Gambling is deeply woven into New Zealand life, from 19th-century racecourses to Saturday-night Lotto and the pub pokies. Horse racing and the TAB gave the country one of its most enduring betting traditions, while Lotto is a mainstream household habit. Today the picture is shifting: TAB New Zealand won an online betting monopoly in 2025, and the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 is bringing offshore online play into a licensed regime for the first time.

A racing nation

Horse racing has been part of New Zealand life since the 19th century, and betting on it is a long-standing tradition. Off-course betting through the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) became a nationwide institution, and the TAB remains central to how many New Zealanders gamble. Under the Racing Industry Amendment Act 2025, TAB New Zealand now holds a monopoly on online race and sports betting to people located in New Zealand, in force since 28 June 2025.

Lotto, pokies and Instant Kiwi

Beyond racing, everyday gambling in New Zealand centres on:

  • Lotto (including Powerball and Strike) — a mainstream, low-stakes social habit run by Lotto New Zealand.
  • Instant Kiwi scratch tickets and Keno.
  • Pokies (electronic gaming machines) in pubs, clubs and casinos — these generate a large share of gambling spend and are the main focus of harm-minimisation concern.

Casinos

New Zealand has five operating land-based casinos, in Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. Christchurch Casino was the first to open, in 1994. Six casino licences were originally granted, but the sixth venue — SkyCity Wharf Casino in Queenstown — closed in 2019. SkyCity Entertainment Group operates the Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown casinos; SkyCity Auckland is the largest. Christchurch Casino and Grand Casino Dunedin are separately operated.

Māori and Pasifika perspectives

Gambling harm is not evenly spread. Māori and Pasifika communities are recognised as disproportionately affected by gambling harm, particularly from pokies concentrated in lower-income areas. This shapes New Zealand’s strong public-health framing of gambling, funded in part through the Problem Gambling Levy and reflected in dedicated Māori and Pasifika helpline services.

Attitudes and reform

New Zealand attitudes to gambling are pragmatic and largely permissive — gambling is a normalised leisure activity — but paired with strong awareness of harm. The 2025–26 reforms (the TAB online monopoly and the new online-casino licensing regime) reflect a push to bring previously offshore, unregulated online play under domestic oversight while protecting the racing industry and funding harm-reduction services.

You must be 18+ to gamble in New Zealand. Gamble responsibly — set limits, and reach out if you need help. Gambling Helpline Aotearoa: 0800 654 655.

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