69558 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Internal Affairs

69558 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter April to June 2024 on the action area ‘Identify improvements to the legislative and regulatory framework to reduce gambling-related harm’ under ‘Objective 3: Strengthen leadership and accountability to achieve equity’ within the Ministry of Health’s Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2022/23 to 2024/25?

Hon Brooke van Velden: In the quarter April to June 2024, I received advice on the high-level design of a regulatory regime for online casino gambling to minimise harm and provide consumer protections to New Zealanders. Cabinet approved this high-level design in the following quarter. I am advised by the Department that it continued to develop a new technical standard to support the introduction of mandatory carded play in SkyCity casinos in 2025. This will allow for more robust harm minimisation strategies to be applied in New Zealand casinos.