POSITION PAPER: ONLINEGAMBLING – PARTNERING TO MAXIMISE CONSUMER PROTECTION ANDMINIMISE GAMBLING HARM

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the only authorised providers of online gambling are the Lotteries Commission (Lotto) and TAB New Zealand (TAB), while offshore online gambling is unregulated. However, it is not illegal for New Zealanders to gamble on offshore online gambling websites.

We lack essential record-keeping and research on how many people are gambling on overseas websites and how much is lost to offshore online gambling. This means we do not fully understand the scope and reach of offshore online gambling in Aotearoa. The2020 Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS) estimates over one million New Zealanders gamble online, of which around 105,000 people gamble on overseas websites. This was an increase from 7,000 people who were estimated to be gambling offshore in the 2010HLS. Recent industry estimates suggest that $415 million was lost by New Zealanders in 2022. By 2033, losses from offshore online gambling are expected to increase to between $650 and $900 million (2). Transactional data from banks also indicates the number of people gambling on overseas sites continues to grow and many banks are offering gambling account blocks to support customers.