Canada
Why the New Zealand Gambling Laws are Outdated
Nowadays, online gambling is more popular than ever before. However, New Zealand gambling laws are still severely outdated. The Gambling Act of 2003 is still in place and has remained unchanged for a good 20 years. This law states that one must be 18 years old to buy lottery tickets and participate in sports betting and 20 years old to enter a land-based casino in New Zealand.
The bill also prevents residents of New Zealand from gambling online, except for the online state lottery and Totalizer Agency BoFard or TAB. The major flaw, however, is that Kiwi players are free to sign up, deposit, and place real money bets at online casinos, sportsbooks, and online poker rooms hosted abroad.
History of Gambling in New Zealand
Betting, which consists of playing games of chance along with placing bets on racing and sports, has a long and incredibly diverse tradition in the country of New Zealand. With the very first gambling rules dating all the way back to the first half of the 20th century, Kiwis have been dealing with a highly regulated industry long before other countries.
In the 1830s, gambling was virtually banned in New Zealand territory. However, at the turn of the century, New Zealanders witnessed a different regulation. While the Gambling Act of 1908 was still restrictive, it did allow betting on the most popular sporting events, such as horse racing.
Over the course of the 20th century, the country saw two extremes regarding the regulation of gambling practices. Before the end of the first half of the century, the rules for sports betting and horse racing had tightened to the point that only a few specific betting options, such as betting on track horse races, were allowed. However, in 1961, the government’s rules were revised, and this saw the legalization of slots, lotteries, and land-based casino establishments approved by the late 1990s.
Legal Online Gambling in New Zealand
Nowadays, as previously mentioned, Kiwi players have only two options to gamble online legally – through the New Zealand Lottery Commission and TAB. All other local gambling sites are illegal to use, and even if an online casino is hosted in New Zealand, it cannot offer casino games like slots, table games, or poker. Luckily, many offshore casinos cater to Kiwi players, and nothing holds players back from playing at these sites. So a casino may be called online casino New Zealand but they are regulated by Malta and hosted on a Maltese webserver.
A similar state-controlled gambling scene exists in other countries, and the reason for this is actually relatively easy. Having just two companies having a monopoly on gambling offerings makes things easy for the New Zealand government, and by heavily taxing these two companies, they give back to the community, partially restoring the potential harm they cause by offering games of chance.
Games of Chance Classifications in New Zealand
With current legislation in place, there are four different classes of gambling in New Zealand: casino gambling pokies and other table games, lotteries and sweepstakes, Class II and III gaming (games of chance run by charity organisations), and Class IV Gambling (private gambling like house poker games).
New Zealand Gambling Laws Affecting Casinos Rather Than Players
One thing to keep in mind regarding New Zealand gambling law is that it focuses mainly on casinos rather than players. Although formally speaking, players can be fined up to NZD$20,000 or imprisoned for up to two years, it is primarily the online casinos and sportsbooks that get fined when advertising gambling or operating without a license. Gambling winnings aren’t considered taxable income either, so there is little players could do ‘’wrong’’ as opposed to the casinos offering the games. This is turned around in a country like South Africa, if you gamble online there you can get a fine. In China you can even go to prison for it!
SkyCity Casino Operating From Malta
SkyCity is one of the most prominent gambling and entertainment companies in New Zealand. It manages five land-based casinos across the country, serving thousands of players and punters daily, generating nearly a billion dollars in turnover. However, as prominent as SkyCity is, it also has to adhere to the strict and outdated gambling laws in New Zealand.
As a result, SkyCity decided to launch its website through a Maltese subsidiary, with a gambling platform and front-end development provided by a Malta-based company – the Gaming Innovation Group. With that step they became one of the most popular online casino New Zealand.
Essentially, SkyCity is doing what most offshore casinos are doing by offering online gambling, including traditional casino games like pokies, Blackjack, and Roulette from abroad, with an evident focus on the New Zealand market and its players. This circumvents the current Gambling Act in place, with some calling it a ‘’legal loophole.’’
Future Gambling Laws in New Zealand
Obviously, the government of New Zealand and local politicians have gotten wind of this situation. As a result, the Department of Internal Affairs is now seeking submissions and is open for discussion regarding a new regulatory framework for online gambling. With a new regulatory framework in place, both domestic and overseas casinos and sportsbooks will be able to operate legally in New Zealand and offer gambling services to its residents.
Most likely, SkyCity will become the first licensed online casino in the newly regulated New Zealand online casino industry and be treated just like its land-based components.
AGLC
Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links

Law enforcement in Alberta continues to search for the last suspect in a sophisticated fraud operation that targeted ATMs in Edmonton-area casinos and resulted in over CAD 1 million ($720,487) in losses throughout Western Canada.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has confirmed that Hisham Ismaeel, 28, remains at large with a province-wide warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of fraud exceeding $5000 and possessing proceeds of crime. Police have already arrested four other men linked to the scheme. Investigators describe the operation as a well-planned effort to exploit financial systems and clean dirty money.
