Currently, New Zealand has an appreciated and thriving gambling industry. It is one of the country’s greatest attractions and forms of entertainment. Reports estimate that 80% of New Zealanders gamble in some way. In fact, 4 out of 5 Kiwis have played online casinos. Interestingly, domestic online gambling is illegal in New Zealand. The only authorized providers in New Zealand are Lotto NZ and the TAB. But Kiwis can still place their bets online through offshore websites. That means NZ’s Department of Internal Affairs cannot monitor and regulate most of the online gambling happening in the country. As a consequence, considering most of New Zealand’s online gambling activities are unregulated, there’s a yearly loss estimated on USD 140 million. Let’s take a deeper look at some numbers.
STATS AND REGULATION
In 2023, New Zealand’s online gambling market reached USD 1.1 billion in revenue. For this year 2024, Statista -a global data and business intelligence platform- is projecting revenues for USD 1.25 billion. When considering the future, revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 5.58%, resulting in an estimated market volume of USD 1.64 billion by 2029.
About legal environment, offshore online casino gambling services currently benefit from a loophole where they are not required to register their earnings in New Zealand for tax purposes. Where domestic casino operators are obliged to pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 15%, company tax and other levies, offshore operators serving New Zealand customers are able to dodge these duties.
To solve this issue, New Zealand announced it will launch an online casino licensing regime by 2026. Government will establish a regulatory regime for online casino gambling to ensure offshore operators pay their fair share; and to require online casino gambling operators to register and report their earnings for tax purposes, with IP ‘geo-blocking’ of services that do not comply with the New Zealand licensing regime. National’s tax policy document forecasts that the online casino gambling tax will raise NZ$179 million (USD 108 million) on average per year.
The country’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, said: “Licensing is how we regulate most forms of gambling domestically. The move will make it illegal for unlicensed entities to operate within New Zealand, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to online gambling.”
Moreover, local Government, led by the National Party, plans to issue a limited number of licences through an auction, which will be valid for three years contingent on continuous compliance with regulatory standards. The minimum age for participating in online gambling will be set at 18. The licensing will strictly cover online casino gaming, excluding sports betting and lottery offerings. Licensed operators will be allowed to engage in advertising, which is currently banned in the country, though strict restrictions will remain in place. Sports sponsorships by online casinos will remain prohibited. The new regulatory system will be operational by early 2026.
POKIES BOOM IN NEW ZEALAND
In terms of the most attractive games for Kiwis, pokies are one of the most popular games online. They offer everything from bonus rounds to wild symbols and multipliers. Some of the most popular games include 3D pokies, video pokies, and jackpot pokies. These games are extremely easy to play and require no expertise to win.
There are many reasons why Kiwis love online pokies. In 2024, real money pokie sites are the most popular option. The gameplay is simple, the bonuses are attractive, and casinos make them their main option. It is estimated that 9 out 10 New Zealand bettors play slots at least one in every online casino session. This means that investing in and maintaining the slots’ quality is a main priority of industry companies.
Online pokies come in such a wide range of themes and styles. There is really a game that fits every casino player. They can choose among a thousand different kinds of pokies. These games have basic rules and beautiful graphics. Some even feature captivating characters.
Playing online pokies can be a fun experience! Exploring the world of online pokies becomes even more exciting when you discover the variety offered by other top-rated online casinos in New Zealand. These platforms feature an extensive range of slot games, from classic single line slots to innovative ones offering over 117,000 ways to win. Players can enjoy a plethora of bonuses, multipliers, and diverse progressive jackpots.
HOW TO PLAY POKIES
Since pokies are based on simple rules, playing them is very easy. Pokies vary regarding bonus features, theme, payout structure, and number of paylines, but the basic rules that govern them are the same. To start playing a pokie, players have to first place a bet. To do this, they must choose a coin value from the given coin value range and the number of coins they would like to bet. Some pokies also require players to activate the number of paylines they would like to play.
The next step is to hit the Spin option to set the reels spinning. If players do not like to do this manually, they can select the autoplay option, which allows players to spin the reels automatically for a particular number of spins or till the desired amount is won. If a winning combination of symbols is displayed when the reels come to a stop, players can collect payouts according to the pay table displayed on the screen. To view this pay table, players may have to click on the Game Rules or Game Info tab. In case of bonus pokies, a particular combination may activate the free spins feature or a bonus game round. If players activate a bonus feature, they will be returned to the base game only after they play the bonus feature.
Some pokies come with progressive jackpots or jackpots that keep increasing in size till a lucky player wins it. Sometimes, this jackpot gets activated at random at the end of every paid spin irrespective of the size of players’ initial bet. However, in case of most pokies, players will have to bet maximum in order to qualify for the progressive jackpot.
MARKET EXPANSION
The combination of this pokies’ fascination and the new licensing rules assures a very optimistic landscape for online gaming in New Zealand. 2024–2030 is the period in which the New Zealand gaming market will see favorable changes. Fast-flux technology, rapid consumer behavior, and modern regulatory frameworks set the convergent trend that will ensure strong growth and new innovations in the New Zealand gaming industry. With increased economic stability and rising disposable incomes in the country, more and more people can afford spending on entertainment, including gaming.
The New Zealand iGaming market will grow continuously from 2024 to 2030, driven by improvements in technology, an increase in the gamer population, and new gaming platforms. The market is at the threshold of expansion and transformation. Improvement in technology allied to increased disposable income and a fast-growing number of gamblers will ensure that the industry stands on sound ground. Major success for the industry shall lie in how efficiently it is able to grapple with issues such as regulatory modifications, cybersecurity, and competitive marketing. Only by embracing new trends and staying focused on innovation is the iGaming market of New Zealand able to record phenomenal progress, finally joining the global gaming industry as a principal player by 2030.