New Zealand limits online casino licenses and might ban child-targeted ads by 2026. In an effort to control the rapidly expanding industry, New Zealand announced on Wednesday a plan to restrict the number of licenses granted to online casino operators, mandate that they establish an age verification system, and outlaw child-targeted advertising.
According to Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden, the new regulatory system is anticipated to be implemented starting in early 2026 and would impose fines of up to NZ$5 million ($3 million) on offenders.
In a statement obtained by Reuters, Van Velden stated, “My goal is not to increase the amount of gambling that is happening online, but to enable New Zealanders who wish to play casino games online to do so more safely than they can today.”
“There are currently thousands of offshore gaming websites where New Zealanders can and do wager. My goal is to direct consumers to up to fifteen licensed businesses by implementing a regulatory framework.”
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In July, the government announced plans to establish online gambling licenses, mandate that operators only offer online casino games and not lottery or sports betting goods, and set a minimum user age of 18.
Since New Zealand does not currently regulate online casino gambling, consumer protection laws do not apply. According to research firm Statista, more consumers in New Zealand are choosing to gamble online because of the ease and accessibility of online platforms as well as the growing prevalence of smartphones. According to the report, revenue from these platforms may increase by almost 6% annually between 2024 and 2029.
According to Van Velden, more guidelines will be created based on the current gaming law to help establish criteria for consumer protection and advertising. New Zealand limits online casino licenses by next year, the government hopes to present the law to parliament.
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