New Government legislation could see millions of dollars of funding to grassroots football lost.

The Government has introduced draft legislation into Parliament, the Online Casino Gambling (OCG) Bill, which is seeking to regulate online casino gambling operated by offshore businesses, something that is currently illegal in Aotearoa New Zealand.

For the last 50 years or so, all political parties have honoured the principle that, if gambling in NZ is to remain legal, a share of gambling revenues must go to communities, including community sport. Outside of membership fees, accessing class 4 gaming trust grants remains one of the most vital forms of financial support for a lot of community sport.

The new legislation, while reasonable in its ambition to regulate an illegal area, completely deviates from this prescient, where without any notice or warning places zero obligation on the operators to provide for community. 

With gambling moving increasingly online, this shift could see revenue going completely to offshore operators with nothing coming back to support Kiwi communities. 

The sports sector, including New Zealand Football, federations, and football clubs, have joined forces to fight this legislation, but we need every individual’s support to let the Government know how important it is that community sport continues to be supported. 

You can help by writing to your local MP to object to this impact, or make a public submission on the bill at parliament.nz

Article added: Tuesday 05 August 2025