New Zealand online sports betting laws
Home to the iconic All Blacks, a top-class cricket side, and a growing basketball, soccer and horse racing scene, sport in New Zealand is a big deal. It’s no wonder that online sports betting in New Zealand is also a popular activity among fans.
Is sports betting legal in New Zealand?
Online sports betting in New Zealand is both legal and safe. If you want to enjoy a wager on a sporting event, you are perfectly entitled to do so. However, it is important to understand the local legislation and the rules by which operators must abide to allow you to take part in online sports betting in the country. Sports betting and lotteries are permitted in the country, but many other forms of gambling are specifically illegal under the terms of the Gambling Act of 2003. This is regulated and enforced by the country’s Department of Internal Affairs.
So, while online sports betting is legal in New Zealand, the only home-based organization within the country that may participate in it is the Totalisator Agency Board. Known universally as the TAB, this is the company that administers sports betting in both Australia and New Zealand. The TAB also owns and operates retail outlets throughout New Zealand where people can place bets in person.
However, while no other New Zealand-based companies can offer online sports betting, operators based outside the country are allowed to do so. People who live in New Zealand are perfectly free to take their custom to some of the best betting sites in the world. It is perfectly legal to place bets online at licensed, regulated betting companies that have been granted permission to offer their facilities to residents of New Zealand. This means that there is a wide availability in New Zealand of online betting sites.
When it comes to measures to ensure responsible gambling, the TAB has several tools and processes in place to help anybody who has a problem with betting. There is also a non-profit organization, the Problem Gambling Federation, that has been specifically set up to offer counseling and support to people who believe they require it.
If you want to enjoy sports betting online in New Zealand, you are entitled to do so with complete peace of mind. However, it is always worth double-checking to be sure that the sportsbook where you want to bet is fully licensed and able to operate in New Zealand.
What odds format is used in New Zealand?
Decimal odds
When you visit New Zealand betting sites, you will find that odds are presented in a decimal format. This is one of three different ways in which odds are expressed across the world.
Let’s look at an example of a bet on the Blues to win this season’s Super Rugby competition placed in the three different formats – but always with the same result.
The odds at a New Zealand betting site will traditionally be displayed in decimal as 4.0. That means if you stake $100 and the Blues win, your return will be $400.
If the bet was presented using fractional odds, as used in the United Kingdom and Ireland, it would be 3/1. You get three times your stake, plus the stake returned, for a total of $400. Similarly, the bet in American odds format would be +300. You stake $100 and get $300 back plus your stake for a total return of $400.
You can see how all three odds formats compare using our free online bet calculator.
Top sports in New Zealand
Rugby
Rugby is the national sport of New Zealand. The All Blacks, the legendary national team, dictate the mood of the nation and are widely considered the best in the world. They’ve been world champions three times (1987, 2011 and 2015), a source of intense pride in a country where rugby is played and followed through domestic competitions in all corners of the land.
The appetite for rugby extends well beyond New Zealand’s shores to include matches in domestic and international competitions all over the world. As a result, rugby is a source of great interest for visitors to New Zealand betting sites.
Cricket
Cricket is the second most popular sport in New Zealand, one of only 12 nations in the world to play the sport at Test level. The national side has become seriously competitive at that level in recent decades, and are one of the best one-day international teams in the world.
New Zealand reached the World Cup final in 2015 and again in 2019, when they came agonizingly close to beating hosts England to lift the trophy. They lost only on boundary countback after the match and super over were tied.
Soccer
The world’s favorite sport is becoming increasingly popular in New Zealand. Younger generations enjoy playing it, and there is a big appetite for watching matches involving teams from the top European leagues.
There is only one professional team in New Zealand, Wellington Phoenix, who play in Australia’s A-League. The national team has made it to the FIFA World Cup finals twice; in 2010 they drew all three group matches and were the only undefeated team at the tournament. A keen interest in matches in Europe leads to soccer being a popular choice for visitors to the best New Zealand betting sites.
Basketball
Basketball has been widely played in New Zealand for more than a century. Despite competition from other sports, it is one of the most popular participation sports on both islands. Three Kiwis have played in the NBA and the national team, known as the Tall Blacks, finished fourth in the 2002 World Championship.
The numbers of people playing the sport, allied to the global appeal of the NBA, ensures considerable interest in basketball in New Zealand. As a result, there is a healthy level of sports betting in New Zealand on matches throughout the calendar.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is extremely popular in New Zealand. There are no fewer than 51 tracks in the country and both thoroughbred and harness racing takes place all year round. New Zealand-bred horses race across the world. It is a source of some pride that Phar Lap, the greatest horse in Australian racing history, was foaled in New Zealand.
The sheer volume of horse racing ensures a steady level of betting on the sport all year round. New Zealanders enjoy wagering on domestic action, and the best racing from across the globe, at New Zealand online betting sites.
New Zealand sports betting FAQs
Yes, online betting in New Zealand is legal. We can bet on sporting events through the locally based TAB, or online with companies outside New Zealand that have a license to operate in the country. This means we have a healthy choice of New Zealand betting sites if we want to bet.
You have many to choose from when it comes to choosing the best New Zealand betting sites for you. Look for a sportsbook with a good reputation that is licensed to offer sports betting services. The best ones have a wide range of markets, competitive odds, and a great selection of promotions.
Yes, we can. Many New Zealand online betting sites have invested in state-of-the-art apps which facilitate betting through your mobile or tablet. The best apps give us a seamless betting experience, with an easy-to-use interface and strong in-play and cash out features.
Yes, we do. The best betting sites are aware of what a wide choice of sportsbooks we have and will make every effort to secure our business. The welcome bonus is a competitive way of attracting new players and will often be in the form of a free bet once we sign up as a customer.
Yes, we can. Sportsbooks licensed to operate in New Zealand want to make it as straightforward as possible for their customer to bet using their native currency. But it’s worth checking the terms and conditions when we sign up to be sure that your chosen sportsbook will accept New Zealand dollars.