New Zealand Expected to Regulate Online Gambling by 2026

According to several sources within New Zealand’s legislative branch, the country is on track to legalize and regulate online casino operations by 2026.

This would be a huge new step for fans of online casinos in New Zealand, allowing players access to local betting sites as well as offshore ones.

Current State of Online Gambling in New Zealand

Currently, all gambling activity in New Zealand is covered by the Gambling Act of 2023. Under this act, however, online gaming is placed in a sort of legal grey area, similarly to many other countries.

According to the act, online gambling is not strictly prohibited. Players are allowed to wager money online in most forms, and you can’t be legally liable for simply playing games or betting on sports.

However, actually running a casino or gambling operation within the country of New Zealand is not legal. This has relegated most of the local market to offshore companies. While international operations can be completely legitimate and secure, this kind of approach still leaves players exposed to potential abuse or unscrupulous actors. Moreover, protections and safety nets for responsible gambling are virtually non-existent, which is rarely seen as good policy.

The Proposed Licensing

Information about the new licensing laws has recently become available thanks to New Zealand’s Official Information Act. The available information highlights some details about the proposed legislation, as well as behind-the scenes influences from gambling industry giants.

Under the proposed framework, New Zealand plans to issue a limited number of operator licenses, ensuring only approved platforms can legally offer services to their players.

The new legislation will also introduce stricter regulations on iGaming advertising. Namely, the legislation will particularly target misleading promotions and efforts aimed at minors.

All of this sounds like a welcome change, especially considering New Zealand is one of the few developed countries that still lacks any sort of online gambling laws. However, the Information Act also reveals that major players in the industry are actively trying to influence decision-making. For example, letters to legislators have revealed companies like Sky City are hoping to limit the number of licensees to just 5 instead of the proposed 15, which would likely leave the market dominated by a small number of big brands.

The government is aiming to implement the legal framework as early as April 2025. This would allow the licensing process to begin as early as 2026, fast-tracking New Zealanders’ access to legal online betting sites.