There are large casinos in both Auckland and Christchurch and they are popular with both New Zealanders, who enjoy a gamble, and the Japanese who holiday in New Zealand in vast numbers.
Free entertainment, provided by the City Council, in the form of concerts, parades and art and craft exhibitions pepper the calendar in the cities. Depending on the occasion, people will turn out in their thousands. For the big free open air concerts, take along your chairs and picnic baskets.
If you come from a big city in England, then the world of entertainment here might seem a little tame as the big shows only come for a limited period, often months, or even years, after they have been performed in other parts of the world. You will not have access to many clubs nor be entertained by famous comedians.
The nightlife is definitely limited. Young people are not allowed in the bars or clubs until age 20. Restaurants serve evening meals from 5pm and it is not uncommon to find the roads practically deserted by 10.30pm on a Sunday evening.
If however, you live in a small town in the UK, then you might find you have greater access to things than you did. Assuming you move to one of the four main cities then you will have easy access to the shows when they come. Nice hotels can become your ‘local’ and you may well find yourself rubbing shoulders with the ‘rich and famous’ as there are no exclusive restaurants. Literature and Art festivals will come your way, sponsored by the banks and big institutions.
The free summer concert will be hosted by a TV celebrity and a famous All Black or cricketer could well give a talk at your child’s school. New Zealanders are generous with their time and a typical example was when the world famous opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa was home in New Zealand for a visit ,she gave a free concert to thousands.