Nigeria Vs. New Zealand: Permission for Offshore-Licensed Gambling
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What do Nigeria and New Zealand have in common? Of course, many gamblers are interested in online casinos and bookmakers. Due to the legislative base and the development of the gambling business, these two countries are the main bases for offshore gambling sites.
However, due to the different levels of development of the gambling market, there is quite a big difference between these countries. We decided to compare the features of Nigeria and New Zealand in the context of the availability and legality of gambling.
New Zealand’s Stance on Offshore-Licensed Gambling
The state of affairs related to online gambling in New Zealand is similar to Nigeria. On the one hand, online gambling is prohibited by local companies. On the other hand, offshore and external companies can do business in the country.
Although as expected, having passed many tests and checks before that, offshore operators need to meet several criteria such as paying for a license and approving the payment of taxes.
New Zealand Online Gambling Industry
New Zealand is an island nation in Polynesia. According to New Zealand laws, gambling has a legal status. Kiwi players join casinos at CasinoDeps.co.nz that provide top-rated online gambling games and a variety of bonuses for both new and regular customers. About 80% of the country’s total population takes part in one or another form of gambling.
As the industry developed and new forms of real-money gambling, such as online gambling, emerged in the 2000s, the country’s legislators introduced new rules, but more on below. In general, the industry at this stage is completely controlled and, at the same time, accessible to gamblers from New Zealand.
Current Laws and Regulations on Gambling
The law that currently governs New Zealand gambling was passed in 2003. Over time, it has been updated, and at the moment, the following objectives are:
- monitoring and control of the gambling business and the industry as a whole;
- minimising the damage that may be caused as a result of playing in online casinos or other gambling-themed platforms;
- creating a list of allowed and prohibited games;
- promotion of responsible gambling policy;
- active participation of commissions and political subjects in the field of gambling.
Although this law prohibits activities of sites that provide the opportunity to play gambling remotely (online), a full taboo is not provided. Gamblers still have access to foreign offshore sites in any way and do not break any laws.
This means that online casino operators are not allowed to operate from within the country to offer online gambling services. Still, gamblers can play on offshore platforms without fear of breaking the law. Thus, players should be solely interested in where they play because, in case of any disputes with the operator, the country’s law cannot offer them any protection.
Nigeria’s Stance on Offshore-Licensed Gambling
Currently, interest and cooperation with offshore gambling companies is the primary type of interaction in the Nigerian gambling market. Nigeria has the second largest share of the gambling sector in Africa and is the most potential region for online gambling service providers.
Nigerian Online Gambling Industry
The most popular gambling platforms are grounded casinos and places to bet on sports. Online gambling in Nigeria operates only in the form of offshore sites and does not have a regional representative of this online business.
However, gambling is changing for the better and is successfully developing in Nigeria. A significant partnership agreement between online gambling host providers and various betting companies has been signed.
Current Laws and Regulations on Gambling
With laws, the situation is much more complicated. The country is currently in the active phase of development of the legislative framework. Since online gambling was banned by law for a long time, gamblers from Nigeria found various ways around the bans and games in online casinos outside the region.
On the one hand, they were vulnerable to multiple scammers and websites. On the other hand, not everyone could visit land-based casinos for various reasons, and online casinos were the only place for gambling.
Seeing this situation, the government and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) in Nigeria began to prepare their employees for innovations and changes in the body’s work. Expecting not only to improve the current format but also to make the income from legal online gambling one of the main sources of profit for the state for the country’s development and improvement.
The Final Word
The first legal online casino in Nigeria was launched in 2014, while online casinos in New Zealand have been functioning much earlier. On the one hand, New Zealand gambling is looking for new offshore companies that interest players. On the other hand, the long process of certification and obtaining a business permit repels most online casinos.
At the same time, Nigeria, known for its football fans who are crazy about the English Premier League and always want to bet, does not bother the company with meticulous checks and tests. Unfortunately, the result may not always be positive.
But one thing is for sure, despite such different cultures and territories, New Zealand’s gambling market is very similar to Kenian, Nigerians, the Philippines and many other countries worldwide. However, New Zealand has already taken its first step towards offshored-licensed gambling, while Nigeria is just getting on its way.
