Key points:
- New Zealand Government plans to regulate online casino gambling
- DIA invites operators to register interest as legislation takes shape
- Advertising will remain restricted until licensed operators are approved
New Zealand is taking a decisive step towards regulating its online casino market, inviting operators to formally express and register their interest in joining a new licensing regime.
The initiative, led by the country’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), aims to establish a transparent, consumer-focused framework that brings currently offshore activity under local oversight as part of its Online Gambling Implementation Programme.
Trina Lowry, Programme Director for the Online Gambling Implementation, said: “For online casino operators interested in entering the New Zealand market, the most important thing you can do is register your interest at the official website.”
She added that engaging early with potential applicants will help shape a regulatory system that is “clear, efficient and supportive for operators.” The Government has confirmed that licenses will be awarded through a competitive process, and applicants must meet a range of regulatory and harm minimisation requirements to be eligible.
Good to know: New Zealand has revised its gambling harm prevention strategy, which outlines updated measures to better protect vulnerable players
While New Zealanders already gamble online primarily on offshore platforms, current law prohibits local advertising of such services. The new legislation proposes that once implemented, the new system will allow advertising by licensed platforms in the country, a significant shift from the current Gambling Act 2003, which prohibits such promotion entirely.
The government believes that bringing these services into a licensed system will give players access to safer, more transparent platforms, while also enabling better harm minimisation and financial oversight.
