Submissions open for Online Casino Gambling Bill

Public submissions are now being called for the government's Online Casino Gambling Bill. The closing date for submissions is 11.59 pm on Sunday, 17 August 2025.

You can submit here.

The bill aims to establish a licensing regime for a regulated online casino gambling market. It will allow up to 15 online casinos to operate in New Zealand from early 2026 and sets out the process and rules they need to follow to get a license.

The Problem Gambling Foundation summarises the proposed bill and acknowledges that regulation of the online gambling industry is needed to keep Kiwis safe. However, it does not support the bill in its current form as the legislation lacks key protections to minimise harm and safeguard consumers. It raises issues about accountability, disregard of the public health principles of the current Gambling Act 2023, and lack of inclusion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. They provide a suggested submission guide.

There is an established link between problem gambling and family violence, especially economic abuse. Existing surveys into problem gambling rarely measure economic abuse linked to gambling, even though qualitative research into family violence strongly suggests gambling is a correlated motivation for perpetrating economic abuse.

For a more extensive overview of the intersections between gambling and intimate partner violence, see the ANROWS 2020 research report.

You can explore a more resources and research related to gambling and violence in our Vine Library.