Merkur Casino review for NZ casino players (2024)
Merkur casino details
??Casino Name | Merkur Casino | ??Owner | Eyas Services Limited |
???Year Established | 2023 | ??Number of Games | 600+ |
??Games offered | Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, VideoPoker | ??Software Used | NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Blueprint Gaming, Red Tiger, Skywind + 1 more |
??Payout Percentage | 96.08% | ??Payout Days | 3-5 Days |
??Customer Support | ??Banking Options | Visa, Mastercard + 3 more |
Preview of Spinz casino NZ
Merkur casino summary
With just over 400+ real money games, Merkur online casino is relatively small. Despite this, it enjoys a good reputation with New Zealand players.
The site is owned by Eyas Gaming, which is backed by the notorious Gauselmann Group, Germany’s biggest landbased pokies manufacturer. The strength of this reputation contributes to the popularity of Merkur casino games.?
Read this Merkur casino review to uncover more details, including mobile gameplay, safety features, whether you need bonus codes and more.
Pros
- Owned by highly reputable and experienced company
- Excellent safety and security standards
- Match deposit bonus even for returning players
- Excellent jackpot selection with prizes upward of NZ$300 million
- No withdrawal limits for NZ players
Cons
- High wagering requirements of 70x
- No reloads, cashbacks or free spins for existing players
Merkur casino bonuses: up to NZ$1,100 + 50 free spins
New players at Merkur Gaming receive a welcome bonus package of up to NZ$1,100 and 50 free spins spread across the first three deposits. Each deposit must reach a minimum of NZ$10 and both bonus cash and free spins are subject to wagering requirements of 70x.
| Welcome bonus | NZ$500 + 50 free spins |
| Bonus code | N/A |
| Wagering requirements | 70x |
| Min. deposit | NZ$10 |
| No deposit bonus | No |
| Free spins bonus | Yes |
| VIP programme | No |
| Other promos | Up to NZ$600 with your 2nd & 3rd deposits |
If you limit yourself to reading the banner in the games lobby, you’ll be forgiven for thinking the Merkur online casino welcome bonus stops at NZ$500 with your new player account set up. This would be on the low side, compared to other NZ sites, such as our exclusive JackpotCity casino welcome bonus of NZ$1,800.
But don’t be fooled. Read the small print and you’ll find that the total welcome package actually reaches NZ$1,100, staggered across your first three deposits. This brings the offer in line with some of the best online casino bonuses. Why it’s not made more obvious beats us.
You’ll need to fulfil wagering requirements in 7 days, which can be tough for low-rollers. It is quite common to find requirements of between 50x and 70x at NZ sites, but if your budget won’t allow you to cash out you can consider alternatives like Wazamba casino at 35x.
That said, the minimum requirement to claim the bonus is only NZ$10, which places Merkur online casino at an advantage compared to Wazamba, which requires NZ$40. You’ll need to opt in every time you want to activate this bonus.
Merkur casino no deposit bonuses & free spins?
While there aren’t any Merkur no deposit bonuses offered, you’ll receive a total of 50 free spins on your first deposit, spread over five days. These can only be used on Divine Links, but if you prefer more free spins, Wildz casino offers 200.?
One shortcoming at Merkur online casino is the lack of a VIP programme. Sites like Winawin have upped their game in this regard, offering a multitude of match deposits and free spins to VIP club members, and it definitely scores points over Merkur in this regard.
Do I need Merkur casino bonus codes?
You won’t need any Merkur casino bonus codes, but you will need to opt in so as to activate the bonus. This is a good way for the casino to make sure that you’re aware of the terms attached to the offer.
Very few NZ casinos nowadays include bonus codes as part of the package. One such site is the aforementioned Winawin.
Casino games & software
Merkur casino games total just over 400. This is relatively small compared to, say, Spinz casino’s 1,800, or Wazamba’s 4,500+. However, it’s not unusual for established brands to focus on a curated library of games. JackpotCity, for example, is well-loved by players and limits its selection to 600.
| Game type | Number of games | Popular titles |
|---|---|---|
| Online pokies | 300+ | Big Bass Splash, Eye of Horus, Doghouse Megaways |
| Progressive jackpot games | 60 | Big Catch Bass Fishing, Irish Riches, King Kong Cash |
| Blackjack | 5+ | American Blackjack, Blackjack First Person, Classic Blackjack |
| Roulette | 5+ | Double Ball Roulette, Classic Roulette, American Roulette |
| Other table games | 2+ | Baccarat, Side Bet City |
| Live dealer games | 60+ | Roulette First Person, Lightning Blackjack, Deal of No Deal Live |
Other online casinos may offer a bigger selection, but this Merkur casino review found that all the popular casino games are present anyway here. Pokies make up the lion’s share, conveniently categorised under new, popular, Megaways, Drops & Wins and more. Keep an eye out for the Merkur slots section, where the casino had a hand in developing titles like Fishin’ Frenzy and Eye of Horus.?
The jackpots game selection is probably our favourite part of the Merkur casino games library. There are two categories, the first including some 30 daily drops with a countdown that keeps all eyes on the prize.
The jackpot deluxe is where the millions are to be found with titles like Irish Riches Megaways and Jackpot King. Considering that bigger brands like TonyBet NZ only offer 38 jackpots, this is a very good showing.
Merkur casino games also offer a very small selection of table games, but this may not be enough for those who are heavily into non-live variants of blackjack, roulette and the like. Winawin is more likely to satisfy, with almost 100 variants.?
