Consider your last purchase online, whether it was shopping, ordering food, or funding your online casino account. What method have you used? Around the globe, as well as in New Zealand, a major shift away from credit cards and eventually cards in general is happening. With the rise of Google Pay and Apple Pay, everyone can easily buy online and fund their playing accounts with a single fingerprint confirmation, just like when registering at a POLi Pay casino NZ that players enjoy.
However, there are other tools, such as e-wallets and specific country operators, that allow for easy direct payments without sharing card details.
The expert team from NZ Casino Online investigates the methods that are pushing out card payments in New Zealand, sharing further insights in the article below.
Kiwi Consumers Break Up With Credit Cards
NZ players have long been fond of that little piece of plastic, but lately, many are giving credit cards the cold shoulder. In fact, six out of seven New Zealanders now agree that credit cards can be financially hazardous, and nearly 75% of Gen Z Kiwis say credit card bills cause them anxiety, with many citing high interest rates and hidden fees as the culprit. And it’s not just talk: 60% of Kiwis who’ve ever had a credit card have already switched to other payment methods, and nearly two-thirds of the Gen Z population have stopped using credit cards for daily spending.
So, what are Kiwis reaching for instead of their Visa or Mastercard? Shortly, anything but credit. Debit cards and seamless e-wallets are now the go-to for younger consumers, marking a dramatic generational shift driven by consumer behaviours. They are interested in payment methods that offer more transparency and control.
In practice, that means Kiwis favour options that let them spend their own money (not the bank’s) and avoid the trap of revolving debt. It’s no surprise that Buy Now, Pay Later services like Afterpay are also gaining popularity, especially among the younger population.
“Though similar, BNPL services let players spread payment without interest, making it rather an alternative credit than a direct bank payment”, gambling expert Isabella Pritchard, author at NZ Casino Online, explains. “The common theme is clear: whether it’s debit, BNPL, or old-fashioned EFTPOS, New Zealanders are ditching credit cards in droves to take charge of their finances.”
The Rise of Direct and Secure Banking Tools
Among many credit card alternatives, direct bank payment systems have emerged as stars of the show. These tools allow people to pay straight from their bank account, often with just a few clicks, without signing up or sharing precious card details.
POLi
POLi is one standout example that Kiwi players and shoppers are turning to since it’s an online payment system originally rooted in Australia but widely used in NZ. It allows customers to pay directly from their internet banking without entering any card details, making it like a bank transfer but turbocharged for the digital age. All you need to do is log into a single payment account, and you get to pay multiple merchants. “The beauty of POLi is that it feels like using online banking, which Kiwis trust, but it’s as quick as a card purchase”, Pritchard explains.
Account to Account (A2A)
A2A is another method offered by payment platforms that let users pay directly from their bank account in real-time. Used by several Kiwi retailers and utility providers, A2A allows the user to initiate a transfer via secure online banking without using card details, just simple bank-to-bank efficiency. It’s particularly common for high-value payments like rent or tuition, but all the best real money casinos in New Zealand provide it, too.
Bank Transfers via Open Banking APIs
With New Zealand gradually inching toward open banking frameworks, some payment providers now enable instant transfers using secure bank APIs. These solutions, still evolving accordingly and cautiously, don’t rely on third-party overlays like POLi. Instead, they plug directly into the bank’s infrastructure, offering even faster processing and stronger compliance. While still in the early days, this tech is expected to underpin the next generation of direct payment tools across multiple online industries, including online gambling.
Benefits of Direct Bank Payments
Why are tools like POLi catching on? The gambling expert team from NZ-CasinoOnline.NZ explains a few key benefits:
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No Debt or Interest: You’re paying with your own money, so you can’t spend more than you have. This is also a great instrument to control gambling habits.
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Security and Privacy: No need to enter card details at every online casino you play at. With POLi, your bank login is used securely and not stored by the merchant or casino provider, reducing the exposure of personal details and card numbers online.
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Instant Confirmation: Unlike a standard bank transfer that a provider must manually verify, POLi gives the seller instant payment confirmation. That means quicker processing of your purchase (great for time-sensitive buys like tickets or online services).
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No New Accounts: Skip creating yet another payment account or digital wallet for which you might easily forget the password. POLi works via your existing online banking: if you’ve got a bank login, you’re good to go.
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Avoiding Card Surcharges: Many retailers slap on extra fees for credit card use. Paying directly from your bank can dodge those pesky surcharges, keeping more money in your pocket.
Not every alternative is perfect, of course. POLi itself had drawn some scepticism in the past since some banks initially warned that sharing your internet banking login via a third-party service could violate terms or pose risks. However, as technology and security measures improved (and with growing comfort in open banking), more consumers are warming to these tools.
To be more precise, the latest research found that 37% of Kiwis are now comfortable sharing their financial data with third-party services, compared to just 16% in 2020. “People are seeing results and relying on reviews and news, and there wasn’t any great threat, hacker attack, or credit card detail exposure that made them feel threatened, resulting in higher trust reviews in just a few years”, expert Isabella Pritchard notes.
A Broader Shift in New Zealand Consumer Behaviour
The move away from credit cards in favour of tools like POLi isn’t happening in isolation. It reflects a broader shift in New Zealanders’ consumer behaviour and attitudes toward money. Kiwis are increasingly tech-savvy, budget-conscious, and security-aware when it comes to payments.
The high uptake of debit cards and contactless mobile payment methods (like Apple Pay and Google Pay, especially in online casinos) shows a willingness to embrace new tech as long as it makes life easier. Digital wallets, for example, have climbed from 10% to 15% as the preferred option for everyday purchases in only two years. And behind that change is the desire to stay in control and make easy payments, preferably using only your fingerprint or facial recognition feature to prove it’s you since all other details have been safely stored and memorized.
In New Zealand, this shift has also been supported by a strong banking infrastructure and an emerging open-banking framework. The country’s high internet penetration and reliable banking systems mean innovations like POLi can flourish, according to a report that notes the unique banking infrastructure has been key in enabling secure online payments and immense e-commerce growth.
Takeaways
If the current trajectory continues, credit cards in NZ may increasingly become a niche tool, used for specific perks or travel, perhaps, but no longer the default day-to-day spending. We might even see formal regulations pushing this along.
For instance, if an online gambling credit card ban comes into effect, it will further cement direct payment methods in that specific sector. On the flip side, direct banking tools and digital wallets will likely become ever more user-friendly.
“Apparently, Kiwi players are keeping it really just straight-up payments from A to B. And honestly, that’s a pretty smart way to play,” Isabella Pritchard of NZ Casino Online sums up.