Table games are the foundation of every real casino, and the online versions available to New Zealand players replicate both the rules and — in live dealer form — the physical environment of a casino floor. Unlike slots, where the house edge is embedded in a random number generator you cannot observe, table games have published rules and mathematically derivable house edges. If you understand the game, you understand exactly what you are up against.
This guide covers the main table games available at NZ online casinos, their house edges, the rule variants that change those edges, and how live dealer differs from RNG (random number generator) versions.
Blackjack
Blackjack has the lowest house edge of any casino table game when played with basic strategy — typically 0.5% or below, depending on the rule set. The game pits each player against the dealer, not other players, with the goal of reaching a card total closer to 21 than the dealer without exceeding it.
House edge by rule variant
The published rules of each blackjack game determine the theoretical house edge. Key rules to check:
| Rule | Effect on house edge |
|---|---|
| Dealer stands on soft 17 | −0.2% (better for player) |
| Dealer hits on soft 17 | +0.2% (worse for player) |
| Blackjack pays 3:2 | Standard |
| Blackjack pays 6:5 | +1.4% (significantly worse) |
| Double after split allowed | −0.1% |
| Re-split aces allowed | −0.1% |
| Late surrender allowed | −0.1% |
| Number of decks: 1 | Lowest edge |
| Number of decks: 6–8 | Standard (adds ~0.6%) |
A game that pays 6:5 on blackjack — increasingly common at online casinos — raises the house edge by 1.4 percentage points. This single rule change is more significant than any other variant. Always check the payout for a natural blackjack before playing.
Basic strategy
Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal play for every combination of your cards and the dealer’s up card. It reduces the house edge to the published theoretical minimum. Most reputable online casinos permit strategy charts at the virtual table. At live dealer tables, referencing a chart is generally acceptable but check the operator’s rules.
The core decisions:
- Hard hands 8 or less: Always hit
- Hard 9: Double against dealer 3–6; otherwise hit
- Hard 10–11: Double against dealer 2–9; otherwise hit
- Hard 12–16: Stand against dealer 2–6 (bust cards); hit against 7–Ace
- Hard 17+: Always stand
- Soft 17 (Ace + 6): Double against dealer 3–6; otherwise hit
- Pairs: Always split Aces and 8s; never split 10s or 5s
Roulette
Roulette has a fixed house edge determined by the number of zero pockets on the wheel:
- European roulette (single zero): House edge 2.7%
- American roulette (double zero): House edge 5.26%
- French roulette with La Partage: House edge 1.35% on even-money bets
The difference between European and American roulette is purely the presence of the double zero. On a double-zero wheel, the house edge on every bet except the five-number bet is exactly 5.26%. On a single-zero wheel, every bet carries a 2.7% house edge.
French roulette with the La Partage rule returns half your stake on even-money bets (red/black, odd/even, high/low) when the ball lands on zero. This halves the house edge on those bets to 1.35% — the best roulette odds available.
Which roulette variant to play
If the casino offers French roulette with La Partage and you are placing even-money bets, it is strictly better than European roulette on those bets. If you are placing inside bets (single numbers, splits, corners), the La Partage rule does not apply and the edge is the same as European roulette.
Avoid American roulette. There is no reason to play it if European is available — the double zero adds no benefit to the player and increases the house edge by nearly double.
Baccarat
Baccarat is the simplest table game to play — you bet on one of three outcomes (Player, Banker or Tie) and the cards are dealt automatically. There are no decisions to make after placing your bet.
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Banker | 1.06% (after 5% commission) |
| Player | 1.24% |
| Tie | 14.4% |
The Banker bet has the lowest house edge of any bet in baccarat because the Banker hand wins slightly more often due to the drawing rules. The standard 5% commission on Banker wins accounts for this edge, leaving the net house advantage at 1.06%.
Never bet on Tie. The 14.4% house edge makes it one of the worst bets in any table game.
Baccarat is the most popular table game in live dealer lobbies at NZ casinos, and high-limit versions with dedicated tables and private rooms are common.
Three Card Poker and Casino Hold’em
These are poker variants played against the dealer rather than other players. They are faster and simpler than full poker but carry higher house edges:
- Three Card Poker (Ante + Play): ~3.4% house edge with optimal strategy
- Casino Hold’em: ~2.2% on the Ante bet with optimal play
- Pair Plus side bet (Three Card Poker): ~7.3% — avoid
The side bets on poker variants almost always carry significantly higher house edges than the main game bet. The Pair Plus bet in Three Card Poker, for example, pays out at 7.3% disadvantage compared to 3.4% for the main game. The attraction of large payouts on straights and flushes is the mechanism that makes these bets expensive.
Live dealer table games
Live dealer games stream a real dealer from a studio or land-based casino floor. The rules and house edges are identical to RNG (software) versions, but the experience is fundamentally different: you see the cards being physically dealt or the roulette wheel spinning in real time.
For New Zealand players, the relevant practical differences:
- Minimum bets are higher. Live dealer tables typically start at NZ$1–NZ$5 per hand, while RNG tables can start at NZ$0.10
- Game speed is slower. A live blackjack hand takes longer than a virtual one
- Seat availability. Popular live tables can be full during peak hours; most casinos offer unlimited seating on some variants
- Mobile compatibility. Live dealer games stream video and require a stable connection; they work on mobile but use more data than RNG games
For a dedicated guide to live casino options in NZ, see live dealer casino NZ.
Table game RTP compared to slots
The house edges above translate directly to RTP (return to player):
| Game | RTP |
|---|---|
| Blackjack (basic strategy, S17) | ~99.5% |
| French Roulette (La Partage, even-money bets) | 98.65% |
| Baccarat (Banker bet) | 98.94% |
| European Roulette | 97.3% |
| Casino Hold’em | 97.8% |
| Three Card Poker (Ante) | 96.6% |
| Average online slot | 94–96% |
| High-volatility slots | 94–96% |
Table games with correct play consistently outperform slots on theoretical return. The trade-off is that table games require more active engagement — you make decisions on every hand — whereas slots require no skill.
Which casinos have the best table game libraries
Table game selection varies significantly between operators. Casinos powered by software from Evolution Gaming, Playtech or NetEnt Live tend to have the widest live dealer libraries. For RNG tables, operators with multiple software providers generally have more variants.
Reviewed casinos with strong table game coverage:
- Ice Casino — 14,100+ games including live casino and multiple roulette/blackjack variants
- Casino Heroes — MGA licensed; live dealer tables from major providers
- BitStarz — includes slots, table games and live casino in one account
- V.Vegas — 11,000+ games; live dealer lobby with multiple studios
For a full side-by-side comparison of all reviewed casinos, see the compare page.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to play table games at online casinos from New Zealand? The New Zealand Gambling Act 2003 does not prohibit individual players from accessing offshore casino sites. No player in New Zealand has been prosecuted for playing at an offshore casino. The legal and regulatory context is explained in detail in our online gambling legality guide.
Can I count cards in online blackjack? Card counting is not effective in online blackjack. RNG games reshuffle the deck after every hand. Live dealer games use continuous shuffling machines or shuffle before the cut card is reached, which eliminates the penetration that makes card counting viable.
Do online table games use the same rules as land-based casinos? The game rules (when to stand, hit, split or double) are the same as land-based. The payout structures are set by each operator. The most important rule to check is the blackjack payout — 3:2 is standard and 6:5 significantly increases the house edge.
What is the best bet in a casino? By house edge alone: Blackjack with basic strategy on a 3:2 payout game with dealer standing on soft 17. In practice, baccarat (Banker bet) is comparable and requires no strategy decisions.