Dunedin in southern New Zealand, holds a gleaming gem, Grand Casino. Its building is heritage-listed, architecturally designed by Italian-born Louis Boldini. Patrons can game in elegance with over 180 gaming machines and 12 live table games. The stylish on-site restaurant offers a full bar. Online reviews praise the service and atmosphere.
Roulette is one of many live table games you can play at Dunedin’s Grand Casino in New Zealand.
©Derek Lynn/Unsplash
The Grand Casino opened in 1999, just south of the city’s Central Business District, on High Street. The historical building it is in features classical architecture in the Victorian style. The grand central spiral staircase is a highlight, and the original entry-level mosaic tiled floor has been preserved. A feeling of luxury and opulence greets you as you enter.
The casino features bespoke events and daily entertainment for all guests. A private room can be booked for groups, Room 118. The casino even offers cocktail and whiskey master classes for parties. Each month there is a major prize draw, a trip overseas. To enter, patrons receive a “passport” and travel around the casino, checking off “destinations”.
Bonus entries to the major prize can be earned throughout the week, by participating in events and games in the casino. On Sundays, there is a tie-in with all the live table games, Blackjack, Baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, American Roulette and the Money Wheel. Fridays and Saturdays include random giveaways. Live musicians perform every Saturday night.
Charity in Style
In September 2023, the Grand Casino will be hosting a charity event, Blue September Charity Golf Day. All proceeds will go to Prostate Cancer New Zealand, a registered charity. The event raises awareness around the issue of prostate cancer as well as donating proceeds to the cause. The event will be held at Dunedin’s St Clair Golf Club and features a $15,000 hole-in-one challenge!
When the Grand Casino first opened, it created the Dunedin Casinos Charitable Trust. This was part of the Dunedin Casinos licensing process. The trust has two funding rounds per year, where organisations registered with New Zealand’s Charities Commission can apply. In 2021, the famous KiwiHarvest (sister to Australia’s beloved Oz Harvest) received funds to purchase a new truck for transporting good unused food for redistribution. In November 2022, the casino’s Charitable Trust gave funding to almost 60 local organisations.
Known as Dunedin Casino for most of its life, the rebrand to Grand Casino occurred two years ago, in 2021. The then-new Chief Executive, Dominique Dowding told a local newspaper, “When I got here the casino had lost touch with the community and it was actually low profile. “So I wanted to do some authentic investment into charities and things that make a difference in the social fabric.” Dominique encouraged charities and sports in the city to apply for grants and funding. As well as changing the name, she also changed the look of the staff uniforms and the casino’s street frontage.
A Beautiful City
The casino is located within the region of Otago, and its city, Dunedin, is the second largest of the New Zealand’s South Island. Dunedin is the region’s principal city and has a population of approximately 130,000 people. The city is considered a hot spot for historical and cultural purposes and is within an interesting geographic area. The harbour and hills of the city are within an extinct volcano! Fresh air, clean and beautiful streets and access to the sea are bonuses of a trip to Dunedin.
The Grand Casino opens every day, from 12pm until late. Proof of Age is required, and all patrons must be 20 years or over. Like all New Zealand casinos, credit cards are not accepted on-site.
