Online Casino Gambling
Overview
The New Zealand Government is introducing new legislation to regulate online casino gambling and create a safe, fair and well-controlled environment.
Online casino gambling isn’t new. Every day, New Zealanders use hundreds of overseas gambling websites. Regulating this sector will help protect consumers, reduce gambling harm, prevent crime and dishonesty, and make sure providers operating in New Zealand follow clear rules.
Online Casino Gambling overview
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is leading work to introduce the Online Casino Gambling regulatory system
The implementation process has two key streams running in parallel:
- Policy and legislation development, including consultation and regulations.
- Establishing DIA as the new regulator, including the first licensing process and compliance monitoring.
While the legislation is being developed, the Online Casino Gambling Implementation (OGI) team is planning how the new regulatory system will work in practice. They are working with international regulators and studying similar regulatory systems overseas to design a strong, enduring, and future-ready model. The OGI team is leading the implementation of the new regulatory system. This includes:
- Designing the licensing system: Establishing processes for operators to apply for and maintain a New Zealand online gambling licence.
- Building regulatory infrastructure: Developing the practices, tools and compliance frameworks to monitor licensed operators.
- Launching the licensing process: Opening expressions of interest, conducting an auction, and assessing applications.
- Enforcing compliance and consumer protections: Setting up mechanisms to monitor operator behaviour, handle complaints, and address non-compliance.
- Public education and awareness: Ensuring the public understands the risks associated with gambling and, for those who choose to gamble, the benefits of using licensed online casinos.
This approach will give effect to the legislative framework through an implementation process that produces effective consumer protection, responsible gambling and regulatory compliance.
Key announcements
The latest announcements about the introduction of online casino gambling regulation:
Community funding guaranteed as Online Gambling Bill moves forward | Beehive.govt.nz
Online Casino Gambling to fund local sports and community groups | Beehive.govt.nz
Bill to regulate online casino gambling introduced | Beehive.govt.nz
Online Casino Gambling Bill passes first reading | Beehive.govt.nz
Further decisions taken on regulating online casino gambling | Beehive.govt.nz
Regulating online casinos approach | Beehive.govt.nz
Our engagement approach
Our engagement approach is built on transparency and fairness. Following the Government’s decision to award licences through a competitive process, we are working to ensure our engagement maintains the integrity of this process while making it easy for you to understand what’s happening and how you can be involved.
Providing information to you
We will provide regular updates based on the principle of sharing the same information at the same time. Updates will be available through:
- this website
- email newsletter updates, which you can sign up to receive
- online webinars, advertised through our newsletter
We will maintain a record of all previous newsletters and resources, as well as official documents the Government has proactively released.
Resources for providers
Asking us questions
You can ask us a question through a dedicated form, and we will publicly answer it on our Q&A page. We are taking this approach so that information can be transparently accessed by everyone who is interested. Depending on volume, we aim to batch-publish answers to your questions every two weeks.
Ask us a question (Office Forms)
View public questions and answers
Stay informed
To stay informed, or to ask the Online Casino Gambling Implementation (OGI) team a question, visit:
Register your interest (Office Forms)
Ask us a question (Office Forms)
