According to the "Post", a new bill under consideration in the New Zealand Parliament has sparked widespread controversy. If passed, the bill would allow licensed online casinos to advertise in New Zealand, potentially triggering an aggressive promotional onslaught and a rise in social costs.
Martin Cheer, General Manager of the Pub Charity, warned at the Governance and Administration Select Committee hearing that the legislation would bring an "advertising tsunami," with free credits, push notifications, and other enticing methods likely to become rampant. "If you're already tired of the frequent Entain and TAB ads on your screen, get ready for an even more intense bombardment," he added, noting that while geoblocking can limit unauthorized sites, it is almost ineffective against users who intend to bypass restrictions.
Andree Froude, spokesperson for the Problem Gambling Foundation, also expressed concerns. She pointed out that the lack of a ban on "enticing promotions" is particularly dangerous, easily harming young or vulnerable groups. For example, a woman was once lured into betting by a reward of 1000 New Zealand dollars (about 592 US dollars), only to find that she had to meet a 40x betting requirement to withdraw.
According to the proposal, up to 15 licensed operators will be allowed to advertise and use geoblocking to block illegal platforms.
However, critics warn that the legalization of advertising will directly impact the revenue of physical gambling machines, thereby weakening funding for community sports and public services. Martin Snedden, a figure in the New Zealand sports community, is concerned that this will erode the funding sources for local sports leagues and community projects.
Meanwhile, some voices within the industry express support. TAB has already expressed its intention to enter the market and plans to continue its partnership with the British gambling company Entain. SGHC, an international operator based in Guernsey, also welcomes the legislation but suggests removing the license cap to expand market space.
Currently, the parliamentary committee is continuously listening to opinions from all sides, and there is still a huge divide over the pros and cons of the bill in society.
