The Gambling Market in New Zealand

The Green Party from New Zealand wants to eliminate a new online gambling site, sustaining that it threatens the feasibility of the racing business.

Sue Bradford said that the site, Race-O New Zealand, might be prohibited and unlawful because of the implementation of the Gambling Act, three years ago, banning online gambling inside New Zealand.

The Act also made gambling on horses unlawful, unless wagers were laid with the TAB. The betting site, whose original shareholders included famous Sir Patrick Hogan and the former top trainer Dave O'Sullivan, is being inspected by the Department of Internal Affairs.

The director of Race-O New Zealand is Berri Schroder, a part-owner of Melbourne Cup winner Brew. The site is registered in Costa Rica, Central America and its gambling license has been secured from the independent Indian land of Kahnawake in Canada.

Ms Bradford sustained that sites like Race-O New Zealand, put at risk the equilibrium of racing industry, all because the TAB monopoly assured that gambling earnings were returned to the industry in a rationally responsible method.