The Gambling Age in New Zealand!

Gambling Age in New Zealand

Quite early in New Zealand, unlike in other countries, a law regulating gambling was passed. Starting in 2003, land-based casinos were fully allowed and online casinos were clearly regulated. In this young country, many people are into gambling.

Moreover, according to the latest data, more than 80% of the population is involved in some form of gambling. Especially often, of course, the Kiwis like to bet on sports. This is one of the most favorite activities among the local population in the gambling age in New Zealand.

The most frequent bets here are on horse racing, classic sports, and local sports. Nevertheless, New Zealanders love to win so much that they even bet on exotic types of horse racing, such as guinea pig races and crab races. As for the online industry, only sports betting is legal here; everything else is considered illegal.

But such rules apply only to local companies. Namely, any companies with a license from offshore regulatory zones, such as Curacao, have the right to operate on the territory of the country. At the moment there are about a dozen land-based casinos and a huge number of slot machines, which locals call pokies. In this country pokies are officially considered legal, and this type of slot machine can be found almost everywhere, even in a store.

But recently, more and more Kiwis prefer to gamble online, particularly with mobile gadgets

Legalization of Gambling in New Zealand

When in the first half of the 20th century there was still controversy and doubt about the gambling industry in many other countries, by this time New Zealand already had clear rules and regulations in place. From the 1830s onwards, gambling was virtually prohibited in New Zealand.

But already at the turn of the century New Zealanders witnessed the adoption of another regulatory law. So in 1908 the Gambling Act was still restricting gambling, but it allowed betting on the most popular sporting events such as horse racing. Later in the 20th century, the government tightened the law several times, reducing the prohibitions to just a few betting options on horse racing. Nevertheless, the law was also frequently revised.

As a result of these misadventures, slot machines and lotteries were legalized, and by the late 1961s, land-based casinos were allowed. A special oversight body, the Totalizator Agency Board (TAB), was organized under the government in 2003 and still deals with licensing, safety, standards and fairness. However, there are still questions regarding online gambling.

First of all, under New Zealand law regarding online betting, with the exception of sports betting, any online gambling platform located in New Zealand is considered a criminal offense under the law. However, this does not apply to foreign companies that are licensed by offshore supervisory authorities such as Curacao, Malta and Gibraltar.

Kiwis can play at online casinos without worrying about the law, but the responsibility for the integrity of the online casino then lies entirely with the player. That’s why in this article you will find verified online casinos in New Zealand where you can safely and legally play for real money.

What are the most popular online pokies in New Zealand?

There are statistics proving that New Zealanders like to play online pokies the most. Visit online casino real money to find the best online casinos in New Zealand that offer great games from the world’s top providers. Below you will find examples of these games, choose yours!

Mega Moolah

Microgaming’s most popular release. Since 2006, it has been the main choice of Kiwi. This progressive slot is based on a grid with 5 reels, 3 rows and 25 fixed paylines. Its RTP ratio is 88.12% and volatility is medium to high. Mega Moolah has 25 winning bet lines, with a minimum coin size of NZ$0.25 per bet and a maximum of NZ$6.35 per bet. Players can enjoy the hot and dry tropical African savannah theme and activate several features such as free spins and a jackpot bonus game.

Immortal Romance

Another popular release from Microgaming, revolving around a vampire fantasy set in a spooky castle. The five-reel online slot has 243 paylines, medium variance and an RTP of 96.86%. The minimum bet that players can place per line is NZ$0.30 and the maximum is NZ$30. Immortal Romance can be played on most New Zealand slot machine sites and has a free spins bonus round, but there is no jackpot in this game.

Book of Ra

This online pokie game was launched by Novomatic in 2005 and focuses on the ubiquitous theme of Ancient Egypt. With 9 paylines, 5 reels and 3 rows, this slot machine is the perfect choice for beginners. Its RTP is 96% and it has a high volatility range.

You can get the highest payout by playing this game at a bet of 25,000 times, and the minimum bet per line is NZ$0.01 and the maximum is NZ$5. Book of Ra offers an exciting free spins bonus round that you can activate, as well as a “Gamble” feature that lets you choose whether you keep your winnings or “gamble” at the risk of losing them, but also with the benefit of doubling them.

Starburst 

Numerous Starburst slot machines are widely known in New Zealand online casinos. It is a release by NetEnt that was introduced to the industry in 2012. The feature of this slot with 5 reels and 10 paylines is the amazing Starburst Wild symbol, and the maximum payout is 250 times your bet of up to NZ$5,000. Its volatility is low and the RTP is 96.09%.

Gonzo’s Quest

Featuring one of the most popular New Zealand slots found in most online casinos nz, this online poker game from NetEnt is one of the most popular New Zealand slots. Players, along with Gonzalo, try to find the lost city of El Dorado with an Incan temple in the background. With an RTP of 96%, the game has 20 paylines and several bonus features, including free spins.

Popular sites where you can play safely

Many players are faced with the problem of choice in today’s reality. It is difficult to understand on which site it is better to register without fear of data leakage and without worrying about payouts of winnings. Exactly such online casinos NZ presented in this article.

At the same time here you will find both classic games and hotly-loved online pokies. Every casino online NZ – there are good bonuses, a loyalty system and a wide range of payment methods.

  • Joo Casino. Having entered the Kiwi gambling market in 2018, Joo Casino is one of the most trusted online casino sites in New Zealand. Over the past years, thousands of loyal Kiwis have received their winnings and have marked this casino as one of the most honest and trustworthy. A license from the Electronic Gaming Authority of Curacao only confirms this.
  • Tangiers Casino. Since 2016, Tangiers Casino is a prestigious company with a history and a high-profile name that has been serving Kiwi players for years without a single payout complaint. Huge welcome bonus of up to 750% and $7,500 NZ$ for new players. This is one of the biggest welcome bonuses among many NZ online casinos. 
  • N1 Casino. This casino launched its website in 2017 and has been at the top of the best nz casinos online ever since. It is licensed by the Malta Gambling Authority. Of the more than 2,000 games on the site, you’ll find well-known and popular games as well as novelties and classics. 
  • Rocket Casino.This site hasn’t been on the New Zealand online casino market very long and was launched in 2020. However, its owner and operator is Hollycorn NV, a fairly well-known brand in the global industry, and its security is guaranteed by a license issued by Curacao.
  • Hell Spin Casino.Kiwi players can use Hell Spin Casino starting in March 2022. Although it’s a fairly new online casino among all in New Zealand, it’s important to note that TechOptions Group BV owns and operates the site. In fact, it is a major global brand in the gambling industry. 

Do not forget to play responsibly and carefully read the terms of deposit and promotions on the casino website in the gambling age in New Zealand.

Gambling age in New Zealand article and permission to publish here provided by Ann Miller. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on December 16, 2022.