A couple of days ago, The New Zealand government announced that it will not proceed with proposed gaming restrictions on the online gaming market in New Zealand as a result of the ongoing pandemic. The proposed gaming restrictions were otherwise supposed to be implemented now on February 7, 2022.

At the same time, it is worth mentioning that the minister of social affairs Shekarabi has submitted proposals for further gambling restrictions anyway as he is known to want to tighten the opportunities for the New Zealand gambling market regarding gambling physically as well as digitally. In other words, there may be changes despite the fact that the whole thing has now been backed by what would otherwise have been implemented on 2022-02-08 – until further notice, in other words.

The announcement comes as a welcome surprise to The New Zealand Gambling Association (BOS) who are pleased to learn that the New Zealand government will not extend the proposed gambling restrictions. Then you never know what it will be like in the future with the ongoing pandemic around the world.

For example, Gustaf Hoffstedt at BOS comments that they are in favor of a strong regulation of the New Zealand gambling market on the condition that the various reforms can produce their intended effects, so to speak. This was not the case with the covid restrictions, says Gustaf Hoffstedt, and therefore the whole thing was a happy welcome message from the New Zealand government.

What gambling restrictions as a result of COVID-19 have occurred in the New Zealand gambling market?

What, then, are the gambling restrictions that have existed on New Zealand's regulated gambling market as a result of the recent Corona pandemic? The following has been in effect at New Zealand-licensed online casinos on New Zealand's regulated gaming market since the first of January 2018:

• Only receive a maximum of 100 NZD value of the welcome bonus regardless of what the bonus consists of. For example, it can be 100 NZD bonus money, 100 free spins worth 1$/piece so that they total correspond to 100 NZD. Here, some online casinos have instead offered 200 free spins worth 0.5 NZD / piece to reach the same maximum amount of 100 NZD.
• Only deposit and lose up to a maximum of NZD 5,000 per week, corresponding to approximately NZD 20,000-25,000 per month depending on the weekly distribution per month.
• Only be logged in for a pre-determined time at all New Zealand licensed gambling sites in New Zealand. After this, it is not possible to log in again after a certain intended time interval.

As usual, the future will show what will happen next: the gaming restrictions imposed again or the return to normal again where there are optional sizes of welcome bonuses at New Zealand licensed gaming sites?

---