Online Gambling NZ Law

New Zealand is fast becoming one of the places to experience fast growth in the online gambling industry. Many of its residents can now play their favourite games online. Casino lovers in the country spend millions every year gambling online. Online gambling has allowed players to still enjoy their favourite games without visiting a brick-and-mortar casino.

In addition to playing casino games online, New Zealand residents can gamble on sports from soccer to horse racing online. This article will look at the online gambling NZ law in place. This is for you to know if it is legal to gamble online in the country. It’s important to know the legal status of online casinos in NZ to avoid getting on the wrong side of the law.

Is Online Gambling Legal in New Zealand?

Yes, it is legal to gamble online in New Zealand. Although there isn’t any specific online gambling NZ law, there are laws that generally permit gambling in the country. You must be 18 or older to participate in sports betting lottery, horse races, and scratch card betting. However, to play at land-based casinos, players must be 20 years or older to visit these locations.

If you reside in New Zealand, it is safe to say that you can always gamble online, as long as it is not on unauthorised domestic operator sites. You can place bets at online casinos, sportsbooks, and offshore gambling sites. Also, you should note that not all players in New Zealand can wager on local gambling sites. The only exceptions are TAB and Lottery games, which are authorised domestic operators.

If an online operator is not permitted to operate in New Zealand, there are legal consequences for this. The police can enforce the law, and illegal gambling operators can be penalised. However, those who patronise illegal gambling sites are not punished or penalised. It is only the illicit operators that the laws restrict, and not the users.

What is the Online Gambling NZ Law?

Speaking of the online gambling NZ law, there is only one law in place. The Gambling Act 2003 is the only legal framework that regulates all gambling activities in the country. The law ensures strict compliance, and though there have been moves to try to relax the Gambling Act 2003, it hasn’t been possible. So, as of this writing, no amendments have been made.

Before the Gambling Act of 2003, it was illegal to participate in any gambling, whether land-based or online. The law was imposed in the 1920s, and it banned all gambling except horse racing bets. Later, in 1961, there was a ban on horse race betting. It was only when the Racing Act of 2003 was introduced that things started changing. The act gave room for horse racing and sports betting in the country. Also, the Racing Act of 2003 led to the formation of the New Zealand Racing Board.

In addition to the existing legislation, the Racing Industry Act 2020 approved TAB New Zealand as the only sports and race betting provider. In the casino sector, there are only six land-based casinos in the country. However, with the Gambling Act of 2003, playing casino games in the country is legal.

The only issue is that there is no online gambling NZ law, and the existing gambling law is yet to be updated. As a result, no new casino can be established according to the current law. There’s also no way for online casino operators to get a license in New Zealand. Instead, the only option for players is to visit offshore online casinos.

What are the Legal Options for Online Gambling?

Since the New Zealand Lottery Commission was established in 2008, it became possible for residents to participate in online Lottery sales. Since TAB is the only licensed provider, they can offer online sports betting, horse racing, and casino games. As a result, the local options available to New Zealand players are limited. No other provider is permitted to operate within the borders of the country.

However, no law explicitly prohibits NZ players from joining offshore online gambling sites. As a result, it isn’t considered illegal to play casino games at offshore sites. The absence of online gambling NZ law makes things a bit complicated. So, technically, players won’t be breaking any laws since there is no online gambling NZ law.

Even though no online gambling NZ law prevents players from opting for offshore sites, operators are restricted. Offshore online gambling sites cannot advertise their services in New Zealand. If they do, the operator would be fined up to NZ$10,000 for every violation.

How to Choose the Best Online Gambling Sites in New Zealand

Since there is no online gambling NZ law and no way for online casinos to come to New Zealand, players must find alternatives. However, not all offshore online gambling sites are safe. You must only play games at the best online casinos in New Zealand for maximum safety. For this reason, we’ve provided a few tips to nudge you in the right direction.

Many people have fallen into the wrong hands by joining unsafe online casinos. To avoid making the same mistakes, here are some essential things to consider when signing up with offshore online casinos in New Zealand.

License

The absence of online gambling NZ law doesn’t mean that there are no regulated online casinos. Any online casino offering its services should have a gambling license. There are some special licenses that you can trust when choosing to visit offshore alternatives. If a casino cannot disclose its license, it isn’t safe to use its website. Some of the common online gambling licenses you’ll find are Curacao, Malta, Gibraltar, Kahnawake, and UK Gaming licenses.

