Both Australia and New Zealand boast thriving gambling industries, with casinos attracting local and international players. Players can step inside renowned traditional establishments, like the Crown Casino in Melbourne, or stay home and use the best online casino NZ players can access from the comfort of their homes. Online, Graziella Calleja says players can benefit from generous bonuses, a wide choice of games, and safe payment methods.
But whether playing online or in-person, there are distinct differences in the gambling markets of these two countries, including market size, expenditure, regulatory landscapes, and number of operators.
Revenue and Expenditure
Thanks to the many brick-and-mortar and online casinos in Australia, the country reported a market size of $4.9 billion at the end of 2023. This is forecasted to increase to $8.5 billion by 2032, with a 6.2% predicted market growth rate.
In Australia, gambling expenditure increased from $21.43 billion in 2020 to $24.039 billion in 2021, with a continued upward trajectory into the present.
The number of international gambling operators who are shifting focus to New Zealand has been increasing. At the end of 2023, the sector recorded revenues of $1.9 billion, an increase of 3.3% from 2022. However, there is plenty of room for growth, with New Zealand only holding 2.7% of the market share for the Asia-Pacific market in 2023.
Gambling expenditure increased from $2.254 billion in 2022 to $2.761 billion in 2023 in New Zealand for the four major types of gambling activities, which include lotteries, sports betting, casinos, and gaming machines (outside of casinos).
Legal Framework and Regulations
The casino and gambling industry is tightly regulated in Australia. It is taxed by federal, state, and territory governing bodies. Each individual jurisdiction places its own limits on gaming licenses and electronic gaming machines (EGMs). Online casinos are regulated by the federal Interactive Gambling Act of 2001, a law that prohibits several online gaming services for Australian citizens.
New Zealand is home to several casinos, however, online gambling is not yet regulated or legalised, which offers offshore casinos the opportunity to attract punters in New Zealand (interestingly, it is not illegal to access offshore gaming sites). Online casinos are prohibited according to the Gambling Act of 2003, which permits only state-owned entities to offer gambling products, for example, Lotto NZ, operated by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, which, in turn, is regulated by the Department of Internal Affairs.
Competitive Landscape
Australia has a much more competitive landscape in terms of gambling and casinos than New Zealand. Not only does Australia have more brick-and-mortar casinos, but online gambling is legal and there are dozens of local online operators.
Number of casinos
Australia has no shortage of casinos and gaming houses. There are 14 gambling houses in the country, distributed across the different states. The oldest casino is Wrest Point Casino, which was opened in 1973 in Hobart.
Apart from these physical establishments, there are also dozens of online casinos as these are legal in Australia.
New Zealand has only six land-based casinos, four of which are operated by SkyCity Entertainment Group. The largest is SkyCity Casino, in Auckland. The other casinos are:
- SkyCity Casino Hamilton
- SkyCity Casino Queenstown (Beach Street)
- SkyCity Casino Queenstown (Streamers Warf)
- Christchurch Casino
- Dunedin Casino
There’s therefore not a lot of choice for gambling enthusiasts in New Zealand, which is why so many turn to offshore casinos.
Popular gaming options
The most popular form of gaming in Australia is wagering via EGMs. These machines are found at pubs and casinos and tie into Australia’s lively pub culture. The racing industry also enjoys a lot of attention in Aus, thanks to events like the Melbourne Cup Carnival (also called “the race that stops the nation”).
The lottery sector enjoys the most attention in New Zealand, accounting for 44.5% of the gaming sector’s total value. Racing and sports betting are also popular with Kiwi gamblers.
Conclusion
Australia and New Zealand have both seen significant increases in their gambling markets. In Australia, the presence of several land-based casinos and a regulated but legal online casino sector means gambling is easily accessible to citizens.
It’s predicted that international gambling companies will continue to focus on New Zealand, but there’s also an expectation that online gambling will be legalised in the coming years, which will further increase the local market value.