New Zealand election candidates face calls for tighter online gambling restrictions

Young people in New Zealand have called for tighter restrictions on online gambling ahead of the election. Political parties are facing questions over advertising, youth exposure and gambling-related harm.

Representatives from the Green Party, New Zealand First and National were questioned at an Auckland event organised by the Problem Gambling Foundation, Asian Family Services and Mapu Maia. 

Participants raised concerns about the normalisation of online pokies and sports betting among students, including cases where money intended for rent or food had instead been gambled.

All three candidates said gambling advertising should not be targeted at people under 18. Green Party representative Ricardo Menéndez March said his party supported banning online gambling advertising, while New Zealand First's Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri said gambling should not be marketed to children.

National's Greg Fleming pointed to the Government's online casino reforms as its main response to gambling harm. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 is now in force, establishing a licensing framework that is expected to become fully operational in 2027. Up to 15 licences will be available.

Licensed operators will face requirements covering harm prevention, consumer protection and advertising. Online casino advertising remains prohibited during the transition to the new regime.

Gambling-harm organisations argue that further restrictions are needed, particularly around the volume and frequency of advertising across online platforms and sports broadcasts. 

Concerns also extend beyond conventional gambling products. Young participants highlighted gambling-like features in video games, including loot boxes and virtual currencies, and called for greater scrutiny of children's exposure to such mechanics.

Government data indicates younger people remain significantly exposed to gambling. The 2023/24 New Zealand Gambling Survey found about 44.3% of those aged 15–24 had gambled during the previous year, with an estimated 26,000 young people classified as moderate- or high-risk gamblers.  Māori and Pacific peoples were also disproportionately represented among higher-risk gamblers.