An investigation by the New Zealand Herald highlighted the rising issue of online gambling activities during school hours. The country’s outdated regulation offers little protection from gambling harm, leaving its most vulnerable groups at risk. Experts warn that exposure to gambling from an early age can have significant repercussions later in life, urging the government to step in.

Insufficient Protections Pose Significant Risks

New Zealand’s Problem Gambling Foundation voiced explicit concerns, stating that the surge in high school students involved in online gambling is worrying. One former Auckland student shared his experience, noting that he signed up with an online operator during the COVID-19 lockdown and continued throughout his Year 13 at school, developing a severe gambling addiction.

AUT Gambling and Addictions Research Centre Associate Professor Maria Bellringer noted that problem gambling among students was increasingly frequent. She added that young people were digitally savvy and could easily bypass existing restrictions, including pretending to be their parents and using their credit cards. Bellringer noted that New Zealand had not officially researched the matter but highlighted growing anecdotal evidence.

Parents have been reaching out to treatment services, worried about their child’s gaming addictions.

Maria Bellringer, AUT Gambling and Addictions Research Centre Associate Professor

Many of New Zealand’s youth encountered gambling via adjacent activities like wagering money on popular video game “skin” betting websites, later steering towards real-money gambling. Another victim of underage gambling shared that the rising addiction eventually led to frequent pub visits to engage in pokies as he regularly wagered significant amounts.

Effective Measures Require Significant Legislative Reforms

New Zealand currently lacks specific laws to prohibit citizens from accessing offshore online gambling sites, leaving Kiwis without local legal protection while gambling with such operators. The introduction of phone bans in several New Zealand secondary schools has caused heated debates, with several institutions imposing strict restrictions on phone usage during school hours.

Despite these limited efforts, students continue to find ways to access online gambling platforms, normalizing and exposing their peers to these activities. Experts urged the New Zealand government to consider the seriousness of the matter and take preventative measures, such as loot box bans similar to those planned in Australia.

A 2020 survey revealed that just under half of youths aged 16-24 had gambled, with over 9000 people considered moderate and high-risk gamblers. Mounting evidence raises red flags regarding the potential risks and long-term impact on these individuals, placing significant pressure on the New Zealand government to consider its long-overdue gambling reform.

The post New Zealand Struggles with a Surge in Underage Gambling appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The suspension that SkyCity Entertainment Group is looking at has to do with an application by the Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs, which specifically addresses a case from February 2022 and has to do with a complaint from a customer who gambled at the SkyCity Auckland property between August 2017 and February 2021.

Several Casinos Targeted in New Zealand

According to the complaint and application, SkyCity Casino Management Limited, the subsidiary tasked with running the SkyCity Hamilton, SkyCity Queenstown, and SkyCity Auckland, did not comply in full with the requirements under its responsible gambling play – the SkyCity Auckland Host Responsibility Program.

The venue is accused of having allowed the player to gamble without regard for their source of income. The Host Responsibility Program is designed to prevent such incidences in such instances, but it has not been used effectively, the application stated.

The Commission will now have to decide whether it would move forward with a casino license suspension, but the company seems confident that the suspension would not last more than 10 days. SkyCity Entertainment Group has clarified that its operations at SkyCity Adelaide, the Australian property, would not be impacted.

Before a suspension may come about, however, the Gambling Commission may want to investigate further and summon all parties involved, which is usually a lengthy process that takes several months at the very least. As to SkyCity, the company has expressed its readiness to collaborate with authorities.

Possible Suspension Still a Long Way Off

“SkyCity will fully cooperate with the Secretary in relation to the application and process,” the company said.

“SkyCity is committed to maintaining the highest standards of host responsibility best practice, with priority given to minimizing the impacts associated with problem gambling as an area of primary focus,” the company added, assuring that it was determined to pursue a course of action that would allow it to take better care of its patrons.

Meanwhile, the company has also faced pressure in Australia where the country’s financial regulator, AUSTRAC, opened civil penalty proceedings against the casino in December. The casino is also undergoing a thorough review of its AML and CTF policies as part of a broader sweep in Australia attempting to determine whether operators are complying with gambling laws.

