New Zealand Prepares to Legalize Online Casinos: Bill Approved by Parliament

New Zealand is taking a step towards legalizing online gambling: from April 2026, licensed online casinos will officially start operating in the country.

The bill that opens the iGaming market passed the first reading in parliament and received wide support: 83 votes in favor to 39 against. Among the supporters were the Green Party, the ruling national coalition, as well as several independent deputies.

Who opposed it?

The bill caused an ambiguous reaction. Against:

• Labour Party,
• The Maori Party, both expressed concerns about the possible growth of addiction and the impact of gambling on vulnerable groups.

However, the Green Party supported the project unanimously, and it was its spokesman, Home Secretary Benjamin Doyle, who stressed the importance of regulation:

"Today, online gambling in New Zealand is not regulated in any way. We see this initiative as a small but important step in the right direction."

What does the new law provide?

According to the proposed system, from April 2026:

• Up to 15 licenses will be issued for online casino operators;
• All companies are required to verify the age of players, ensure the safety of users and comply with local regulations;
• The market will be tightly controlled, and illegal platforms will be blocked and fined.
  

Thus, New Zealand officially joins the number of countries where iGaming will operate in the legal field. Earlier, we wrote about what other changes await the gambling industry in the country — read more in our previous post.