Pros
- Pays straight from your bank account, no card needed
- Deposits usually confirm within seconds
- POLi charges punters nothing to use it
- You approve each payment inside your own bank's app or site
- <p>Spends money you already have, not credit</p>
Cons
- Deposit-only, so winnings need another payout method
- Works only with New Zealand bank accounts
- No chargeback if you pay the wrong merchant
- <p>Your bank's daily payment limit can cap deposit size<br></p>
- <p>Not every betting site offers it, and availability can change<br></p>
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Kiwi Betting Sites That Accept POLi Payments in November 2026
- Full Local Currency Support: Play, deposit, and withdraw entirely in native New Zealand Dollars (NZD) without hidden conversion fees.
- Points-to-Rewards System: Accumulate loyalty points on every single spin and trade them for real cash, extra spins, or gadgets in the on-site shop.
- A-Grade Live Casino Lounge: Enjoy an immersive live streaming studio offering multi-angle versions of Roulette, Blackjack, and real-time game shows.
- Offshore Regulatory Framework: Regulated under a Curaçao license, meaning fewer local or European direct player protection measures.
- Rank-Dependent Payout Caps: Your maximum monthly withdrawal limits are strictly tied to your VIP tier, capping rapid payouts for casual players.
- Crypto Volatility Exposure: Utilizing the cryptocurrency channels exposes players to unpredictable, external blockchain network gas fees.
Odds Margin: 95%
Extra Features: Bonuses, Casino, Live Streaming, Mobile App, Tournaments, VIP Programme
Payment Methods: POLi, Apple Pay, Astropay, Bank Transfer, Bitcoin, CashtoCode, Dogecoin, ecoPayz, Ethereum, Google Pay, Litecoin, MasterCard, Neosurf, Neteller, Paysafecard, Ripple, Skrill, Visa
18+ | Gamble responsibly | GambleAware.org | T&C
- Combined catalog featuring virtual casino games and fixed-odds sports betting
- Diverse transactional pathways including fiat methods and multiple digital currencies
- Continuous weekly cashback structure automatically adjusted to account tiers
- Promotional bonus balances carry mandatory wagering rollover conditions
- Maximum cashout limits apply to individual withdrawal transactions
Odds Margin: 96%
Extra Features: Bonuses, Casino, Tournaments, VIP Programme
Payment Methods: POLi, Apple Pay, Astropay, Bank Transfer, Bitcoin, CashtoCode, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Google Pay, Litecoin, MasterCard, MiFinity, Neosurf, Neteller, Paysafecard, Revolut, Skrill, Visa
18+ | Gamble responsibly | GambleAware.org | T&C
How POLi Works and Where It Stands in New Zealand
POLi is an online payment service that moves money from your bank account to an online merchant in real time. You don't need a card, a stored balance or a separate POLi account. In New Zealand it's run by Merco Limited, a local company. At a bookmaker's cashier, you'll see it listed as a "pay by bank" option next to cards and other methods.
When you choose POLi at the cashier, you're handed over to POLi, you pick your bank, and you approve the payment there. POLi then tells the bookmaker the payment went through. That's why your betting balance can top up almost straight away, even though the money moves between the banks a little later.
The bigger change came in 2025 and 2026. For ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac customers, POLi now runs on each bank's official open banking connection. You sign in and approve the payment in your own bank's app or website instead of typing your internet banking login into a POLi screen. Under the old model, customers entered their banking details through POLi itself.
How We Pick POLi Bookmakers for NZ Punters
Plenty of betting sites in NZ put a POLi logo in the footer, and that alone tells you very little. We look at how POLi actually works from sign-up to first bet and at what happens once you win. These are the main checks we use.
Licensing and a Live POLi Cashier
We start with trust. Each bookmaker needs a licence from a recognised gambling regulator, clear terms, and a record of paying winnings on time. After that, we only list sites where POLi shows up in the cashier of a New Zealand-registered account. A logo on a payments page doesn't mean it's there at checkout, and availability changes. We recheck regularly for that reason.
Bank-by-Bank Checkout Testing
Our team tests POLi deposits with the main New Zealand banks, as the experience isn't the same everywhere. ANZ, ASB, BNZ and Westpac customers approve payments through their bank's open banking flow. Smaller banks such as TSB and The Co-operative Bank may follow a different route. We check that the bank list loads fast, the redirect works on mobile, and the payment goes through before the session times out.
Fine Print on POLi Deposits
We read the cashier and the terms for the details that affect real deposits. That covers the POLi minimum and maximum per transaction and any bookmaker surcharge. We also check whether a POLi deposit counts towards promotions. The bookmaker sets the limits, and your bank's daily payment limit can cap them again. If a site's POLi ceiling is unusually low, we flag it, since it could stop a bigger deposit from going through.
Clear Route for Your Winnings
POLi only moves money in, so we look closely at how winnings come back out. We check which payout methods exist and whether withdrawals go back to the bank account you deposited from. We also note how long payouts take and whether ID checks happen at sign-up or only at your first cash-out. Getting paid matters more to us than depositing funds quickly.
