New Zealand
Players Welcome
When it comes to the gambling legislation in New Zealand, it’s known that the original Gambling Act was quite strict in what was and wasn’t allowed. The current version of it has many things which new online casino players should know about, especially when it comes to what is expected of gamblers and what activities are prohibited by the authorities in charge of this legislation.
Common questions that are often asked include what online casinos are available to Kiwi’s, and what kind of restrictions are placed on them. With only seven casinos located physically in New Zealand, the majority of gambling is done online by those too far removed to take regular trips to the brick-and-mortar establishments. For the rules and legislation which may affect you when gambling, keep reading below to find out.
Gambling Overview
Gambling only really took off in New Zealand in the 1990’s and in 2003, the Gambling Act added several new caveats to the already full list of bylaws, regarding what was, and wasn’t allowed. Within the legislation lies the fact that online gambling – known as interactive gambling via the Internet – is banned, with a few exceptions made for the National Lotteries Commission, sales promotion schemes run like lotteries, and for the Racing Board.
The Gambling Commission, which formed in 2004, made some new amendments to the Gambling Act. One of the most notable laws Currently, only those who already have licenses to already to operate casinos can do so within New Zealand, as the commission decided to limit gambling operators .
While over $2 billion is spent annually on casino online and land-based gambling in New Zealand, and with a very large portion of the population eager to play, it’s unfortunate that the current laws in place prohibit any kind of increase in the opportunities for gambling throughout the country. The industry is controlled by the Department of Internal Affairs, which monitors the casino and gambling activities throughout the country as well as keeps track of the regulation of it.
The Gambling Commission is also in charge of dealing with any and all complaints made by non-casino gambling operators regarding the licensing decisions that are created by the Secretary of Internal Affairs.
What About Online Casinos?
It definitely seems at first glance as if New Zealand suffers from the various official prohibitions regarding the Gambling Act of 2003, despite the lotteries and sports bets which are available, as even online gambling is prohibited within New Zealand.
While this covers the fact no operators can open online casinos within New Zealand, this act doesn’t stop Kiwi citizens from having access to international sites like Yukon Gold Casino or mobile gaming operators. In fact, international online casinos are where most New Zealand citizens tend to spend their time, playing pokies and other favourites. Joining them is 100% legal and we recommend a licensed site like Yukon Gold Casino as a great starting point.