Gambling in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Gambling
in New Zealand
is controlled by the Department of Internal Affairs. All public gambling is expected to return a portion of profits to the community. The largest proportion of the gambling industry is operated by state-owned institutions. Expenditure on gambling (losses experienced by players) was $NZ 2.034 billion in 2008 ($NZ 480 per capita), a tenfold increase over 1985 figures.
(TAB) in 1961, betting on racing was only available on-course.
The first national lotteries were established in 1933. They were known as "Art Unions". Prizes were relatively small, and in the early Art Unions the prizes were quantities of alluvial gold. As an example, the "Golden Treasure" Art Union of 1935 had 200,000 tickets with a top prize of £2000 ranging down to an 11th prize of £20 plus 400 prizes of £2. The low returns tempted many people to (illegally) purchase tickets in overseas lotteries such as the Australian Tattersall's lottery. With Art Union sales declining, a review of lotteries was undertaken by the Second Labour Government in the late 1950s, and in 1961 the National Government introduced the Golden Kiwi lottery.
The New Zealand Lotteries Commission was established in 1987. Its original product, Lotto
, has since been supplemented by Instant Kiwi scratch cards, daily Keno
and a Lotto variant named Big Wednesday. Lotto tickets became available online in 2008.
The Totalizator Agency Board
, commonly called the TAB, is a sports betting
organisation run by the New Zealand Racing Board
.
s, commonly known as "pokies", are operated by charitable foundations and are mostly placed in hotels and bars. Maximum jackpots are regulated. In the year ending 30 June 2008, turnover was $10.096 billion, of which $9.158 billion was returned as prizes (player losses were $938 million). These figures represent a 9% decrease from the peak year of 2004. Pokies accounted for 46.1% of gambling expenditure (losses) in 2008.
The year to 30 June 2009 saw a further 5% fall in expenditure, to $889 million. There were 19,479 machines in 1,501 venues operated by 384 licensees, all of these figures being a decrease from 2008.
Since 1 July 2009, all machines must have Player Information Displays, which inform the gambler how long they have been playing, how much they have lost, and which encourage them to take breaks.
A 2010 study linked the prevalence of slot machines with high crime levels.
s operating in New Zealand:
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is controlled by the Department of Internal Affairs. All public gambling is expected to return a portion of profits to the community. The largest proportion of the gambling industry is operated by state-owned institutions. Expenditure on gambling (losses experienced by players) was $NZ 2.034 billion in 2008 ($NZ 480 per capita), a tenfold increase over 1985 figures.
Horse racing
Bookmaking was declared illegal in New Zealand in 1920. From then until the introduction of the Totalizator Agency BoardTotalizator Agency Board
Totalisator Agency Board in Australia and New Zealand, universally shortened to TAB, is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations. All were originally government owned...
(TAB) in 1961, betting on racing was only available on-course.
Lotteries
The first "Art Union" was conducted in New Zealand by the Otago Art Society in December 1877, Both individuals and organizations subsequently used them as a way of raising funds.The first national lotteries were established in 1933. They were known as "Art Unions". Prizes were relatively small, and in the early Art Unions the prizes were quantities of alluvial gold. As an example, the "Golden Treasure" Art Union of 1935 had 200,000 tickets with a top prize of £2000 ranging down to an 11th prize of £20 plus 400 prizes of £2. The low returns tempted many people to (illegally) purchase tickets in overseas lotteries such as the Australian Tattersall's lottery. With Art Union sales declining, a review of lotteries was undertaken by the Second Labour Government in the late 1950s, and in 1961 the National Government introduced the Golden Kiwi lottery.
The New Zealand Lotteries Commission was established in 1987. Its original product, Lotto
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
, has since been supplemented by Instant Kiwi scratch cards, daily Keno
Keno
Keno is a lottery or bingo gambling game often played at modern casinos, and is also offered as a game in some state lotteries. A traditional live casino keno game uses a circular glass enclosure called a "bubble" containing 80 balls which determine the ball draw result. Each ball is imprinted...
and a Lotto variant named Big Wednesday. Lotto tickets became available online in 2008.
The Totalizator Agency Board
Totalizator Agency Board
Totalisator Agency Board in Australia and New Zealand, universally shortened to TAB, is the name given to monopoly totalisator organisations. All were originally government owned...
, commonly called the TAB, is a sports betting
Sports betting
Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the outcome.-United States of America:Aside from simple wagers such as betting a friend that one's favorite baseball team will win its division or buying a football "square" for the Super Bowl, sports betting is...
organisation run by the New Zealand Racing Board
New Zealand Racing Board
The New Zealand Racing Board is a statutory body for New Zealand sports betting, including betting on horse racing and greyhound racing. It was established under the Racing Act 2003 to operate the TAB, promote the racing industry and maximise the profits of the industry...
.
"Pokies"
Introduced in 1991, slot machineSlot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
s, commonly known as "pokies", are operated by charitable foundations and are mostly placed in hotels and bars. Maximum jackpots are regulated. In the year ending 30 June 2008, turnover was $10.096 billion, of which $9.158 billion was returned as prizes (player losses were $938 million). These figures represent a 9% decrease from the peak year of 2004. Pokies accounted for 46.1% of gambling expenditure (losses) in 2008.
The year to 30 June 2009 saw a further 5% fall in expenditure, to $889 million. There were 19,479 machines in 1,501 venues operated by 384 licensees, all of these figures being a decrease from 2008.
Since 1 July 2009, all machines must have Player Information Displays, which inform the gambler how long they have been playing, how much they have lost, and which encourage them to take breaks.
A 2010 study linked the prevalence of slot machines with high crime levels.
Casinos
There are six casinoCasino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s operating in New Zealand:
- Dunedin CasinoDunedin CasinoThe Dunedin Casino opened in 1999 in the city of Dunedin in New Zealand. It is located in The Exchange, south of the city centre, in the Southern Cross Hotel building....
- Christchurch CasinoChristchurch CasinoChristchurch Casino is a casino located in Christchurch, New Zealand offering casino games. The casino was New Zealand's first when it opened in 1994. The casino operates five hundred slot machines and thirty-four table games. The property has three restaurants and two bars...
- SKYCITY AucklandSKYCITY AucklandSKYCITY Auckland is a casino and event centre in the Central Business District of Auckland, New Zealand. Located at the base of the Sky Tower, it was the second casino in New Zealand, and still is the only one in Auckland....
- SKYCITY HamiltonSKYCITY Hamilton-External links:*...
- SKYCITY QueenstownSKYCITY Queenstown-External links:*...
- Lasseters Wharf Casino
See also
- Gambling Act 2003
- Problem gambling
- Problem Gambling Foundation of New ZealandProblem Gambling Foundation of New ZealandThe Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand is a national non-profit organisation in New Zealand predominantly funded by the Ministry of Health with funds received from the gambling levy....
External links
- Gambling information page at the Department of Internal AffairsDepartment of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs is a state sector organisation whose roles include the issue of passports; administering citizenship grant applications, and lottery grant applications; enforcement of censorship and gambling law; registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil...
- Gaming policy - Department of Internal Affairs
- Gambling Act 2003 - text of the Act
- GamblingWatch
- Gambling Helpline