New Zealand Gambling Market Stats 2025: Growth, Spending, and Shifting Habits

The New Zealand gambling market stats in 2025 reveal a high-stakes year shaped by mobile adoption, soaring pokies profits, and tightened regulatory shifts.

It’s a bold new era for Kiwi gamblers. Pokies still dominate, but online growth is accelerating. Regulatory pressures are forcing operators to adapt, while consumer habits are shifting toward mobile-first experiences. If you’re a player, operator, or investor, these latest stats will either excite you—or give you reason to pause.

Here’s what the numbers say, and why it matters now.

Online Gambling Surges Past $1 Billion in Player Spend

New Zealand’s online gambling market has officially crossed the billion-dollar threshold. In 2025, Kiwis spent an estimated NZD $1.15 billion on digital gambling platforms—a 17.8% year-on-year increase.

This growth has been driven largely by three factors:

• Higher smartphone penetration (over 94% of adults now own one)
• Seamless integration of local payment systems like POLi, PayID and bank cards
• Increased trust in offshore casinos with localised NZ support

Most importantly, over 72% of that spend now comes from mobile devices, cementing mobile-first design as an operational necessity for iGaming brands in Aotearoa.

Pokies Still Reign Supreme, but Retail Slips

Despite the digital rise, pokies remain the country’s favourite gambling product, accounting for just over 60% of all gambling spend in 2025. But there’s a catch—their retail footprint is shrinking.

While clubs and pubs still host over 14,000 pokie machines nationwide, total spend in retail pokies dropped by 6.4% compared to 2024. The shift is stark in areas like Auckland, where suburban pokie venues are seeing year-on-year declines for the third straight year.

In contrast, online pokie play is booming, driven by interactive bonuses, new slot mechanics, and VIP-driven loyalty schemes.

Lotto Maintains Volume, But Younger Players Are Tuning Out

Lotto NZ continues to rake in serious money, with ticket sales topping NZD $1.3 billion in 2025. Scratchies and Powerball remain national favourites—but the demographic breakdown is telling.

The average Lotto player is now aged 45+, with Gen Z and Millennials shifting their money toward skill-influenced games like poker and blackjack. Loyalty programmes like MyLotto remain sticky with older generations, but engagement from under-30s has dropped 12% since 2022.

This generational gap is something the Lotteries Commission is actively addressing with new app gamification features and more frequent draws.

Regulation Tightens, Especially on Offshore Operators

2025 brought a new wave of regulatory scrutiny targeting offshore online casinos operating in New Zealand without local licensing. While the Gambling Act is still under review, new ad restrictions and financial penalties are already in play.

This hasn’t stopped players—up to 67% of online gambling revenue still flows to overseas sites—but it has sparked major changes in affiliate marketing practices and banking relationships.

Operators offering NZD wallets, local customer support, and responsible gambling tools are performing best in this tightening space. Compliance is no longer optional—it’s the cost of market entry.

Māori Gambling Spend on the Rise, With Cultural Impacts

Data from Te Hiringa Hauora shows a notable increase in gambling spend among Māori communities, particularly through mobile pokies and online sports betting.

This rise has prompted renewed discussions about targeted harm minimisation, with iwi leaders and health advocates pushing for more culturally specific interventions. Local councils are also reviewing sinking lid policies for pokie licenses in high-deprivation areas.

The numbers don’t lie—Māori households are more likely to experience gambling harm, and the digital shift is making that harm harder to regulate at the community level.

Sports Betting Grows With Global Ties, But Horse Racing Slows

TAB NZ continues to anchor legal sports betting in the country, but offshore sportsbooks are increasingly favoured for better odds and promotions. The 2025 Rugby Championship and UFC fights drove major spikes in wager volume, especially among younger male bettors.

Meanwhile, horse racing is in steady decline, losing traction with under-40 bettors. While traditional punters remain loyal, international betting platforms are pulling attention away with slicker UX, free bet offers, and app-based multi-markets.

If this trend continues, expect even more consolidation and cross-border partnerships between NZ betting operators and global tech brands.

What These 2025 Stats Mean for the Future of Gambling in NZ

The data paints a clear picture: New Zealand’s gambling habits are going digital, generational, and global. Regulation is catching up, but the market continues to outpace the law in key areas like offshore spend and mobile wagering.

For players, it means more choice—but also more responsibility.
For operators, the message is clear: localisation, transparency, and mobile-first UX are no longer optional—they’re survival tools.

The New Zealand gambling market stats in 2025 reveal more than just revenue—they expose a nation at a tipping point, navigating between old habits and a high-tech future.

Ready or not, the reels keep spinning.