The post SkyCity May Have License Suspended in New Zealand appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Ahead of New Zealand’s general elections, planned for October, intense competition is expected. Amid concerns about increasing inflation, high taxes and high-interest rates, the National Party and Labor Party are expected to clash but who will be the winner remains to be seen. On Wednesday this week, the National Party uncovered details regarding an extensive reform on taxes and confirmed its plans to implement it, in case they win the upcoming elections, a report released by the Otago Daily Times reveals.

One major change included within the National’s reform is the taxation of offshore online gambling. Currently, TAB NZ, as well as the New Zealand Lottery Commissions are the only regulated gambling options available for customers in New Zealand. Despite that, under the existing regulations gambling via offshore online operators is not illegal. However, given that online offshore gambling websites are not regulated this means that they do not pay taxes. By implementing changes to taxation, the National Party seeks to close this gap and benefit from millions in tax revenue from online gambling activities.

Additionally, the party hinted at plans to implement a 15% tax applicable to foreign buyers of houses. Still, under the proposed change, that tax would apply for properties that are valued at more than AU$2 million ($1.3 million).

A Balanced and Prudent Tax Plan

Upon announcing the new tax policy, Christopher Luxon, National’s leader, said: “This plan confirms that a National government can do what we’ve said all along that we will do, which is to put money in the back pockets of New Zealanders as part of a prudent, fully funded and balanced tax plan.”

The new tax plan, called Back Pocket Boost undoubtedly represents an important change to the taxation model in the country. Nicola Willis, finance spokesperson, revealed that the tax plan seeks to reduce pressure on inflation while at the same time removing the need for borrowing. “It has been designed to be self-funding so that National can guarantee tax relief for working people, even if Labor leaves the government books in a mess, as is predicted,” she explained.

According to Willis, if the National Party wins the upcoming election, it will focus on boosting the funding for education every year. Additionally, she said the party commits to boosting funding for frontline health. Willis criticized the Labor government for the “sheer volume of government spending.” Besides the spending, she showed concern about the present situation where people are forced to pay higher taxes and costs associated with food, rent and petrol, among other increasing expenses.

The post New Zealand: National Party Wants to Tax Offshore Online Gambling appeared first on Keno Wizard.

An ad on YouTube promoting a bookmaker with the participation of former Black Caps star, Brendon McCullum, is under fire via a newly submitted formal complaint in New Zealand. McCullum who was formerly a part of the famous New Zealand national cricket team, and a current member of the English cricket team, was appointed as a brand ambassador for the popular sports betting affiliate, 22Bet, a few months ago. He was is the star of a new ad that depicted him in a sports car, promoting mobile betting via 22Bet.

Now, the NZ Herald revealed that the Problem Gambling Foundation in New Zealand filed a formal complaint with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) over the online gambling ad featuring McCullum.

While there are ongoing changes within the gambling sector, currently, New Zealand doesn’t offer legal online gambling. The only exemption of those rules relates to the New Zealand Lotteries Commission and TAB, the New Zealand Racing Board. This, in other words, means that companies offering their online gambling services in the country are doing so illegally.

Gamblers are not subject to prosecution if they use the services of such companies. However, it is forbidden for gambling operators to target New Zealand audiences with advertisements or to use the services of marketing or advertising agencies in the country.

The Ads Aggressively Marketed Gambling on YouTube

The new complaint filed with DIA claimed that “Brendon McCullum is the brand ambassador for 22Bet, which legitimizes and endorses the platform for Kiwi audiences.” Additionally, the formal complaint said that the gambling company 22Bet was “aggressively marketed” over YouTube.

The complaint filed with DIA also noted: “In the past week or so, I’ve noticed some aggressive advertisements on YouTube from 22Bet, which is a Cyprus-based betting operator. Most times I go to watch a video, an ad from 22Bet is played, saying that they are “legal bookers” and incentivizing joining their platform with either a NZ$250 or NZ$750 sign-up bonus.”

Keeping in mind that 22Bet isn’t based in New Zealand, the DIA said that it is limited when it comes to enforcing gambling regulations against overseas gambling platforms. “Currently, the prohibition does not apply to gambling conducted overseas and it is not illegal for a person in New Zealand to gamble with an overseas gambling provider over the internet,” it said. Finally, the DIA noted that it is looking into what can be done on the topic and it didn’t rule out contacting the betting company with a request to change misleading marketing, if any.

The post 22Bet Ad with Brendon McCullum under Fire in New Zealand appeared first on Keno Wizard.