Online Casino Gambling

21 August 2025 - GMANZ Submission – Online Casino Gambling Bill

The Gaming Machine Association of New Zealand (GMANZ) has submitted strong opposition to the Online Casino Gambling Bill, urging that online casino gambling be prohibited due to its high risk of harm, lack of community return, and potential for profits to flow offshore.

GMANZ supports the Bill’s enforcement powers but recommends they apply universally to all online casino activity.

If licences are granted, GMANZ proposes key safeguards: banning online gambling kiosks in public venues, mandating consultation with land-based providers on harm minimisation and advertising rules, reserving five licences for non-profit organisations, requiring operators to be New Zealand-based, and allocating licences on merit rather than auction.

GMANZ also advocates for a 40% community return from online profits, adjustments to the problem gambling levy, and an expanded definition of “money” to include cryptocurrency prizes.

Read more from the GMANZ Submission here

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7 July 2025 - GMANZ position paper - Online Gambling

In 2019, the Labour Government initiated a project aimed at regulating online gambling. Submissions were solicited from various Class 4 Sector members, and a summary of these submissions was published in 2020. However, no further advancements occurred before the conclusion of that government's term.

Read more from the GMANZ position paper here