Cosmo Casino NZ

I pride myself on my years of gaming experience, following industry trends and news. Therefore, my interest was piqued when I learned about Cosmo Casino, popular with Kiwi players looking to gamble for real money. Curious, I wanted to discover what made the online casino so well received.

So, I started my investigation by registering a player account and claiming my signup bonus with a $10 deposit. This gave me 150 free spins on its Mega Money Wheel, which has an exciting top cash prize. However, this was just the start of the casino rewards at Cosmo Casino. You can find up-to-date information below in my Cosmo Casino review to help make your experience positive.

Cosmo Casino Review

Cosmo Casino was established in 2017 and is one of several Casino Reward Group brands alongside other popular casinos like Captain Cooks Casino and Yukon Gold.

The Cosmo Casino brand is managed by Rock Swift Group Ltd., licensed and regulated by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (license no. 00884). In the past, this regulator has not proved to be the most proactive for player protection. My initial impression was to proceed cautiously, knowing the KGC is not on the same level as regulators like the Malta Gaming Authority.

Admittedly, I later took comfort after viewing the UK eCOGRA accreditation certificate in the footer of Cosmo Casino. First, it certifies that the games are tested/certified as fair by an independent third party. Secondly, it also confirms that the casino is responsible and honest. Finally, it affirms that players and their deposits are protected. I saw this reflected in the responsible gambling policy.

The Cosmo Casino site uses SSL encryption, antivirus/antispam software and other techniques to protect players. Although this is standard, finding it here after login is nonetheless satisfying.

This site is built on the platform from innovative software provider Microgaming, a pioneer in platform integration system that powers casinos. This Microgaming Cosmo Casino online platform offers close to 800 games.

Welcome Bonus

Cosmo doesn’t have a new player no deposit bonus. However, it offers an unconventional two-part deposit welcome package without the need for bonus codes. When I completed my Cosmo Casino NZ login, I arrived at a screen that dangled an appetising promotion that said it could make me an instant millionaire. I would only need a $10 minimum first deposit to get my hands on it:

• 150 free spins (chances) on the Mega Money Wheel (max millionaire cash prize)

For players like me who didn’t become a millionaire on the money wheel, the consolation was a second $10 min deposit Cosmo Casino bonus:

• 100% match deposit of up to $250

Bonus Wagering and Bonus T&Cs

A New Zealand player,19 or over, must be new to the casino and not have previously deposited. Collecting the first bonus spins offer requires a $10 or more deposit, reminding me of the Yukon Gold Casino 150 free spins promo I had seen before. Each spin has a $0.10 value. Other than the jackpot, winnings from spins are treated as bonus money, tied to bonus T&Cs and a wagering requirement.

Until now, as you can see in my other reviews, these are standard bonus T&Cs. However, I wasn’t expecting the 200x wagering requirement (bonus+deposit) on the first and second deposits, which seemed unfair. This implies that the cumulative wager value of a $10 deposit + $10 bonus would be $40,000 [($10+$10)x200]. The calculation assumes you’re playing slots or parlour games with a 100% contribution towards the playthrough.

Mercifully, there are no limits on the size of winnings a player can keep or withdraw at Cosmo Casino. This assumes they manage the playthrough requirement, which is also true of a regular player deposit bonus.

The site has some of the best $10 deposit bonus NZ promotions for regular players with a much more player-friendly 30x playthrough requirement. Players have 7 days to use the bonus before losing it.

VIP Lucky Jackpot Loyalty Program

The VIP lucky jackpot is an automatic way for Kiwis to earn points by playing, which they can exchange for chips (100 points: 1 chip). This Cosmo Casino rewards program has 6 steps with prizes that get better the higher you climb. Although the rewards don’t reinvent the wheel, I found some more appealing, like access to exclusive games.

The “Time Of Your Life Sweepstakes” was a loyalty program casino rewards sweetener. Players could earn tickets to a draw to boost the exclusiveness of rewards proportionally to their player level.

The casino offers a new monthly promotion, such as free spins on a casino-chosen slot for double points, that can enhance the online gambling experience.
After testing each casino, I’ve compared Yukon Gold to Captain Cooks and Cosmo Casino to help you choose your favourite site.

Cosmo Casino Registration

Signing up at most online casinos takes under 10 minutes, and a Cosmo Casino sign up is no exception. We’ll talk you through it next:

• Follow our link to Cosmo.
• Click the registration button to start the process.
• Enter your first name, last name and email address. Press the “Next” button to continue.
• Enter your full address, including city and state. The country field should default to New Zealand, but you can change it if it doesn’t. Likewise, the currency field should default to NZD. Press the “Next” button to continue.
• Finally, enter your mobile number, confirm your age, and accept the T&Cs. Click “Access bonus here.” You’re now ready for the Cosmo Casino sign in step.

When setting up a Cosmo Casino account, entering the correct information is extremely important. Double-check that everything is right. If you find a mistake you can’t correct, contact customer support right away.

I don’t know a casino player who enjoys the online ID verification process. While there’s no getting around it, you can get one step ahead by preparing your documents shortly after your Cosmo Casino login:

• Proof of financial account ownership – Bank statement, account screenshot or photocopy of your card
• Photocopy of government-issued photo ID – driver’s licence or passport
• Proof (less than 3 months old) of your address – Utility bill or bank statement

Casino Games

After my Cosmo Casino sign in, I wasn’t surprised that the nearly 800 games were heavily slanted towards Microgaming for two reasons. First, I’ve written several other online casino reviews using the provider’s platform. Second and more important, Microgaming is one of the most established content providers in the industry.

