Establishment of a Controlled Online Gambling Sector by New Zealand
Addressing Gambling Regulations in Three Countries
Cracking Down on Offshore Gambling - A Global Trend
Across the globe, governments are stepping up efforts to regulate gambling markets, emphasizing market safety and reducing offshore gambling activities. Let's break it down for three countries: New Zealand, Brazil, and Japan.
New Zealand:The Ministry of Internal Affairs is taking charge, planning to launch a regulated iGaming market as early as April 2026. The licensing process is set to start in February 2026, with operators being determined through an auction. Marketers who encourage offshore gambling could face fines of up to $10,000 or even prosecution. To ensure a safer environment, stricter advertising rules, hefty fines for operators who violate responsible gambling standards, and revenue redirection from offshore sites to domestic regulation and taxation are part of the plan.
Brazil:The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting is focusing on 13 priority areas for regulation, including anti-money laundering, consumer protection, and technical standards for operators. Brazil aims to shift from unregulated offshore platforms to licensed domestic operations with stricter compliance requirements.
Japan:The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry is proposing a system to block offshore gambling websites and redirect users to warnings, but concerns about constitutional privacy rights due to ISP monitoring of user data are a challenge. Approximately 3.37 million users bet ~¥1.2 trillion annually on illegal platforms, indicating the scale of the issue.
While these countries focus on either licensing to replace offshore markets or blocking access, they share a priority: enhancing consumer protections through ad restrictions, responsible gambling tools, and more.
For updates on gambling regulations in other countries, stay tuned with us at sporting.net. We've got you covered on the latest developments in the world of sports and gambling!
Casinos in Velden could potentially face competition from domestic operators in Japan, as the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry plans to block offshore gambling websites and redirect users to warnings. In New Zealand, the minister of internal affairs is aiming to launch a regulated iGaming market by April 2026, with a focus on stricter advertising rules and revenue redirection from offshore sites to domestic regulation and taxation. Meanwhile, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting in Brazil is focusing on 13 priority areas for regulation, including consumer protection and stricter compliance requirements for domestic operators.
