New Zealand has a unique standpoint when it comes to gambling. It views the lottery, casinos, and sportsbooks in very segmented sections. When discussing the history of legal sports betting in the country, it has changed drastically over the years.
Today, while you may be able to bet on sports, you may not be able to visit casinos. We discuss the laws regarding gambling and their history in New Zealand below.
The Gambling Age in New Zealand
Gambling in New Zealand is defined as anything that involves wagering on events that may feature an element of chance. This can include everything from sports games to cards. It is not even defined by monetary bets, so putting up anything for a wager can count as gambling in the eyes of the law.
You will also find many of the top casino reviewers that operate in the country, such as CasinoAlpha, take responsible gaming very seriously. That’s why they only recommend sites that are licensed and regulated. This ensures strict compliance with the legal gambling age in NZ for sports betting and iGaming.
Generally, most types of gambling have a legal age of 18 years, with a few exceptions. This applies to people making a sports bet. Once you are 18, you can gamble on rugby, cricket, or any other sport and can enter bookmakers or place wagers online and through a mobile device.
A Brief History of Sports Betting Ages
Sports betting in New Zealand had its roots in horse racing. In the late 1900’s you could find around 30,00 people attending an average race meeting. There was no age limit on gambling here, and it was seen as a fun activity for all the family. However, pressure from religious groups saw a total ban on all gambling by 1908 with the introduction of the Gambling Act.
This sent sports betting underground into unregulated markets and it was illegal for all ages.
The first real regulation came in 1951 with the Totalizator Agency Board. It was a way the government could collect revenue from gambling. This effectively closed the world of illegal bookmakers in New Zealand and although the agency was run by the government, it would later be privatized. You can now gamble from the age of 18.
One strange occurrence was that gambling could only be done on horse racing. Other sports were not permitted until the nineties. In 1987 horse racing accounted for 87% of gambling done in the country.
Changes to New Zealand Gambling Regulations
In July 2024 the New Zealand Gambling Commission began a process to regulate online casinos. This is expected to be finished and rolled out by 2026. The government has stated it feels strongly about keeping the segmentation of the different sections of gambling. Casino, sports betting, and lottery will remain as separate entities.
This means anyone placing sports bets can rest assured that the age for this is unlikely to change. This should be in a physical bookmaker or online context. It will mean a much safer environment and you can be certain New Zealand will be a better place for sports fans who like to wager.