Online casino ad surge expected if New Zealand lifts ban
Community voices warn of aggressive promotions and social costs under new bill.
Key points:
– Proposed bill would allow up to 15 licensed online casinos to operate in New Zealand
– Community groups warn of ‘tsunami’ of gambling advertisements
– Concerns raised over loss of community funding and increased gambling harm
As reported by The Post, strong concerns have been raised in Parliament over a new Government bill that would permit licensed online casinos to advertise in New Zealand, potentially opening the floodgates to a wave of aggressive gambling promotions.
Pub Charity managing director Martin Cheer told the Governance and Administration select committee that the proposed Online Casino Bill would trigger a “tsunami” of advertising, with inducements such as free credit and push alerts becoming commonplace.
“If you are sick of seeing Entain and TAB on your screen now, you have not seen anything yet,” he said, adding that while geo-blocking would limit access to unlicensed sites, it would not deter determined users who know how to bypass restrictions.
Problem Gambling Foundation spokesperson Andree Froude said the absence of a ban on inducements was particularly troubling. She described such offers as predatory, especially for young or vulnerable users. One case involved a woman lured by a NZD $1,000 (US$592) bonus, only to find she needed to wager 40 times before withdrawal was allowed.
Good to know: The bill would permit up to 15 licensed operators to advertise while blocking access to unlicensed platforms through geo-blocking
Critics including Cheer and Community Sport Collective’s Martin Snedden warned that legalising online casino ads would erode revenue from physical gaming machines, undermining funding for community sport and services.
Meanwhile, some industry players welcomed the proposal. TAB expressed interest in entering the market, with plans to partner with British firm Entain. Global operator SGHC, based in Guernsey, supported the legislation but called for the cap on licensed operators to be lifted.
The committee is continuing to hear submissions on the bill.
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