The Government’s new Online Casino Gambling Bill, currently under Select Committee review, is a step in the right direction toward creating a safer, fairer, and more transparent gambling environment for New Zealanders. As the country’s leading source of information on legal online gambling, we at PlayCasino.co.nz support the push to regulate offshore operators and introduce licensing, age checks, harm minimisation measures, and tax contributions.

But we believe the bill has a serious flaw: it makes no provision for the ongoing funding of community sport, which currently receives over NZ$170 million annually from gaming machine grants.

This gap in the legislation threatens the very fabric of Kiwi sport — the local clubs, youth teams, and community programmes that rely on consistent, ring-fenced funding from gambling grants. If licensed online operators are going to take market share away from the current retail sector, then it is only fair and responsible that they contribute back to the communities they serve.

We Believe in Smart Regulation That Gives Back

The bill includes strong proposals for reducing harm, enforcing local oversight, and holding operators accountable. That’s excellent — and long overdue.

But regulation is not just about minimising harm. It’s also about maximising benefit. And right now, community sport stands to lose big.

As Martin Snedden, Chair of Cycling New Zealand, rightly put it:

“Sport has thrived for decades off the back of community gambling grants. It all goes to clubs, not professional sport.”

We couldn’t agree more. If these new offshore casinos are to be welcomed into our regulatory framework, then they must be required to support the public good, just like the domestic gaming trusts they’ll be replacing.

Public Submissions Close 17 August – Let’s Make Our Voices Heard

This is not a done deal. The bill is still under Select Committee review, and the Government is accepting public submissions until 17 August. That means every New Zealander has a chance to weigh in and help shape the future of online gambling in Aotearoa.

We’re calling on our readers, our fellow players, sports lovers, parents, club organisers — everyone who cares about keeping our communities strong — to speak up.

We’ll be publishing a simple guide to help you make a submission quickly and easily. The more people who raise this issue, the harder it will be for lawmakers to ignore.

How We See It: Four Principles for a Better Gambling Bill

1. Safer Gambling for Players
   We fully support age verification, harm prevention, and enforcement of responsible gambling standards.
2. Legal Options for Kiwis
   Licensing offshore operators gives Kiwis safe, controlled alternatives to the black-market casinos they’re already using.
3. Fair Play for Communities
   If operators are earning revenue from Kiwi players, they must return some of it to the grassroots clubs that hold our communities together.
4. Transparency for All
   Licensing is meaningless unless it comes with clear rules — and clear benefits — for the whole country.

We want the Online Casino Gambling Bill to succeed. We want safer play. But we won’t stay silent while community sport is pushed to the side.

We’ll Only Recommend Licensed, Responsible Operators

Once New Zealand’s online gambling market is regulated, we at PlayCasino.co.nz will only promote and review licensed casinos that meet the highest standards of safety, fairness, and transparency.

But we also want to see those operators contributing back — not just to tax revenue or harm services, but to the clubs and communities that make New Zealand what it is.

 Final Word: Gambling Should Be Safe — and It Should Give Back

This bill is a chance to build a future where gambling works for players and communities, not just for offshore companies.

Let’s not miss that chance.

About PlayCasino.co.nz

PlayCasino.co.nz is New Zealand’s go-to platform for finding safe, legal, and high-quality online casinos. We help players compare casinos, understand payment options, claim free no deposit bonuses responsibly, claim free spins bonus, and stay informed about the latest casino news and regulations.

We’re committed to responsible gambling, local transparency, and promoting only trusted operators — now and after regulation. Find the list below.