New Advertising Gambling Code and What it Means for Kiwis

Recently updated on April 12th, 2026

The new Advertising Gambling Code was announced among a flurry of gambling-related reforms. The new gambling code, which affects both casino website operators and NZ online gamblers, will start being enforced on 1 August 2019. Released by the New Zealand Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) in April, the code sets a new standard for the way online casinos market themselves.

New Advertising Code Aims for Better Transparency

The new Advertising Gambling Code can be seen as an attempt to increase player protection and is part of the wider strategy for responsible advertising. Moreover, an even more interesting section in the code describes “truthful representation”. This is in reference to gaming operators, especially online gambling sites, needing to be more careful with the terminology they use to advertise:

• Chances of winning;
• Payout figures; and
• Bonus terms and conditions.

In relation to bonus terms and conditions, many players don’t take the time to read them. Therefore, people end up signing up for what they don’t expect. Aside from people generally being too lazy to do so, they are usually too long and written in legalese. In the new Advertising Gambling Code, the ASA states that casinos must “make clear reference to promotional term and conditions” and “use promotional T&Cs that are understood by the general public”. So, basically, they setting a new standard for how online casino operators write the terms and conditions, and how they’re displayed.

More New Zealand casino new:

• Evolution Gaming Releases Two New First-Person Titles July 12, 2019
• Thundercats Reel of Thundera: New Game by Blueprint Gaming July 11, 2019
• New Zealand Banks May Restrict Gamblers Similar to AU Banks July 10, 2019
• PGF Raises Concerns over Racing Industry Reforms July 8, 2019
• UK Bookmakers to Close a Quarter of Betting Shops July 7, 2019
• New Zealand Racing Industry Reform Coming in Early 2020 July 6, 2019
• Rising Share Price of Flutter Entertainment Causes Rumors July 4, 2019