Online gambling has always been a business.
Operators from various countries may indeed be found in the market. And even though they may seem fairly similar upon this surface, the regulations and laws that govern these operators differ substantially.
Many more are trying to take advantage of the emerging sector, but it is crucial to grasp the rules in this new industrial arena. There are some rules and regulations that govern online casinos in New Zealand that we will cover in this article.
In New Zealand, is Online Casino Allowable?
Yes, as the Gambling Act of 2003 and its subsequent revisions control all New Zealand gambling. People must be at least 18 years old to participate in the lottery, buy scratch cards, sports betting, and horse races in New Zealand, and at least 20 years old to join a land-based casino there.
Gambling activities that fall outside of the authority of the Gambling Act 2003 remain illegal. New Zealanders may play at online casinos, gambling sites, and sportsbooks offered by companies based in other countries without running afoul of any local regulations.
Instead, certain New Zealanders are prohibited from using domestic internet gambling providers other than the Lottery and TAB. Practically all of New Zealand’s gambling regulations are aimed at policing and penalizing the businesses that run the establishments, not the people who gamble in New Zealand. As a result, the laws are tight yet not restrictive to the end-users.
The Gambling Act 2003
The Gambling Act 2003 is a critical component of New Zealand’s gambling regulatory framework. With the Gambling Act of 2003, all gambling laws and regulations were brought together in one place for the first time. In 2003, the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1988 and the Casino Control Act 1990 were combined into one single law. Racing, which is still governed mainly by the Racing Act 2003 with certain exceptions, is the sole remaining portion.
Rather than focusing on the negative aspects of gambling, New Zealand’s Gambling Act 2003 was initially designed to concentrate on the positive aspects of gambling for something like the nation and its citizens.
A few other gambling amendment acts were introduced after 2003 but only amended the minor aspects of gambling law, while this Gambling Act 2003 stayed unchanged in all of its provisions.
Variety of Legal Online Casino Options
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Lottery Commission, which has been allowed to conduct online lottery sales since 2008, is the only New Zealand-licensed provider of online casinos and gambling sites. TAB is also allowed to provide online horse betting via its website.
Only these two companies are permitted to provide internet gaming to New Zealanders. Otherwise, New Zealand’s online gambling legal and laws prohibit the use of local online gambling platforms for remote interactive gambling purposes. If it’s only available online, it’s impossible to provide live sports betting, online casino games, mobile pokies, housie, or poker.
Despite this, New Zealand citizens are not prohibited from accessing offshore online casinos since there is no specific legislation forbidding their access. In truth, New Zealand fully welcomes offshore gambling, although the country has strict anti-advertising rules for venues that provide overseas services.
As a result of the New Zealand government’s crackdown on offshore operators advertising in New Zealand, individuals who do so will risk fines of up to $10,000 per infraction. While Kiwis are free to find and use overseas online gambling sites on their own, neither the operator nor the player faces any penalties.
Implications of the Gambling Sector in New Zealand
State-owned institutions run the majority of New Zealand’s gambling sector. These New Zealand online casino organizations are expected to return a part of their income to the community in some manner.
New Zealand’s gaming establishments may contribute directly to social development, community engagement, and health and wellness initiatives by making this donation to the local community. One way to prevent and control the societal repercussions of gambling is by using revenues to educate others on the subject.
How Gambling Tax Winnings Works in New Zealand
Gambling in New Zealand is seen as a fun pastime rather than a source of additional revenue. So the topic we want to unpack is how are online gambling winnings taxed in New Zealand. Firstly, all New Zealanders’ winnings from real money online casinos and sportsbooks for sports betting are tax-free, even if they were obtained in countries outside of New Zealand.
For professional poker players whose wins (which must be significant to qualify for this exemption) constitute their single or predominant source of income, an exception is provided to this general rule of thumb. This means that the winnings collected are subject to tax.
Unless they fall within this group, Kiwis don’t have to bother about such compliance. Tax experts in your region could indeed answer any queries you may have.
Safeguards in Place To Keep Gamers Secure
Kiwis are protected under the law since online casino gambling is only lawful if the site is hosted outside of New Zealand’s jurisdiction. All online casinos must follow the same set of unambiguous guidelines to ensure the safety of their customers.
A regulator controls the licensing of the hosting company to ensure the safety of online gamers when they play online casino games. The licensing regulator’s job is to look into any problems that may arise for online gamblers.
Such an online casino operator can lose their gaming licenses forever, as well as face other litigation in the future. Because no regulation can protect gamers if they do not play online gambling games properly, gamers must always participate for enjoyment and play responsibly.
Final Thought
It’s a bit unclear where New Zealand’s internet gaming market is at the moment. Many New Zealanders continue to play on offshore platforms despite the government issuing licenses for operators.
For the time being, people can only speculate how this will evolve over time. New Zealand’s online gambling and casino sites sector is likely to be more heavily regulated in the future, given current trends in the gaming industry.
