Magnificent mountains, lush green hills, and breath-taking fjords are the first things that come to mind when one thinks of New Zealand. Really, there are a ton of breathtaking vistas to explore in the Land of the Long White Cloud? But do you know what else Kiwis have? a vibrant poker scene.
New Zealanders enjoy a good game of poker, and there is nothing better than participating in a reputable online poker tournament for actual money. Although the country’s gambling rules appear to be strict, Kiwis can access all poker networks worldwide with the exception of those that are located inside its borders.
This indicates that a plethora of poker operators with offices overseas provide their services to New Zealand-based players, giving them amazing incentives and a large selection of games to choose from.
Many people tend to lump Australia’s system and New Zealand’s rules together. However, despite the fact that the two nations are reasonably close to one another, they are actually administered somewhat differently.
This also has an impact on their gambling worlds. The Department of Internal Affairs oversees gaming in New Zealand. The 2003 Gambling Act, which was revised twice since it went into effect, is another piece of legislation that governs the sector.
However, gambling was already being done in New Zealand in a number of other ways before then. For instance, the Otago Art Society organized the first “Art Union” in the nation in December 1877.
These were employed as a form of fundraising by people and organizations, making them a lottery game. The first formal New Zealand national lottery, which also bore the name “Art Union,” didn’t start operating until 1933. Pokies were introduced in the nation in 1987 as lotteries continued to expand throughout the years.
There are still pokies there, largely run by charitable foundations. For the enjoyment of guests, they are frequently found at bars and hotels. Pokies continue to be popular with Kiwis, and there are also six authorized land-based casinos in operation all around the nation. It should be noted that the only forms of gambling that are permitted and lawful in the nation are those that are listed in the 2003 Gambling Act. These include quick gaming, casinos, housie, and lotteries.
Online gambling, however, is a whole different scenario because it is now illegal in New Zealand. This is somewhat similar to the regulations governing internet gambling in Australia, which prohibit domestic businesses from offering their services to citizens. However, unlike Australia, New Zealand does not permit businesses to start up their gaming operations there and accept gamers from abroad.
In any of New Zealand’s six land-based casinos, poker can be played. On the other hand, online poker is not allowed in New Zealand because no license is available to run such services. As a result, it is forbidden to set up and provide online poker games from New Zealand. On the other hand, locals are not penalized for accessing offshore poker rooms, thus this continues to be the only means for Kiwis to play online poker.
Recent New Zealand Online Poker Stories
Following the conclusion of the New Zealand Poker Championship in June, the Land of the Long White Cloud entered a somewhat uneventful month of July. Even though there were no significant poker tournaments, New Zealanders weren’t abandoned. Their restaurants and bars are renowned for providing fantastic poker experiences.
No Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournaments were still held throughout the nation thanks to the National Pub Poker League. These competitions provide you the chance to hone your skills whether you’re an experienced player, an amateur, or a professional. The fact that you may apply regardless of whether you reside in the North or South Island is fantastic.
Another location where New Zealanders may play poker every Thursday in July was Paraoa Brewing Co. $20 buy-in regular poker nights are held at this social club.
Every Monday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Aucklanders can stop by the New Brew Bar and Restaurant for a tasty meal and a few drinks along with a game of poker.
The Christchurch Deep Stack Event took place at Christchurch Casino on July 17. 47 players participated in this smaller NZ $200 + 20 No Limit Hold’em tournament for a shot at the $4,676 prize pool. The winner, Phill Coll, received $1,596 in cash and 65.92 POY points.
Other than that, Slate Fisher of New Zealand won the APT Summer Festival Hanoi championship. He won $97,990 and dominated the Final 8 race. Slate prevailed over 288 competitors in the tournament that ran from July 12 to July 24 and had a $416,866 prize pool.
Does New Zealand permit online poker?
New Zealand’s gambling laws have changed over time, just like those of every other nation. Only when played privately or at a licensed land-based casino is poker regarded as lawful in New Zealand. This implies that if you want to actively play real-money poker in the nation, you’ll need to visit one of the nation’s six casinos.