Players new to a specific game can find a “Help” menu to learn how to play. It introduces the symbols, including special ones like wilds and scatters. Furthermore, it describes the payout combinations, features, etc.

Pokies Games

As a Microgaming enthusiast, I was only too happy to head to the pokies section, where I found many familiar classic/video pokiess. Therefore, I wasn’t disappointed to find my favourites:

• 9 Masks of Fire
• Immortal Romance
• Thunderstruck II
• Arena of Gold
• Bust Da Bank

While I’m a big fan of Microgaming, the website suffers from the same problem as all online gambling casinos built on a single provider platform. Since most games are from Microgaming, I couldn’t play video pokiess from some of my other favourite software studios. For example, I would love to have seen top-rated NetEnt behind pokies like Narcos, Vikings, Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst.

Still, the 600+ classic and video pokies kept me busy enough, and I didn’t feel like I would run out of games.

Progressive Jackpot Games

I wasn’t surprised to see progressive jackpot pokiess like Mega Moolah. It’s one of the most famous network progressives online if you’re unfamiliar. In fact, it’s so popular that there’s now a series of Mega Moolah pokies games that share the “Mega” progressive jackpot, including my favourite Mega Moolah Treasure.

I recently discovered Mega Vault Millionaire, powered by Mega Moolah and sharing the same top prize.

RNG Table Games

The Microgaming Cosmo casino selection of classic table games is impressive, all things considered. I counted dozens of them, a fair bit of which included blackjack, roulette, baccarat and video poker variants. I came across some of my favourites:

• Multi Hand Vegas Strip Blackjack and European Blackjack
• No Commission Baccarat
• European Roulette and Terminator 2 Roulette (branded)
• Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better

Live Casino Games

Microgaming isn’t known for in-house live dealer games within the gambling industry, so Cosmo Casino NZ offers 22+ live dealer games from On Air Entertainment. These concentrate on a few variants of blackjack and roulette, like the following:

• Auto Roulette and Speed Roulette
• Speed Blackjack and Eclipse Blackjack

The table game limits of roulette can start from as low as $0.50. However, I found some high-roller tables, too. I must admit to being a big fan of Evolution Gaming, which is why any other provider feels underwhelming. This live dealer provider makes a valiant effort. However, it doesn’t come near the quantity of live content and game shows from Evolution Live Casino.

Cosmo Casino Mobile

Players can access the instant play version of the mobile casino platform on their Android or iOS tablets or smartphones. After my Cosmo Casino NZ login, I found visiting the mobile casino site not much different than desktop, and I wasn’t bothered that there is no downloadable casino app for mobile. I saved the time I would need to download the app and space on my mobile’s internal storage device. Instant-play mobile casinos are just as effective unless you’re in an area with a poor internet signal.

The mobile gambling site retains the same user-friendly design, and the headers in the desktop version are now located in an efficient “MENU” burger on the top right. This is important given the increasing player reliance on mobile to access games from any location. The best NZ online casinos, like Cosmo, understand this and adapt their sites in tune with player demand.

Deposit and Withdrawal Payment Options

If you want to make a Bitcoin or altcoin deposit, you’re out of luck, as this isn’t a crypto casino. However, the website conveniently accommodates several secure and instant banking NZD deposit methods covering credit/debit cards, prepaid cards and eWallets:

• Credit/Debit cards – Visa and Mastercard
• Prepaid cards – Neosurf and PaySafeCard
• Digital wallets – Skrill, MuchBetter, Neteller, Payz and Google Pay
• Direct bank transfer (withdrawals only)

From experience, this selection offers reasonable options for payments in New Zealand dollars. Also, the casino online doesn’t apply handling fees to deposits, which can be as low as $10. Still, I’d recommend determining whether your preferred payment provider applies any service fees.

Although I noted the deposit payment methods section of the site for New Zealanders was transparent, the withdrawal information was less clear. Oddly, I couldn’t find a withdrawal section. Apparently, it’s necessary to have a sufficient withdrawal balance before the casino NZ will disclose some info. I spent so much time combing the website for available withdrawal information that I became a little annoyed.

I determined Cosmo Casino NZ has a fast 48-hour withdrawal processing time. However, using a payment method for the first time introduces 5-7 day verification checks. While these are a nuisance, they’re standard practice everywhere.

I remained unclear on a few topics. These included casino handling fees (if any) and minimum/maximum withdrawal limits. I also wasn’t sure how long I should wait to receive my funds after approval. I felt the website dropped the ball here, as I don’t like unclear payment T&Cs, so this was my first significant sore point with this casino NZ.

Customer Service

I found the casino FAQs covered the basics in enough detail to get me going. The topics covered included banking, casino games and a loyalty program. However, advanced questions needed the help of the professional support team.

Cosmo Casino NZ support is available 24/7 via live chat or email to [email protected]. The response time from the multilingual support team was fast. I got a hold of a live operator in a chat within two minutes. However, I’d like to see Cosmo Casino add telephone support.

Conclusion

I’m not an overly big fan of an online casino built by the same company that supplies most of the games. However, the software provider Microgaming would be near the top if I had to choose one. It offers over 550 games, including pokiess & jackpot pokiess, specialty & table game classics, and live dealer games. Some pokies have among the biggest progressive jackpots found anywhere.

In all good conscience, I couldn’t recommend the new player casino bonus because of the massive playthrough requirement on the first two deposit bonuses. You might be better off not opting into this at casino Cosmo Casino. However, some players find the bonus wheel too tempting to ignore for a required deposit of only $10. Fortunately, the playthrough requirement on regular player bonuses and the VIP loyalty program is far more player-friendly.