Is Online Blackjack Legal in New Zealand?
New Zealand belongs to a group of countries with some of the more stringent gambling laws. It features several land-based casinos and allows certain forms of online gambling. However, the most recent gambling legislation in the country forbids online casino gambling and the advertising of online gambling products.
Therefore, facilitating online blackjack is an illegal activity in the eyes of New Zealand law. However, these restrictions apply only to companies and online casinos, whereas Kiwi players can still play online blackjack on offshore sites.
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Gambling Laws in New Zealand
The gambling sector in New Zealand is heavily regulated. The legislation allows land-based gambling in six casinos located throughout the country. On the other hand, the online gambling industry is even more restricted, with the law recognizing only online lottery and betting on sports and horse races as legal gambling activities.
The country first expressed its firm stance against gambling in the 1920s by banning all sports betting except wagering on horse races. Further restrictions came in 1961 when legislation was passed to ban horse race betting, as well.
The betting landscape changed only in 2003 when the Racing Act allowed betting on sports and horse races, facilitated by the NZ Racing Board. Today, TAB New Zealand is the country’s exclusive provider of sports and horse race betting, as determined by the Racing Industry Act 2020.
Has New Zealand Legalized Online Gambling?
When it comes to online casino gambling, things haven’t changed much in the last two decades, nor are they likely to in the foreseeable future.
Remote interactive gambling, to use the official term, has been regulated by the Gambling Act 2003. The act forbids all forms of online gambling, except sports and horse race betting, lottery, and scratch card betting. Citizens must be at least 18 years old to participate in these activities.
All other gambling pursuits, including playing blackjack online, are strictly forbidden. Luckily, the regulations only pertain to companies and operators conducting online gambling. In other words, domestic companies are prohibited from offering online blackjack and other casino games, but the law doesn’t stop players from engaging in these games on offshore sites.
Playing Online Blackjack in New Zealand
While the law doesn’t prevent New Zealand players from playing online blackjack on offshore sites, it does forbid these operators from advertising their services in the country. Therefore, if your impression is that the options are lacking, it is likely due to this problem.
There are hundreds of online gambling websites catering to Kiwi players, and their number is growing steadily. Most of these casinos offer at least one variation of blackjack since this is one of the most popular types of games, right up there with slots.
Most online casinos offer RNG blackjack titles in several variations, and it’s not uncommon to find sites that also feature live dealer blackjack games. Some operators even feature the free play option for RNG games, so you can hone your skills before playing with real money.
Once you decide to play for real, you won’t have to jump through any hoops to top up your account. Almost all offshore gambling operators offer a wide range of payment methods popular in New Zealand, such as bank transfers, credit and debit cards, and prominent e-wallets.
How to Choose a Good Online Blackjack Site?
Being able to bypass the strict gambling laws in New Zealand and play blackjack on offshore sites is fantastic. However, it also comes with some risks players should be aware of. Since these sites are not regulated in the country, players are left to their own devices to determine which websites are safe to play on.
Here is how users can make sure an offshore site is a good choice:
- Licensing and security — Security is the number one concern when it comes to gambling online. Therefore, it’s important to check whether a casino has a valid operating licence from a prominent licensing body, such as the MGA or the UKGC. If the licensing information is not clearly stated at the bottom of the casino’s homepage, it’s best to avoid that operator.
- Payment methods — Most offshore casinos enable the use of widely-accepted payment methods. However, you should check if a particular website lets you use the banking options you have at your disposal. Also, you should give precedence to sites that facilitate fast deposits and withdrawals and charge low to no transaction fees.
- Game variety — While it will be easy to find an online casino with blackjack games, the available variety can differ from operator to operator. For the best gaming experience, focus on online casinos offering several types of RNG and live dealer blackjack games.
- Software quality — Check the operator’s gaming portfolio and find out which game developers supply it. Casinos partnering with providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, and Pragmatic Play offer blackjack games with better visual quality, features, and higher RTP.
- Bonuses and promotions — To keep their business afloat in a competitive iGaming market, online casinos give incentives to players in the form of bonuses and promotions. Before you sign up with an operator, see if they offer a welcome bonus for blackjack players.
Withdrawing Blackjack Winnings From Offshore Gambling Websites
Considering that online casinos are forbidden in New Zealand, it’s reasonable to wonder whether you can transfer your offshore casino winnings to financial accounts in this country. Luckily, you have nothing to worry about. Since restrictions don’t apply to end users, the government won’t block any transactions coming to your bank account from these websites.
Moreover, Kiwis don’t have to pay taxes on blackjack winnings. Playing this game online on offshore websites is seen as a fun activity and not a source of income. As such, it’s not recognized as taxable revenue by the New Zealand government.
Final Thoughts
The legal stance on online gambling in New Zealand hasn’t changed in almost two decades. The gambling industry in this country is still regulated under the Gambling Act of 2003, which forbids companies from offering online blackjack and other casino games.
However, with legal restrictions pertaining only to businesses, players are free to engage in blackjack games on offshore casino websites. As long as they take steps to ensure a casino is regulated and safe, Kiwi players can enjoy a substantial offshore casino offering and engage in their favourite pastime without restrictions.
