Overview of New Zealand online gambling.

The move from traditional casinos to online casinos has been seen throughout the world, anywhere with a good internet infrastructure. People are joining online sites for various reasons, with one being the proliferation of mobile casinos that make it possible to gamble on the move, or relaxing on the sofa. For many players, this trumps going out to a land casino and spending a fortune on travel or food. New Zealand has seen the same growth, despite a lot of concerns about the legality of online gambling.

The New Zealand government is known for a pro-responsible-gaming stance, concerned with the issues of problem gambling and addiction which can cause all manner of problems. This has led to very restrictive legislation on gambling, both on land and online. Despite this stance taken by the government, New Zealanders can play online and they do, in great numbers. There are lots of sites catering to NZ players and they include sites that offer comic book slots.

What is the legality of gambling in New Zealand?

The crux of the legal state in New Zealand is about borders and national law. It is currently illegal to gamble online, at an online casino based in New Zealand. Casinos cannot open or operate online in NZ. However, vitally, is it not illegal for people in New Zealand to play on casinos which are based in countries outside of New Zealand. In other words, while online casino are banned there, New Zealanders can legally play online on any site based elsewhere in the world.

This is no major hurdle, since the internet has now allowed us to connect to sites outside of our country just as easy as connecting to local sites. It just means that NZ based sites are not actually situated in the country. A little searching will soon reveal suitable sites. As a New Zealander, you are legally allowed to play online and you will not be prosecuted. Still, please research before playing and be ready to accept any risks.

What else affects online gambling in New Zealand?

The restriction on NZ online casinos means that players often find it harder to find new sites, or they simply don’t realise that it’s legal to play online. Still, sites are out there and can be found with a little word of mouth. Curiously, while the government is very strict about gambling and has restricted this industry within its own borders, they do not tax winnings from online casinos. This means that you can play on any online site and keep all your winnings, tax free.

These factors mean that online casino gambling is still huge in New Zealand, it just isn’t seen advertised on television, for example. Players should have no problems depositing and withdrawing with New Zealand casinos, but the fact that they reside out of the country can occasionally lead to longer waits. Most sites will happily accept the usual credit and debit cards like MasterCard and Visa, or e-wallets like Neteller.

What should I look for in a New Zealand online casino?

Since NZ players can only play on sites outside of the country, there’s really no limit on what you can play or where to go. Some sites do exist which cater specially for New Zealanders, but really the main things to look for are what you’d want from any site. A clear license is the first port of call, so the casino is definitely legal in its own country and subject to regulation. Also, look for sites which are governed by bodies like eCogra which guarantee fairness. It’s also worth looking for sites which mention encryption. Look at the bottom of the main page, or on the banking section, for mention of SSL encryption which protects your personal data.

New Zealanders might want to specifically seek out casinos which handle the New Zealand Dollar. Several sites accept this and it should speed up the depositing process. When looking for comic book slots, your best bets are Microgaming and Playtech casinos. There are several suitable, safe casinos listed on this site. Try a few sites and you can grab welcome bonuses from each one, without any legal complications.