Christchurch Casino

Christchurch Casino opened in 1994 as New Zealand's second legal casino and has been a fixture of the city's entertainment landscape through three decades of dramatic change — most notably the devastating February 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people and destroyed much of central Christchurch. The casino building, though damaged, survived the quake and played a role in the city's post-earthquake recovery, reopening as one of the functioning anchors of the rebuilding CBD at a time when much of the surrounding city centre was cordoned off or under demolition.

The casino floor occupies a purpose-built Victorian-influenced building on Victoria Street, offering American roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and slot machines. The casino draws from the Canterbury region's substantial population — Christchurch is New Zealand's third city by most measures and the gateway to the South Island's ski resorts, wine country, and glacier country — as well as the significant domestic tourist traffic passing through.

Post-earthquake Christchurch has emerged as a genuinely exciting rebuilt city, with innovative architecture, a revitalised arts scene, and the Re:START shipping container mall as its symbol of recovery. The casino has benefited from the broader urban rejuvenation and remains the anchor of Victoria Street's entertainment precinct.