Online poker is also permitted in New Zealand, which has a highly lenient policy toward iGaming. Certain limits are imposed by the gaming laws, although they apply to gambling operators rather than to particular players and are not so strict as, for example, in South Africa. Because of the 2003 Gambling Act, only the NZ Lotteries Commission and TAB are permitted to conduct business inside the nation’s borders.
In other words, there are no domestic poker operators in New Zealand. Kiwis may play for free on popular international networks. Additionally, New Zealanders are exempt from paying taxes on their gains. In a few instances, players were forced to pay taxes only after it was discovered that they were professional poker players and that their profits from the game were their only source of income.
If you’re unsure if this “rule” applies to you, you should speak with a tax advisor. To put it simply, it is acceptable for New Zealand-based players to participate in real-money poker games at offshore poker sites.
New Zealand Laws and Regulations
New Zealand’s gaming laws have a lengthy history. One of the earliest important pieces of legislation was the 1977 Gaming and Lotteries Act, which was followed by the 1981 Boxing and Wrestling Act, 2003 Racing Act, and 2003 Gambling Act. The final one best addresses all topics related to internet gambling, including poker, casinos, and other games.
The Gambling Act makes it quite clear that online gambling is not prohibited, even if the website is headquartered elsewhere. This is the major justification for why all online poker rooms welcome players from New Zealand. The legality of online poker for residents has not changed despite this act’s modifications in 2005 and again ten years later. It’s possible that everything will change in the future, but it’s quite improbable.
A report on problem gambling was ordered by the New Zealand Gambling Commission in 2019. According to the research, it will take three years and $60.3 million to implement problem gambling solutions. While New Zealand prohibits offshore online gambling, the matter is being reviewed, and it is unclear whether or not changes will be made in 2019.
New Zealand has had poker legislation in place since the passage of the Gambling Act in 2003. The New Zealand Lotteries Commission and TAB are the only entities authorized by the gambling laws to provide online gambling in the nation. In 2009, when Player Information Displays became necessary for all poker games, New Zealand’s laws were last modified.
The Gambling Act of 2003, however, only applies to domestically run internet poker rooms or casinos. Although it is not expressly stated in the gaming legislation, it may be illegal for New Zealanders to play at poker rooms located abroad, which could result in penalties. Having said that, there haven’t been any instances in which people have been charged with a crime for playing with operators who provide services abroad.
The Poker Governing Body of New Zealand
Specific areas of gaming, both offline and online, are all under the scrutiny of the Gambling Commission, the Ministry of Health, and the Department of Internal Affairs. When gaming operators wish to renew or obtain a new license, they go to the Gambling Commission. Both the protection of persons who suffer from problem gambling and the prevention of problem gambling, in general, are under the purview of the Ministry of Health. The Office of Internal Affairs is in charge of enforcing gaming laws.
However, keep in mind that if you have been a victim of fraud or unfair practices from an international poker site, you will not be protected by or subject to the legal system of New Zealand. The laws of the nation where the website is hosted will apply to you.
This does not imply that you lack protection. Contrarily, online gaming regulators around the world have accredited poker sites that welcome players from New Zealand. In terms of openness, security, and fairness, they are additionally independently audited by outside parties and accredited. Simply be careful not to register with poker sites that have consistently resisted taking such action.
New Zealand’s most popular poker games
Although there are many various types of poker software utilized online, many operators choose to employ programs developed by reputable programmers. This covers Playtech, Microgaming, and Evolution Gaming.
Players will need to test out the many games and software options available, whether they opt to play proprietary or listed software. The two variations of online poker software enable poker rooms to serve a wide audience.
The most widely used type of gambling is now available in an instant play mode, streaming. Players have the opportunity to access these games straight through their web browsers thanks to this. The downloadable form-factor of these software programs, which allows for improved security by having the poker room immediately downloaded into your personal computer, is the second configuration of these programs.
One aspect of online poker that new players frequently miss is picking the optimal time to play. Some people will find this strange, but luck favors the brave. There will typically be more cash tables available when there are more players, which can result in significantly bigger pots.
