The gambling business in New Zealand has always been permitted to some extent. Already in the 19th century, local residents could bet on horse races and boxing matches. As of 2021, there are 6 casinos and more than 1,300 gambling sites in New Zealand. The number of slot machines is over 16 thousand. So if you want to gamble at a $1 deposit casino, it won’t be a problem for you. You can either pick a licensed casino yourself or check fresh reviews and ratings at MinDepCasinos; the site hosts a lot of useful information for gamblers.

New Zealand Gambling Legislation

New Zealand’s gambling business is governed by several laws:

• 1981 Boxing and Wrestling Act;
• Gambling Act 2003;
• Racing Act 2003;
• 2003 amendments — Gambling Amendment Act, passed in 2005 and 2015.

The 2003 Gambling Act is New Zealand’s primary gambling law. It defines the classes of gambling depending on the monetary costs and risks to society. Also, the law defines private gambling.

Modern Gambling Business in New Zealand

According to fresh stats, there are 6 casinos and more than 1,300 gambling sites in New Zealand. The number of slot machines is over 16 thousand and keeps growing every month.

Horse Racing

Nowadays, there are 52 racetracks in the country, where more than 3,000 races are held annually. The prize fund is more than USD 50 million. Since 1951, the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) or New Zealand Racing Board has held a monopoly on the organization of races. A certain percentage of each rate is charged and then returned to the development of the industry. The New Zealand Racing Board in fiscal 2015 allocated USD 140 million to the development of clubs and infrastructure.

 

Lottery

Lotteries are now quite popular in New Zealand. The largest is the state lottery Lotto. Players can choose from different games, such as Powerball and Big Wednesday. The Lottery Grants Board directs about USD 200 million from the money spent by the players to the development of sports, culture, and healthcare.

Slot Machines

Charitable associations run slot machines outside the casino. They are usually located in pubs, hotels, and gaming clubs. The largest number of slot machines in New Zealand was observed in June 2003 — 25,221 machines. From this point on, the number of slots was gradually decreasing. There are now 16,814 slot machines in the country at over 1,300 playgrounds. You should know this figure does not include slot machines in casinos.

 

Slot machines belong to the 4th class of gambling. Administrative districts rely on the revenue of slot machines and the gambling business in general. That is why most New Zealanders consider gambling as a positive phenomenon — the opportunity to raise more money for their area or the entire state.

Casino

There are now 6 licensed casinos operating in New Zealand — all are controlled by the government. The above gambling halls are in:

• Christchurch;
• Dunedin;
• Hamilton;
• Queenstown;
• Auckland.

The activities of all gambling establishments are strictly regulated and limited by law. For example, in May 2013, a casino in Auckland received permission to expand (230 additional slots and 40 gaming tables) only after it invested USD 402 million in the construction of a city convention center.

New Zealand Gambling Revenue

Players spent USD 2 billion in fiscal 2019-2020. In total, players spent USD 1.47 billion. This amount includes:

• Horse racing sweepstakes (TAB) — USD 229 million;
• Lotteries — USD 295 million;
• Slot machines outside casinos — 576 million;
• Casino — 371 million

Gambling Demographics in New Zealand

According to research from the Gambling and Addictions Research Center, the majority of New Zealanders — 85% — prefer organizing games as a way to raise money. Also, the majority consider gambling to be a business or a legal way to increase government revenue.

Only one-third of citizens are dissatisfied with how the proceeds from gambling are distributed — either out of ignorance or because of personal convictions against the actual gambling business.