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Gambling

The Department of Internal Affairs casino and non-casino gambling services help keep gambling in New Zealand fair and honest. The Gambling Compliance Group audits and investigates non-casino gaming activities, licenses all non-casino gaming and issues certificates of approval for casino employees. The Casino Inspectorate regulates all casino gaming activities.

You can find out here about:

What's new

Integrated Gambling Platform
Gambits - July 2010 (Gambling Compliance newsletter)
Class 4 Venue Costs Schedule
Leniency and Cooperation Policy
Information on charitable purposes for operators and grant applicants
Vulnerabilities of Casinos and Gaming Sector Report


Overview

The community is our primary stakeholder group. Community interests include community groups for whom gambling raises funds, gamblers, and organizations that provide gambling services and research into the social effects of gambling.

The rules for gambling - the legislation and license conditions - focus on ensuring that the community benefits from the proceeds of gambling, and that the harm that gambling can cause is minimised. The primary piece of legislation that regulates gambling is the Gambling Act 2003.

The purpose of the Gambling Act is to:
  • control the growth of gambling
  • prevent and minimise the harm caused by gambling including problem gambling
  • authorise some gambling and prohibit the rest
  • facilitate responsible gambling
  • ensure the fairness and integrity of games
  • limit opportunities for crime and dishonesty associated with gambling
  • ensure that money from gambling benefits the community
  • facilitate community involvement in decisions about the provision of gambling.

The Department's Strategic Approach to Gambling

The following document is about how the Department is providing leadership and implementing a strategic approach to the regulation of gambling.


It covers where we want to be (the objectives that the Department seeks to achieve in its gambling regulatory activities); where we are now (what the gambling sector currently looks like and emerging risks and themes); how we will get where we want to be (the work we are undertaking to respond to emerging issues and enhance our strategic leadership role in relation to gambling regulation); and how far we have got (indicators of progress towards the goals).

Major work streams supporting our strategy are outlined in the main text of the document, and the appendix provides a summary of work currently underway or planned.

Regulatory Agency Roles

Several regulatory agencies are responsible for different aspects of the legislation. The primary agencies and responsibilities are:


The Department of Internal Affairs
  • Administers gambling legislation
  • Licenses gambling activities (except for casino gambling)
  • Ensures compliance with the legislation
  • Provides public information and education.
The Ministry of Health
  • Funds and co-ordinates problem gambling services
  • Is working through its Preventing and Minimising Gambling Harm, Three-year Service Plan 2007-2010
  • Is preparing for the development of new Strategic and Service Plans from 2010.
Website: www.moh.govt.nz/problemgambling

The Gambling Commission
  • Considers and determine applications for casino operators’ licenses and the renewal of casino venue licenses
  • Approves agreements and changes to agreements between casino operators and casino venue license holders
  • Considers and deals with complaints about the way the Department of Internal Affairs has handled complaints in relation to Class 4 gambling
  • Specifies, varies and revokes casino license conditions
  • Advises Ministers and facilitates consultation on the setting of the problem gambling levy
  • Considers and determines appeals against regulatory and licensing decisions made by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Website: www.gamblingcommission.govt.nz/gcwebsite.nsf


Current Law


Previous Law

  • Gaming and Lotteries Act 1977 and subsequent amendments
  • Gaming and Lotteries (Licence Fees) Regulations 1992
  • Gaming and Lotteries Prizes Notice 1993
  • Gaming and Lotteries (Problem Gambling Levy) Regulations 1998
  • Casino Control Act 1990 (and subsequent amendments)
  • Casino Control (Moratorium) Amendment Act 1997
  • Casino Control (Moratorium) Amendment Act 2000
  • Casino Control (Applications and Hours) Regulations 1991
  • Casino Control (Certificates of Approval and Warrants) Regulations 1994

More Information

More general information is available from the Fact Sheets (Gambling Act 2003) page.

For electronic (.pdf) versions of gambling licence applications and other gambling forms please go to our Forms page.


*This document is in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. You need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can download a free version from the Adobe site.

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Last updated: 05/07/2010