Hāpai Te Hauora is raising concerns that New Zealand’s new online casino gambling laws could increase gambling harm for Māori communities despite government claims the changes will improve regulation and safety.
The Online Casino Gambling Act officially came into force on 1 May and will allow up to 15 online casino licences to operate in Aotearoa. The new system is being rolled out in stages and is not expected to be fully operational until next year.
While the legislation brings offshore online gambling providers under New Zealand regulation for the first time, Hāpai Te Hauora says regulation alone will not prevent harm.
Chief Operating Officer Jason Alexander says Māori communities already experience disproportionate levels of gambling-related harm and warns the new regime risks making online gambling more visible and socially accepted.
Hāpai says legalising and licensing online casinos could increase exposure to gambling through advertising, commercial pressure and wider public awareness.
The organisation says concerns raised by whānau during consultation on the Online Casino Gambling Bill remain unresolved, including fears about the impact on tamariki, the influence of gambling advertising and the long-term effects on Māori wellbeing.
Alexander says stronger safeguards are needed before the online casino market expands further, including tighter restrictions on advertising and Māori-led protections focused on prevention and whānau wellbeing.
One of the major concerns highlighted by Hāpai is the delay in implementing a national self-exclusion register, which is not expected to be available until at least late 2027.
The organisation says this leaves a significant gap in protections for people vulnerable to gambling addiction during the early years of the new regime.
Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for online gambling to be treated as a public health issue rather than simply a matter of personal choice, arguing that prevention measures must be built into the system from the beginning rather than added later.
The government says the new law is intended to regulate an industry that has largely operated offshore and outside New Zealand oversight, while introducing consumer protections and licensing requirements for operators.
