New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs ordered LeoVegas to pull its gambling advertisements from the Kiwi market. This is in a renewed effort to curb offshore operators targeting local players. Investigators found that the company ran paid campaigns on major platforms specifically targeting New Zealanders. This occurred despite restrictions on offshore gambling advertising in place since the Gambling Act 2003 took effect.
The regulator determined that LeoVegas knowingly breached national advertising rules. It then formally issued a cease-and-desist notice to the offshore operator. Officials made the message clear: stop immediately or face consequences.
This latest enforcement action highlights the challenge New Zealand faces in a borderless digital market. Overseas operators can reach local audiences with just a few clicks while remaining outside domestic jurisdiction.
For the meantime, the Government has moved a step closer to regulating online casino gambling. Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden said the reforms aim to protect community returns from online gambling activity. She added that these returns provide funding communities rely on.
According to people working in gambling-harm prevention, the case fits into a much larger pattern. Offshore operators usually push the limits, assuming enforcement becomes more difficult once they operate from abroad.
Previous examples illustrate how fast the issue has grown. In September, the DIA issued NZ$125,000 (about US$75,000) in penalties. The fines related to illegal gambling promotions involving a foreign operator and four New Zealand influencers. While others were fined between NZ$15,000 and NZ$20,000 (US$9,000–US$12,000), one influencer received a NZ$30,000 fine (about US$18,000). The higher penalty was for repeatedly promoting offshore casinos. Spinbet, the operator involved, was fined NZ$60,000 or about US$36,000 across 12 breaches.
In two years, complaints about influencer-led gambling promotions have doubled, reaching 75 cases this year. Public tip-offs now play a key role in detecting ads that slip through the cracks.
