Gambling Law in New Zealand

The gambling law in New Zealand is divided into two main categories: local operators, and offshore online casinos. Local companies, whether land-based or online, must obtain permission under the Gambling Act 2003 to offer their services. Offshore operators, however, do not face these restrictions.

Gambling Classes Under the Gambling Act 2003

The Gambling Act 2003 categorizes gambling activities into four classes based on prize size and turnover.

Class 1

• Prizes and turnover do not exceed $500.
  
• Class 1 gambling may be conducted by either individuals or societies.
  
• Gambling conducted by individuals – all turnover of the gambling, less costs, must be applied to reward the winners of the gambling.
  
• Gambling conducted by a society – the net proceeds of the gambling must be applied to authorised purposes.
  
• No remuneration or commission is to be paid.
  
• If the gambling is conducted in sessions of more than one game, only one session may be played per day.

Class 2

• Prizes exceed $500 but do not exceed $5,000. The potential turnover of the gambling exceeds $500, but does not exceed $25,000.
  
• Only societies may conduct class 2 gambling, not individuals. Societies can be either corporate or unincorporated societies.
  
• Net proceeds of the gambling must be applied to authorised purposes.
  
• The Gambling Act 2003 sets out a number of point of sale requirements, amongst other matters, for the selling of tickets or entry forms when gambling is conducted at the class 2 level.
  
• Organisers conducting class 2 gambling should familiarise themselves with section 25 (requirements) of the Gambling Act 2003.
  
• No remuneration or commission is to be paid.

Class 3

• Prizes in the gambling activity, or in one session of the gambling, exceed $5,000.
  
• Licence needed from the Department of Internal Affairs.

Online Gambling in New Zealand

The Gambling Act 2003 treats online and land-based gambling as the same for local operators. At the time of writing, only SkyCity Casino holds a license to offer online gambling services to Kiwis.

Offshore online gambling

As mentioned earlier, offshore casinos do not face any legal restrictions under New Zealand’s current legal framework. This means online gambling sites located outside of the country are able to accept Kiwi players without any legal consequences.

This lack of regulation shows why it’s so important for platforms like DashTickets to promote fair and safe gambling—and show you the best, and most trusted sites to play at. If you’re looking for reputable online casinos accepting Kiwi players, make sure to check out our list of trusted online casinos for recommendations.

Conclusion

New Zealand gambling law—and understanding who it applies to—can be confusing at first. The laws create a clear divide between local and offshore operators, and while local companies must adhere to strict regulations, operators based outside of the country face no such restrictions, operating in, effectively, a legal grey area. For players, this means it’s hugely important to read trusted reviews and recommendations—like the ones you’ll find here at DashTickets—to find reputable online gambling sites to play at.