History Of Gambling In New Zealand
Few regions in the world have as long and interesting a history as New Zealand. Being an island nation that was isolated from the rest of the world for thousands of years, it only stands to reason that there are some very intriguing historical stories involved.
The same is true for the country’s gambling legacy, which has stretched from humble beginnings to the cutting-edge online casino industry of today. But how did things go from an isolated tropical wonderland to Kiwi players enjoying top pokies and table games on tiny mobile devices?
Let’s learn more about New Zealand as a whole, explore some of its history, and discover how the online casino industry was eventually established. It’s a wild ride!
An Island Discovered
New Zealand is around 2,000 miles from its closest neighbour, making it amongst the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. So, how exactly did this stretch of land, far enough away from Australia as to practically be invisible, become home to so many lucky residents?
It wasn’t until 1,000 years ago that the first forms of humanity arrived on the island, appearing as early Polynesians. Then, in the 19th century, Europeans first arrived, quickly falling in love with the tropical paradise and deciding to settle down.
After World War II another influx of immigrants occurred, mostly from the Asia-Pacific region, adding to what was an already interesting mixture of various cultures. Since then the beautiful land has quickly taken on a culture of its own, with born and bred kiwis transforming one of the most picturesque places to live into something truly special.
Adopting Games Of Chance
As far as New Zealand gambling is concerned, the first signs of games of chance did not appear until the early European settlers arrived. It was only natural that European immigrants would bring with them their favourite forms of entertainment; casino games.
It was, in more detail, the famed British explorer James Cook that is credited as officially being the first European to lay eyes on Australia and New Zealand. Hence why most of the earliest settlers on the island were from Great Britain.
The most interesting aspect is that it was classic card games and a love for horse racing that was popular at the time, which happen to still be the most popular gambling activities to this day. So, while the way we gamble has changed, what we bet on hasn’t!
It would still be some time before an online casino would even be dreamed of. But early settlers showed as much enthusiasm for putting down wagers as the mobile casino enthusiasts of today.
Betting On Horses
Stepping over to the United Kingdom for a moment, horse racing is amongst the country’s most favoured sports. This passion for racing the strongest horses can be traced back as far as The Crusades, which saw immensely strong breeds brought back from Arabia. The idea to breed the strongest local breeds with the strongest Arabian breeds quickly took root, and it wasn’t long before Thoroughbreds were brought into existence.
This passion for horse breeding was carried over to New Zealand.
An interesting development is that bookmaking was officially band on the island in the early 1900s, but for one special exception: horse racing. The exception was that punters were allowed to bet only at the tracks, with the finances handled by approved services. Later, in 1961, the Totalisator Agency Board was established, officially ushering in a new era of sportsbook related betting laws.
Today, there are over 50 official tracks around the island, reported to host more than 3,000 regulated races on an annual basis.
Art Lotteries
It is often overlooked that art played a big part in New Zealand’s gambling history.
Local art societies needed ways to raise money in the late 1800s, thus establishing what was universally seen as the best solution, lotteries.
These fund-raising events occurred across the island but were generally arranged as regional affairs. This setup lasted until the transformational year of 1961, after which the lotteries were no longer regional, and were officially adopted on a national level. This gave birth to the much loved Golden Kiwi national lottery, which was a widely praised success until 1989.
The Golden Kiwi gave way to a bigger and better version of the lottery. New games, bigger prizes and stronger marketing took the lead, crossing over into the world of today. By 2000 it was estimated that around 65% of all locals regularly bought lottery tickets.
Rise Of Pokies
Whether at an online casino or favourite land-based venue, New Zealanders of today love slots, better known locally as pokies. In fact, an astonishing statistic reveals that of all wagers that are made in the country, around 60% can be directly attributed to pokies.
But looking back to the past, it can be seen that the physical cabinets were first introduced only in 1987, long after the rest of the world. The machines were also only used by a few charitable organisations, which distributed just a handful of cabinets in popular bars, and in the lobbies of hotels. It was not until many years later that pokies fell under official government regulations, and were allowed to appear in casinos.
Nowadays, many New Zealanders enjoy their reel spinning at a favourite online casino. Yet as far as land-based versions of the games are concerned, there are an estimated 16,000 electronic cabinets, scattered across as many as 1,500 locations, including the 5 official casinos.
5 Official Casinos
The first land-based gambling venue did not officially open in New Zealand until 1994. It was a major event for the island, introducing local players to regulated table games for the most time. Though, as would be expected, horse racing sportsbooks and pokies were the major draw cards, which had already well-established audiences.
Of the five casinos, perhaps the most famous is Dunedin Casino, located in the Grand Hotel. It is not the offering of games that has made the venue so world renowned, however, but rather the fact that the hotel itself was designed by Louis Boldini in 1883. This makes the Grand Hotel a significant architectural landmark around the world.
The other venues on the island include the Christchurch Casino, which opened in 1994 and purchased by the SkyCity group in 2004. The SkyCity group also owns SkyCity Auckland, SkyCity Hamilton, and SkyCity Queenstown. Christchurch Casino is the biggest of the five in terms of dedicated casino games square footage. A 43,998 square foot central floor houses an ocean of games, with over 500 pokies and an incredible 3 dozen table games. The interior of the venue is certainly a sight to behold.
But although Christchurch Casino is impressive in terms of its dedicated gambling floor, SkyCity Auckland is as impressive in its own right. The venue is known not only as a major tourist attraction, but also for its amazing observation deck. The Sky Tower, standing 1,076 feet tall, provides an unbelievable view of the island.
The Rise Of iGaming
We arrive now in the modern era.
iGaming is the latest popular trend, and an enormous number of Kiwis spend entertainment time at an online or mobile casino. But not everything is as it seems, and the local Gambling Act, officially established in 2003, is soon due for some changes.
As it stands, it is not legal for an online casino to operate from within the borders of the country. However, it is also not illegal for local punters to play casino games online. Hence, the estimated $381 million spent on iGaming has all been with foreign sites, creating a situation where the government is losing out on a fortune in tax.
It has already been said that iGaming laws will come under consideration, and are likely to change. The primary point of focus will be officially legalising iGaming, as well as the inception of operating license being issued to local companies.
When these changes to the 2003 Gambling Act are officially put into place it will usher in a whole new era for New Zealand, taking it into a new future that will be locally based on the internet.
The Future
From United Kingdom settlers bringing horse racing, to a country where millions of dollars are spent on casino games on an annual basis, it has certainly been a long journey for New Zealand.
Sky City now stands tall above the skyline, and tourists from all over the world travel to gaze upon the famed Dunedin Casino
The chances are that the industry will only become more established in the future, with much of the focus being on iGaming. It will certainly be interesting to see where it all goes. Though some things will likely remain the same, with horse racing and pokies making up the solid backbone of the nationwide network.
You can be part of history at Spin Casino.
Explore all that an online casino has to offer and see why gambling online has grown in popularity. Always remember to gamble responsibly and that having fun is the most important part of playing.
