Problem Gambling Foundation Says Offshore Sites Flout NZ Ad Laws
The Problem Gambling Foundation says overseas gambling operators have treated New Zealand's advertising rules as optional for years, and it wants tougher enforcement as the country prepares to license online casinos.
Advocacy director Andree Froude made the case on RNZ's Morning Report on October 19, 2026, according to RNZ's report.
She said offshore sites were using social media, inducements, influencers and even tagging on buildings and walls to promote themselves to New Zealanders.
What Was Reported
RNZ said a former problem gambler told it on Friday, October 16, that regulators needed sharper teeth because advertising for illegal online casinos kept reaching the phones of people in recovery.
Others described being offered bonus cash to tempt them back after a couple of days without betting, and receiving large volumes of gambling advertising after searching for a gambling harm organisation, despite never having used any betting sites.
Froude also said the advertising rules were confusing because different laws cover different products.
Online casinos that are about to be licensed will face their own advertising rules once licensed, she said, while TAB and Lotto face few or no rules of their own and fall under the Advertising Standards Authority.
What The Law Says Today
Section 16 of the Gambling Act 2003 prohibits publishing an overseas gambling advertisement in New Zealand.
The offence carries a fine of up to NZ$10,000 on conviction. Health messages, harm-prevention advertising, and ads in which gambling promotion is only incidental are exempt.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) says on its online casino provider page that online casino gambling advertising is currently prohibited and that providers must not advertise to New Zealand customers.
It adds that a provider's compliance history may be taken into account in the licensing process.
Enforcement And The Licensing Process
Froude argued that a large penalty is only numbers on paper without enforcement.
She said the DIA must be resourced to monitor operators, that serious breaches should go to court and that anyone who breaks the rules should be penalised from the outset, including during licensing.
The DIA announced on October 13 that 11 entities won the right to apply for the 15 online casino licences, with the auction closing at NZ$15 million per licence.
Providers that have not applied by December 1, 2026, must stop operating in New Zealand, while applicants may continue operating without advertising until a decision is made.
In a statement to RNZ, Entain, which runs TAB and Betcha, said it operates under strict rules and invests in safer gambling tools and age controls.
What Players Should Know
The DIA says the brands that may ultimately operate under a licence have not yet been published.
Approved brands will appear on a public register maintained by the DIA once a licence has been granted, giving players a single place to check whether a site is licensed.
Until then, the DIA's rules mean any online casino advertising aimed at New Zealanders is unlawful.
The next signposts are the opening of licence applications and the December 1 deadline for unlicensed providers to exit.
