Betting on NZ TAB outlawed
 

"The Australian Government's new Interactive Gambling Amendment Act stops people in Australia betting with overseas bookmakers who don't have a licence in Australia and that includes the New Zealand betting agency, the TAB.

So as of Wednesday last week, people in Australia cannot place a bet with the NZ TAB and it means even a Kiwi who travels to Australia for a weekend can't bet on the NZ TAB once they are there.

The law change was intended to target illegal gambling, and has prevented overseas online casinos and poker sites operating, but bookmakers come under the legislation too."

stuff.co.nz

This is getting ridiculous to be honest. So all overseas bookmakers are a no go? Marathon sent me an email saying I can't bet with them, does this mean Pinnacle Sports is a no go also? Well that's me pretty much done and dusted.
What irks me is that you can walk into Crown or any other casino in Australia and lose millions, Australian lotteries (I don't bet with them), but when I'm in the Post Office, I overhear some people gambling hundreds of dollars on them. Last but not least, you can put as much as you like into a poker machine at any venue and do all your wages, walk down to the nearest ATM, withdraw $1,000 off your credit card and do it all again.
What about legitimate sports arbers - we're stuffed

Often access the NZ TAB site for information only
Can't even get to the site this morning - DNS Resolution Error

VPN
 

Easy way to get around the problem is to download a free VPN and set your location to say the UK. I use Psiphon myself.

This was always going to happen and has been on the table for a long time. They are just now working out how to do it technically.

The issue is the "corrupt" illegal sites won't care and allow you to sign up sing a VPN and then not pay you out. At the same time the legit companies will not let you bet with them anymore.

And then your down to a few in Australia who will ban you. So your left with betfair as the shining light who will take bets and at least it might get a bit more turnover again (maybe).

Arbers will cry the loudest (sorry Chrome) but for those of us already turning over a lot of money, and who can't use bookies, this isn't going to matter at all and its probably a good thing as it channels more money into the tote and betfair directly and indirectly.

Will Betfair still be represented in Australia down the track though?

It will as long as it is partly owned by Australian interests or at least has a licence here.

My paid for VPN won't work on any, Tab, lux or otherwise. (they use deep packet inspection techniques) I can access BF without any VPN.

I maintain a server at home as I'm overseas a lot. Just a simple laptop and I access it with Teamviewer (free).

Ps I used to have an Amazon server account originating from Sydney, stopped working for the same reasons.

It would be a pain but I can make money on the tote using my methods as well. So if betfair ever leaves I just need a day to write a bit of code to talk to the totes and I would be fine.

Mind you I prefer using betfair :)

Apparently VPN's wont work if your account is registered to an Australian address. Only way round it is to have a NZ address, and then you can use a VPN or whatever to access the site.

Alot of Kiwi punters annoyed as well, if they are on holiday in Aussie, they cant access and bet on there accounts either because of the way its setup.

Thats interesting about the VPN as i use one for other reasons, i could understand if you were trying to use an overseas account with an Australian address but is it the same if you try to access your own account from overseas?

Should be able to sort something out between them
If not, NZ could reciprocate

Currently overseas, country(Austria) is prohibited by OZ bookies and TABs.
With my VPN (cyberghost 6) I can actually log into most of my accounts Tabtouch WA and others, except Lux but bets are not accepted.

I actually received an email from Tabtouch that I should'n use a VPN on their site, but there is an arrangement whereby if I fill in a request form with them I can bet for 60 days in any given year from any prohibited country.
This is to allow tourists to bet with them while overseas. I never bothered, my server works fine, a bit slower than direct connect but so what.

Fingers crossed they dont, otherwise it'll be time for me to walk away if all Im left with is the NZ TAB.

I have been getting the message "The NZ TAB is not accessible from your current location. For more information please contact our customer services team on helpdesk@tab.co.nz"

Yep, same

You would also get the same message if you were in Singapore or the United States,,two other countries where the NZ TAB it is not allowed to operate

I don't think anyone has mentioned that months before this all happened, the NZ government introduced a bill requiring offshore betting operators to pay for the use of NZ racing & sporting information in their products & also when they took bets on NZ events.

Sorry to be a wet blanket but it might just save someone some grief.
You guys do realise that IF you get found out, it's now a criminal offence to use a VPN to access a blocked site from Australia?
Should be o.k. if you're on holidays or travelling, but they can press charges or report you to the authorities.
"The use of any device to circumvent the Interactive Gambling Act is a criminal offence."

Interestingly, you can open a TABtouch account if you're a NZ resident but cannot place pari-mutuel bets with them?

Does the NZ tab have fixed price betting?

yep

didn't know that, thanks

Is it now illegal to use a VPN to deliberately bypass geo-restrictions to access overseas content? Was informed a little while back that it was not illegal.

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/...lix-with-a-vpn/

Article is dated this year. I wouldn't go by it without checking other sources but it seems to say VPN usage is ok for bypassing geo-restrictions as of Feb.

I spend a lot of time overseas and there is only one tab and Betfair that I can access without any problem via VPN. all the others stopping even a login.
I have a server back home for use with the others.
Have to check on the legality though, regarding the tab I can access maybe different from netflix.

Just look up the regulations of the Interactive Gambling Act.

Have since discovered a big list of countries from which you cannot open a TABtouch account, including China, Fiji, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom & USA. OK for Canada & Isle of Man but same restriction as per NZ.

Nothing has changed

According to the NZ Racing Board only some 800 customers based in Oz were originally impacted
And very few of these were high-staking customers

However the NZRB has indicated they have been liaising with NZ & Oz Government officials with regards to the impact on NZ customers travelling to Oz,,as no bets can be placed with the NZ TAB when the bettor is physically located in that country

So await that outcome

New TAB website & mobile app for NZ
NZ Racing Board hoping to increase returns to the industry by $17 million - $19 million in annualised profit

Do miss having a punt on the sheep shearing