• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday 9 May 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Editorial – New Zealand regulatory actions light the way

Ben Blaschke by Ben Blaschke
Sat 28 Dec 2024 at 16:21
Editorial – New Zealand regulatory actions light the way
30
SHARES
750
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

In the fast-paced world that is the Asian gaming industry, it’s easy to overlook the goings on of smaller jurisdictions such as New Zealand. But a couple of recent regulatory initiatives in the Land of the Long White Cloud have certainly caught my attention for the fact that they are bold and politically risky but also the right thing to do.

The first of these is the government’s decision to legalize and regulate online casino gaming.

In November, the nation’s Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden revealed that a new Online Gambling Bill to be drafted in the coming months will offer up to 15 licenses to online gaming operators with a view to minimizing the proliferation of illegal offshore gambling across the country.

“My goal is not to increase the amount of gambling that is happening online, but to enable New Zealanders who wish to play casino games online to do so more safely than they can today,” van Velden said.

“Currently, New Zealanders can and do gamble on thousands of offshore gambling websites.

By introducing a regulatory system my intention is to channel customers towards up to 15 licensed operators.”

Unsurprisingly the plan has its critics, but the fact is it represents a refreshingly honest recognition by the New Zealand government that simply banning gambling in any of its various forms does not make the “problem” go away. As I’ve said many times before, if people want to gamble, which many do, they will find a way.

Most impressive, however, is the fact that New Zealand’s stance in regulating online gambling is in stark contrast to the approach taken across the majority of the Asia-Pacific region, and most notably neighboring Australia, which should also consider regulation rather than prohibition but won’t for fear of the vocal anti-gambling brigade. Better to be seen as doing the right thing than to actually do the right thing.

But that’s not the only brave decision taken in Kiwi land. On 10 November, the New Zealand government announced it would ban greyhound racing due to ongoing animal welfare concerns. Specifically, racing minister Winston Peters said that although the greyhound racing industry had worked hard to make progress around animal welfare in recent years, the sheer number of animals continuing to suffer injuries had forced the government to make a call that was in the best interest of the animals.

Many will disagree with me here, but this is undeniably the right decision given all we’ve come to learn about what many of these poor racing dogs go through. I’m generally against prohibition, but I’m also an animal lover, and it’s about time we start considering more seriously the clear ethical issues that come with using any animals for sport.

It’s a message I expect will take a long time to be heard around the rest of Asia, but it’s great to see our friends in New Zealand taking it upon their shoulders to show the rest how it should be done.

Tags: Current IssueNew Zealand
Share12Share2
Ben Blaschke

Ben Blaschke

A former sports journalist in Sydney, Australia, Ben has been Managing Editor of Inside Asian Gaming since early 2016. He played a leading role in developing and launching IAG Breakfast Briefing in April 2017 and oversees as well as being a key contributor to all of IAG’s editorial pursuits.

Current Issue

Editorial – Knife’s edge

Editorial – Knife’s edge

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:14

Thailand’s Entertainment Complex journey is at a critical point, with the success or failure of the initiative to be determined...

The changing face of Macau

The changing face of Macau

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:09

Inside Asian Gaming takes a deep dive into the new, post-COVID Macau where a revenue environment that seems to be...

Born again

Born again

by Pierce Chan
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 14:47

Premiering in September 2010 at City of Dreams, The House of Dancing Water was a visionary creation by artistic maestro...

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

Richard Howarth – Testing the limits

by Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 13:17

Richard Howarth, Chief Business Officer APAC for global testing laboratory GLI, discusses his career journey and his passion for fast-paced...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
Nustar
Jumbo

Related Posts

Editorial – Knife’s edge

Editorial – Knife’s edge

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 15:14

Thailand’s Entertainment Complex journey is at a critical point, with the success or failure of the initiative to be determined by decisions made over the coming months. The common narrative now appears to be that legislation governing development of the...

A Baccarat perspective – Part 2

A Baccarat perspective – Part 2

by Ryan Hong-Wai Ho
Tue 29 Apr 2025 at 13:03

The first part of this series, published in the April issue of IAG, discussed the rise of baccarat in Macau’s gaming industry. Building on that discussion, Ryan Ho continues to examine the latest betting options shaping this iconic casino game....

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

by Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 23:04

After enjoying a post-COVID surge in gaming revenues at its licensed casinos, the Philippines has hit a rocky patch. In 2024, while the broader gaming industry enjoyed a significant boost thanks to the growth of the E-Games segment, gross gaming...

A baccarat perspective

A baccarat perspective

by Ryan Hong-Wai Ho
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:37

In the first of a two-part series, Ryan Ho explores how gaming innovations and market changes have shaped the prominence of baccarat in Macau’s gaming industry. Macau casinos have long been synonymous with baccarat. The evolution of Macau’s gaming industry...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English