New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has released thorough guidance on gambling advertising aimed at licensed online casino operators, implementing firm regulations against promoting gambling to those under 18 years of age. This guidance arrives alongside the full Online Gambling Regulations 2026, which were unveiled in June.
With an anticipated launch of licensed iGaming scheduled for 2027, the regulator is currently processing expressions of interest for online licenses. The initiative to liberalize iGaming was initially proposed in 2024.
The new advertising rules stipulate that advertisers must evaluate the demographics of their likely audiences, ensuring that advertisements do not appear in contexts where minors could make up more than 20% of potential viewers. Specific restrictions include banning ads near schools, youth events, popular social media platforms for under-18 users, and various livestream channels.
Moreover, advertisements utilizing formats that resonate with younger audiences—such as cartoons, mascots, or youth-oriented music—are strictly prohibited from gambling marketing. If an operator wishes to target individuals under 25, they must be able to show effective age-verification and exclusion measures to prevent under-18 access.
These stipulations echo those in the original Online Gambling Regulations, which require that customers verify their full name, date of birth, and age (with a minimum of 18 years) before activating their accounts.
Operators are also instructed to disable any automated audience expansion features that might inadvertently extend reach to minors. Existing audience controls must be utilized, including age and geographic targeting, placement exclusions, and the disabling of audience expansion functionalities.
For advertisements displayed within software or during live events, operators must implement age restrictions such as age-gates or ticketing controls, especially at events featuring industry participation. Furthermore, there will be a ban on advertising during live broadcasts, beginning 30 minutes prior to and lasting 30 minutes after these events.
In addition to the audience control measures, the new rules bar content that may suggest personal endorsements. Advertisements cannot encourage excessive or impulsive gambling, with the regulator assessing language, imagery, audio, and calls to action for any implication of urgency or pressure.
Claims within advertisements must be verifiable and comply with New Zealand’s Fair Trading Act of 1986. Other specific prohibitions include bans on showcasing images or videos of gaming machines and poker chips, as well as a particular restriction against advertising slot game jackpots, although promotion of table game jackpots remains permitted.
The guidelines also dictate that advertisements avoid references to luck, fate, rituals, or superstitions and refrain from presenting gambling as an essential or life-enhancing activity.
In terms of customer data usage, operators cannot use individual gambling behavior metrics to promote higher-risk betting practices. This prohibits approaches targeting players with higher-than-average stakes or marketing slot games to those who typically play table games.
For direct communication methods—like emails or messages—operators must obtain clear, voluntary consent from customers and must promptly respect unsubscribe requests. Advertisements touting bonuses, free spins, or other incentives need to ensure all material terms are communicated prominently.
Inducements linked to new accounts can only be marketed on platforms that are licensed for online casino services or via compliant direct communications. Additionally, native ads, paid editorial content, and social media promotions must contain explicit advertising disclosures within the content itself.
