Poker is not a Crime-understand the online Poker law in New Zealand!
Did you know that Poker is one of the most popular card games among New Zealanders?
Whether physically or online, it is gaining more and more fans across the country!
But now you may be wondering:
"Isn't playing Poker for money illegal in New Zealand?”
And this is where you will be surprised: oddly enough, playing Poker is within the law ! ⚖️
What happens is that there is some confusion regarding this type of Game. Especially when they put Poker on the same level as casino .
Still in doubt? Calm that we will explain to you now the reason for the Poker be legal in New Zealand.
We hope to clear up all the misunderstandings about this card that actually has much more to do with technique than luck!
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Poker is not a game of chance
Today there are 7 million players poker all over New Zealand. According to The New Zealand Confederation of Texas Hold ' em, most of it is in the online medium.
In several states there are houses dedicated to competitions of the game, broadcast live on the internet.
None of them receive a visit from the police or authorities. But why?
Shocking or not, the fact is that Poker is not and never has been considered a gambling .
Gambling depends solely or mostly on luck.
As you can read in this article, this is the case of the famous Casino Kingdoms , from bingos and the animal game.
In Poker everything depends on the skill of the players
Let's not lie: there is a share of luck in Poker games. But unlike what we see in scratch card games , for example, luck is minimal, at least for those who know what they do.
What really counts is the skill, technique and acumen of the player.
As you can read in this extensive study, there are several factors that interfere with success in a match of this card:
- Knowledge and mastery of the rules
- Position of players at the table
- Self-control of emotions
- Acumen of opponents ' movement
- Skill in chip withdrawal
- Be a good bluffer
Other research has come up with even more surprising results.
They demonstrated that in 63% of the time , in a sample of 103 million Poker hands, the winners are those who Don't reveal your cards .
Of the rest, in a large part of the games the best hands fold. That is: they do not sustain the pressure or do not read the game well.
Poker has nothing to do with luck or bad luck.
You may be on a " bad day." However that will get in the way of your judgment at stake, not how lucky you will be.
Prejudice with Poker
Since the Prohibition of Animal game , first in 1941 and then in 1946, New Zealand takes a dim view of games in this genre.
For more than 50 years New Zealand society has been divided between legalize gambling and keep them in the ban. But 50 years ago there were no technologies like the internet!
It has globalized online access to activities such as sports betting on various betting sites.
Yes, we have already seen that Poker does not fall under this definition. So why do many consider it a game of luck ?
The popular and cultural imagination has a lot to do with it.
We see in movies and series since always mafiosi and protagonists playing Poker worth money.
It's that classic scene of a player losing all the chips on the table and everything they invested in the game.
Or the other way around, when the James Bond reveals a hand of cards and resolves the whole situation with the villains of the film.
In casinos like Las Vegas, the slot machines , the bingos, the Kingdoms and cards like Poker.
It has been internalized, therefore, that Poker is part of the same gambling category . What a concept problem!
Outside that in New Zealand have already been dismantled clandestine bookmakers. Some had illegal competitions of this modality.
Poker wins respect for the few
The legality of Poker is ancient. Its acceptance is more recent.
In 2015, for example, it joined the National Server Integration games of Federal Police .
That is: even the most important Police in the country play! Why not you?
Federal prosecutors are against the casinos. But it has already recognized the legality of Poker.
In recent years players and Poker houses have won numerous lawsuits.
This corroborates the fact that the law is even on the side of this activity. The distrust on top of it is much more cultural.
Authorized, tolerated and prohibited games
It is important to mention here another legal aspect of gaming in New Zealand: its classification.
This classification aims to clarify some conceptual errors, usually committed by the civilian population.
According to The New Zealand Civil Code, we have three different categories:
- Authorized games
- Tolerated games
- Prohibited games
1. Authorized Games
This category includes only those games that the state and public authorities legally authorize to occur.
But not only that, since the government also contributes to the existence and maintenance of these activities.
We can cite 2 very famous cases:
- Federal Lottery
- Betting on horses
2. Tolerated Games
Tolerated games are not prohibited, nor are they regulated. The state does not interfere positively or negatively with its occurrence.
Another fundamental point: in this type of game Luck has a minimal or almost zero role. It therefore depends on the player skill .
