Live dealer baccarat NZ – play online and win real money
Live dealer baccarat brings to mind sophisticated casino action thanks to James Bond, who made the game so popular not only with NZ players but worldwide.
Intimidated by its reputation? We’ve got your back with this guide, which explains the rules of the game, delving into some of the variants and showing you where you can play for free.
We’re going to start you off with our expert list of online casino live baccarat to play for real money.
Best live baccarat casinos online in September 2024
The best live baccarat games in New Zealand – trending titles
The beauty of playing live baccarat for real money at an online casino is that there are numerous variants to choose from. Here are some of the most popular:
Mini baccarat
This is a smaller version of the classic live dealer baccarat games, played on a smaller table with smaller bets.
Speed baccarat
You’ll need some experience to play this version of live online baccarat as cards are dealt faster and bets close more rapidly than in other variants, keeping the pressure up.
Multi seat baccarat
Here you’ll be playing with up to eight other players against the banker. You can play more than one hand at a time, and you can bet on the players’ hands too.
Baccarat Squeeze
This one ups the thrills as the deal unveils the cards slowly with a process referred to as ‘pinched’ or ‘peeled’ according to what’s being revealed. Can be confusing if you’re not very familiar.
No Commission baccarat
Normally, when you bet on the banker they get to keep 5% of winnings to make up for the super-low house edge of the game. In this version you get to keep 100%.
Punto Banco
The most traditional of baccarat variants, it’s played with six to eight decks. Aces count as 1, while cards 2 – 9 are at their value and face cards and 10 are worth 0.
Progressive baccarat
Played in the classic format, but with a progressive jackpot prize pool that can be won via an optional side bet.
Features of top live baccarat casinos
The best live baccarat casinos offer a high standard of gameplay. Here are the features you should expect to find at our top-rated sites.
?? No. of live baccarat tables | 10+ |
?? Popular titles | Punto Banco, No Commission Baccarat, Multi Seat Baccarat |
?? Live baccarat casino bonuses | Welcome bonuses, cashbacks, tournaments |
?? Live baccarat apps | Android & iOS |
?? Software providers | 2+ |
?? Top NZ live baccarat site | Jackpot City Casino |
How we rate the best real money live baccarat casinos
When rating a live dealer baccarat online casino, our experts first go through a very specific process where they score the site on a number of important criteria. These criteria can make all the difference to your gambling experience, so let’s go into more detail below.
Range & quality of live baccarat tables
One of the biggest priorities for our experts is that a site hosts the best live baccarat casino games. After all, this is why we’re here. We look for a good selection of popular variants, and we also make sure that there’s enough diversity of stakes to cater for low-rollers but also for baccarat players who want access to exclusive high-stakes.
Rizk casino is a high scorer in this regard, with 17 live baccarat tables and buy-ins that start at NZ$2 and go up to NZ$30,000. Those who don’t want to be tempted with high-stakes also have tables that stop at NZ$2,000. TonyBet is even better, with 37 baccarat tables that include the exclusive Salon Prive variant.
Live software providers
When you start playing live baccarat it’s important that your chosen site offers games by leading software providers. The best live baccarat casino games are provided by the likes of Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play and Playtech.
Our experts expect to see at least two software providers in order to recommend a live baccarat NZ site. TonyBet and Rizk are two of our best casinos in this regard, with Evolution Gaming and Pragmatic Play both present.
Live baccarat casino bonuses & tournaments
All our recommended NZ online casinos offer a host of welcome offers and loyalty bonuses, but live baccarat bets are not always eligible for these offers. Ideally, we look for sites that offer specific baccarat bonuses or live casino bonuses, but these aren’t very common as yet.
We do give high scores to sites where live casino carries a good weighting towards wagering requirements – at Wildz, for example, all live tables carry a 50% contribution.
Our top-scoring live baccarat online casinos are those that run regular tournaments with sizeable prize pools. These are also incredibly rare due to baccarat’s super-low house edge. Thus, while Rizk has an ongoing Drops & Wins offer on live games, this only applies to roulette, game shows and blackjack.
