it could become available at NZ casinos. Until then, the alternatives listed above are your best options.

The NZ Regulatory Landscape and Payment Methods

The Online Casino Gambling Act 2025, which passed its final reading on 23 April 2026 and received Royal Assent in May 2026, changes the NZ online gambling landscape significantly. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) will regulate up to 15 licensed online casinos. The EOI process begins in July 2026, with the licence auction in September 2026. Unlicensed operators must exit by 1 December 2026.

Key payment-related provisions:

• Credit cards banned – No casino can accept credit card deposits for gambling
• BNPL banned – Buy Now Pay Later services like Afterpay and Laybuy cannot be used for gambling
• Debit cards permitted – Visa and Mastercard debit cards remain available
• E-wallets permitted – Skrill, Neteller, and similar services can continue operating
• Crypto permitted – Cryptocurrency is not restricted under the Act (subject to AML requirements)
• Prepaid cards permitted – Paysafecard and similar vouchers remain available for deposits

All casinos listed on this page currently hold Curacao offshore licences. We will update this page as operators obtain NZ licences. Read our full NZ gambling licence guide.

How to Switch from POLi – Step by Step

If you were a regular POLi user and need to transition to a new payment method, here is the simplest path:

Frequently Asked Questions

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