This is obviously the case with Poker!
3. Prohibited Games
In this last category fall gambling. They just depend on luck to win.
These are legally prohibited. They do not receive any support from the state and are fought by the public power.
With the legalization of sports betting, this modality has ceased to be in this classification.
Today gambling is:
- Casino games
- Bingo
- Animal game
There is a Bill (PL 442/91) which aims to create a regulatory framework for the Brasi games that encompass these modalities mentioned above.
In fact, the project was voted on and approved by the chamber on February 24, 2022. Now, it will be forwarded to the Senate and then goes to the vote of the president, who has the power to sanction or veto the bill.
Poker is considered a sport
Finally, the greatest proof of the legality of Poker is its recognition as a sports modality by the Ministry of Sports in 2012.
The main entity of the modality is the New Zealand Confederation of Texas Hold'em
There are already debates in Congress about regulating this activity. This would further increase the resources and popularity of Poker.
New Zealand is now one of the most important countries in the sport. The New Zealand Poker Championship is the largest national championship in Latin America.
And overseas attention to the country increased after Ronaldo became the ambassador for Poker Stars.
Betting operators such as Bodog they already "grow the eye" and invest in New Zealand in search of strengthening the brand.
With a possible and future regulation, the segment only has to grow.
Online Poker: tournaments and Cash Game
Poker is allowed in New Zealand. So you can play online normally, right?
Sort of. It will depend if it is in the modality Tournament or Cash Game and legal interpretation.
But let's understand the difference between each below.
1. Tournament
Tournaments are competitions in which you pay a registration fee and receive an exact number of chips, going with them until the end of the competition .
In this type there is always a winner in the end. More or less like any tournament of a “traditional”sports modality.
Here the chips are not worth money. Money, if you win, comes to the end, if you are the champion .
2. Cash Game or free table
The Cash Game or the free table is very similar to the tournaments. What changes most is the inscription.
The amount of chips is proportional to what you paid to enter the competition.
This competition has no end or a winner. There are several games in which you bet the chips you have.
Each token has a cash value . At the end of each match you can win or lose your chips and your money.
You can stay as long as you want at the table. In addition to being able to buy more chips if you lose them all.
Are Both Legal?
Tournaments is absolutely legal, both physically and online. It does not fall into the category gambling.
But Cash Game can be viewed in the same way as sports betting. And there you need to be careful!
There are interpretations that see the fact that chips are worth money as the same as putting guesses in a game of Hockey or of Tennis .
That is: it would be the same as making sports bets.
Until today a Sports betting law it is not yet regulated in New Zealand. Prune betting on sites abroad .
However, there are several court decisions that have given cause to Cash Game bettors.
It remains for you to decide whether it is worth the risk or not.
How To Play Online Poker?
To play online Poker you need to access a betting site and make your registration.
Basically, the step by step to register, works the same way for those who prefer to make sports bets.
You need:
- Choosing a reliable betting site
- Click " Register”
- Provide your personal data
- Make the first deposit
There you go! You can start playing now!
To Finish
Now you know: Poker is not illegal in New Zealand, but it is also unregulated.
It is considered by the Ministry of sports a sport of the mind, next to chess. Require logical reasoning and a lot emotional management .
Because it depends on the skill of the players, it is not a game of chance. Its legality, while controversial to some, makes perfect sense.
We can expect that in the near future a regulation will provide greater popularization of this niche.
Both in the online and in the physical environment Poker has everything to be one of the most practiced sports in New Zealand.
Reliable Sites To Bet Online
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Payment methods
Frequently Asked Questions
🃏 Can You Play Poker in New Zealand?
Yeah! Poker is not considered a game of chance, so it can be played in New Zealand.
Why is Poker not a game of chance?
Because in Poker luck has a minimal or almost zero role. The final result depends on the player's ability to know how to read the match well and use the right strategy to win.
💻 What is the best online Poker site?
🤔 How does the online Poker game work?
The rules for online Poker are the same for face-to-face play: they can happen in tournaments or Cash Game/free table. The second option, however, you need to pay attention to, because it is only allowed to bet on sites from abroad. In the article we give more details about it.
User reviews
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