New Zealand Problem Gambling Group Calls for an Ad Ban as Online Casino Licenses Near

New Zealand's leading problem gambling charity wants gambling advertising prohibited before the country's first licensed online casinos go live. The Problem Gambling Foundation, through its PGF Services arm, argues that letting brands that once targeted New Zealanders from offshore advertise freely once licensed would expand harm. It is an advocacy position: the government has not proposed a blanket ban.

"We need to prohibit gambling advertising," Andree Froude, who leads its advocacy work, told RNZ's Morning Report on 19 October. She pointed to the World Health Organization's view that advertising restrictions are an essential first step in reducing gambling harm.

The licensing timetable

The call comes as New Zealand's new regime takes shape. The Online Casino Gambling Bill passed its final reading in April 2026, creating up to 15 licenses.

Reported winners include Entain, SkyCity, Stake and Super Group, which won rights for three brands. The DIA has not yet published the brands that will operate; approved brands will appear on a public register once licensed.

"Treated the rules as optional"

Advertising overseas gambling is already an offence in New Zealand under section 16 of the Gambling Act 2003, punishable by a fine of up to NZ$10,000, and the DIA says online casino advertising is currently prohibited. Froude says offshore operators have "treated New Zealand's advertising rules as optional for years," reaching New Zealanders through social media, inducements, influencers and even markings on buildings and walls.

"Having a big penalty is only numbers on paper if we don't enforce it," she said. PGF Services wants:

• a prohibition on gambling advertising;
• tougher enforcement of existing rules, with serious breaches taken to court;
• enough DIA resources to monitor operators;
• penalties for breaches from the start, including during licensing.

The DIA has said a provider's compliance history may be considered in licensing decisions. The government has already moved against AI-driven gambling scams and deepfake celebrity ads ahead of the launch.

Entain, which runs the TAB and Betcha brands, told RNZ it operates under strict rules and invests in safer gambling tools and age controls.

What the licensed market's ad rules allow

Licensing will, for the first time, let online casinos advertise lawfully in New Zealand, but not freely. Legal summaries of the framework say:

• influencer marketing, affiliate arrangements and sponsorships will be prohibited;
• content, placement and audience targeting will be tightly controlled;
• casino ads may not refer to other forms of gambling, including sports betting;
• applicants must submit business plans that include their marketing strategies.

That is already stricter than most markets, and close to the direction others have taken: Kenya banned celebrities from gambling ads, and New Jersey now bars direct marketing to at-risk players. PGF Services argues it is still not enough.

The regulatory trade-off

The point of licensing is to bring offshore play onshore, where players have protections and the state collects tax. Licensed brands need some visibility to win customers from unlicensed sites. Too much advertising raises participation and harm; too little can leave the offshore market in place. New Zealand's own plans have balanced those aims since the government first set out its online casino approach and introduced the bill.

What operators should plan for

Applicants should assume no advertising until licensed, and strict rules after: creative approval processes, responsible gambling messages, age-gated targeting, clear bonus terms, no affiliate or influencer deals, and fast takedown procedures. Past advertising into New Zealand may count against them.

What happens next

Watch for the DIA's final advertising rules, the 1 December cut-off for unlicensed providers, and the first license decisions in early 2027. For now, a full ad ban remains the demand of a public health charity, not the law.

Status reviewed on 23 October 2026. More iGaming news and Oceania coverage.