The accused, Elliot Miao, 42, Van Bau Ta, 39, Hassan Jaafar Haydar Ahmad, 37, and Dennis Jones, 42, showed up in the Alberta Court of Justice last week. They face charges from fraud and money laundering to owning criminal property. Miao also has a narcotics trafficking charge after police found cocaine when they searched with warrants.
Investigators claim the group made coordinated withdrawals at several casino ATMs, timing their transactions to avoid getting caught. This action messed up ATM networks in the area and showed flaws in the systems that banks and casinos use to stop misuse.
The RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region led an investigation that involved six search warrants in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), and several banks supported this effort. Officials said the case shows how teamwork between public agencies and the private sector plays a key role in combating modern financial crime.
AGLC representatives pointed out that casino operators in the province must follow strict reporting and surveillance rules under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws. The specific casinos affected remain unnamed, but the Edmonton region has seven licensed facilities. AGLC said its policies helped spot problems and backed the RCMP’s investigation.
Compliance experts say this fraud shows how criminals change their methods to take advantage of weak spots in reporting limits and transaction checks. They claim that casinos, which deal with lots of cash, are still easy targets unless they keep improving their detection systems and teach their front-line workers to notice coordinated actions like several big withdrawals happening one after another.
For now, the case highlights both the money and crime aspects of casino-related fraud. Besides the million-dollar losses, finding drugs during the raids points to a bigger criminal operation where financial crimes and drug dealing overlap.
The post Casino ATM Scam in Edmonton Reveals Money Laundering and Drug Links appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Bragg Gaming
Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems

Bragg Gaming Group, a leading online gaming technology provider, has confirmed a major cybersecurity incident that compromised its internal IT infrastructure in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, 2025.
The company detected unauthorized intrusion attempts that successfully breached its internal network, triggering an immediate and comprehensive incident response.
Key Takeaways
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Bragg Gaming Group experienced a cybersecurity breach involving access to internal IT systems.
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No customer personal data or payment information appears to have been compromised.
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The company has enacted full containment and investigation protocols.
Details of the Breach
According to a preliminary forensic analysis by Bragg’s internal security team, the attack was a targeted breach aimed at the company’s internal computer environment. While the exact method of intrusion is still under investigation, early indicators suggest a sophisticated exploit of internal network vulnerabilities.
Fortunately, the company’s customer-facing systems, including sensitive user data and financial information, appear to have been unaffected. Bragg’s existing encryption protocols and access control systems successfully prevented the attackers from accessing customer information.
Immediate Response Measures
In response to the breach, Bragg launched a multi-tiered containment strategy, including:
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Network Segmentation to isolate affected systems
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Enhanced Monitoring of data flows across its Remote Games Server (RGS) platform
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Security Audits of critical infrastructure, including the Bragg Hub and PAM systems
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Engagement of Independent Cybersecurity Experts to assist in incident analysis and system hardening
Bragg’s Security Operations Center has also elevated its alert level, initiating 24/7 monitoring across all server clusters and network endpoints. In addition, company-wide penetration testing is now underway to proactively identify any residual vulnerabilities.
Business Continuity Maintained
Despite the severity of the breach, Bragg reports that its operations remain unaffected. All gaming services, including iCasino and sportsbook offerings across regulated markets, continue to function without disruption.
“While this incident is deeply concerning, we are confident in the rapid and thorough response initiated by our team,” a company spokesperson stated. “We remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, our partners, and most importantly, our players.”
Looking Ahead
As part of its response, Bragg has also launched mandatory security awareness training for all employees to reinforce best practices and prevent future incidents.
Cybersecurity analysts will continue working with Bragg to determine the full scope of the attack, improve system resilience, and maintain the trust of its users and stakeholders.
Bragg’s handling of the incident highlights both the evolving nature of cybersecurity threats and the importance of robust, responsive defense systems in the digital gaming sector.
Source: cybersecuritynews.com
The post Bragg Confirms Cyber Attack – Hackers Access Internal IT Systems appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
AGCO
AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has updated several lottery policies to remove the cap on seller commission for Paper Raffles and Media Bingo, along with removing the prohibition on Catch the Ace paper lotteries, to align with other charitable lottery products.
Licensed charities may now negotiate commissions directly with sellers and determine commissions, provided they are reasonable and tied to the cost of service provided by the seller.
These updates further the AGCO’s commitment to adopt an outcomes-based regulatory approach and reduce burden for the charitable gaming sector. Local charitable organizations will have greater flexibility to make decisions that best serve their fundraising objectives.
Important Reminders
• Charities must still receive approval for other expenses incurred under their licence and retain receipts for seller commission paid.
• Licensing authorities will not require documentation to be submitted as part of the application process, however, charities are still subject to audit to determine compliance.
• Charities are reminded of their legal requirement to meet their obligations under the Criminal Code and with respect to conducting and managing a charitable gaming scheme.
• As with all licensed charitable lottery events, charities must take the necessary steps to ensure that they are conducting and managing the lottery event within Ontario.
For charitable gaming-related inquiries, email an AGCO Eligibility Officer at [email protected] or call AGCO Customer Service at 1-800-522-2876, Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The post AGCO Removes Cap on Seller Commission for Charitable Lottery Products appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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