New Zealand
As all NZ sports betting enthusiasts can freely and legally access any online sportsbook app or site operating overseas, it's crucial to note that only ones with proper offshore licenses are trustworthy. So, if you are looking for a new platform to place some real money wagers, you've come to the right place.
🇳🇿 Legal sports betting apps in New Zealand:
Online sports betting in NZ - Tons of offshore sportsbooks up for grabs
Kiwis have been betting on sports for decades, but the country's gambling laws are undeniably comprehensive. When the British settled in New Zealand, they brought their love for playing cards and betting on horse races. In 1835, NZ gamblers placed the first bets on horse races at the famous Bay Islands, where the soldiers, who used their workhorses for races, held the earliest horse races in the country. However, at this time, gambling was still illegal within the country.
In 1908, New Zealand legalized sports betting through the Gambling Act, permitting only horse racing wagers at race tracks, facilitating the convergence of British and indigenous New Zealand customs in sports betting. Despite restrictions, horse racing's immense popularity in sports prompts individuals to circumvent the law by placing bets through bookies, who, despite being prohibited at race tracks, establish covert operations, leading to a booming black betting market in the country.
Over time, the country realized it had lost quite a lot in revenue, and it did not take long before the government legalized the same to rake in earnings. In 1951, the government created the first Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) to regulate the industry, which was initially government-owned but later privatized. TAB's inception curtailed the influence of these illegal bookies in New Zealand.
In the 1990s, legal changes in New Zealand allowed for the opening of the first retail casinos, and the gambling landscape expanded even further as TAB started to offer fixed odds and sports betting in 1996.
TAB still has a monopoly regarding NZ's sports betting and gambling landscape, meaning the country has no other state-regulated sports betting apps. However, Kiwi bettors can place wagers online through hundreds of offshore sportsbooks, as offshore wagering is entirely legal.
Sports betting legislation in New Zealand
| Is online sports betting legal in New Zealand? | Yes |
| Is in-person sports betting legal? | Yes |
| Is daily fantasy sports legal? | Yes |
| Is horse racing betting legal? | Yes |
| Is political betting legal? | Yes |
| Is eSports betting legal? | Yes |
| How many legal sports betting apps are there in New Zealand? | 100+ |
| Legal age for sports betting in New Zealand? | 18+ online gambling (20+ retail casinos) |
| New Zealand's tax rate for betting/gambling winnings | 0% |
| Who regulates sports betting in New Zealand? | Department of Internal Affairs |
As the sports gambling laws in NZ do not affect offshore sports betting sites and apps, basically any online sportsbook can offer all forms of sports wagering options to Kiwi bettors with no restrictions. This leads to the fact that every New Zealander has hundreds of sports betting apps and sites to choose from.
In addition, as there are really no restrictions regarding offered betting markets, Kiwis can freely use these overseas sports betting operators to wager on any event or competition they wish, including eSports, for example. Regarding horse race betting, TAB is the most used platform for such activity, but many offshore operators can also take such bets from Kiwis.
In-person is limited to on-course horse race wagering and 550 TAB betting stores scattered around the country.
Recent updates from the NZ sports betting scene
June 22, 2024: Auckland: Blues win the Super Rugby Pacific title after hammering Waikato Chiefs in the final 41-10, achieving the club's first major title in 21 years.
June 19, 2024: Golfers Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier are confirmed to represent New Zealand in the 2024 Olympic Games. Fox, 59th in the OWGR world rankings and with three TOP10 finishes in the PGA Tour this season, is priced at +5000 to win the event on Unibet. For Hillier, the same betting odds are +15000.
May 17, 2024: Former Wellington Phoenix captain and the current Macarthur FC captain, Ulises Dávila, is named one of the three players arrested in Australia over an alleged A-League betting scandal. The other two detained players were Australian Kearyn Baccus and New Zealand national team member Clayton Lewis. According to the allegations, Dávila paid the other two individuals up to $10,000 to deliberately receive yellow cards during A-League matches between November 24 and December 9 last year.
March 27, 2024: Wellington Firebirds are crowned as the 2023/24 Plunket Shield champions, marking the club's 22nd title. The Firebirds secured an unbeaten season record after rain prevented play on the final day.
February 15, 2024: Ladbrokes signs a two-year regional sponsorship deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in Australia and New Zealand, featuring prominent branding during UFC events and broadcasts.
All legal gambling options in New Zealand
| Are online casinos legal in New Zealand? | Yes |
| Are retail casinos legal? | Yes |
| Are social casinos legal? | Yes |
| Is online poker legal? | Yes |
| Is the lottery legal? | Yes |
As it is, pretty much all forms of online gambling are available to the Kiwis, including online casino slots, table games, online poker, and bingo games either via the TAB NZ platform or hundreds of different offshore gambling sites. Lottery also plays a part in the NZ gambling scene, and the first national lotto draw was held on 1 August 1987.
Fans of real-money gambling can also find six land-based casinos in New Zealand, most of which are owned by the Skycity Entertainment Group. However, it's vital to note that the age limit to access these retail casinos is +20, while online sports betting and gambling are subject to +18 age limits.
Other gambling-related news & stories from NZ
June 12, 2024: SkyCity also faces a temporary license suspension in New Zealand after being ordered to pay a groundbreaking $73.6 million fine over the anti-money laundering breaches in Australia regarding its Adelaide-based Casino. In May 2024, the same operator received an over $4M fine from the NZ's Department of Internal Affairs for similar anti-money laundering-related breaches.
June 6, 2024: NZ casino operator SkyCity Entertainment Group slashes its guidances regarding net profit after tax and EBITDA for the 2024 financial year due to many factors, including a challenging economic environment.
May 17, 2024: According to the data from the Department of Internal Affairs, the pokies machines located in Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Manurewa, and Mangere-Ōtāhuhu regions generated over $20 million in profits in just Q4/2023 (October to December) alone. Local gambling advocacies see such high figures as "incredibly harmful" to the locals and aim to reduce the number of pokies in the regions and around the entire NZ.
March 14, 2024: New Zealand is set to regulate online gambling, expecting to generate significant tax revenue. Estimates range from NZ$35 million annually according to the Inland Revenue Department to NZ$176 million projected by the National Party. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has endorsed the move, aiming to address the currently unregulated market.
New Zealand - Some commonly asked questions (FAQ)
Are there any legal restrictions in the NZ sports betting landscape?
As the gambling regulations in New Zealand do not prohibit placing wagers on offshore sportsbooks, there aren't really any restrictions regarding online or mobile sports betting. As long as you are 18+ years old, you can access such sportsbooks freely.
What changes is the NZ gambling market currently facing?
The NZ lawmakers are currently crafting a proper regulatory framework for the online gambling industry, which would also affect offshore sportsbooks. The aim is to generate tax revenue from such operators and reduce gambling harm.
How much do New Zealanders gamble?
In terms of figures, New Zealanders are quite eager gamblers, as, according to the data, each adult spends around $730NZ on gambling yearly. Most of this amount is wagered on gaming machines, so-called pokies, outside retail casinos.
Who are the biggest sports stars in New Zealand?
Middle-distance runner Sir Peter Snell, a three-time Olympic winner, among many other wins, is considered the greatest NZ athlete ever. Other notable names are rugby star Richie McCaw and Steven Adams, the country's first-ever first-round NBA draft pick.
