The New Zealand government is actively promoting the legalization and regulatory system construction of online casinos, led by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), initiating the preliminary work for establishing a dedicated licensing system, and officially inviting online casino operators interested in entering the New Zealand market to register.
This licensing framework aims to integrate current active offshore gambling activities into the national regulatory system, creating a consumer protection-centered, transparent, and controllable online gambling environment. Trina Lowry, the director of the online gambling implementation project, stated that operators interested in applying should express their interest through the official website as soon as possible to facilitate early coordination with regulators, building a "clear, efficient, and supportive" regulatory mechanism.
The government has confirmed that future licenses will adopt a competitive approval mechanism, and applicants must meet strict regulatory standards and harm prevention principles to ensure player rights and public interest.
According to New Zealand's revised gambling harm prevention strategy, this policy will also include a series of new measures to strengthen the protection of vulnerable groups. Currently, as local laws have not yet opened online gambling services, the majority of New Zealand users are still registering and betting on offshore platforms.
The existing 2003 Gambling Act strictly prohibits local advertising of online casino services. If the new law is implemented, licensed platforms will be permitted to promote services compliantly within the country, a change that will completely transform the ecology of New Zealand's digital gambling market.
The government emphasizes that building a local licensing system will not only help provide a safer, more transparent gambling environment but will also promote responsible gambling and anti-money laundering compliance systems, bringing a win-win situation for users, the industry, and regulators.
