History of Gambling in NZ
The first traces of gambling in this country date back to the 19th century, where people used to bet on cards and athletic competitions. In 1835, the very first horse race took place on the Bay Island, opening the era of gambling on horse races.
However, 85 years later, in 1920, bookmaking was declared illegal in NZ and was only permitted on-course. This status remained all until 1961 when Totalizator Agency Board (TAB) was introduced.
Initially known as “Art Union”, the very first lottery took place in 1877 but was used as a way to raise funds, but the official national lotteries were constituted in 1933. More than 50 years after that, in 1987, the NZ Lotteries Commission was established, and since then has been offering daily Keno, plus a variant of Lotto dubbed Big Wednesday, as well as Instant Kiwi scratch cards, replacements for original Lotto.
As for the slot games, they entered the stage in 1987 and were at first operated by charitable foundations. In addition to one-armed bandits, punters like to play the following genres: blackjack, roulette, video poker, craps, and baccarat.
What about taxes?
Having in mind that this activity represents a hobby or a pastime for a majority of people, winnings are not subjected to taxing. However, if categorized as means of income, then it may be taxable. In conclusion- if not reported as income, wins won’t be taxed.
Bingo in New Zealand Nowadays
When it comes to online gambling, that is “remote interactive gambling” is illegal in this territory, with lottery and online sports betting being the only exceptions. The body in charge of regulating and authorizing all gambling activities and platforms in this jurisdiction is the Racing Board and the Lotteries Commission.
Interestingly, this rule refers to domestic platforms only, which means punters from this region are permitted to gamble on offshore websites. Only activities organized in or from NZ fall under Gambling Act from 2003, the others don’t.
As for the bingo, or housie, as referred to in this market, the activity is very popular among local players. In its land-based version, the activity is organized by schools, churches, or community centers, while in its online variant it is available to users who are of legal age only.
The two most frequently played games are 90-ball and 75-ball, but punters are more than willing to explore other bingo games as well. Developers like to play with the basic format and enhance it with additional features, side games, and many other interactive elements, giving NZ punters a chance to test their skills and luck in versatile housies.
Regarding the payment methods utilized by bingo consumers from this region, the most frequently selected options include Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, PaySafeCard, or POLi. As for credit and debit cards, those are not so popular choices anymore, as the Government has been considering to ban their use for this purpose.
When it comes to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, there are no precise regulations to determine it, so it’s left to the player to decide whether to use this banking method or not. Yet, New Zealand became the first country to greenlight salary payments in crypto assets, starting September 1, 2019,
Player Protection
As far as the stats say, approximately 54,000 people in NZ can be classified as problem gamblers to some extent. In addition to this, around 110,000 of them are at potential risk of experiencing some gaming-related issues. Having in mind that domestic platforms are illegal, except with the TAB and Lotto, locals are pouring funds into foreign sites, whose offerings are often tailored to attract consumers from burgeoning markets such as NZ.
Talking about responsibility measures to be implemented, regulated and reputable websites do have many tools in place. Players can opt to limit the money they deposit or lose, and can cool off or self-exclude if they want to take a break. Many of them have links to helpful organizations in charge of providing support.
One of the organizations dedicated to assisting people to get back on track is PGF Services. They provide education, training, and have a specialized library. Also, there’s Gambling Helpline which offers practical suggestions and immediate support over the phone.
That’s why it is very important to select betting platforms that have a good reputation among players. We are here to tell you what to look for and what to pay attention to when choosing an online bingo room for yourself.
How to Pick the Best Online Bingo Room?
The selection procedure may be complex, but it’s not a complicated process. To find what fits your demands, you should answer the following questions.
- Is the website licensed and does it have any approvals from test labs?
- What’s the selection of payment methods like? Are there NZ-friendly banking options? What’s the min/max amount to deposit and withdraw?
- Which categories of games are featured on site? Is there anything else to play aside from bingo games?
- Does the operator offer any bonuses and promotions? What about Loyalty Program and comp points?
- How efficient is customer support and how to get in touch with this department?
- Are there any tools for responsible gambling?
- Is the page optimized for mobile devices and how smooth is navigation?
This questionnaire should serve as some sort of checklist for you. Be it an online bingo room, or a typical casino website with slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, video poker, and live games, the answers to these questions can help you make the right choice.
The entire process will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes, which is nothing compared to what you get in return. Once again, no one can guarantee that everything will run without any flaws, but you will agree that chances to encounter an unpleasant situation are minimal when you pick a well-rated and reputable platform.
In the end, always take time to go through Terms and Conditions. If there’s a demo mode, use it to see how the site functions and have a couple of complimentary rounds. Gamble responsibly!
History of Gambling in NZ The first traces of gambling in this country date back to the 19th century, where people used to bet on cards and athletic competitions. In 1835, the very first horse race took place on the Bay Island, opening the era of gambling on horse races. However, 85 years later, in 1920, bookmaking was declared illegal in NZ and was only permitted on-course. This status remained all until 1961 when Totalizator Agency Board (TAB) was introduced. Initially known as “Art...
