Best POLi Online Casinos 2024

By Lizi Nikoladze 28.08.2023, updated 15.12.2024

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POLi is an online payment gateway that serves New Zealand customers. Users do not need to sign up with this system to pay to online casinos that accept POLi because it connects directly to the player’s bank account and makes a direct transaction to/from the merchant (online casino). Given the limited banking options in NZ, POLi helps Kiwis out because many traditional methods - credit cards and cryptocurrencies - are often unavailable on gambling sites due to legislative barriers. Low or no fees, fast money flow, and wide accessibility make POLi a coveted deposit and withdrawal option. Read our comprehensive guide to discover all ins and outs of this handy and convenient online payment system.

General information about POLi

The POLi service enables players to make payments to online casinos from their accounts held with their banks without the need for them to use a debit or credit card. POLi is not a credit payment service or e-wallet. It just facilitates e-funds transfers from a bank to the online casino’s account and vice versa. 

POLi Payments is an Australian company founded in 2006 as Centricom. Since December 2014, it has been a subsidiary of the government-owned Australia Post corporation. Despite its Australian origin, the company closed down its AU arm in September 2023 and now serves only NZ.

POLi has been operating in New Zealand since 2007. The NZ Transport Agency was the first to offer POLi payments to their clients. Since then, many online casinos and sportsbooks in both countries have embraced this payment option. 

POLi market coverage

The company was originally created to serve only two countries: Australia and New Zealand. But currently, it is offered only in the latter. If you are not a resident of NZ but see POLi among your casino’s deposit options, there is no way you can use it to top up your casino balance. 

As is said above, the system is integrated into the Internet Banking apps of the banks that have joined this payment gateway. This means not every NZ banking institution has POLi as a default option. Presently, all the major banks in New Zealand are linked to this popular payment system:

• ANZ
• ASB
• BNZ
• Kiwibank
• TSB Bank
• Westpac
• Co-operative Bank

POLi in Australia 

After over 15 years of business, POLi discontinued its operations in Australia in September 2023. Because of the closure, AU banks are no longer able to make transfers to/from online casinos.  

How to deposit to online casinos with POLi

Real-money POLi casinos are numerous in New Zealand. They have fast banking processing times, especially when customers top up their casino accounts. Ensure you have registered in a POLi casino online to be able to send money to that casino. If you want to streamline the deposit procedures, follow this easy guide:

1. On the Deposit page, select your servicing bank from which you want to deposit funds via POLi. If your bank is not linked to this system, you will have to use an alternative payment option.
2. When prompted, sign in to the Internet Banking.
3. Follow instructions to finalize your online casino deposit transaction: You will have to pick an account and pass authentication (SMS message or similar).
4. Confirm the outgoing transaction, after which you will be taken back to the online casino site or app.   

Note that online casinos and other merchants are entitled to build the POLi payment page as they like. It will contain all the necessary fields but can have different designs. Anyway, after the deposit is made, you will see the money in the real-money casino balance in a few seconds.

How to withdraw from online casinos with POLi

Cashout provisions and rules for POLi are generally the same as for other payments. You must first ensure you have withdrawable funds on the casino balance. Thus, check there are no pending bonuses; otherwise, you will lose your progress, if any. Besides, double-check the minimum withdrawal limits applicable to your POLi online casino. General withdrawal procedures (with some casino-specific variations) look like this:  

1. Casinos with POLi deposits usually allow cashouts using the same option. So, your task is to find the POLi logo on the Withdrawals page on your casino dashboard.
2. You will be asked to indicate your desired amount to be cashed out and then pick the bank where you have the active account to which you want the casino to send the money.
3. Confirm the transaction and wait for the completion of the casino’s approval process, which can take about 24 hours or longer.

POLi transaction times and fees

POLi does not charge any fees for using its service; however, online casinos can make some deductions. You can get details about such fees from the online casino’s website. POLi’s official website states that they strongly encourage their merchants, incl. online casinos, to avoid surcharging for using this payment option. The best POLi casinos typically don’t impose any fixed or flat commissions on withdrawals. Still, there are many exceptions, so you’d better sign up in those casinos that have friendly terms and conditions in this context. 

Also, note that POLi is only available for payments under NZ$10,000. As for the minimum limit, the financial company does not set any; however, your online casino will have certain limits because this is a standard practice. As a rule, the lowest cashout you will be entitled to perform is $10 to $100 – consult your casino’s terms or support agents to find details. 

POLi casinos pros and cons

Pros:

• Embraced by many online casinos in New Zealand. Therefore, you’ll have no problem with finding a good gambling site to join.
• POLi is tied to the Internet banking service or app, so there is no need to make any additional signups. If you have a bank account and your bank has plugged POLi in, you can use it easily.
• Low fees.
• Suited for all kinds of transactions: deposits and withdrawals are on board.

Cons:

• Even if your online casino has this option, your bank may not support POLi.
• You will not hide the fact that you are sending to or receiving funds from an online casino since your bank will see the recipient/sender of the funds. Anonymity is not POLi’s strong point.

POLi casino bonuses

Payments made via POLi do not exclude the player from claiming a bonus. So, when making deposits to online casinos accepting POLi, you will see a full bonus package: a welcome deal, match bonuses, cashback, and so on. If you stick to playing in a single casino, you become part of the loyalty program, and POLi deposits still qualify for earning loyalty points. 

To summarize the bonus part, you should not worry about claiming any promotion or bonus when using the reviewed payment option.

POLi security considerations

Online gambling communities treat POLi as a reliable and failure-proof payment option with little negative feedback. However, there have been waves of criticism from normal POLi users not associated with gambling. Some AU and NZ banks had serious security concerns that POLi could spoof their online banking pages and capture customers’ credentials. Back in 2023, ANZ, Kiwibank, and some other banking institutions warned their customers against using POLi. We do not know whether this information is effective as of today, because the latest news of this kind dates back to 2023, so stay tuned for updates.

Conclusion 

Online casinos with POLi are found in New Zealand. This payment option is integrated into most NZ banks, enabling account holders to transact instantly with gambling sites. Having bank-dependent fees (about 1%), POLi moves funds within seconds flat. Online casinos that accept POLi offer comprehensive bonus programs and include it on the list of qualifying payment options. In view of the scarcity of banking options in the NZ gambling niche, POLi is often indispensable for many online casino gamblers in New Zealand. Despite security concerns raised by some banks, gamblers rank POLi high as a perfect alternative for online casino transactions.