Online Casino Gaming In New Zealand
The New Zealand online gambling industry has reported tremendous growth despite restrictions, with the Kiwis spending over $2 billion on betting operations every year. That makes gaming and gambling a significant part of the Kiwis local culture and among the favorite pastimes for the locals.
Despite the popularity of gambling activities in New Zealand, the country hosts an incredibly small number of casinos. That creates an imbalance compared to the bingo halls, race tracks, and sports betting shops spread across the country. However, many Kiwis are taking their gambling activities online, although the New Zealand government hasn’t legalized interactive gaming in the country.
Is Online Casino Gaming Legal in New Zealand?
The Department of Internal affairs currently controls gambling activities in New Zealand, through the 2003 Gambling Act. The act was put in place to ensure that no sports betting companies, casino operators, and other gambling organizations would grow bigger than they were at the time. As such, the act heavily restricts gambling activities in the country.
Despite the heavy restriction of gambling operators in the country, the Kiwis are legally free to play online casino games using offshore websites (registered in other countries). That means online interactive gambling in the country is banned, with a few exceptions made by the racing board, the lotteries commission, and several sales promotions run as a lottery.
Considering that the Kiwis aren’t prohibited from using foreign gambling websites, local players are free to choose from the hundreds of leading online casino websites that welcome New Zealand gamers. As such, you’ll want to click here to learn the advantage of playing online casino games over wagering in traditional casinos. However, make sure the offshore online casino you choose to enjoy the variety of gambling experiences available is licensed by a trustworthy authority like the UK Gambling Commission.
The Popularity of Online Casino Gambling in New Zealand
According to the Department of Internal affairs, Kiwis spent over $615 on online gambling in 2018 and 2019. More people in the country are increasingly signing up to offshore gambling sites online, with the amount of money spent on online betting increasing every year. Here are several reasons why New Zealanders are embracing the online gambling market by the day.
Mobile Gaming
New Zealand has a 93% internet connectivity rate, with most people in the country having access to a 4G network. Consequently, almost every adult in the country owns a smartphone with internet connectivity.
Thanks to internet penetration and the high rate of smartphone ownership in New Zealand along with highly optimized mobile sites, most people use their devices to play casino games online. Most online casinos are compatible with almost every smartphone available today, making them easy for players to access and have fun.
Leading mobile casinos also boast a seamless interface and high-end graphics, giving players a highly intriguing and sophisticated gambling experience online. Additionally, most mobile casinos offer lucrative bonuses through their iOS and Android mobile apps.
Social Gaming
About 97% of people in New Zealand are active in mobile social media today. The share is also continually increasing by the day and lots of people in the country love playing games on their social sites. That’s made possible through platforms like Facebook games, which have become quite popular in the country.
Through social sites, players can enjoy video poker and lots of other free online games with friends. Players can also share their results on their social profiles, inspiring a spirit of competition among New Zealanders and paving the way for the rise of online casinos in the country. Lots of casinos are also embracing this trend by allowing their players to interact while betting on online casino games.
Lots of Online Sports Betting Options
The sports culture in New Zealand highly reflects the country’s British colonial heritage, with the most popular sports being rugby, association football, cricket, basketball, and horse racing. The Kiwis also love staying on top of all the sports charts, which has attracted many to the betting market. However, their various restrictions put for offline sports betting have made many sports punters shift their interest to the online market.
According to studies, over 60% of people in New Zealand bet on horse racing and other sports online using their mobile phones. Today’s online sportsbooks also offer lots of engaging betting markets that allow bookmakers to wager on different outcomes in a game, including handicaps, number of goals, and more.
Online Casinos are embracing New Zealand’s Currency
Placing wagers is becoming easier for New Zealanders, as the government doesn’t prohibit locals from using the local currency in foreign online casinos. That means New Zealand players can freely gamble in online casinos that embrace players from the country. Most of these websites are also accepting the local currency, which makes it convenient for them as they don’t have to convert it into other currencies. Additionally, they can access multiple payment options, including cards, digital wallets, and digital coins.
