Stay legal

Is it legal?

Legal gambling is a fun leisure pursuit and it draws many thousands of people every day. Some gambling activities are informal among friends, as it has been since the very beginning. A lot of it happens at special venues such as brick-and-mortar casinos, and increasingly people also look for legal gambling entertainment online.

But is it legit for Kiwis to gamble online? We know you want to have fun and the chance to win some real New Zealand dollars, but we also know you do not want to get involved with something that is not lawful. Fortunately, we can assure you that gambling online is indeed legal for individual New Zealanders. The only requirement is that you should play at legal online casinos that are registered outside of New Zealand. Below we explain more about:

• The laws that apply to gambling for New Zealand online players.
• What to look out for when wondering if a site is legit.
• Where you can find the best online casinos that welcome Kiwis.

The laws

Here is a summary of which laws apply to gambling in New Zealand:

• The Department of Internal Affairs administers the Gambling Act of 2003. This Act governs all kinds of gambling, including online gambling.
• The only other Act that also contains some references to online gambling is the Racing Act of 2003 that specifically looks at betting on horse races.
• The Gambling Act 2003 defines online gambling as ‘remote interactive gambling by a person at a distance by interaction through a communication device’. These devices include any device that people use to connect to the internet, such as computers, telephones, mobile devices, etc.
• The Gambling Act 2003 stipulates that nobody is allowed to operate an online casino from New Zealand. It is also prohibited to advertise online casinos (including foreign ones) in New Zealand.
• Although you may not legally operate an online casino in New Zealand, it is legal for individual Kiwis to gamble at online casinos based outside the country.

The implications of the law

Although it is legal for individual Kiwis to gamble at international online casinos, the legal situation also makes it difficult to know which sites are the best ones where there is fair play, where your money and personal data will be safe, and where you will also be able to have disputes resolved. Remember that New Zealand laws will not govern the sites where you play, even if they welcome Kiwi players – the laws of the country where the site is registered, will apply.

Here are some things to look out for when you choose an online gambling site:

• Ensure that it is registered with one of the international gambling organisations such as Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) or Technical Systems Testing (TST). Among others, eCOGRA and TST test the random numbers generators (RNGs) used by online casinos to run their games and this helps to ensure fair gameplay.
• Check to ensure that the site makes its full contact details available. Avoid sites that don’t.
• Check whether the sites make use of secure sockets layer (SSL) security encryption technology.

Our experts at gambling.co.nz examine each site we review in detail and our strict criteria will help you find reputable sites with fair policies, safe payment options. It will be perfectly legitimate for individual New Zealand players to gamble at any of the sites we recommend.

How we help

Because international online casinos are not regulated by New Zealand law, and because online casinos are not allowed to advertise in the country, it is also difficult for New Zealanders to know which online gambling sites are reputable and safe. So how should you go about finding the best, legal online casinos that welcome Kiwi players?

At gambling.co.nz we help you find answers to that question by using our experience of the online gambling industry: we extensively research many sites to find and recommend the top, trusted ones with the best features. All of them are protected with good site security and accredited with well-known international gambling bodies. We also check that their gameplay and bonus policies are fair. So rest assured, if you choose one of our recommended sites, you will know they are legally registered outside New Zealand, but will nevertheless cater for your needs and allow you to play in New Zealand dollars!