Top POLi Bookies Reviewed for NZ Punters
We put every bookmaker on this list to the test and confirmed POLi was available at the NZ cashier. To make an easy side-by-side comparison, we have set out our rating along with the welcome offer, deposit limits and how they handle payouts.
1. LuckyVibe Casino Review
7.35/10
Very Good
2. Cashlounge Casino Review
7/10
Splendid
How to Fund Your Sportsbook Account with POLi
A POLi deposit takes a couple of minutes. You need an active betting account and internet or app banking with a supported bank. There's nothing to download and no POLi account to set up.
Step
1
Get Your Betting Account Verification-Ready
Sign up using the same legal name that's on your bank account. If the names don't match, deposits can get queried and withdrawals held. Choose NZD as your account currency at sign-up if the site offers it. It also helps to finish your ID checks before your first deposit, so nothing stalls later on.
Step
2
Choose POLi and Pick Your Bank
Open the cashier, select POLi and enter the amount in NZD. Before you carry on, check that the amount is within your bank's daily payment limit, because anything over it will fail at the bank stage. Then pick your bank from the POLi list. The payee details should match the bookmaker you mean to pay. If they don't, stop and check again.
Step
3
Approve the Payment with Your Bank
If you bank with ANZ, ASB, BNZ or Westpac, you'll be sent to your bank's own login page or app. You agree to the one-off payment and confirm it there, often with a code or an in-app prompt. Your banking password never goes into the betting site. Try to finish straight away, as the session can time out if you leave it.
Step
4
Confirm the Funds Before You Bet
After you approve it, you're sent back to the betting site, where your balance should update within seconds. Take a screenshot or note the POLi reference number on the receipt. Support will ask for it if anything goes wrong. If your balance doesn't change, don't try again straight away, or you could end up paying twice. Contact the bookmaker with the reference number and let them track it down.
POLi Fees, Limits & Processing Times at Betting Sites
In short, POLi is free to use for punters and deposits land almost instantly. Any limits come from the bookmaker and your bank, not from POLi. The table and sections below go into more detail.
| POLi deposit | Detail | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
|
Fee to the punter |
None from POLi |
Bookmaker may surcharge; check the cashier |
|
Minimum deposit |
Varies by bookmaker |
Bookmaker |
|
Maximum deposit |
Varies by bookmaker |
Bookmaker, then capped by your bank's daily payment limit |
|
Time to credit |
Usually seconds after bank approval |
POLi and bookmaker |
|
Withdrawals |
Not available |
Use another payout method |
What a POLi Deposit Costs and How Much You Can Send
With POLi, the merchant is charged, not the one making the payment. There is no cost to you for a deposit unless the bookmaker has put its own fee on it. That is rare, and the cashier would have to display it prior to confirmation. The currency in use is also a factor. An NZD balance will not be subject to conversion. If your account is denominated in something else, the bookmaker or its processor will convert the deposit at its rate, and you may end up with a little less.
As for limits, there are two to consider. The bookmaker has a POLi minimum and maximum of its own, while your bank will have a daily cap on online payments that can generally be viewed and altered in the app. Any limit in place on your betting account is applicable to POLi as well, so bear that in mind if a payment fails for no apparent reason.
How Fast Funds Land
POLi verifies every payment to the bookmaker in real time. Once approved, the balance is normally updated in a matter of seconds, the bank transfer itself being settled behind the scenes. If there is any overnight maintenance at the bank, POLi payments may be put on hold for a while.
Since POLi is designed to move funds from you to a merchant and not the other way round, it is no use for paying out winnings. The majority of punters opt for a bank transfer back to their depositing account. Those cash-outs are bound to take longer than a deposit, as they are subject to the bookmaker’s processing times and whether your ID has been verified.
Is POLi Safe for Online Betting Transactions?
With open banking, POLi is a far safer proposition than it was some years back. It is still not on a par with the protections afforded by bank cards, however, and there are some good habits to develop.
Open Banking Replaced the Old Login Model
In the past, POLi would have its customers put in their internet banking details directly. A number of New Zealand banks cautioned that doing so was a breach of terms. That has changed: ASB, Westpac, BNZ and ANZ have all put open banking accords in place with POLi in 2025, and MBIE has given POLi its accreditation under the country’s open banking regulations. Now one can log in and give the go-ahead for payments from within the bank’s app or site; your password is never seen by POLi.
Habits That Keep Your Online Banking Account Safe
When making a POLi payment, do so from the bookmaker’s cashier and not via some link in an email or text or on social media.
Before you give your confirmation, have a look at the payee name and the amount on the bank’s approval screen.
Don't share bank codes or one-time passcodes with anyone who contacts you.
Put a daily limit on payments at your bank for a figure you are content to put down as a bet.
Make use of the time-outs and deposit limits available on the betting site account.
If you wish to put a hard stop on any betting transactions, enquire of your bank about a gambling block.
