Online Casino Gambling in New Zealand

New Zealanders are putting a lot of money into online casinos. Online casino gambling is growing fast in New Zealand, and the government’s efforts to put a lid on foreign online casino sites is meeting a lot of criticism.

Overseas Casinos are Growing in Popularity

As overseas casinos receive up to 400 million in annual revenue from New Zealanders, the government wants to amend its 2003 gambling act, in order to keep up with the technological changes over the past decades. the Department of Internal Affairs released a discussion document suggesting four options for reform. But critics say it is more focused on what’s good for the economy, than reducing harm from gambling.

New Zealand is not the only one

New Zealand is not the only country where online casino sites are growing in popularity and getting an ever increasing market share. In the UK, where both international as well as domestic online casinos are licensed and operate, the politicians refer to online casino gambling as a “hidden epidemic”. The solutions proposed in order to reduce harm are e.g. limiting bets and banning credit cards.

New Zealand’s neighbor Australia has tried to regulate online gambling domestically by banning betting during live events and limiting access to online poker rooms and slots. Yet that’s led to rampant offshore gambling.