The game providers selection at Merkur online casino is also small, but once again they’ve made sure to cover all the big names:
- Blueprint Gaming
- Pragmatic Play
- Evolution
- NetEnt
- Red Tiger
- Skywind Group
Live casino
Powered by Evolution Gaming, Merkur online casino has a very good selection of live games. You’ll find 17 roulette tables, 14 blackjack tables, 18 poker and baccarat tables and 14 game shows. This is more than other bigger casinos offer. Spinz, for example, has only 20 live games tables.
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Online casino payments: a small, but reliable selection
In line with its image of a boutique site, Merkur online casino offers a small selection of payment options. Five, to be exact, covering traditional banking, e-wallets and vouchers.
Undoubtedly, this is not as convenient as other NZ sites which cover multiple fiat and crypto options, such as Greatwin’s grand total of 17 options. These include alt coins like Tether and Ripple, as well as many other crypto casino favourites.?
That said, the methods on offer are those that enjoy the highest reputation in terms of security, so it’s clear that Merkur is limiting itself to the best of the best.
Merkur casino withdrawal time & other transaction details
You won’t find any difficulty finding the cashier policy for Merkur. Everything is clearly explained in the FAQs, including limits, times and options.?
The best discovery of this Merkur online casino review is that the site doesn’t impose any withdrawal limits. This is a big benefit as it’s quite unusual. Even sites like Spinz, which offer a very high limit of NZ$4,000 per transaction, to be repeated as much as you like, do impose a limit.
Be aware that you won’t be able to withdraw to your MasterCard, so if you use it as deposit method you’ll need to contact customer support before cashing out, which can lengthen the process. If MasterCard is your payment option of choice, we suggest Spinz, which will cashout the money to your card within 24 hours.
| Payment method | Available on deposits | Min. deposit | Available on withdrawals | Withdrawal time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | ? | NZ$10 | ? | 3 - 5 days |
| Mastercard | ? | NZ$10 | ? | N/A |
| Paysafecard | ? | NZ$10 | ? | N/A |
| Skrill | ? | NZ$10 | ? | 3 - 5 days |
| Neteller | ? | NZ$10 | ? | 3 - 5 days |
Is Merkur casino legit?
Merkur casino enjoys an outstanding reputation in terms of safety and security, and it’s easy to see why. For starters, it operates under a Gibraltar Gaming Commission licence. This is one of the top gambling regulators across the world, and the conditions it imposes on licenses are stringent and continuously enforced.
Unlike sites like 7Bit casino, Merkur does not list any independent auditors. However, game fairness is guaranteed by the Gibraltar licence itself, and all Merkur casino games operate with a random number generator (RNG). They are also supplied by highly trusted software providers that are themselves audited by third parties.
Platform security is guaranteed via SSL encryption, while player safety is given priority thanks to a host of responsible gambling tools. These include various deposit limits and self-exclusion options besides self-assessment tools and links to support organisations like Gamban.com. The hub also offers various tips and advice about staying in control.
Merkur casino mobile experience
Many Kiwis today prefer to play on their mobile device, whether via a dedicated online casino app or in-browser. There’s no Merkur casino app, but you won’t need it as the website has been designed in HTML5 and is perfectly responsive to all modern-day devices.?
We logged in via an iPad and an Android smartphone and had no issue playing our favourite Merkur casino games.
Many major NZ online casinos nowadays no longer offer an app, because players don’t necessarily want to take up space on their phone. That said, we’re aware that some still prefer the one-click convenience of a dedicated app, and for these we recommend the likes of Ruby Fortune casino.
Customer support
We’re not going to lie, our first impression of customer support options weren’t the best. This is because the site makes mention of a live chat option. However, what they are really referring to is an online contact form that directs you to FAQs and eventually passes on your request to an agent via email. Not quite the same thing as a live chat feature.?
But then we received a pleasant surprise in the form of a near-instant reply to our email. This has never quite happened in a history of email correspondence with various casinos, so kudos to the customer care team.
The reply answered our question efficiently, so much so that we didn’t miss the actual live chat. However, to those who prefer the visual back-and-forth of a live chat, we recommend Wildz casino. You will also receive instant replies there.
Merkur also offers in depth FAQs and detailed terms and conditions, so in reality there are very few issues where you won’t be able to find an answer directly on the site.
| Live chat | 24/7 |
| [email protected] | |
| Phone number | N/A |
| Other channels | N/A |
Sleek design made with the player in mind
Merkur online casino was clearly designed for those players who want to get right down to it. Registration is fast and you’re taken straight to the games lobby, with its convenient filtering and a search bar that works fast. Most of the games are available in demo format if you’d like to give them a free spin first.?
All game info is easily accessible by clicking on the information symbol. Here you’ll find bet ranges, RTPs, special features and anything that will affect your gameplay. Much like Winawin, the approach is to make sure that the player has everything they may need at hand, and this certainly goes appreciated.
How to sign up to Merkur online casino
- 1Click on the link that you’ll find on this page to take you straight to Merkur online casino. The ‘Join’ button is on the top right of your screen.
- 2Fill in your name, address, telephone number, date of birth and e-mail address.
- 3Pick a strong password and store it safely.
- 4To claim the welcome bonus, click on the ‘Deposit’ button to the right, and choose your payment option.
- 5Deposit a minimum of NZ$10 and opt-in for the welcome bonus.
- 6Start playing your favourite Merkur casino games!
Verdict: small yet mighty
Merkur can be described as a specialist casino. While it doesn’t offer a massive games selection, it has the titles and the games providers that matter. It entices with a good welcome package, and once you’re there keeps you interested with excellent customer service and a player-first approach.
We were particularly impressed by the security levels of this casino and, combined with the presence of fan-favourite titles and the massive jackpots that are dropping regularly, it’s more than enough to keep us coming back.
Merkur casino FAQs
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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.