If you have spotted something wrong on this site, please tell us. Factual corrections are the most useful messages we receive, and they are acted on rather than filed.
If you are looking for help with gambling rather than a reply from us, the Gambling Helpline is free and available 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006. You do not have to be in crisis to call, and support is available to whānau and friends as well.
Getting your message to the right place
| If you want to… | Contact |
|---|---|
| Write to us | |
| Report a factual error on a page | Us. This is the most useful message we receive. |
| Flag something out of date | Us. Regulatory detail changes quickly at the moment. |
| Ask us to explain something better | Us. If an explanation did not land, that is worth knowing. |
| Suggest a topic we have not covered | Us. |
| Somewhere better placed to help | |
| Complain about an online casino | The operator directly, in the first instance. We have no dispute-resolution role and cannot recover funds. Once licences are issued from 2027, complaints about licensed operators can be escalated to the Department of Internal Affairs. |
| Report unlawful gambling advertising | The Department of Internal Affairs, at [email protected] |
| Report misleading advertising generally | The Commerce Commission, which enforces the Fair Trading Act 1986. |
| Get help with gambling | Gambling Helpline, free on 0800 654 655 or free text 8006, 24 hours a day. |
| Raise a privacy concern about your own information | Us first. If unresolved, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. |
What we can and cannot help with
We publish factual information about online casino gambling in New Zealand. That is the whole of what we do, and it shapes what a message to us can achieve.
We can correct our own pages, explain something more clearly, or cover a topic we have missed.
We cannot resolve a dispute with a gambling operator, recover money, or intervene on your behalf. We have no relationship with any operator that would allow it, and no standing to act. Sending us that message costs you time you would be better off spending on the routes below.
Reference sources
The organisations referred to on this page, and the legislation behind them.
- Information for online casino customers — Department of Internal Affairs
- Online gambling: information for advertisers — Department of Internal Affairs
- Fair Trading Act — Consumer Protection, New Zealand Government
- Privacy Act 2020 — New Zealand Legislation
- Privacy statements for websites — Digital.govt.nz
- Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 — New Zealand Legislation
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa New Zealand — free, confidential support service
A note on operator complaints, because this is the one that comes up most.
New Zealand has not previously had a regulator you could escalate to about an online casino, which is precisely why withheld or delayed withdrawals have been so difficult to resolve. That is changing. Licences are expected to be issued from early 2027, and licensed operators will be subject to a formal complaints process with escalation to the Department of Internal Affairs. Until then, an operator’s own complaints process is the only direct route, and the protections available depend entirely on where that operator is licensed.
Our New Zealand gambling laws guide sets out the timeline.
Reporting an error
What a 10% cashback actually leaves you with
Cashback is calculated on losses, not on winnings. That means the offer only pays out in the weeks you are already behind, and it never returns you to where you started.
| You deposit | NZ$100.00 |
| Balance at the end of the week | NZ$40.00 |
| Net loss for the week | − NZ$60.00 |
| Cashback at 10% | + NZ$6.00 |
| Your actual position | − NZ$54.00 |
Two categories of correction are especially welcome.
Regulatory detail. New Zealand’s licensing regime is being implemented in stages through 2026 and into 2027. Key dates fall due, positions firm up, and pages that were accurate in one month can be out of date in the next. If you work in the sector and something we have written does not match your understanding, please say so.
Support service details. Phone numbers, opening hours and service names change. On our responsible gaming page these details need to be right, because someone may be relying on them. If anything there is wrong, that correction goes to the top of the queue.
What we will not be discussing
We do not accept partnership, sponsorship, paid placement, affiliate or contributor outreach.
This is worth stating plainly rather than leaving to inference. Advertising online casino gambling to New Zealand customers is prohibited, and the Department of Internal Affairs has enforcement powers including takedown notices and penalties of up to NZ$5 million, which apply to anyone who publishes or arranges to publish unlawful advertising. The regulations also prohibit affiliate marketing and paid endorsements.
There is nothing to negotiate here, and messages of that kind will not receive a substantive reply.
Your information
When you email us, we receive whatever you choose to send, including your email address. We use it to reply to you and to action your message.
We do not publish your details, and we do not sell them.
Beyond that, how information is stored and which service providers process it on our behalf is set out in our privacy policy, which is the accurate place for that detail. Under the Privacy Act 2020, organisations must be transparent about how, when and why they collect personal information — and that obligation applies to any business serving people in New Zealand, wherever it is based.
If you have a concern about how we have handled your information, contact us first. If it is not resolved, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner investigates privacy complaints.
Please do not send us account numbers, identity documents, passwords, or copies of correspondence containing them. We have no use for that information and no reason to hold it.
Why cashback is regulated as an inducement, not a protection
Cashback is often described as a safety net or a way to manage risk. Published research on gambling inducements does not support that description, and New Zealand’s regulations classify it alongside other bonuses rather than as a consumer protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report an error on one of your pages?
Email us with the page URL, the sentence you think is wrong, what it should say, and a source if you have one. Corrections are made rather than debated.
Can you help me get a withdrawal from an online casino?
No. We have no dispute-resolution role, no relationship with any operator, and no ability to recover funds. Use the operator’s own complaints process. From 2027, complaints about licensed operators can be escalated to the Department of Internal Affairs.
Can I suggest a casino for you to review or list?
No. We do not publish operator reviews, rankings or listings, and we do not accept suggestions for them.
Do you accept partnerships or affiliate arrangements?
No. Affiliate marketing and paid endorsements are prohibited under the online casino gambling regulations, and advertising online casino gambling to New Zealand customers is prohibited outright.
How do I report gambling advertising I have seen?
The Department of Internal Affairs accepts reports of unlawful online gambling advertising at [email protected].
What happens to my email address when I contact you?
It is used to reply to you and to action your message. We do not publish or sell it. Our privacy policy sets out how information is stored and which providers process it.
I need to talk to someone about my gambling. Who do I contact?
The Gambling Helpline, free on 0800 654 655 or by text to 8006, 24 hours a day. Our responsible gaming page lists the full range of free services, including counselling in several languages.
