Quick answer
Since 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may promote or take racing and sports bets from people located in New Zealand. Betcha, operated under Entain's partnership with TAB NZ, is the other online route. Offshore bookmakers offering New Zealand sport are acting outside New Zealand law.
The legal position, in one paragraph
The Racing Industry Act 2020 was amended so that, from 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may promote or take racing or sports bets from customers in New Zealand. DIA has been direct about this: overseas sites offering these bets to New Zealanders are breaking New Zealand law, and customers should use TAB or Betcha.
Entain and TAB NZ began a 25-year strategic partnership on 1 June 2023. TAB NZ remains the statutory body; Entain runs the operational platform and offers Betcha as an online brand. For you, the practical outcome is that there is one legal destination for New Zealand sports betting, and it is a good one.
Why the rule exists
TAB NZ is not a standard commercial bookmaker. It returns a share of its profits to New Zealand sport and racing. TAB NZ distributed NZ$28.5 million to sports organisations and Sport NZ in the year to July 2025. Every bet placed with an offshore bookmaker on NZ sport takes turnover out of that system, which is exactly what the 2025 amendment was written to stop.
What New Zealanders actually bet on
Rugby union dominates: Super Rugby, the All Blacks' Test schedule, the Rugby Championship and domestic competitions. Beyond that:
| Sport | Main local competitions and events |
|---|---|
| Rugby union | Super Rugby, All Blacks Tests, NPC, Rugby Championship |
| Rugby league | NRL, State of Origin, Kiwis Tests |
| Cricket | Black Caps internationals, Super Smash, Big Bash, international T20 leagues |
| Netball | ANZ Premiership, Silver Ferns Tests, Constellation Cup |
| Horse racing | New Zealand Cup week, Karaka, domestic meetings, Australian Group 1s |
| Football | A-League, English Premier League, international fixtures |
| Basketball | NBL, NBA, FIBA windows |
Wagering on football, cricket and basketball has been closing on horse racing in recent years, which is why the sportsbook product has become more important than it used to be.
Reading decimal odds
New Zealand uses decimal odds, which is the simplest format to understand.
| Odds | Implied chance | Return on NZ$10 | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.50 | 66.7% | NZ$15.00 | NZ$5.00 |
| 2.00 | 50% | NZ$20.00 | NZ$10.00 |
| 3.50 | 28.6% | NZ$35.00 | NZ$25.00 |
| 6.00 | 16.7% | NZ$60.00 | NZ$50.00 |
The maths: implied probability = 1 / decimal odds. Add up the implied probabilities of a market and you get more than 100% — that overround is the bookmaker's margin.
The main market types
- Head to head — who wins, with draws handled separately in some markets.
- Handicap or line — one team starts with a points advantage or deficit. Common in
rugby and league, and it is how you get even prices on a one-sided match.
- Totals — over or under a combined points line.
- Winning margin and first or anytime try scorer — popular in rugby.
- Futures — outright winners of a competition, priced months ahead.
- Multi or same-game multi — several legs combined into one bet, with multiplied odds
and multiplied risk.
- In-play — markets that move during the match.
Multis are the friendliest product to the bookmaker and the least friendly to the punter. Four legs at 2.00 each pay 16.00 but only land 6.25% of the time if each leg is a genuine coin flip.
A sensible approach
- Set a budget per week, before you look at the odds. Not per match, and not per session.
- Bet on competitions you actually follow. Rested knowledge beats random tips.
- Treat multis as entertainment, not strategy. If you enjoy them, keep stakes small.
- Ignore tipsters selling guarantees. Nobody has them.
- Use the tools. TAB's platform supports deposit limits and time-outs; use them.
- Never bet to recover a loss. That is the single clearest warning sign of a problem.
Responsible gambling in New Zealand
Free and confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or by texting 8006. Safer Gambling Aotearoa also directs people to local services. If you want to stop entirely, account self-exclusion and the Multi-Venue Exclusion scheme for pokies venues are both available.
Betting on sport should add something to a match you were going to watch anyway. If it starts changing which matches you watch, that is the signal to review it.