Public Health Groups Raise Concerns Over Addiction Risks in New Zealand's Online Gambling Reform

New Zealand's public health experts say the Online Casino Gambling Bill may cause more gambling addiction and harm without more public health safeguards. The Bill will create conditions to regulate remote gambling offshore operators, and will also allow up to 15 offshore operators to be licensed by New Zealand in 2026. The New Zealand Ministry of Health data shows that at least 20% of the population will be harmed by gambling in their lifetime.

Public health experts and addiction specialists have warned of the possible impacts of the Online Casino Gambling Bill in New Zealand, which will allow New Zealand public health regulatory authorities to regulate foreign online gambling operators. There will be public health harm minimization and taxation responsibilities attached to the foreign online gambling operators. Some experts are in support of these proposed changes, whereas the public health experts have warned that gambling harm will be prevalent because of the new proposed changes, which will introduce foreign online gambling operators to New Zealand.

There will be the potential to introduce foreign online gambling operators during the proposed changes, which will create additional gambling harm to the gambling problematic population. Public health leaders have recommended that New Zealand public health policymakers consider additional gambling protections during proposed changes.

Rising Worries Over Online Gambling Addiction

While many forms of gambling exist, online gambling provides unique challenges and concerns in a variety of ways. One of the first, and most concerning, gambling operators can facilitate gambling anywhere and anytime due to online gambling's 24/7 nature and its accessibility through a variety of digital devices. As a result, gambling operators can be very predatory as the risk of gambling and the potential for severe financial loss increase.

People can gamble in a variety of ways, including the Aviator slot game, in which people bet on the height of a virtual airplane and are forced to cash out before the airplane crashes, as well as many online slots like Berry Burst, which keeps players engaged with quick rounds. Studies have shown, and researchers have documented, that online gambling tends to have higher rates of problematic gambling than other forms of gambling, and that these trends have been documented on many occasions.

According to the data provided by New Zealand's Ministry of Health, roughly 20% of adults will encounter gambling-related issues throughout their lifetime. About 186,000 people are impacted, with nearly 61,000 suffering from moderate to severe issues. 125,000 people are identified as being susceptible to more severe problems in the future, the reports say. This data strengthens the case of public health advocates, who argue that unless additional safeguards are in place, the current version of the bill may create more problems than it solves.

Health Experts Call for Stronger Safeguards

The bill's critics assert that the proposed harm-minimization measures are again too weak and too vague. Health advocacy organizations, including Hāpai Te Hauora, are advocating for more comprehensive and firm requirements to be included in legislation. Among the measures they argue should be included as law rather than left to be optional are pre-commitment systems, self-exclusion tools that are centralized and can be enforced, and limiters that control the amount of money spent or the duration of time gambling.

They also criticize the decision regarding the gambling age, which they set to be 18, as exposing young adults to dangerous risks.

Advertising is a major source of controversy and concern. Public health advocates are concerned that relaxed marketing regulations might gamble with people's lives by normalizing online betting and reckless behavior. Unregulated advertising could lead to impulsive betting triggers and a wide range of issues, especially with vulnerable populations.

These groups are following the Ministry of Health's Strategy to Prevent and Minimize Gambling Harm. The strategy has a three-year plan aimed at improving the prevention and treatment of the low and mid-range services. Critics argue that the Online Casino Gambling Bill must also prioritize these goals by including hard protections instead of just policy statements.

Government Proposals Face Criticism

The Bill will bring online casino gambling out of the largely unregulated offshore sportsbooks and into a domestic market that will be partially regulated with licensing. The Government has stated that the new regulations will provide operators with consumer protection and harm prevention obligations. Officials have also suggested that the new regulations will set aside funding for community services based on the gambling revenue.

Opposition voices inside and outside Parliament claim some harm minimisation measures are inadequate. They point out the absence of age verification and age safeguards linked to the licenses. Some lawmakers caution that with 15 licensed operators, there will be more advertising and normalisation of online betting, with no measures to mitigate harm.

Concerns are raised about community funding. Compared to current class 4 gambling activities, where a significant percentage of the revenue must fund community initiatives, the new framework's community funding is seen as weak and unproven. Sporting organisations and those at the grassroots level are unsure about how funding streams will be impacted and whether they will result in the loss of important initiatives.

Potential Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Research on the impacts of gambling harm is not uniformly felt across New Zealand. The greatest impacts are felt by Māori, Pacific Peoples, and Asian communities, youth, and those with lower socio-economic status. Increased socio-economic pressures, poor health and a lack of support services exacerbate harm in these communities.

Young people are especially concerned, as the exposure they receive to gambling advertisements can foster a gambling problem that can persist throughout their lives. Some critics of this bill believe that the proactive measures taken with young adults and at-risk populations will not be able to alleviate the problem before it occurs.

It is also documented by the Ministry of Health that the emotional, financial, and relational stress from gambling can impact entire families and communities, and as a result, the calls from health experts for solid and well-defined gambling-related support and counselling services have become more urgent.

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