For a long time, gambling in New Zealand’s been a bit of a gray area, especially related to how those old rules apply in the age of online businesses. Rules are rules, they keep things in order and they should be followed, so it’s obvious that gambling needs a strong set of regulations. But how is that reflected in the experience of a normal guy playing on a site? What are the possible changes to the overall experience? Also, will the current and the new regulatory changes impact the way that businesses operate their strategies? These are the types of questions that regular Kiwi casino players are asking.
Addressing Problem Gambling
The bottom line in looking at regulations is the safety and happiness of Kiwis, particularly when discussing regulations for gambling. Problem gambling causes serious harm to a lot of people. The changes that happen in the future when regulations will be updated, have the goal of greatly reducing that harm. This isn’t just the lawmakers saying this; plenty of charities, health groups, and regular people talk about how making gambling safer is crucial.
New regulations could make it harder to simply spend a whole bunch of money in online gaming. Think about daily or weekly limits of how much someone can transfer into their gambling account. Gambling sites have to check very closely that you are who you say you are. Advertising might become limited. All of this will ultimately lead to players having a much safer gaming experience. New Zealanders deserve to know and have comfort that they are protected by their own government.
Affect on Operators – Keeping Sites Fair
The businesses running these gambling sites, they’re going to deal with a lot as these regulations are put in place. Every operator will need to know and follow every new rule to a T. They are required to give safe games but regulations require casinos to also be responsible operators, and regulators must be consistent. Some online casinos are already getting ahead of the curve and looking to expand on the current security measures, offering players transparency, and are commonly listed on websites, which are dedicated to listing trusted online casinos. Also, this kind of requirement may drive a certain group of more “shady” operators out from the New Zealand market since they won’t bother following all the requirements. It could be that the regulations eventually push for the government to start licensing online gaming companies.
Sites have to act fair or people lose faith in the games. All games must work normally, but they also must guarantee they are running legit businesses. As such, there will be constant monitoring coming directly from regulators, who themselves will also be working with the companies. That can also take shape in the form of random audits, fines when operators cause major problems, or very serious scenarios that involve people getting their operating license taken away.
Impactful New Zealand Player Experiences?
So, what might a player now see on their screen in a casino if the regulations change a bit? First thing, the sites might look different. Promos could disappear if limits are placed upon advertisements. They’re there today but could disappear tomorrow. Sites might also now ask for all kinds of proof of who they are, and ask them to verify the bank amount they’re pulling money from. Some might find those protections annoying; however, others will appreciate that online experience.
There are already requirements for sites to show reminders regarding time and money spent when someone is actively gaming such as a ticker along the bottom, but regulation could make that way more common. Another thing is limits. Imagine being told right up front only this much can be wired to the bank account daily or weekly. It might cut entertainment, or it might prevent someone losing way more cash than they can afford. Overall, all of these things are meant to protect gamblers.
Taxes and Regulations
The Government can now put more taxes on gaming businesses overall. Just remember that a lot of that extra revenue coming into New Zealand as taxes can now be used for better healthcare, education and other important things. More revenue can overall help New Zealand. Where that money needs to be sent might become regulated. The more control regulators have on where specific companies spend their tax revenue can help focus on those causes to better direct that new money. And what this looks like at a surface level is a win-win for everyone.
As regulations shift within New Zealand, expect that players will deal with more checks upfront. They will only be able to spend so much. They might not see as many ads promoting games. All those new rules are going to be very important and they do one really important thing–keep people from getting swindled. One might simply say, if your gambling problems are getting out of hand, it does help and is overall a good thing to focus on.
There might be problems with the new rules. What if the rules end up killing a part of the fun? Imagine that New Zealanders begin gaming elsewhere instead because they are unhappy with New Zealand and decide to switch. These are all possible negatives which are things that lawmakers need to consider. It also impacts smaller gaming businesses as it would cost them more money.
Conclusion
Ultimately, more strict gambling regulation aims to help. The intent is obviously to address harms created from gambling problems. There’s going to most likely be bumps as new systems come into place. But with the right adjustments, it’s possible that these changes may make for a better and safer gaming environment and experience in New Zealand. Regulators must be flexible as that happens.
