New Zealand's Problem Gambling Foundation calls for gambling advertising ban

New Zealand's Problem Gambling Foundation has called for gambling advertising to be prohibited, ahead of the launch of the country's online casino market. Andree Froude, the foundation's advocacy director, made the call in an interview with RNZ's Morning Report show. She said current advertising laws are not fit for purpose and need tighter restriction and stricter enforcement.

Froude said advertising works and that is why companies spend so much money on it, but argued that preventing harm requires a prohibition. She said the system is confusing because different pieces of legislation govern different parts of the process. She also said the ban on offshore advertising has not worked, and that some operators have used social media, influencer partnerships and graffiti to promote their products.

The Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed that 11 applicants paid a collective NZ$15m for all 15 available online casino licences, from 32 bidders and 10 rounds of an auction process. Stake, Entain, SkyCity, SkillOnNet, LCKY, Rock Swift Group Limited and Christchurch Online NZ were successful, and Super Group won three separate rights to enter brands into the market. Entain has operated the state-owned sports betting monopoly TAB NZ since 2020.

Companies without a licence that are still trading in the country must stop by 1 December. From June 2027, when the licences become active, a fresh set of advertising regulations will come into play. The Department of Internal Affairs will oversee these rules, but until then the Advertising Standards Authority is responsible for all gambling advertising related matters.

According to Froude, the PGF has held talks with the DIA aimed at making sure the split in oversight does not stand in the way of enforcement that is both strong and joined up. She contended that a large penalty amounts to nothing more than a figure written down unless it is actually enforced, and she wants the DIA given the resources to monitor operators and check that they follow the law. She further questioned why a licence should go to companies that have already shown themselves to be non-compliant, and she called a strict stance on advertising an “essential first step” toward reducing the public health risk that the coming market launch will bring.