What Age Can You Go To A Casino In New Zealand?

Written by Sophia Novakivska |
Reviewed by Mark Dash
May 22, 2024
2786 Views
what age can you go to a casino

Visiting an online casino may be the most awaited event in someone’s life. However, you need to be of legal age to play for real money. The rules for attending offline and online casinos differ in NZ. So, I am dedicated to finding out the legal age and the requirements local gambling establishments set for visitors. 

Brick and Mortar Casinos

If you want to head to a casino in New Zealand, the legal entry age is 20 years. This applies to all casinos throughout the country. If you are under the age of 20 and wish to participate in the lottery or sports betting, the legal age is only 18 years of age. There is a strict verification process for everyone wishing to enter a casino in New Zealand. Players will need to provide ID documents. This could be either a passport or a driver’s license. Failure to show either of these as your ID will result in a denial of entry to the premises. 

Online Casino 

For those wanting to enter an online casino, the age permitted is 18. The Gambling Act 2003 regulates the rules and laws within the online casino industry in New Zealand. It is actually illegal to open an online casino in the country. There is no law preventing casino enthusiasts from NZ from registering with an online casino abroad as long as the casino site holds a license and is regulated by a legal body. All the newest and freshest casinos in New Zealand are opening overseas and accepting Kiwi players because the land-based market is already made up of old brands and new casinos are not opening.

If you are keen on enjoying an online casino and are from New Zealand, you should check overseas online casinos. You are able to check if the platform holds a license by scrolling to the bottom of the homepage. There are multiple casino licenses that are reputable within the industry including, Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission, Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Curacao Gaming Authority. All of these regulators allow players to enjoy their sites from the age of 18. 

Casino age NZ is strictly regulated by law and carries fines of up to NZ$5,000.

Under Age Gambling

This is a serious offense in New Zealand and can result in legal issues for the individual and the casino operator. Anyone trying to gain access to a casino who is under the age of 20 years of age will face fines or other penalties. If any casino operator is found to have allowed underage gamblers on to their premises, they could face fines, a license suspension, or other sanctions. 

In order to try and prevent underage gambling in New Zealand, casinos implement various responsible gambling practices. These include:

  • Staff who are trained to spot underage gamblers and intervene when necessary
  • Age verification measures such as showing ID on entry
  • Responsible gambling programs like support for players who are vulnerable, information on self-exclusion programs, and gambling addiction helplines. 

All of these responsible gambling practices help prevent the urge to gamble underage. New Zealand is a country that takes gambling seriously; it has various techniques in place to assist with gambling-related issues. 

Written by
Sophia Novakivska
10 years experience Pokies & Live Games Specialist

Sophia Novakivska has 10 years of experience in online gambling. For the past decade, Kyiv-trained linguist Sophia Novakivska has analysed everything from slot algorithms to live-dealer probabilities. Her bylines appear on Better Collective, AskGamblers and Gambling.com, and she specialises in NZ bonus clauses, slot maths and live-game odds. Sophia’s credentials include GLI University’s iGaming testing & compliance course (2020) and UKGC-approved Responsible Gambling certification (2022).

Expert on: slots online pokies casino bonuses

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Reviewed by
Mark Dash
16 years experience Founder & Lead Statistician

A former professional poker player turned data guru, Mark Dash has devoted the past 16 years to decoding the numbers behind New Zealand’s online-casino scene. A PGDipJ graduate of Massey University, he now heads our analytics team, where he rates NZ casino sites, audits bonus conditions and models RTP performance. Mark’s expertise is reinforced by advanced training in gambling statistics and responsible-gaming practices.

Expert on: poker RTP statistics responsible gaming

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