NZ’s Ban on Unauthorised Remote Interactive Gambling: Implications for Video Game Players Worldwide

New Zealand law still bans remote interactive gambling without specific authorisation under the Gambling Act 2003. The law defines remote interactive gambling and explains how and why the law still applies to online gambling services and game mechanics in 2026. 

The law and gaming features such as loot boxes and microtransactions fall under gambling legislation. The articleprovides the most recent updates in law and its international impacts on gamers and developers.

Why New Zealand’s Gambling Law Still Matters

Remote interactive gambling is one of the most strictly regulated gambling activities that exists today. As of January 2026, Remote Interactive Gambling remains prohibited under Section 9 of the Gambling Act 2003 unless expressly authorized by law. The Distance Gambling Act supports the Gambling Act and describes the activity of remote interactive gambling as a distance gambling transaction where a participant pays to participate in a chance-based activity where they can win money or a prize. 

The Department of Internal Affairs has recently reiterated that remote interactive gambling refers to illegal casino-style games that can be played on the internet, as well as other digital gambling activities. The maximum fine for organizations that offer remote interactive gambling without authorization is 50,000 NZD. Individuals can be fined as much as 10,000 NZD.

New Zealanders use overseas-based online gambling services even though they are banned domestically, why is because the law is only directed at the service providers. It is still legal for New Zealand residents to use online gambling services that are foreign-based, but they have little to no consumer protections, and the protections that exist depend on the host country’s laws.

In this case, online casinos targeting New Zealand players have begun advertising bonuses, such as 70 NZD no deposit casinos. These promotions are standard in the online gambling industry, where players are incentivized to try their services risk-free. To illustrate the types of online gambling currently available to New Zealand players, we can also consider the Ganesha Gold video slot, which has a theoretical payout percentage of about 96.08, multiple paylines, and can be found on numerous remote gambling sites. These examples illustrate the distance between New Zealand players’ online gaming options and domestic regulations, as providing these services directly would be a violation of the Act.

How Remote Interactive Gambling Is Defined in NZ

The Gambling Act 2003 defines remote interactive gambling as an activity that a person legally engages in while gambling at a distance through the use of a communication device, the player makes a payment to participate, and the player has an opportunity to win money or a prize. The definition, although quite vague, covers both the mobile and online gambling realms. 

The Act also covers charity lottery online gambling, but this has since been permanently revised, which means that licensed remote class 3 lotteries are not covered by the prohibition. In this case, class 3 gambling involves a license requirement to operate, usually of a charitable or non-commercial nature, and entails gambling with aggregate prize amounts above, and at specified, thresholds.

The Department of Internal Affairs defines remote interactive gambling as including online gaming and lottery ticket sales, and online casino gaming. These provisions still remain largely unchanged, although New Zealand-based operators continue to be prohibited from offering such services as they remain sans proper legal authorization. The Act also holds that advertisements on offshore gambling, directed at New Zealand residents, are also illegal, thus limiting the promotional outreach of remote gambling.

In most cases, offshore service providers are unable to target New Zealand residents with gambling-related services or advertisements. However, there are big platforms that are difficult to regulate due to their availability on the internet. This phenomenon will continue to affect how international operators and regulators think about remote gambling

Where Video Games and Gambling Regulations Overlap

Recent years have seen the emergence of video games that incorporate gambling-like mechanics, prompting jurisdictions to consider how these features are regulated. Under New Zealand law, typical video game features such as loot boxes and microtransactions are not classifiable as gambling because players are not spending money with the intention of winning money back. Players are gambling, so to speak, on winning in-game items or game advantages that cannot be sold for real-world money.

This perspective is important since New Zealand’s law is based on the anticipation of profit. Although New Zealand is considered a loot box sceptic on an international level, under the Gambling Act 2003, New Zealand regulators have typically suggested that loot boxes are not a form of gambling. This means that video game companies that include remote interactive gambling mechanisms in their games can also include loot boxes in their games while still being within the confines of the law, while operating in New Zealand or being accessible to New Zealand customers.

However, within the community, real money purchases of games with loot boxes are often characterized as a form of gambling. Although the debate is often reflected in the public contributions to the decision makers on the online gambling policies with respect to threatened gambling, as of early 2026, no such mechanisms are legally considered to be remote interactive gambling.