When we think of the gambling industry, New Zealand might not be the first place that springs to mind. Gambling meccas such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Macau are more obvious points of reference, while the online industry is dominated by players in the UK, Canada and Australia.
Nonetheless, more and more Kiwis are turning to online casinos to satiate their appetite for betting these days. There are a whole host of reasons why this is, each of which we’ll investigate in greater detail in the article below.
Accessibility
Even though the majority of New Zealanders live in urban environments (just 14% live in rural locations), the population density of the country is still relatively low. Given that there are just seven land-based casinos in the country, this means many people would have to travel a long way to their nearest gambling establishment. However, online gambling makes the pastime accessible to all, regardless of where they live.
Legal loophole
Outside of those seven aforementioned casinos in New Zealand, online gambling is not permitted in the country – if the operator in question is based within its borders. However, the government has deliberately omitted mention of overseas gambling firms, meaning that those who like to place a bet online can do so legally as long as they do not engage with a New Zealand-based company.
Competition
This loophole has allowed an abundance of foreign gambling platforms to gain a foothold in the New Zealand market. Indeed, you only need to visit a comparison site like GambleOnline NZ, which weighs up the various merits of individual operators, to see the breadth and depth of choice available to the consumer today. That stiff competition can only be good news for punters, since each site aims to entice them with ever more lucrative promos and offers.
Advertising
There are strict regulations surrounding the marketing of gambling firms in New Zealand and unlike the English Premier League, no Kiwi football teams have gambling sponsors at the present time. However, that’s not the case when it comes to rugby. The All Blacks national team is sponsored by TAB, who also sponsors the New Zealand Warriors (the only NZ team to play in the Aussie-dominated National Rugby League). And this visibility helps drive demand.
Covid-19
Last but certainly not least, the impact of coronavirus cannot be ignored. While many industries suffered from the upheaval caused by New Zealand’s strict lockdown measures (including the land-based gambling sector, which saw casinos like SkyCity’s Adelaide establishment close its doors in July 2021), the online gambling industry has gone from strength to strength. People may be cautious about venturing into a crowded casino, but they still want to place a bet or spin the roulette wheel – so they’re turning to online operators in bigger and bigger droves.

There are a wide variety of reasons why online gambling is on the up in New Zealand. To find out exactly what all the fuss is about, there’s only one thing for it… trying it out for yourself.