New Zealand

Per the Gambling Act of 2003, only the New Zealand Lotteries Commission (NZLC) and the Tolalisator Agency Board (TAB) can legally operate interactive gambling in New Zealand. The NZLC handles lottery sales such as Lotto, Keno, Big Wednesday and Kiwi scratch cards. The TAB handles race betting. The goal of the Gambling Act of 2003 was to accomplish the following:

  • Monitor how gambling was growing
  • Keep the problems caused by gambling to a minimum
  • Make certain types of gambling illegal, but approve others
  • Stress the importance of responsible gambling
  • Make sure that all games are fair and ethical
  • Limit the criminal aspect of gambling
  • Make sure the public benefits from gambling proceeds
  • Keep the public informed about gambling decisions

Companies can be fined up to 50k for not following the standards of this act, and individuals can be fined up to 10k. This act was created by the Department of Internal Affairs, which enforces internet and brick and mortar gambling in New Zealand.

Yes, there are plenty of places for New Zealand citizens to play land-based casinos, but there aren’t any online websites that originate in New Zealand. As stated earlier, it is against the law to play online casino games in New Zealand. Those who reside in New Zealand can frequent casinos that originate in other countries.

However, a lot of international online casinos do not specifically cater to the New Zealand population. New Zealanders must use eWallet services such as Neteller, Citadel and Click2Pay because many credit cards from New Zealand are not accepted by foreign casinos. Also, it takes a long time for wire transfers to clear.

But some of the top online casinos that Kiwis frequent are JackPotCity Casino, Spin Palace Casino and Ruby Fortune Casino. But be aware that New Zealand laws do not provide protection for citizens if and when they are defrauded by foreign casinos.

There are about 28,000 slot machines in New Zealand. Around 90 percent of them are in hotels and bars. The other 10 percent are located in New Zealand’s land based casinos. All slot machines must adhere to the standards of the Gambling Act of 2003.

There are six brick and mortar casinos in New Zealand. They are Christchurch Casino, Dunedin Casino and 4 SkyCity Casinos operating in 4 different cities. There are also slot machines that are run by charitable organizations known as community gaming trusts. These organizations must guarantee that at least 37 percent of all gambling proceeds go back to the community in the form of educational, health, environmental or cultural investments.

The gambling laws in New Zealand are pretty straightforward. Online casinos are illegal, and regular slot machines are run by either charitable organizations or land based casinos. Lotteries and race betting are only allowed by certain organizations.