New Zealand RG Advocacy Group Urges Ban on Gambling Ads

The Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF) in New Zealand has urged the government to consider implementing a blanket ban on gambling advertising ahead of the country’s online casino launch in a bid to nip potential RG problems in the bud. Speaking to the RNZ’s Morning Report show, Andree Froude, the group’s director, has argued that the companies that currently apply for licensing – and are granted such licenses – have a track record of targeting customers in New Zealand before the industry was regulated. RG Advocacy Urges Ban on Gambling Ads in New Zealand Froude said that this “optional treatment of laws” should elicit a response from the government, adding: “Advertising works, we know that. That’s why these companies spend so much money on it. But if we’re really serious about preventing harm, then we need to prohibit gambling advertising.” With 11 of the 15 available licenses already secured and the market poised to launch in mid-2027, Froude is looking for ways to stave off potential harm. The iGaming market in New Zealand with overseas operators is already estimated at $770 million, but further licensing at home could drive more people to spend even more. Blanket ad bans, though, are a delicate matter altogether. They have been explored in places such as Australia, where unregulated companies continue to target customers, and there is a further planned reduction of regulated gambling ads in places such as the United Kingdom and Spain, with trade groups arguing that these measures have caused a spike in traffic to offshore markets. As New Zealand attempts to claw back share from the unregulated market, Froude accurately notes that there is a substantial mismatch between the fact that offshore operators are now entering as licensed entities. This, however, is not entirely unprecedented, and in fact many jurisdictions have chosen to turn a sort of “blind eye.” Learning from the World’s Examples in Regulating the Market Ontario, Canada did the very same thing, not going after companie to have run their business without a license or during the grey area period. But others, including the Netherlands, have been stricter and have imposed restrictions on such companies, not letting them apply for a license until a specific period had expired. A blanket ban on advertising, though, in New Zealand is highly unlikely, even if Froude has a point in some regards. The measure would require preemptive legislation before the market has even launched. However, what Froude cautions against should be taken seriously, as New Zealand is about to have an unprecedented level of domestic online gambling activity.