New Zealand Advertising Rules Under Scrutiny as Online Casino Licences Near

^{New Zealand's Problem Gambling Foundation is calling for stricter advertising rules as the country prepares to license online casinos. (Photo: Daderot / Wikimedia Commons / CC0)}

The Problem Gambling Foundation says offshore gambling operators are ignoring New Zealand's advertising rules, and wants stricter restrictions as the country prepares to license online casinos. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) says new enforcement powers are already in force.

Foundation advocacy director Andree Froude spoke to RNZ's Morning Report on Monday. Last week, 11 entities won the right to apply for the 15 online casino licences, with the final auction price reaching $15 million per licence, according to RNZ.

Foundation Claims Offshore Operators Ignore the Law

Speaking with RNZ, Froude said overseas operators "have been treating our law as optional for quite some time". She said they used social media, influencers and even tagging on buildings and walls to promote offshore sites.

"They've been getting around our laws and flouting our laws for years."

Froude said the current rules are confusing because different Acts apply to different products. Online casinos about to be licensed will face their own advertising rules, she said, while the TAB and Lotto have little regulation beyond the Advertising Standards Authority. She said a big penalty was "only numbers on paper".

The comments follow a separate RNZ report on Friday in which a former problem gambler said regulators needed sharper teeth. These are the foundation's claims, and the DIA has not responded to them in the material reviewed.

She also said that, with licensing about to begin, it is important that operators comply with New Zealand law from the start.

What the DIA Says Is in Force

The regulator's own guidance says online casino gambling advertising has always been prohibited under the Gambling Act 2003. The Online Casino Gambling Act came into force on 1 May 2026 and, according to the DIA, gives it new powers.

These include takedown notices and pecuniary penalties of up to NZ$5 million for unlawful advertising. They can be issued to anyone who publishes an unlawful advertisement, or arranges to publish one on behalf of an online casino gambling provider, including social media influencers and content creators.

The DIA says it has been engaging with social media, technology and media providers that let third parties publish advertisements, with the aim of building processes to remove unlawful content efficiently.

Restrictions for Licensed Operators

Once the three-stage licensing process is complete in early 2027, up to 15 licensed operators will be allowed to advertise to people in New Zealand, with restrictions. The DIA must maintain a register of licensed operators so they can be identified.

Initial decisions confirmed by Cabinet include prohibiting affiliate marketing and paid endorsements. Detailed regulations now cover harm prevention, consumer protection, advertising and marketing, and fees and levies, and the advertising rules apply to third parties as well as operators.

The licensing process was set out earlier, as covered when New Zealand announced its online casino licensing process. The regulator says further guidance for third parties with obligations under the regulations is still to come.