Over NZ$212m was wagered on New Zealand’s National Football League at offshore sportsbooks in 2024, raising integrity and match-fixing concerns.
A report published by the NZ Herald indicates that over the course of 2024, bets on the New Zealand National Football League at offshore sportsbooks reached a staggering NZ$212 million.
That number could increase by the time 2025’s figures are in, sparking worrying concerns across industry experts in the country.
It is a situation that shows the struggles New Zealand’s new iGaming licensing framework will face. The country’s legal sports betting market is already exhibiting signs of the challenges the new online casino licensing authority will surely face the same issues.
However, this is not a problem that is unique to the NZ online gambling industry. The UK and Australia, which also have domestic sportsbooks and domestic licensing frameworks in place, struggle to contain overseas online gambling.
Kiwis Wager Over $1 million Per Game at Offshore Sportsbooks
Despite offering players in the country a domestic online sportsbook, sports betting enthusiasts continue to gamble on overseas platforms. The entire saga reveals that the industry is struggling with competition from offshore entities.
According to the report, the domestic football league attracts NZ$500,000 to NZ$1.4 million in bets per game. An expert on the matter claims that it is not uncommon for up to NZ$1 million to be placed on the amateur football league at overseas sportsbooks per game. That statistic came from Scott Howman, who is a member of the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association (NZPFA) general council.
Source: I used the report directly from the NZHerald to formulate the introduction to this news piece. The NZHerald report is ‘New Zealand’s amateur football league is attracting hundreds of millions in offshore betting’.
Staggering Figures Considering There is a Licensed Sportsbook Operating in NZ
For those involved in the industry, these numbers are staggering because overseas online sports betting sites are not permitted to sponsor teams in the New Zealand National Football League. Furthermore, New Zealand’s Gambling Act 2003 prohibits teams or any media channels from taking sponsorship money or advertising offshore gambling operators in New Zealand.
The purpose of this rule is not to encourage New Zealand citizens to flock to overseas sportsbooks when the country already has TAB New Zealand, which is the only online sports betting site legally allowed to offer citizens sports betting services.
Why are Citizens Choosing to Gamble on Overseas Sportsbooks?
It’s tough to say exactly why New Zealanders are choosing overseas sportsbooks over those that are regulated under domestic gambling laws. The same can be said for players who choose overseas sportsbooks in the UK or Australia.
However, after covering a recent UK survey that explores why UK citizens Gamble on Black Market casinos, I can use that as a guide as to why Kiwi players are shunning the TAB New Zealand sportsbook.
- Over 200 Markets Offered per Match: One of the attractions, at least I believe, is that offshore bookmakers offer a more diverse selection of betting markets. The NZ Herald report confirms these offshore sites list more than 200 markets covering everything from who gets the first touch of the ball to the number of throw-ins, corners, and yellow cards.
- Crypto: Players often prefer to play using cryptocurrency. Tab does not offer crypto betting, and hence, overseas gambling sites are attractive.
- Better Bonuses: Many overseas online gambling sites offer more attractive sports betting bonus deals. For example, one special deal in particular that we are impressed with is the unlimited crypto deposit match on sites like Lucky Hunter.
- Not Illegal to Play at Overseas Sites: It is not illegal for Kiwi players to gamble on overseas sportsbooks. Therefore, many citizens may feel that they prefer the competition and brands offered outside of New Zealand’s jurisdictional laws.
- Better Odds: Overseas websites often offer enhanced odds or simply improved odds on top of the 200+ betting markets available to Kiwi players who sign up for them.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons we can easily speculate as to why sports betting enthusiasts in New Zealand choose to gamble on overseas sportsbooks. As a result, these are all likely contributing factors to the NZ$212 million bet at offshore sites in 2024.
Source: Both the New Zealand Herald report and my previous news report – UKGC Surveys British Black Market Casino Players.
Worries Over Match Fixing
To finish off, many are worried that the profits overseas casinos are making and the sheer amount of money bet on the New Zealand National Football League will lead to match fixing.
One of the points made above is that offshore sportsbooks offer more than 200 betting markets, including microbets. It is those microbet markets that some industry experts in New Zealand believe could open the door for spot-fixing. Essentially, a single minor incident, such as a first touch, can be manipulated by those involved in the game.
The risks aren’t hypothetical either. Australia’s A-League has already been rocked by betting scandals, including the recent case of former All White Clayton Lewis, who admitted involvement in a yellow-card manipulation scheme at Macarthur FC.
Casinoplusbonus Opinion
I feel that the main concern here is not that so many New Zealanders are choosing to place sports bets at overseas casinos, but instead, industry leaders in the country are more concerned with how the large volumes of money being wagered on the sport may affect its integrity.
On the other hand, I know there are many who will argue that if all that money were diverted to the TAB New Zealand sportsbook, it would not eliminate mixing fixing. I can agree with this point too, because wherever there is sports betting, no matter where the money goes, there will be those who approach players in an attempt to profit from match fixing.
As for solving the issue of citizens choosing to bet at overseas online gambling sites, I can’t ever see an end to this saga. It is a black market industry that is growing in many countries, despite the presence of domestic licensing.
If you asked me to apply a quick fix, I would tell governments, reduce taxes on these gambling platforms to allow them to offer more competitive odds and bonuses. Additionally, consider adding cryptocurrency as a payment option. I believe this solution would result in more players choosing domestic sites, better protection for those players and more tax revenue for the government in the long run.
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