Live baccarat apps
Kiwi players simply love gambling on the go, which is why live baccarat apps are a huge priority for our experts. We love dedicated casino apps that work seamlessly across our devices, switching effortlessly from mobile to tablet, such as Casumo’s award-winning app.
However, we won’t penalise sites that offer excellent in-browser mobile coverage. This is because many live online baccarat casinos nowadays use the latest HTML5 technology, which is 100% responsive across all screen sizes. So sites like Greatwin still earn our recommendation as their live gameplay is excellent.
Safety & game fairness
We place a big priority on player safety and our experts only recommend licensed online casinos. We look for reputable gambling regulators like the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission or Curacao eGaming among others.
But our highest scores go to operators who go beyond the license and take additional measures to ensure player safety and game fairness. The games at Cosmo casino, for example, are audited independently by eCOGRA, which indicates an additional level of player security.
We also reward a live dealer baccarat casino if it offers a solid responsible gambling programme, like Casumo.
Live game lobby experience
An online casino with live baccarat real money games needs to offer an overall top-notch experience throughout the entire lobby to earn our top score. We like casinos like Casinoly because it makes it easy to navigate between the pokies and the live dealer section, each clearly marked with its own menu.
High scores also go to sites like TonyBet, which has an excellent search and filtering system, allowing you to find your favourite live baccarat table just by typing in a keyword or a software provider.
Overall live casino rating
Our experts don’t stop at playing live baccarat before handing their seal of approval. We consider every single aspect of a site that is likely to have an impact on the whole experience. We expect to see payment options that are popular with Kiwi players, as well as a clear and fair cashier policy.
Sites that offer excellent customer support, like Wildz, also score high. As does BetandPlay casino for its strong overall games numbering 4,000+ titles.
Live baccarat casino bonuses to claim now
Live baccarat casino bonuses to claim now
We’re going to be straight about this. Finding a live dealer baccarat bonus is no easy feat. The game has an extremely low house edge that varies between 1.01 and 1.24% on player and banker bets. Because of this, most casinos will not include the game on the list of eligible games to use your casino welcome bonus cash on.
That said, you may occasionally find a live baccarat table that’s running a special bonus. We’ll keep this page updated with any such offers as soon as they hit a reputable NZ online casino. And if you’re willing to go at 50% weighting for wagering contributions on your bonus, Rizk NZ casino will let you use their bonus cash on any online live baccarat game.
You may get luckier hunting for baccarat tournaments, even though these are not as common as blackjack and roulette leaderboards. Our experts are constantly on the lookout so that as soon as a trustworthy live baccarat NZ site announces such events we will update you immediately.
Popular software for live casino baccarat
The best live dealer baccarat experiences come from world-class software providers which use professional dealers and high-definition, multi-camera streaming from state-of-the-art studios. In some cases they will also stream directly from a land-based casino floor.
Below you’ll find the top three live baccarat software providers for Kiwi players.
Live vs RNG real money baccarat online – which should you play?
Playing online casino live baccarat for real money can be great fun even for newbies. Still unsure? Here’s a detailed comparison between the live and the RNG version to help you decide.
| Live dealer baccarat | Human interaction adds a social element to the game | High-quality streaming delivers an experience akin to that at land-based casinos | Additional bet types and variants keep the gameplay exciting | You need to keep up the pace if there are other players | Getting used to a human dealer can take some time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular casino baccarat | There is none of the pressure of live interaction | You can take your time planning your strategy | You’re less likely to be tempted into exceeding your bankroll | There is no social aspect to it | The static camera angle can get boring fast |
| Live dealer baccarat | Regular casino baccarat |
|---|---|
| Human interaction adds a social element to the game | There is none of the pressure of live interaction |
| High-quality streaming delivers an experience akin to that at land-based casinos | You can take your time planning your strategy |
| Additional bet types and variants keep the gameplay exciting | You’re less likely to be tempted into exceeding your bankroll |
| You need to keep up the pace if there are other players | There is no social aspect to it |
| Getting used to a human dealer can take some time | The static camera angle can get boring fast |
Play for free now
If you’d like to get in some more practice time before attempting to play real money live baccarat at an online casino, check out our free play versions first. It’s an excellent way to build confidence and strategy.
