How Gambling Laws in New Zealand Compare to Other Countries

The gambling and lottery rules vary from country to country. Some countries have completely banned gambling, while other countries have very strict laws that the gambling operators need to follow

There are also some countries where the laws for lottery business are favourable and hence have a huge opportunity to thrive.

The gambling rules differ vastly in Europe and New Zealand. Keep reading to know more about theses two regions and the difference in gambling laws.

Gambling In New Zealand

In New Zealand, betting is illegal unless it is approved by concerned authorities who follow the Gambling Act of 2003. However the increasing number of casinos popping up in the country, the country has made specific norms that banned online betting, marketing overseas gambling, and banned prizes.

There are some ways and loopholes in the law which the operators have used to set up their business in the country. New Zealand has bifurcated the lottery laws in four categories; class 1 to 4. The different levels have specific turnover, rewards, and the type of operator. Below are the details.

• Class 1– In this class, the maximum gambling prize allowed is $500. Winners are eligible to take the entire amount. Even Individuals can operate this type of gambling.
• Class 2– In this class, the prize amount is maxed at $5000. The turnover allowed in this class is $500 to $25000. There is no license required to operate such gambling, it must be operated by a society.
• Class 3 and 4– This class has the prize amount of max $5000 but in this class, a gaming machine must be applied. You need to have a license to conduct the gambling business.

Overview of European Gambling Laws

European countries fall under the European Union(EU). There are different laws for different industries but the individual nations have the freedom to make their rules that govern multiple fields. Hence each European country has its own rules regarding the gambling industry.

Gambling Bodies in Europe

The European Gaming and Betting Association(EGBA) governs the gambling industry in the European Union. The main responsibilities of the association that was set in 2007 was to create a fair, regulated and competitive atmosphere for lottery and gambling industry

EGBA also makes sure that the online gaming industry is properly regulated and growing by working closely with national bodies and other related organizations.

Country-specific Laws

Online betting laws are different in different countries. Below mentioned are the details

• Spain– Spain has been amending the gambling laws ever since they introduced it. The latest amendment was done in 2012, which allows the lottery to legally register their business, and hence there are a lot of gambling operators who have registered in Spain.
• Germany– This country has very stringent laws. Germany has amended the law several times to make gambling illegal. The latest amendment happened in 2008 which made the virtual gaming and lottery illegal. Horse racing is the only exception.
• Italy– This country is a haven for lottery business, hence many operators have registered their business in this country. Italy has laws that permit both online as well as brick and mortar betting business. Punters in Italy have the option to open multiple accounts with different sites.
• France– France has a favorable lottery law which is governed by bodies like Francaise Jeux and Pari-Mutuel Urbain. Horse racing, stud poker, and sports gaming are allowed in France

 What’s better?

So when you compare Europe and New Zealand in terms of gambling regulation, the former is much better. Europe has much better regulations and favours the operators which New Zealand has a lot of laws that could overwhelm the gambling operators.