New Zealand has announced a proposal for its first iGaming regulation
The New Zealand government has announced a plan to introduce regulations for the iGaming space. For a long time now, iGaming companies have been unable to operate in New Zealand, as New Zealand’s laws have not caught up with the fast pace of technology.
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The only iGaming companies that New Zealanders can access have been based in Malta and other foreign nations, countries with specific permissions for online gaming.
iGaming regulations in New Zealand
Currently, there are no regulations governing online gambling in New Zealand. This doesn’t mean that iGaming companies can operate freely inside NZ — far from it. In fact, the lack of specific regulatory coverage for the online gambling industry means that operating an iGaming service inside NZ has been illegal. While New Zealanders can access some iGaming sites, these are all hosted overseas, in countries where regulations exist but are more permissive towards the online gambling industry.
All that is set to change in early 2026, when the New Zealand government is going to enact its proposed regulations. Online casinos will be granted licences for local operation within New Zealand, allowing them to operate under the auspices of the NZ government. Foreign casinos will be regulated differently. This represents a win-win situation for New Zealand iGaming companies and the government: online gambling providers will pay taxes within NZ and provide jobs to local people, while iGaming providers will benefit from more favourable regulations as compared to foreign casinos.
New licences and advertising for iGaming operators in 2026
The new regulations will open up New Zealand to the local iGaming market. Regulations will govern the operation of online casinos and iGaming services, while ensuring that companies advertise responsibly. In addition to creating new opportunities, the changes will also help to promote responsible gambling. Under the current system, there’s little protection for younger people and vulnerable adults who can be exploited by less scrupulous iGaming companies based outside of NZ.
Advertising for iGaming will be covered by the new online casino regulations, ensuring that it’s targeted appropriately. This will help to avoid the phenomenon of younger people becoming involved in online gambling, as well as the issue of gambling addiction.
Apart from making the New Zealand iGaming environment more ethical and responsible, this new regulatory arrangement will bring in additional revenue for the NZ government. This is because companies will be able to operate within New Zealand itself, rather than having to be headquartered overseas, and New Zealand workers will be able to secure lucrative employment in the iGaming field.
A new era for New Zealand iGaming business
The new online casino regulations are great news for responsible iGaming companies considering the New Zealand market. Where regulations are weak or non-existent, ethical, responsible companies can suffer. They have to compete with less scrupulous entities, ones that aren’t cautious about where and to whom they advertise or whether their players are gambling responsibly. With a solid regulatory framework in place, responsible iGaming providers will be playing on a level field.
From an employment perspective, the introduction of iGaming regulations will create jobs in the sector. These will range from web design and programming to more artistic roles, as companies will need designers to create fresh art for their sites. From entry-level programming roles to C-suite positions, this new era of iGaming regulations will create a wealth of employment opportunities for New Zealanders that might not otherwise exist.
iGaming business requires great translations. Whenever a new iGaming market opens up, some of the first considerations must always be professional translations and localisation. This doesn’t just mean accurate iGaming translation into the local language — it also means ensuring that the content is culturally relevant. Different regions have different holidays, sporting events, and other peculiarities that providers need to keep in mind when offering their services in that area. For example, New Zealanders are likely to be much more interested in the results of the latest rugby tournament than they are in American football!
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Besides professional translations, 1Stop also offers communications and digital marketing strategies to help iGaming companies get ahead in a new market. Since we specialise in the field of online gaming, we’re the number one choice when it comes to launching iGaming services in a brand-new region.
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