The Pros and Cons Of New Zealanders Playing On Offshore Online Casinos
Some countries do not allow their residents to engage in offshore casino gaming because those specific sites are not regulated by their designated government organization. New Zealand is a bit different from the norm as they do allow their residents to engage in offshore casino gaming.
The six local casinos in New Zealand, which includes four locations of SkyCity, one called Grand Casino, and another called Christchurch are regulated via the local Department of Internal Affairs. If a New Zealander decides to engage in casino gaming outside of their country’s parameters on an offshore website, their activity may not be regulated. However, there are pros and cons of New Zealanders playing on offshore casino sites, which we will continue to explore here.
Pro: Kiwis Have More Options for Casino Gaming
Since New Zealanders are allowed to gamble on offshore casino websites, they have casino gaming options not only from the three casino name brands on the market (SkyCity and Grand Casino besides Christchurch), but also from other nations’ online casinos. This means they have more themes and RTP rates they can enjoy when playing pokies, roulette, baccarat, craps, and other casino games.
Pro: Varying Payment Options for Your Bankroll
The rise of cryptocurrency casinos are making payment options more plentiful for New Zealand residents choosing to engage in offshore casino gaming. Kiwis can choose to utilize the standard New Zealand dollar to fund their bankroll, or in some cases, they can connect their crypto wallets to the offshore casino account to use Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another accepted cryptocurrency to fund their bankroll. It all depends on the parameters of the chosen offshore casino, so it’s best to always do your research.
Con: New Zealand’s Economy Is Losing Millions Per Year
While Kiwis do have the option to visit one of six physical casino locations or utilize one of their online gaming websites, many residents prefer exploring various offshore casino options. Hence, local casinos are only supported if Kiwis are frequenting one of the six casinos in the nation in-person or online.
Unfortunately, this shows that New Zealand’s local economy is not benefitting from those who are gambling using other nation’s websites. Studies have shown that the nation is losing about $140 million annually from Kiwis choosing to do offshore casino gaming. The countries affiliated with those offshore casinos are benefiting economically when New Zealanders create an account and make wagers on their online casino games. Residents’ access to variety is taking away from the local economy that could be benefitting if they instead take their business to local casinos.
Con: Activity On Offshore Casino Sites May Not Be Regulated
Some offshore casino sites may not be properly regulated depending on the government. For the best protection, do your research to see which government entity regulates gambling activity on the offshore casino sites you choose to do your betting. For best results in knowing that your gambling activities will be regulated, you can log on to a New Zealand online casino like Christchurch and enjoy their online casino gaming options.
Con: New Zealand Is Losing Potential Jobs That Could Improve the Nation’s Economy
New Zealanders supporting offshore casino gambling is making their job market and economy more prosperous than their home country. If the nation allowed more physical or online casinos to do business, then there would be more local jobs for residents available, especially for adults just entering the job market.
The Bottom Line
It’s great that Kiwis have more options for thematic casino gaming by also having access to offshore casinos, but the activity is taking away from the local economy. As New Zealand enhances its casino industry, it should allow for more local online gambling to benefit its economy.