Hon Brooke van Velden
Minister of Internal Affairs

Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to further details of a new system to regulate online casino gambling.

“A new Online Gambling Bill will be drafted with the purpose to regulate online casino gambling to facilitate a safer and compliant regulated online gambling market. More importantly, it will prevent and minimise online gambling harm and limit opportunities for crime and dishonesty,” says Ms van Velden.

“I am pleased that the system will deliver to these objectives by prohibiting advertising that appeals to children, requiring online gambling operators to have an acceptable age verification system, and introducing fines of up to $5 million for operators that break the law.”

Online casino gambling is currently unregulated in New Zealand, so harm prevention and consumer protection requirements do not apply. This has caused some issues for consumers, for example some online gambling operators make it very difficult for customers to withdraw their winnings.

“My goal is not to increase the amount of gambling that is happening online, but to enable New Zealanders who wish to play casino games online to do so more safely than they can today.

“Currently, New Zealanders can and do gamble on thousands of offshore gambling websites. By introducing a regulatory system my intention is to channel customers towards up to fifteen licensed operators.”

“Further regulations will be developed on the detailed rules around advertising, as well as harm minimisation and consumer protection requirements. This is the same approach used in the existing Gambling Act and will give us more flexibility to adjust the regulations where necessary.”

“The new regulatory system will be in place by early 2026. I look forward to taking the Bill through Parliament next year and hearing feedback from the public during the Select Committee stage.”

Note:

• Offering online casino gambling in New Zealand without a licence will be prohibited and punishable with a fine up to $5 million under the new regulatory system. The Department will be able to issue take-down notices to remove or make unavailable unlicensed websites or advertising and will also be in contact with gambling regulators overseas. Operators that breach New Zealand law may be at risk of losing their licence in other countries.
• The regulator will also maintain a public register of licensed brands and these brands will display a registration symbol on their website and advertisements to make it clear to the public who the licensed companies are.
• There will be strict entry requirements for online gambling companies looking to operate in New Zealand. These include details of persons involved in the company, harm prevention and consumer protection strategies, and any proposed marketing strategy, amongst other requirements. It is important that any company wanting to offer online gambling to New Zealanders can prove they are reputable and have sufficient plans in place to meet requirements
• There will be up to 15 licences available, as Cabinet agreed in July, with a limit on individual companies owning no more than three licences. This is to ensure there is sufficient competition and variety of options available to consumers in the regulated market. Licences will last for three years with the ability to renew for a further five years.

© Scoop Media