Industry Research – New Zealand

Holding poker games, poker tournaments, or poker evenings is legal in New Zealand, but depending upon the nature of the event there will be some restrictions on the way it is conducted. Poker is regulated according to the provisions of the Gambling Act 2003. (Gambling Act 2003, which was passed in September 2003)

Yes, it is legal to play online poker in New Zealand. You can download the software and play poker 24/7 in your living room. So for those of you playing Poker Online, it is 100% legal to do so. You just aren't allowed to promote it or advertise it. Organizing, promoting, managing or conducting online casinos in New Zealand is illegal. Even if its computers are based offshore, any companies or franchise-holders active in New Zealand are subject to New Zealand law and could be investigated.

The Gambling Act does not allow for any more casinos and stops the six existing ones expanding their operations. The act also allows interactive gambling by internet, cell phone and television, but only through the Lotteries Commission and the TAB. New Zealanders will be able to bet on overseas websites.

However, there are exemptions in that sales promotions in the form of a lottery and conducted in New Zealand are excluded from the ban on remote interactive gambling, and the Lotteries Commission and the Racing Board can conduct approved forms of remote interactive gambling

However, It is not illegal for someone in New Zealand to participate in internet gambling if the website is overseas (Department of Internal Affairs, 2003b).

Advertising overseas gambling is prohibited under section 16 of the Gambling Act 2003. An overseas gambling advertisement is any communication that publicizes or promotes gambling, or a gambling operator, when that gambling, or operator, is outside New Zealand. It is also any communication that is reasonably likely to induce people to gamble outside New Zealand. Section 16 makes this an offence under the Gambling Act 2003 and carries a fine of up to $10,000.

There are some exceptions to this rule including:

• When the promotion of the gambling or the gambling operator is merely incidental to the purpose of the communication, for example, a tourism advertisement that mentions a casino in a city.
• Advertisements intended for the promotion of gambling equipment intended only for buyers of gambling equipment.
• Advertisements or messages intended to prevent, minimize or treat harm including health messages concerning gambling.

There are 5 cities in New Zealand which have 6 legal gambling facilities available. The largest casino in the country of New Zealand is Sky City Casino-Auckland which is located in City Casino-Auckland. In New Zealand, there 24500 legal poker machines – one machine for 118 people.

About 60 per cent of the $2 billion lost annually by New Zealanders through gambling was on poker machines. The main contributor to this rapid increase in expenditure has
undoubtedly been the rise in availability of electronic gambling machines (EGMs). These were first introduced legally into the country in 1991.

They quickly became a common fixture in locations with liquor licenses, in particular, bars, clubs, and societies. In the first year they accounted for about 19 percent of the total gambling spend. By 2003 this spend had increased eightfold to comprise just over half of all gambling expenditure, more if you combine this with losses from EGMs in casinos (Department of Internal Affairs, 2003). These increases were similar in the six casinos but were not reflected in horse or lottery betting, which remained relatively stable over the period.

• Many clubs have introduced machines as a form of fundraising for the group’s activities. (i.e. charities, sports and the arts, and the community in general). 

Whilst there are many variants of Poker, the top played variants in New Zealand are as follows: Texas hold’em poker, Omaha hold'em , Omaha high/low , 5 card draw , 7 card stud .

For the past seven years Christchurch Casino has hosted the New Zealand PokerChampionships, bringing in some of the best players from around the world and New Zealand to compete against each other.

The New Zealand gambling industry pays over $300 million in gaming duty to the government as well as GST
Charitable gaming trusts distribute more than $300 million in grants to community groups every year

• (Example:--Grants from the revenues are sent to Barnardos, the Special Olympics, Outward Bound, Burwood Hospital and various museums.)

The number of people seeking help for gambling problems fell 20% in 2005 and the trend is continuing in 2006 – showing that gambling industry harm minimization activities are having a positive effect.