New Zealand Legalizes Online Casinos: What You Need to Know

The New Zealand Parliament passed a bill to legalize and regulate online casino gambling this week. This move comes as the government seeks to close tax loopholes and bring in revenue from the industry. The bill 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.

The Department of Internal Affairs will now draft regulations for the industry, including the bidding process for licenses and the tax rate. The government won’t award licenses until early 2027. With a population north of 5 million, it’s unlikely the country can sustain a robust, ringed-in online poker industry. As a result, a thriving ecosystem comes from sharing a player pool with other countries.

The Department of Internal Affairs hasn’t released any information on a possible online poker landscape. Pooling players with Australia won’t be part of the plan, however, as that country made online poker illegal in 2020.