A poker room is likely to introduce fresh incentives and daily promotions throughout its busiest times. While a poker room is busy, not everything is rainbows and sunshine; when you participate in a tournament, there will be more participants in the tournament. As a result, it might be more difficult to take home the tournament’s top prize. We advise playing regular lobby games at your preferred poker room at the busiest times of the day. Your odds of winning an event will improve six to one as a result.
The most played poker variation globally is Texas Hold’em, and New Zealand is no exception. The most popular poker variants in New Zealand poker rooms, aside from Hold’em, are Draw Poker (5-card draw) and Stud Poker (5-card Stud, 7-card Stud).
Other excellent poker variants like Chinese Poker and Razz are also available at some of the sites on my list, but you might have to wait a bit for the tables with these formats to fill up.
New Zealand mobile poker
With the development of smartphones, it is now feasible to play real-money poker while exploring the depths of New Zealand’s Fiordland or climbing on the majestic mountain peaks of that country. Wherever you are, you may play poker with mobile poker apps! But you’ll also need a suitable gadget and a steady Wi-Fi connection.
Since 5G wireless technology is now available to New Zealanders, connectivity shouldn’t be an issue. Given that poker sites are accessible via all widely used mobile platforms and operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, compatibility shouldn’t be a problem either.
New Zealand Banking Options
You shouldn’t be concerned about how you’ll deposit money into and withdraw it from your poker account, despite the fact that you probably are. There are numerous methods for you to deposit and withdraw funds even if poker sites that accept New Zealanders are not based in New Zealand and are therefore not connected to any regional financial institutions.
In general, New Zealand citizens can use a large number of the popular payment methods accepted by online poker rooms. The biggest and most well-known approved payment options are probably credit and debit cards from Visa and Mastercard.
To use this approach, you must feel confident typing your card information into an online casino.
Although withdrawals made with a card may take a few days to complete, it will allow for an instant deposit. However, if you don’t want to use a card, there are a number of other options, so you don’t need to be concerned.
First off, certain sites allow you to use the POLi technique, which is mostly available in Australia and New Zealand. You can use this option to transfer money directly into your poker room account from your bank account via POLi. If you do deposit using this method, your withdrawals will probably be transferred by bank transfer, which can take longer to complete, as this method isn’t always offered at poker sites.
If it’s supported at your preferred site, a cryptocurrency is one technique we always advise poker players to employ. You can use any cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash, and others, for both deposits and withdrawals. Players can use cryptocurrencies to conduct quick transactions that are typically cost-free. There is very little risk of transactions being banned because they are not linked to a central bank or other financial institution. Therefore, if the chance arises to use a cryptocurrency, we wholeheartedly advise doing so.
Other options available at some poker rooms include e-wallets from companies like Skrill or PayPal, for instance, or Paysafecard. Because it is the safest alternative to choose, the latter is the option that is most frequently chosen. By using a Paysafecard, you are protecting all of your private banking information. The problem arises when you wish to withdraw because it isn’t frequently accessible for such a procedure. As a result, you must withdraw money using a bank transfer.
Of course, if you like, you can deposit money using a conventional bank transfer as well. Fast bank transfers might be accepted, but you must first provide your bank information to the poker room website in order to use these. Some players find this uncomfortable, just like using credit and debit cards for payments. It is available for use, nevertheless, if you so want.
Poker Tips & Strategies
Developing the knowledge necessary to conquer online poker might take years of persistent dedication. It is conceivable to achieve this aim over time and with devotion, but nothing is likely without assistance from others.
Read through thousands of poker tips and strategies to rely on the assistance of the poker community and learn how to win at any poker type. New players will learn whether it’s better to wager high or low on hands, what to do in a tournament, and which cards make the best hands.
Users can practice these strategies on free poker games to improve their skills before playing in a real game or tournament.
Summary
New Zealanders may play at some of the top poker sites in the world because to the country’s liberal gambling rules. New Zealanders are welcome at well-known online poker rooms like PPPoker clubs, Tiger Poker, and PokerBros, where they can take advantage of generous welcome bonuses and other lucrative promotions.
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