Sports betting in New Zealand always had strict laws and rules keeping a constant check on the illegal gambling scams. With time, the emerging digital resources have ensured several new feasibilities changing the trend of gambling from the past. Let’s explore what the scenario was back then and how time and betting changed.
Sports betting a century ago
Betting in Wellington or anywhere in New Zealand has always been age-restricted as is still the same, where gamblers and bettors should be minimum of 18 years old. The rules and betting terms were decided by large by the governing authority, the Department of Internal Affairs, when betting started catching fame among the population.
It was after 1920, only on-course horse race betting was allowed. But these bets didn’t have any access to individual bookies handling the deals but were strictly under governance. In 1961, the Totalizator Agency Board was formed for remote and online bets, promoting racecourse betting with a wide expansion. With this development, even a few racecourses from Australia were also included, along with the local racing bets.
How modern rules and acts have changed?
The Gambling Commission of New Zealand governs the modern betting and gambling deals, which is also responsible for enforcing the Acts, amendments, and prevention of problem gambling addictions. The latest Act of 2003 restricts any land-based bookies or local online betting platforms to be set up without authorization.
However, the Act allows punters around the country to register and bet in foreign sites that comply with the specifications of legal betting. It allows the bettors to choose any foreign website or sport without any money or gaming limits. Surprisingly, there are no taxes on the earned money, and the bettors can enjoy the lot without any deductions.
The Totalizator Agency, TAB, is now converted to New Zealand Racing Board that governs the sports bets on national horse races and greyhound races. Under the latest amended Act 2003, this board broadcasts New Zealand’s and Australia’s races on two exclusive media channels and has the sole authority to conduct in-country racing bets.
Did the changing trends affect people’s choices?
Since the past century, when a few legal gambling bets were authorized, many people started exploring the new zeal of betting along with other gambling games. New Zealand was a famous country among globally playing sports countries since it ventured into international cricket in the 1850s and football in the 1880s.
The emerging participation was also a rapidly attracting attribute to pull many new bettors to various global sports. Other than the horse races that were the only choices in the past, modern punters have discovered several international games to expand their play.
The accessibility of varied games through online betting, as per the latest Gambling Act 2003, has even introduced new games from Olympics, Commonwealth, and e-sports events that New Zealand never knew the existence of. Thus, in the past century of developing acts and amendments, NZ has expanded the course of sports betting to a global level.