New Zealand’s Online Casino Bill, which seeks to legalize and regulate online casino gaming, has passed its first reading in Parliament.
The government reiterated via a statement issued Tuesday that the bill is aimed at protecting the many players who gamble online by introducing safeguards to the currently unregulated online gambling market in New Zealand.
“Currently, New Zealanders can legally access thousands of offshore gambling websites. But the market is unregulated, so there are no player safety standards or oversight of harm minimization,” said Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden.
“My intention with this Bill is to ensure that online gambling is safer for New Zealanders who wish to gamble online to do so. In addition, that companies providing this service contribute to tax revenue and funding the services that treat gambling harm in New Zealand.”
The Online Casino Bill allows for up to 15 online gambling licences to be auctioned, with companies applying for a licence required to meet strict criteria, including having a harm prevention strategy in place and providing information on their compliance history.
The Department of Internal Affairs will enforce the new regulatory system, with all costs recovered from fees on licensed gambling companies. Fines of up to NZ$5 million can be applied to companies for breaking the rules, the government explained.
Other license conditions will include a suitable age verification system to prevent gambling by anyone under 18 years, a mandated contribution of 1.24% of profits to a Problem Gambling Levy used to fund problem gambling support services, and abiding by strict restrictions on advertising, including not advertising to children.
“The most important part of this Bill is protecting New Zealanders who enjoy gambling online by introducing robust safety measures for licensed operators,” van Velden stated.
“The Bill will now proceed to select committee, and I would encourage interested New Zealanders to have their say when public submissions open.”
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