Live baccarat for beginners – how to play
Although it does involve an element of skill, playing live online baccarat is not too complicated. Most variants follow the same format, with a few additional betting options. Here’s what to expect:
- 1
Sign up at to one of our best live baccarat casinos
Choose your payment method and make a deposit so you can join a live dealer table.
- 2
Head to the live games lobby
Once here, choose a table that you like and offer a buy in. Beginners should avoid the more complicated variants like Speed Baccarat.
- 3
Cards are dealt out
Player and banker receive one card each.
- 4
Make your bet
There can be three outcomes: banker wins, player wins and tie.
- 5
Two more cards are dealt
You will each receive a second card to make up the hand.
- 6
Cards are revealed
The winning hand is the one that’s closest to nine.
How to win at live dealer baccarat online
Playing live dealer baccarat games requires both skill and luck, so there’s no sure-fire formula for winning. However, savvy players know that it is possible to strengthen your chances of scoring a victory if you follow certain tips and tricks.
Our experts have compiled a list of easy-to-follow hacks to help you win when playing real money live dealer baccarat at an online casino.
- Learn all about betting strategies: the most popular ones include the Martingale system, the Fibonacci method and the 1-3-2-4 system. These all allow you to split up your bankroll into units.
- Don’t bet on a tie: always pick the banker or the player. Ties pay more but are very difficult to get right.
- Bet on facts, rather than feeling: for example, betting on the banker carries better odds than betting on the player, but you’ll need to pay commission.
- Set yourself a loss limit: if it didn’t go well, don’t spend money you didn’t plan to. Take a step back and regroup.
Should you play live baccarat online?
There’s no denying the thrill of playing online casino live baccarat for real money. If you’re not yet clear on whether this is the right game for you, the below list of pros and cons may help you decide.
Pros
- You can enjoy the live casino vibe from wherever you are
- There are many low stakes tables available to NZ players
- You get to interact with the dealer and other players
- Our recommended sites offer a hyper-realistic casino experience
- You’ll find many variants to choose from
- High-rollers will find no shortage of VIP tables
- You can choose to keep your identity private
Cons
- The gameplay may be too fast for beginners
- Some may find it more difficult to control their bankroll
Play these live casino games instead
Live dealer baccarat FAQs
What is the best live baccarat casino in New Zealand?
We highly recommend %topPartnername%, as this casino has been very highly-rated by our experts for offering a superior gambling experience to NZ players. This guide also includes more recommendations to help you discover the best live baccarat casinos. These have earned their place on the list following a rigorous testing process.
What is live dealer baccarat?
Live dealer baccarat is the online casino version of the classic game. It is streamed in real time and in high-definition from a games studio or from the floor of an actual casino, and it features professionally-trained, human dealers. This guide includes more detailed information about the differences between live dealer baccarat and the RNG version.
How do you play live dealer baccarat?
Sign up to one of our recommended casinos, navigate to the live dealer section and pick a table to join. Make sure that your bet meets the minimum buy-in and you’re good to go. To learn more about the rules of the game, check out our section about how to play live dealer baccarat.
Written by Ramona Depares
Ramona Depares is an award-winning journalist focused on cultural and entertainment related content. Based in the Mediterranean gaming hub of Malta, she has taken a deep interest in gambling related news since the earliest days and has seen the global landscape evolve. Ramona specialises in the legal and regulatory aspects of gaming across multiple jurisdictions, with specific interest in NZ and US markets. She is also a best-selling author of fiction and non-fiction books.