New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill passes third reading, ready for Royal assent

New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Bill has passed its third and final reading, the country’s Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden confirmed Thursday.

In an official statement, van Velden said the new regulatory regime aims to strengthen consumer protections and ensure that a share of online casino gambling revenue goes back to communities across the country.

“The Bill also supports the coalition agreement by closing the gambling tax loophole and requiring licensed online casino operators to pay tax, just like any other business operating in New Zealand,” van Velden explained.

“Under the new framework, up to 15 licences will be available through a competitive process. Licensed operators will be required to exclude problem gamblers and meet strict harm prevention and consumer protection requirements.

“The Department of Internal Affairs will regulate the sector using strengthened enforcement tools, including take-down notices, formal warnings, enforceable undertakings, and penalties of up to NZ$5 million for serious or persistent breaches.

“These tools will ensure that New Zealand law applies to all online casino gambling available in New Zealand, regardless of where operators are located, closing off avenues for avoidance and strengthening the regulator’s ability to monitor and enforce compliance by international operators.

“Submissions on this Bill made it clear that New Zealanders also want the benefits from the online casino gambling to flow back to local sports clubs, community groups, and grassroots organisations. This Bill delivers on that expectation.”

Having passed the third reading, the Bill will now proceed to Royal assent.

The government added that supporting regulations that cover advertising, harm minimization and prevention, consumer protection, and cost recovery fees and levies are intended to be established later this year to implement the licensing system.

The head of New Zealand’s gaming regulator, Paul James, stated during a recent Keynote Address at the Regulating the Game conference in Sydney that the move to regulate online casinos is not about introducing online gambling to New Zealanders but channeling a market that already exists towards safe, licensed sites.