The only legal operator of online sports betting services in New Zealand will be the operator of the country’s state-owned TAB NZ, current UK multinational Entain, under new laws.
Amendments made to the Racing Industry Act 2020 have officially received Royal Ascent, cementing them into law. The measures have now been declared active from 28 June 2025 onwards.
All companies offering online betting on horse racing and other sports in New Zealand have now been ordered to withdraw from the market immediately, leaving TAB NZ the only legal provider of these services.
The New Zealand government states that the measures aim to better protect the financial returns to New Zealand’s racing and sports industry by closing off revenue to the state-backed operator only.
TAB NZ is not escaping scrutiny, however, with the amendments also introducing more oversight over the company and creating powers for the government to make further regulations around gambling harm and customer protection.
Vicki Scott, Director Gambling at the Department of Internal Affairs, said: “We expect that responsible gambling operators will respect and comply with this law change. They should close New Zealand accounts and pay outstanding money to customers promptly.
“We encourage gamblers based in New Zealand to be aware of the risks of placing sports or racing bets with providers other than the TAB and betcha brands. If an overseas company is offering you these bets, they are breaking the law here.
“Gamblers should be extremely cautious of those operators, who may be based in jurisdictions with minimal consumer safeguards in place. They might lack adequate measures to address gambling harm and may not return unspent credits or even pay out on large wins.”
Good news down under for Entain
For Entain, the London-based and Isle of Man-registered gaming multinational which has run the TAB NZ since May 2023, the development obviously comes as welcome news – essentially making it the de facto only legal online betting operator in New Zealand.
This cements Entain’s status in New Zealand, where it is already in good standing due to its aforementioned partnership with TAB NZ being in place for 25 years.
The company stated that following the amendments’ Royal Ascent it intends to continue offering an ‘enhanced onshore betting experience’ complete with safer gambling tools, and will make an additional NZ$100m payment to TAB NZ upon implementation of what the amendments call a ‘legislative net’ against offshore operators.
Sam Moncur, Entain Australia and New Zealand’s Managing Director – New Zealand, said: “Entain is proud to be building on TAB NZ’s legacy of racing and sport in New Zealand and is privileged to provide an engaging betting experience to Kiwis. This legislative amendment further deepens our commitment to the industry.
“Alongside the ongoing efforts from government, members and sponsorship, we are honoured that Entain’s financial support of sporting and racing codes through our strategic partnership, plays a role in strengthening communities and teams across New Zealand.”
The wider Oceania region is a significant one for Entain, alongside its established presence throughout Europe and North America. In Australia, its Entain Australia holding operates the Ladbrokes and Neds brands, two of the country’s largest operators.
However, the firm has been facing difficulties lately – mainly in the form of an investigation into alleged widespread anti-money laundering violations across its Australian enterprise, something which the firm has strongly denied.
Securing greater legal protection against offshore competitors in New Zealand will be a welcome boost for the firm and its Australiasian ambitions. In addition, the company has also indicated to SBC News that it is confident that it will be able to weather another prospective reform in New Zealand, this being the launch of a multi-licence online casino market.
