Online casino markets are not the same in every country. This could be due in part to regulation but also to the types of casino games preferred on a country by country basis. The fall of the online poker industry in the US had a massive impact on online gaming worldwide. However, some countries have established excellent online casino legislation. This makes for a robust online casino industry that still puts player protection at the forefront. Let’s take a look at some countries’ online casino legislation and see how the New Zealand online casino industry compares.
The United Kingdom
Britain boasts a highly regulated online casino market. Many casino software developers and operators conduct business out of UK tax havens like Malta and Gibraltar. The industry is thriving in the UK, with 34% of gambling revenue coming from the online and mobile market. A major part of the UK’s online casino legislation is that responsible gambling must be heavily promoted, and self-exclusion must be easily available to any players who are concerned with their behaviour.
Canada
There are an estimated 1200-1400 online casino operators providing services in Canada. Online gambling is legal in every province in Canada, but each province has its own laws, so they can differ from region to region. Most of the big international casino operators like William Hill, 888 and Sporting Bet are popular with Canadian players.
Australia
The Australian online casino market was interesting. At home in New Zealand and across the water, pokies are the most popular casino games, both online and at local land-based casinos. However, the Australian government passed legislation that banned all online operators from providing services or marketing their products in Australian territory, completely upending the market. Noting like that has happened here but it will be interesting to see just how much impact this legislation will have over the next few years.
New Zealand Online Casino Industry
We have a very robust and interesting online casino industry. Playing online casino games is perfectly legal here, as long as the casino operator isn’t based in New Zealand. This means some of the biggest international online casino brands have a presence here.
You name a casino game and you can bet Kiwis love it. Online pokies, online roulette, online blackjack and Live Dealer casino games especially. In fact, the New Zealand online casino is worth on average $2 billion dollars a year. Roughly 35% of that is being spent on offline, online and mobile pokies. There’s also a very robust land-based casino scene here. Some of the most popular and glamorous entertainment hotel and resorts in Auckland and Wellington are casino resorts.
There’s constant talk about problem gambling and implementing stricter online casino laws in New Zealand, but will it go the way of the Aussies and decimate the industry, or will follow the UK path and create a healthy industry that puts players’ safety first?