New Zealand Gambling Laws – Rules and Regulations
In many countries around the world, gambling is a flourishing business, while in others, this kind of amusement is banned and considered not good. There are jurisdictions where gambling is totally forbidden or partially allowed through specific gaming activities. On the other hand, in some countries gambling is legalised and people can access big casino complexes or gamble online.
Without a doubt, New Zealand is a beautiful country visited by people from all around the world throughout the whole year. The tourism in NZ is prosperous and what also helps it grow is the fact that gambling in NZ is legal. New Zealand can not boast with a large number of land-based casinos like some other countries in Europe or Asia. However, what makes this country a preferred gaming destination is the strict gambling laws New Zealand.
Gambling in NZ is legal and the country strictly regulates the gaming business. Thus, through the NZ gambling laws, the government aims at providing a safe gambling environment that will help tourism flourish too.
In the paragraphs below, we will tell you a bit more about the gambling laws NZ and how the country regulates the gaming activities throughout its territory. Besides, you will also learn what are the New Zealand online gambling laws, as nowadays, this is a segment that enjoys an extreme interest. Here are the main topics that we will discuss:
History of Gambling in New Zealand
Gambling is not new to New Zealand. The country has been familiar with gaming activities from a long time ago. The first forms of gambling were introduced to NZ with the first European settlers. This means that during the colonial period, gambling was something quite popular.
Things around the gambling laws New Zealand changed a bit when the Gaming Act of 1904 stated that gaming activities could take place only at the racetracks of New Zealand. Nonetheless, the interest in gambling did not stop and it remained one of the favourite activities of people in the country.
In 1954, there was another major change regarding gambling. This time, with the Totalisator Agency Board establishment, the laws against gambling started to relax. Soon after the TAB started to operate, the Golden Kiwi lottery was also established. Since then, the gambling situation in New Zealand is how we know it today – with many pokies at the bars and many land-based casinos throughout the country’s territory.
Active Gambling Laws NZ
As you have already understood, gambling in NZ is legal and gaming activities are quite popular among people in the country. New Zealand also enjoys interest from foreign tourists thanks to the regulated gambling environment too. In the paragraphs below, we will tell you a bit more about the current gambling laws and regulations in NZ.
According to the new Zealand laws, gambling in the country is controlled by the Department of Internal Affairs. All gaming activities are charged with a tax that resembles a percentage of the generated income. However, an interesting fact is that this tax does not apply to online casinos. The reason for this is that there are still not any legal online gaming platforms in the country.
During the history of New Zealand, many laws that have prohibited gambling have changed or have been modified. The active laws that shape the regulations concerning gambling in NZ are the Gambling Act of 2003 and the Racing Act of 2003. The Racing Act regulates all sports betting and racing activities. And the Gambling Ac controls all other forms of gaming activities in the country.
| Gambling Segment | Status |
|---|---|
| Lottery | Legal |
| Pokies | Legal (pokies in bars and restaurants are run by charitable organisations)/td> |
| Land-Based-Casinos | Legal |
| Horse Racing | Legal |
| Online Casinos | Illegal within the territory of New Zealand. (NZ players can access online casinos based offshore and gamble) |
Yet another fact to mention is that country has its gambling commission. The Gambling Commission of New Zealand is an independent regulatory body and was established under the Gambling Act of 2003. The commission is responsible for hearing casino licensing applications as well as for renewing already approved licenses. The NZ Gambling Commission is also responsible for hearing complaints about enforcement decisions regarding gaming machines and other non-casino gaming activities.
New Zealand Casinos
Nowadays, on the territory of New Zealand, there are six legal and active casino establishments. The first legal casino opened in 1994. This helped tourism in the country flourish, and with the establishment of the other land-based casinos, many people came to the country and visited the gaming complexes. Now, the legal casinos in New Zealand are Dunedin Casino, Christchurch Casino, SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Queenstown, and Skycity Wharf Casino. Accordingly, the main gambling destinations in new Zealand are Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Hamilton, and Auckland. They are the biggest cities, and many tourists visit them and the casino complexes throughout the year.
New Zealand Pokies
In New Zealand “Pokies” is the word for slot machines. They were introduced in the country in 1987. Nowadays, you can find pokies not only in the casino complexes in the big cities. Pokies can be found almost in every bar and restaurant in New Zealand. The only difference is that charitable organisations operate pokies that are not located in casino complexes but at bars and restaurants.
Yet another interesting fact about pokies in New Zealand is that the maximum jackpots are regulated. Nonetheless, they have always provoked big interest among people. Since 2009 it is required that all pokie machines have information displays showing the gamblers how much time they have played and how much they have lost.
Currently, on the territory of New Zealand, there are around 19,500 pokie machines in nearly 1500 locations. The number of license holders is around 380. The pokies generate huge income.
New Zealand Lottery
First forms of lottery in new Zealand date back in the 19th century. At that time, they were mainly used by different organisations to raise money. It was not until 1933 when the first New Zealand National Lottery was established. Then in 1966, the Golden Kiwi lottery was founded by the National Government. It was very successful until 1987. Then, the New Zealand Lottery Commission was established. Its original product was Lotto, but soon other forms such as scratch cards and keno started to become popular among players in the country. And in 2008, lotto tickets became available online.
Horse Racing in New Zealand
Horse racing is probably the oldest form of gambling in New Zealand. Betting on horses is knows to New Zealand from the early years of its establishment. In 1920 betting on horses off-track was declared illegal and gamblers had to bet only on-track. Things changed lately in 1961 when the Totalizator Agency Board was introduced. The changes allowed people to bet on any race from any track in the country.
Online Casinos New Zealand
Today, with the development of modern internet technologies, gambling became even more popular. Online casinos started offering gaming services in many countries and regulated jurisdictions around the world. The current New Zealand online gambling laws do not allow online casinos to be operated on the territory of the country. However, NZ players who have the legal age can access online casinos based overseas and gambler freely. This changed a lot the gambling landscape in the country as online gambling has proven to be convenient and as thrilling as land-based gambling.
Final Words
In the end, we might say that New Zealand is one of the most attractive gambling destinations thanks to the established New Zealand gambling laws that strictly regulate the gaming activities. New Zealand online gambling laws also make it convenient for players to access offshore casino sites and gamble. The most popular forms of gambling activities are legal on the territory of New Zealand, and this is why the country has established as a popular gambling destination. Currently, gambling in NZ generates high income.
New Zealand Gambling FAQs
If you want to get more details regarding the gambling laws NZ, then check the section below. Here we have picked the most frequently asked questions regarding the NZ gambling laws. We have also provided you with brief answers to give you more useful information on the topic.
