Home » New Zealand Racing Industry Reform Coming in Early 2020
New Zealand Racing Industry Reform Coming in Early 2020
Recently updated on July 6th, 2019
The New Zealand racing industry is looking to introduce a reform in current gambling legislation which would allow it to increase its share of national pokie machines, in addition to introducing gambling on virtual horse races. Currently, only the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) is able to operate more than 10% of pokie machines across the country. The new laws are expected to be passed into legislation by 1 January 2020.
Despite some opposition from a number of local communities, Minister for Racing Winston Peters hopes that the reform will eventually lead to an increase in revenue raised by national horse and dog racing events.
Second Attempt to Introduce Racing Industry Reform
It is not the first time that the racing industry have attempted to enact the above-mentioned changes. A memo from the Department of Internal Affairs revealed that the proposed reforms were once withdrawn from Minister Peters. The reason for this was that their complexity prevented them from being passed in a timely fashion.
The reform was initially dismissed due to several taking issue with the idea of virtual horse racing and the fact that results are determined through a random-number generator. The Department of Internal Affairs stated that because of this, the races could not actually really be considered racing but was rather more in-line with gambling games. It was further stated that research in this area would be required. It is thought that it is more likely that these games may fall under New Zealand’s online gambling policy. This form of racing betting is already allowed in Australia.
More than a thousand public submissions were made against the proposed reform, but the focus was not virtual racing. Much of the concern surrounded the idea of removing pokie restrictions. Many believed that it would lead to a drain in revenue within local communities over time. However, the Department of Internal Affairs has dismissed the level of opposition.
As previously mentioned, the aim of the reform is to help increase revenues of the racing industry. The industry has not been in the best of shape in recent years. The hope is that the new changes will keep the industry alive in New Zealand for years to come. Only time will tell if the reform will actually help in doing this.
Taralynn Engels is a seasoned casino news writer with a passion for keeping her readers up-to-date with the latest happenings in the gambling industry. With over five years of professional writing experience, Taralynn has developed a deep understanding of the casino industry and a knack for delivering engaging and informative content. Aside from her in-depth knowledge of the casino industry, Taralynn possesses excellent writing skills that allow her to craft captivating narratives that keep readers hooked until the last word. Her ability to simplify complex concepts and present them in an accessible manner guarantees that her articles are enjoyed by both seasoned casino enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Recently updated on July 4th, 2018The quarter finals for the 2018 FIFA World Cup are set to begin on Friday, 7 July. This year’s tournament is proving to stay true to years past, with favourite teams already sent home. Spain, Portugal, Argentina and former champions Germany all hoped to get to this point, but lost […]
Recently updated on May 14th, 2018Whenever a famous poker player wins in a tournament, you’d expect payouts to be a breeze. However, for Gordon Vayo, this was not the case with PokerStars after their Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) tournament. The professional player won an online game of No Limit Hold’em with a buy-in […]
Recently updated on April 18th, 2019Caliente Group, in partnership with Euro Games Technology (EGT), opened its first gaming lounge in Latin America. The gaming lounge is Hipódromo de Agua Caliente Casino in Tijuana, Mexico. Their partnership hopes to solidify its position in the Mexican gaming market. The general director of Caliente Group, Eduardo Hernandez said […]
Recently updated on March 10th, 2019Sky City is forging ahead with their plans of an offshore-based online casino. In New Zealand, Internet casinos cannot operate directly out of the country however Kiwis are allowed to gamble online. Sky city has seen the market potential and jumped on the opportunity. Already Kiwis spend almost 400 million […]
Recently updated on August 13th, 2019Renowned casino games manufacturer, Red Tiger Gaming signed an agreement to supply their entire catalogue of video pokies to Paf. The casino operator has been in the industry for a long time. It was founded on Åland Islands in Finland back in 1966. The partnership comes hot on the heels […]