New Zealand tightens online casino advertising rules ahead of 2027 launch

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has issued detailed advertising guidance for licensed online casino operators, with a clear goal: keep minors away from gambling ads and set the bar for future licensees before the market opens in 2027. For PSPs, this is not just a marketing rulebook; it is part of the licensing environment that operators will have to live inside.

1. The guidance accompanies the Online Gambling Regulations 2026, published in June, and New Zealand says it plans to launch licensed online gambling in 2027. The regulator is already accepting licence applications, after the liberalisation process was first announced in 2024.
2. Advertisers must assess the likely audience for each ad in advance and avoid placements where minors may make up more than 20% of potential viewers. The guidance also bans ad placements near schools, youth events, platforms popular with minors, and certain social media or livestreaming channels.
3. The DIA is also drawing a hard line on creative and targeting choices: no cartoons, mascots, or music associated with youth culture, and no advertising aimed at people under 25 unless the operator can show reliable age-verification and exclusion systems that effectively block access by under-18s. That sits on top of the original rule requiring full name, date of birth, and minimum age checks before any account can be activated.
4. Operators must switch off features that automatically expand ad reach, including tools that could push campaigns toward younger audiences. Instead, they are expected to use available controls such as age and geolocation targeting, exclusions for specific areas, and disabling automatic audience expansion.
5. For in-game ads and live events, companies will need age restrictions such as entry checks or ticket controls, especially at gambling-related events. The rules also create a blackout window for livestreams: advertising is prohibited from 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after these events.

The other important bit is what the regulator is treating as off-limits: content that suggests personal endorsement, or ads that encourage excessive, impulsive, or continuous gambling. The DIA says it will review text, images, audio, sequence, and calls to action, which is a reminder that in this market compliance is not just about where an ad appears, but how it is put together.