Overview of Gambling in New Zealand
21/12/2017
New Zealand has a complex history when it comes to the regulation of gambling and betting, which has impacted the nature of how Kiwis can have a punt on sport and casino games such as poker and roulette. While on the face of it, they've still got fairly restrictive gambling laws compared to Europe, with permitted gambling cities and particularly offshore gambling websites meaning that betting options in New Zealand are now better than ever.
The Basic Legality of Gambling in New Zealand
New Zealand governments have fought against true betting freedom for decades, with a long history of anti-gambling measures. In recent times, the Gambling Act of 2003 was enacted by the Department of Internal Affairs, which permitted gambling establishments to promote products to the public, but only if they were either government-run lotteries or not-for-profit casinos offered by charitable organisations.
Similarly, the Act made remote interactive (internet) services illegal, but only if they were run by companies based in New Zealand – making it legal for overseas companies based in locations such as the UK and Europe to offer gambling entertainment to New Zealanders. Therefore, while Kiwi authorities maintain tight control over gambling in the country, it doesn't mean its nationals can't enjoy land-based casinos in our big cities and bet on sport and casino games with companies based in other parts of the world.
Land-based Gambling in New Zealand
While gambling restrictions on opening and running casinos in New Zealand are controlled by the authorities, they're still blessed with five 'casino cities' across the nation offering six legalised venues to enjoy. Queenstown is the unofficial gambling capital, with two casinos, featuring 12 variations of table games, nearly 200 pokies and video poker interfaces. The country's biggest gambling venue is Sky City Auckland Casino, which contains over 100 table games, ten poker tables and a massive 1600 slot gaming and video poker machines.
New Zealand's Casinos
- Dunedin Casino (Otago)
- Christchurch Casino
- SKYCITY Auckland
- SKYCITY Hamilton
- SKYCITY Queenstown
- Lasseters Wharf Casino (Queenstown)
While other countries may have a vast number of casinos, New Zealand offers a good selection of world-class venues that can be freely played in. SKYCITY Auckland attracts visitors from all over the world, thanks to its stunning location at the top of the Sky Tower offering striking views across the city's skyline at night.
Online Casino Gaming & Sports Betting in New Zealand
The fact that land-based sports betting is illegal in New Zealand and that internet gambling is prohibited by the Gambling Act of 2003 doesn't look good for gamblers at first glance. Thankfully, the law only applies to betting on land, or online with brands that are registered New Zealand companies. This means that Kiwis are free to bet with leading online casinos and bookmakers abroad, including the big industry names in the UK and Europe (such as William Hill and Ladbrokes).
Given the relative limit on land-based casino destinations in New Zealand and the illegality of sports betting, it's no surprise that online casinos and sportsbooks are extremely popular. Betting online with legal gambling sites offers access to global sports betting markets and the world's biggest casino games and progressive jackpot payouts.
The only potential downside to gambling with offshore brands is that if there is a major dispute (e.g. a loss of funds or a refused payout), Kiwis won't be protected legally by the New Zealand authorities. However, such disputes are extremely unlikely, particularly when betting with fully regulated brands.
Ultimately, while New Zealand's gambling status remains less than liberal, there are plenty of options available both on land and via the internet. Given the fact that millions of gamblers are betting with offshore websites on sports and casino games, it seems madness for the New Zealand government to refuse the chance to boost the economy and obtain tax revenue by allowing these gamers to spend their gambling budget inside the country. It's not yet known whether New Zealand will legalise all forms of gambling during the next decade, but at least with the current state of affairs casino and sports gamblers can continue to enjoy themselves nonetheless.
