New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill continues to progress after successfully passing the Committee of the Whole House.The bill has now moved towards its third...
New Zealand’s iGaming bill passes first Parliament reading
A new bill, introduced by New Zealand’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, aimed at regulating online gambling, has passed first reading in the country’s Parliament.
Currently, online gambling in New Zealand takes place mostly on foreign sites. These sites don’t pay taxes in New Zealand, offer no player protections, and don’t contribute to problem gambling services. More than 80% of online casino-style play goes through these unregulated, illegal platforms.
Brooke van Velden stated:
“The most important part of this Bill is protecting New Zealanders who enjoy gambling online by introducing robust safety measures for licensed operators. Companies providing this service will contribute to tax revenue and funding the services that treat gambling harm in New Zealand.”
Recently, New Zealand proposed a 15-license model for online casinos, which would be awarded through a competitive process. Only companies that meet strict requirements, like protecting user data, verifying age, and limiting harm, can apply. Licensed operators would also have to pay 1.24% of their profits to New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Levy.
The bill also targets the advertising segment, hoping to protect children and vulnerable groups from being exposed to gambling messages. Companies that break the rules could face fines of up to $5 million NZD.
The Department of Internal Affairs of New Zealand has set out a new timeline to launch the iGaming licensing process from July 2026.The Online Casino Gambling Bill passed...
