Online Sports Betting in New Zealand (2024)

BettingGuide has a team of experts from around the world creating comprehensive guides for online betting. You will find step-by-step guides about everything related to gambling legally in New Zealand, using safe and trusted online betting sites.

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Betting Sites Reviews for New Zealand

#1 Best Betting Apps in NZ
Free Live Streaming
World's Biggest Bookmaker

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New Zealand-licensed Bookie
Comprehensive Sportsbook with Streaming
Generous Sports Welcome Offer

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Trusted Bookmaker
High odds
Fantastic Betting App

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30+ Sports
Highest Betting Odds in our Tests
Live Streaming

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Fantastic Betting Apps on iOS and Android
High Betting Odds
Fast Withdrawals

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Online Betting in New Zealand - Is It Legal?

Sports betting is incredibly popular in New Zealand, as is also the case in Australia, and online betting has certainly taken over the industry in recent years. From football to rugby games, Kiwis love trying their luck with a few bets. The betting industry works slightly differently in New Zealand, though.

State-owned TAB is the only New Zealand-licensed operator, with strict regulations preventing online gambling on other domestic platforms. However, these regulations are not strict on the customers as nothing is stopping them from betting on foreign betting sites, provided that the latter are based outside of the country.

Admittedly, this does take away a layer of safety compared to an operator like TAB, but the big bookmakers like bet356 and Ladbrokes also have certain licenses to protect. As such, the use of foreign betting sites in New Zealand has increased and to answer the question, online betting is indeed legal - it just works slightly differently.

Why Should You Trust Our Betting Advice?

BettingGuide operates in several markets, such as the UK, Ireland and Japan, with betting experts from all over the world on the roster. We pride ourselves on providing readers with unbiased, up-to-date and accurate content about everything betting-related. All in an attempt to give our readers the best betting experience.

Unfortunately, betting sites can sometimes take marketing to the extreme in order to attract new Kiwi customers, using every trick in the book. With our expertise in the industry, we can easily identify such behaviours and guide our readers to the right place, highlighting the truth whilst recommending the best way forward.

Our main goal is to keep your betting habits safe and enjoyable, in other words, always taking this into account when reviewing betting sites, welcome offers and more. If you would like to read more about our process, we have a separate page on how we review New Zealand betting sites and their products.

How to Open an Online Betting Account in New Zealand

If you would like to create an online betting account in New Zealand, you can follow our step-by-step guide below:

1

Pick a Betting Site

First of all, you need to pick a betting site to sign up for. It's certainly worth considering many factors such as the sportsbook offering, welcome offer and payment methods, which we have covered on our page of the best New Zealand betting sites. For this guide, we went with Betway.
2

Fill in the Registration Form

Once you have started the registration on the chosen betting site, you need to provide details such as full name, date of birth, home address and telephone number. Make sure that these details are correct, as they are also used to verify your identity and account.
3

Decide on the Welcome Offer

In the final step of Betway's registration, you will have to opt in or out of the welcome offer, which is a deposit match of up to $60. As there are no wagering requirements tied to the offer, we recommend accepting it.
4

Make a First Deposit and Start Betting

After creating the account, you need to make your first deposit and in Betway's case, it has to be with a debit or a credit in order to be eligible for the welcome offer. Remember that you must withdraw at least the deposit amount to the same payment method due to money laundering regulations.

Should You Claim Welcome Offers?

The answer to this question depends entirely on the welcome offer, but generally speaking, it's certainly worth it for punters to claim welcome offers. We used Betway as an example in our step-by-step guide above and the bookie has a good sign-up deal, with a 100% matched deposit of up to $60 with no wagering requirements.

Sometimes, however, betting sites will 'hide' important terms in the fine print and this is something that the average punter might miss. As such, we would recommend checking out our page for welcome offers in New Zealand, as these have been tested and approved by our experts. Furthermore, we highlight all the details of these offers.

Responsible Gambling in New Zealand

The growth of online betting has, unfortunately, increased the cases of gambling addiction and a lot of resources have been put towards combatting this. There are several helplines in New Zealand, such as the Gambling Problem Foundation, and increased pressure has been put on betting sites and their practices.

For example, customers at TAB will find options such as deposit limits, maximum stakes and reality checks, all of which go a long way in preventing overspending. Should these fail to work, then punters can self-exclude from the site for a minimum of six months. Similar features are also in place on foreign betting sites, it should be noted.

If you would like to read more about how to ensure your betting habits remain fun and enjoyable, you can read our extensive guide on responsible gambling.

Online Betting FAQs

Is online sports betting legal in New Zealand?

Totally. The TAB holds the monopoly within the country’s shores, but the internet opens the doors to New Zealanders to place bets across numerous verified online sites around the world.

What is virtual sports betting?

It offers punters an opportunity to wager on fantasy events at any time of the day or night. That means bookmakers create fake team histories and star player profiles to offer gamblers an even playing field. In New Zealand, the TAB offers a rash of Esports.

How does sports betting work?

It’s as simple or complex as you want it to be. You can put a sum of money on a team or individual winning a fixture and then walking away with more money if your team prevails. Multiply the sum of money times the decimal-point odds bookmakers offer. If your prediction is wrong, you forfeit any wager you place. For those who find that doesn’t get their heart racing enough, they are welcome to dive into more specific odds. For example, who will score the first goal; the halftime score; first player to nail a hole-in-one; and first cricketer to hit a six out of the park.

Are foreign betting sites legal in New Zealand?

Yes, provided the operators have applied for licences to establish an on-land based business in the country. The Department of Internal Affairs, regulating in accordance with the Gambling Act 2003, has established guidelines for operators to apply for licences.

However, it’s illegal to establish online gambling sites within New Zealand without the official consent of the TAB and/or the Lotto New Zealand. Operators can also apply to provide online betting platforms from overseas.

Watchdogs recommend punters should protect themselves by playing on platforms that have the quality assurance from licensing bodies such as the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC), Curaçao eGaming, and the Gibraltar Gaming Commission (GGC).

Ijeoma Esther

Last updated: 15/07/2024

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Ijeoma Esther is an iGaming content writer and editor with over a decade of experience in the New Zealand mobile casino industry. While initially diving into online casino gaming as a hobby, she soon found herself immersed in the enthralling world of mobile slot and live casino games.Through the years, she discovered that writing about her favorite pokies was just as fun as playing them.

As an iGaming content writer, ijeoma combines expert writing and research skills with her encompassing love for pokies and live casino games to put together some of the best and most in-depth reviews in the NZ mobile casino scene.When she’s not writing top-notch content about iGaming, she’s immersing herself in the thrills of her favorite pokies or researching the latest NZ latest online casinos to try out.