Read Online Reviews

It is good to check reviews when joining offshore online casinos in New Zealand. If you do, you’ll be able to read first-hand experiences from other players, and you’ll avoid making the mistake of joining illegal sites. In addition, online reviews will give you a lot of information about the casino. They’ll tell you about their license, bonuses, payouts, and the quality of their games. You’ll also see the bad reviews; if they are a lot, it’s a red flag.

Variety of Games

One of the qualities that makes an excellent online casino is the games they offer. You should only use online casinos that have a wide variety of games. In addition, the quality of their games is essential. Make sure you look through their game library to see the titles they offer. The best online casinos will offer games from leading providers like Microgaming, NetEnt, IGT, Evolution Gaming, and Pragmatic Play, among others.

Betting Limits

Also, it’s good to go for online casinos with no betting limits. If the casino has a limit, it means that you won’t be able to get bigger payouts on the site. As such, those casinos will only be good for bettors on a budget. You won’t enjoy using such sites if you’re a high roller.

Safety and Security

With the absence of online gambling NZ law, players must be careful when choosing online casinos. You should only join safe casinos. How do you know if it’s safe to use an online casino? The best gambling sites will invest in top-notch security systems. They’ll have a structure that can tackle cyber security on their platform. Therefore, the online casino will have the latest SSL encryption and HTTPS protocols and be certified by third-party labs. For instance, you’ll see certificates from eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and other auditing agencies.

Bonuses and Promotions

In addition to their many game collections, the best platforms will have attractive offers. For instance, they’ll offer generous welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions.

What makes these offers attractive is not necessarily the size of bonuses but the terms they come with. As a result, you should only choose online casinos that offer fair terms in their offers. Also, the wagering requirement should be easy to meet.

Customer Service

Another thing to note is that the best platforms will have a good customer service system. Usually, you should look for online casinos that offer more than one way to contact them. For instance, they should have a live chat feature, email, or phone number. Some of the best platforms even allow customers to reach them via social media. This will show that they are willing to help players resolve issues or find solutions. If it is challenging to contact their support, this is not a good sign, and it means they can’t be trusted.

Mobile Friendly

Many online casinos are now making their platform available on mobile devices. As a result, players no longer need to have a laptop or PC with them to access their favourite games. The best online casinos will have all their games available for mobile gamers. As a result, you should be able to enjoy high-quality HTM5 optimised games on your mobile phone or tablet.

Easy Deposits and Withdrawals

Even though there is no online gambling NZ law, there is no need to worry about receiving payments from online casinos. Since the existing laws do not prevent offshore gambling online, no bank can block your winnings. However, when choosing an online casino, ensure they offer safe payment options. In addition, they should have payment options that support New Zealand’s local currency. Some of the safest options for New Zealand players include the following:

In addition to being safe, online casinos should have fast and reliable options – deposits and withdrawals on the site should be speedy.

Implications of the Gambling Sector in New Zealand

Before joining the best online casinos in New Zealand, some things must be discussed. Since the only available option in the country’s gambling sector is state-owned, they would need to make returns. As a result, earnings from gambling activities contribute to the country’s development.

The income generated from both land-based and online gambling activities is for:

The income realized in the industry is contributed to the local community. They are also used to educate the local community on the repercussions of gambling. This, in addition to an online gambling NZ law, will help to prevent and control illicit gambling activities as well as ensure responsible gambling.

How Gambling Tax Winnings Work in New Zealand

Since most of the online gambling activities in New Zealand are offshore due to the lack of an online gambling NZ law, are there taxes on winnings? The simple answer is that there are no taxes on winnings. As a result of the online gambling NZ law , any winnings from online gambling sites in New Zealand are tax-free. So, when you win real money from online casino games or sports betting, you will receive your total winnings, even if you received those winnings from online casinos outside New Zealand.

However, the online exception is for professional poker players. To be precise, professional poker players rely only on their games as a source of income. As such, there will be taxes on their winnings. Poker players online who simply play for fun will not pay taxes on winnings.

Final Thoughts

Gambling is legal in the country, but the issue is a bit technical. The current legislation, the Gambling Act 2003, says nothing about banning online gambling. In other words, there is no online gambling NZ law preventing people from using offshore online casinos. However, at the time of this writing, the country doesn’t accept online casino operators. Hence, New Zealand players must seek options outside their country to gamble online. As such, we recommend that you play games only at the top-rated casinos in New Zealand.

Even though there is a possibility of a new online gambling NZ law in the future, the fate of online gambling will only be decided then. As of now, New Zealand players can take advantage and enjoy playing their favourite games online at offshore casinos in the meantime.