A New Zealand man named Rawiri Pou won a NZ $10,144,395 (US $7.2m) online slots jackpot earlier this week.
Many big jackpot winners avoid the limelight after their win, but Pou was more than happy to share his excitement with the public. Pou agreed to a press conference at an Auckland hotel, where he was given the check for his $7.2 million win.
Pou was playing a Microgaming slot with a $250 original stake when he won $1,500. Not satisfied, the 27-year-old let his winnings ride, which led to the life-changing payout.
Pou works at a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Matamata and says that he has no plans to quit his current job. The driving force behind his decision to stay is that he doesn’t know how to handle his new-found fortune yet.
One thing that’s for sure, though, is that Pou feels good about winning because his parents were annoyed that he was spending so much money on online slots.
This big win could have larger reverberations than just making Pou a millionaire. It’s illegal to bet at offshore online gaming sites in New Zealand, but many adults within the country ignore the laws. The fact that Pou just made headlines by winning $7.2 million isn’t going to make this issue go away any time soon.
New Zealand’s government will likely spend more time looking into ways to cut off access to international casinos and betting sites. The only legal form of iGaming in the country is NZ TAB’s site, and the government wants all of its residents funneled here, rather than other online casinos and sportsbooks.
They could impose stricter laws in the near future to prevent players like Pou from enjoying international gaming sites. The obvious downside for New Zealanders is that they won’t be playing for nearly as big of progressive jackpots. After all, New Zealand’s population is just 4.47 million.