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Online Betting in New Zealand
The most important fact about online betting here changed on 28 June 2025, and most material written about it still assumes it did not.
What the law now says
In the Department of Internal Affairs’ own words: it is now illegal under New Zealand law for any person or organisation except TAB NZ to promote or take bets on racing or sporting events from a person located in New Zealand.
TAB NZ, and its associated brand, are the only lawful providers. The offshore bookmakers that previously advertised here are no longer permitted to take your bets.
Betting and casino moved in opposite directions
On the casino side, the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026 with regulations following on 3 July. Expressions of interest opened on 17 July at a fee of NZ$19,000, followed by a competitive auction and full applications, for up to fifteen licences — one brand each, and no operator may hold more than three. From 1 December 2026 operators that have not entered the process must stop serving New Zealanders; those with pending applications may continue until a decision or 1 July 2027. Our New Zealand gambling laws guide sets out both timetables.
One consequence worth knowing. Several international betting companies excluded from the sports market are reported to be seeking online casino licences instead. A familiar bookmaker’s name reappearing here from 2027 will be a casino, not a sportsbook — and a betting account with that brand will still not be lawful. Our reviews of Betway and BetVictor cover two brands in exactly that position.
If you still hold an offshore account
And if closing the account is the hard part, a market closing is an awkward moment for anyone whose betting had become difficult to stop. Free confidential help is on 0800 654 655 or free text 8006, any hour, and PGF Services on 0800 664 262. A bank gambling block is free, covers every operator at once including offshore ones, and usually carries a delay before it can be lifted — the most effective single step available, and it does not depend on any operator’s cooperation. Our self-exclusion guide covers both.
What no longer applies
Guidance on choosing an offshore sportsbook — selection criteria, licensing preferences, comparing odds against the TAB, evaluating betting apps — describes something that cannot lawfully be offered to you. There is no version of “how to choose an offshore bookmaker” that is useful when offshore bookmakers may not take your bets.
Two claims in particular are worth retiring.
“Offshore sportsbooks offer better odds than the TAB.” Whether or not that was true, it is no longer a choice available to you.
“New Zealanders can access offshore platforms without legal risk.” The prohibition is written against operators rather than bettors, so an individual placing a bet does not commit an offence. But the operator is breaking New Zealand law and has been told to leave — which means no domestic recourse if your money does not come back. “No legal risk” and “no protection” are different statements, and only the second is useful.
What still stands
Tax. Recreational betting winnings are not income and are not taxed in New Zealand. That is unchanged. Our gambling tax guide covers the exceptions, including interest earned on winnings and cryptoassets.
Decimal odds. 3.50 returns $3.50 per dollar staked including your stake, so a $20 bet returns $70 for $50 profit.
The bet types. Head-to-head, handicaps, over/under and multis all work as they always did. And multis are entertainment rather than a reliable income strategy — the more legs you add, the more the bookmaker’s margin compounds against you. That is worth keeping in mind wherever you bet.
Identity verification. Complete it when you open an account, not when you want paying. Still the single most useful practical step available.
The warning signs. Betting more than you can afford, chasing losses, lying about how much you bet, neglecting work or relationships, feeling anxious when not betting — drawn from recognised screening criteria and worth taking seriously.
Where that leaves you
TAB NZ is the lawful option, along with its associated betting brand.
Fewer operators means less price competition. That is a real consequence of the change and worth saying plainly rather than pretending otherwise.
The harm-minimisation provisions cut the other way. The amendments give the Government power to make regulations limiting bets, restricting communications to bettors, and requiring consumer-protection processes — and they constrain TAB NZ’s previously unfettered ability to refuse a bet without reason.
Deposit limits, time limits and self-exclusion are available and worth setting at registration rather than after a bad run.
Getting help
Free, confidential support is available in New Zealand at any hour: the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or free text 8006, and PGF Services on 0800 664 262, which also offers free financial mentoring. MoneyTalks on 0800 345 123 helps with the financial side at no cost.
Bank gambling blocks and device blocking software cover offshore operators as well as domestic ones, which matters more than usual in a market where offshore operators have been told to leave. Our responsible gaming page has more.
You must be 18 or older to bet online in New Zealand.
Disclaimer
This page is published for information. It is not financial, legal, tax or gambling advice, and nothing on it is a recommendation to gamble. You must be 18 or older to bet online in New Zealand.
Since 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may lawfully promote or accept sports or racing bets from a person located in New Zealand. Nothing on this page recommends, promotes, endorses or facilitates betting with any other operator, and no offshore bookmaker is named or linked. The prohibition is set out here because a reader is entitled to know it applies, and because anyone holding a balance offshore needs to act on it.
The prohibition is written against operators rather than bettors, so placing a bet is not stated here to be an offence for the individual. That is a description of where the statute falls, not advice that doing so is safe or advisable — it is neither, because no New Zealand authority can assist if the money is not returned.
Legislation, regulation and the licensing timetable continue to change. Confirm the current position on the Department of Internal Affairs’ own pages rather than relying on this one. Tax treatment described applies to recreational betting; anyone whose circumstances differ should take advice.
Betting costs money over time by design, and a monopoly provider is no more profitable to bet with than a competitive one. Set deposit and time limits at registration rather than after a bad run. Free, confidential support is available in New Zealand 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I legally bet with an offshore bookmaker?
No offshore operator may lawfully take or promote your bet. Since 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may do so.
Am I breaking the law by placing one?
The prohibition is written against operators, not bettors. But the operator is — and no New Zealand authority can help if your money does not come back.
What happened on 28 June 2025?
Amendments to the Racing Industry Act 2020 extended TAB NZ’s monopoly to all domestic online sports and racing betting. The Department of Internal Affairs notified offshore operators to withdraw immediately.
Doesn’t the 2026 casino law open things up?
For casino gambling, yes. For betting, the opposite happened. Two different laws, moving in opposite directions in the same year.
Will the offshore bookmakers come back?
Not for betting. Several are reported to be seeking online casino licences instead — a familiar name reappearing from 2027 will be a casino, not a sportsbook.
I have money in an offshore betting account. What do I do?
Verify your identity, screenshot everything, let open bets settle, then withdraw the full balance. Start earlier than feels necessary if a weekly limit applies.
Do I pay tax on betting winnings?
Not as a recreational bettor. Winnings are a windfall, not income.
Who runs TAB NZ’s betting operations?
TAB NZ, under a long-term arrangement with Entain entered into in 2023.
Where do I get help if betting has become a problem?
The Gambling Helpline is free and available 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006. A bank gambling block covers every operator at once, including offshore ones.
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