Using POLi on Mobile Betting Sites
POLi is compatible with mobile browsers and within betting apps; there is no app of its own to put on the phone. The process with open banking is a matter of selecting your bank and being taken to the bank’s mobile site or app for approval, after which you are put back in the betting app.
There are a few ways to make the transition easier. For one, have your banking app on the same phone and be sure it is updated and you are logged in so as not to be held up at the login screen when redirected. When approving, don’t change screens lest the session time out and you be forced to begin again. Should the redirect hang in a betting app, completing the payment from the mobile browser will generally resolve it. As for limits, they are set by the bookmaker and your bank rather than the device, so they are identical on desktop and mobile.
Do POLi Deposits Count for Betting Promotions?
Since bookmakers consider POLi to be a standard bank payment, it will in most cases be eligible for sports betting bonuses. The same cannot be said for e-wallets or prepaid vouchers that are frequently put on the exclude list by betting sites. You should still go over the terms of any promotion. Check for the minimum deposit needed to qualify, wagering requirements, minimum odds and an expiry date, as well as any payment methods they have ruled out.
Before making a first deposit with POLi, have a look at the offer. A number of welcome bonuses are limited to the initial deposit, and a small test run could see you miss out on the whole thing. And no matter what the promotion is, establish your budget and let the bonus work within it.
Alternatives to POLi at New Zealand Bookies
The right payment method for you will be a matter of what is most important, be it speed or privacy or having a single means to handle both deposits and withdrawals.
Debit cards are one of the most common forms. They allow for instant deposits and, in many cases, can be used for withdrawals as well. With Apple Pay and Google Pay the process is swift on a phone since they draw from a card stored on the device, though at betting sites one will generally find them to be for deposits only.
Overall, POLi is a quicker means of depositing than a standard bank transfer. Still, the latter is the bookmaker’s usual method for putting winnings in a New Zealand account, which is why many punters will put money in with POLi and take it out via bank transfer.
Some prefer e-wallets for the separation they provide between one’s betting funds and the main account. Before using one, see that the bookmaker is set up to take your e-wallet and that its use doesn’t preclude you from any promotions.
Then there is crypto, which is another matter altogether. A good number of international sites are open to BTC, ETH and USDT and tend to be quick on withdrawals. To get those coins and send them off, an exchange account and a wallet are required.
Bitcoin
Litecoin
Ethereum
MasterCard
Dogecoin
Visa
Ripple
Skrill
Bank Transfer
Apple Pay
Neteller
Paysafecard
Revolut
ecoPayz
Google Pay
MiFinity
Astropay
Neosurf
CashtoCode
Klarna
iDebit
Dash
WebMoney
Monero
PayPal
Boku
Pay by Mobile
PayID
Person to Person
PayForIt
American Express
Final Words on POLi Betting Sites
All in all, for many Kiwi punters, POLi is well suited, and for good reason. The service is free to use, confirms in a matter of seconds and is paid directly from a New Zealand bank account. With the major banks, it is handled via their official open banking set up these days rather than the old way of logging in.
Make sure your bookmaker is licensed, has POLi at its NZ cashier and takes NZD. Don’t forget that POLi does not return winnings, so have a withdrawal method in place ahead of time. To keep a rein on your spending, put limits in order with both your bank and your betting account. Our list above will let you see both established and new betting sites ticking all those boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I withdraw my betting winnings with POLi?
Not with POLi. The service is designed to transfer funds from your bank to a merchant and cannot be used for a payout. For any winnings, the bookmaker will put in place some other arrangement, typically a direct bank transfer. Therefore, you would do well to look into the available payout options first.
Which NZ banks can I use with POLi?
POLi is compatible with several New Zealand banks, to wit: ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac, Kiwibank, TSB and The Co-operative Bank. Customers of ANZ, ASB, BNZ or Westpac will have their payments authorised via the open banking flow of their respective institution. In any event, internet or app banking must be active on your account.
Why does POLi work in a mobile browser but fail inside some betting apps?
The reason is typically the hand-off process. When you go to approve, the system moves you from the betting site over to your bank’s app or web page and back. Some betting apps have an in-house browser for payments which can put a stop to that or drop the session, resulting in a time-out. In such cases it is better to make the deposit on the bookmaker’s site via Safari or Chrome on the phone. Be sure to have your banking app up to date and logged in and verify your balance before making another attempt.
Can I use POLi at offshore betting sites?
Some international bookmakers open to New Zealand players have it, though the availability is not uniform and is subject to change. The merchant rules of POLi put limits on unlicensed gambling operations. It is best to look at the cashier on a New Zealand-registered account prior to putting in for a bonus.
Do I need to register for a POLi account?
Not at all. There is no app, balance or account to put in place with POLi. Having online banking from a New Zealand bank that is supported is all that is required; simply select POLi at the cashier to make a deposit.
Why did my POLi deposit fail?
Typically, it is down to one of a few things: you have put in more than your bank will allow in a day, the approval session has run its time, there is maintenance being done at the bank, or your account is subject to a gambling block. Do make sure of your balance with the bank before making another attempt in order to avoid a double charge.