Hypocrisy in New Zealand as State Lottery Embraces Online Gambling

Since the dawn of the age of internet gaming, the government of New Zealand has been vigilant in demonizing online gambling. For over a decade, New Zealand gambling laws have explicitly forbid residents from gambling online.

An endless loop of talking heads paraded TV talk shows with the ever present teary eyed mother worried about the children and the reformed problem gambler recalling hair raising stories of debauchery blamed on foreign based online gambling in New Zealand.

Residents felt secure going to sleep each night knowing that their protector, guide and parents – the government – is guarding them from the incalculable damage caused by the evil found inside every New Zealand online gambling establishment.

This week New Zealanders discovered that the national Lottery Commission of New Zealand plans to offer its most popular gambling instrument at a government operated online gambling website in New Zealand. It turned out that what the government really meant during those endless brainwashing sessions was that online gambling is dangerous, addicting and evil, except when offered by the government.

As if by a turn of a magical switch, the moment an identical game moved from a New Zealand government operated gambling website to a foreign based online casino in New Zealand.

According to a report by TVNZ, the national Lottery Commission has released a statement of intent for the next two financial years. The projected plans include selling lotto tickets in supermarkets and making Instant Kiwi ‘scratchies’ available online. Currently these tickets are available at retail outlets.

Instant Kiwi completed 20 years in 2009 and its popularity has gone from strength to strength. It has been reported that every week New Zealanders buy 900,000 Instant Kiwi scratchies and $1 million is paid out. Increasing the time New Zealanders spend gambling is also an objective of the Lottery Commission.