What was claimed

At 16 we’re free from parental control, we can leave home, we can start a family, we can get married, we can start work, we can pay taxes, we can join the forces.

Our verdict

Services › Casino and Non-Casino Gaming › Prohibited Gambling. Gambling in New Zealand is illegal unless it is authorised by or under the Gambling Act 2003.In addition to this rule there are certain forms of gambling that are specifically prohibited under the Act. SkyCity Queenstown is committed to keeping minors off site and will rigorously enforce the prevention of under-age gambling in its casinos. Our security and gaming staff are trained to be particularly vigilant for the presence of under-age persons, however any member of staff has the authority to approach suspected under-age gamblers and seek.

Correct, although in some cases parental consent is still required for under-18s.

“At 16 we’re free from parental control, we can leave home, we can start a family, we can get married, we can start work, we can pay taxes, we can join the forces.”

Emily Thornberry, 31 January 2018

Legally you are considered to be a child if you’re under the age of 18. Until you reach this age you can’t buy alcohol or do things like leave education or training (though you can leave secondary school at the age of 16). But for many other things the minimum legal age is 16. We’ve taken a look at the law in England and Wales in some of these cases.

Almost all of the information in this article was originally sourced from a House of Commons Library briefing.

Defining a child

Both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Children Act 1989 define a child as someone under the age of 18. The UN Convention adds that this is “unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.” In the UK, children gain rights under certain laws before the age of 18.

Voting

If you’re in England or Wales, you can vote in UK elections, and referendums, from the age of 18. You can register to vote at 16.

Leaving home

You can leave home without parental consent at the age of 18. If a child leaves home, parents can apply for a court order to try and bring the child back. The court bases its decision on criteria including the age and wishes of the child, as well as any risks to their welfare in leaving home.

In practice, it is unlikelythat a court would approve a parental order to bring back a child aged 16 or over.

Work

Children can generally start to take up take uppart-timework at 13 years old. In exceptional cases such as if you are acting or modelling you may start at a younger age. If that is the case then aspecial licenceis needed.

From the age of 16 you can startfull-timework in Wales, having met theminimumschool leaving age. In England you have to stay in some kind of education or training until you're 18 and we've looked at that in more detail below.

At the age of 16 you may need to be paid through PAYE if you earn over £113, meaning you can be taxed. You also start payingnational insurancefrom the age of 16 if you earn over £157 a week (as an employee).

Education

Marriage and civil partnerships

You can legally get married, or enter into a civil partnership at 16, although parental consent must be given in bothcases if you are under the age of 18.

Sexual consent

From the age of 16, a person is considered to be able to give consent to all sexual activity with other people aged 16 or over.

It is an offence for someone who is under or over the age of 16 to take part in sexual activity with someone else who is under the age of 16.

Alcohol

You have to be 18 years-old to buy alcohol. But if you are over the age of 16 you can drink beer, wine or cider with a meal, for example in a restaurant, if you’re accompanied by someone over the age of 18. Children can also consume alcohol in private from the age of five.

You can also buy liqueur confectionery from the age of 16.

Driving

You can get a provisional driving license and start taking lessons at 15 years and 9 months.

The minimum age for actually being able to drive depends on the type of vehicle. For some very small vehicles, for example a moped, you can start driving once you’re 16.

You can take your driving test for a car, and start driving, from the age of 17. That’s also the minimum age limit for driving a tractor or a motorbike too. If you want to drive a “medium-sized good vehicle” then you need to be 18 and you have to be 21 before you can drive vehicles larger than that.

There are some exceptions to the minimum age limits though. For example, if you have applied for the advanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment you can start driving a car at 16 years-old.

Armed forces

You can join any of the Armed Forces without parental consent once you reach 18.

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You can apply to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force at 15 years and 9 months and the Army at 15 years and 7 months. You can’t actually serve in any of the forces until you reach 16 though.

For all three forces you need consent to join from a parent or guardian if you’re under 18.

Child benefit

A parent usually gets child benefit until the end of August after their child turns 16.

They can continue to get the benefit until the child reaches the age of 20 if they are in full-time “non-advanced education” or “approved training”—this includes GCSEs, A-levels, BTECs, and traineeships. Or they can get it until the child turns 17 if the child has registered for things like further education or training with a careers service.

Correction 2 February 2018

We corrected this article to clarify that you can work full-time from the age of 16 in Wales, but in England must stay in some kind of education or training until the age of 18.

This segment of our guide is dedicated to providing a clear and concise overview of the gambling laws that determine what is and is not legal for players in New Zealand. NZ citizens are very active in the gambling entertainment industry. It is estimated that among Kiwis of legal gambling age, approximately 80% of them participate in legal gambling activity of some kind. A percentage of those players are engaged only with lottery games, but a significant number also enjoy pokies, sports betting, poker and brick and mortar casino action.

The nation’s governing agencies that regulate the gambling industry are very upfront about what is and is not legal when it comes to betting and gambling entertainment. This section will convey the do’s and don’ts for legally participating in online or offline gambling in New Zealand, as well as provide insight into the roles of the various agencies responsible for regulatory oversight of the different gambling platforms. You will find everything you need to gain a comprehensive understanding of legal New Zealand online gambling.

The New Zealand Gambling Act of 2003

The current applicable gambling laws of the land are primarily contained within the Gambling Act of 2003. This piece of legislation lays out the prohibited forms of betting for Kiwis as well as clarification on what types of betting are legally sanctioned for players to participate in. You can learn more about this gambling law from our page that covers the New Zealand Gambling Act of 2003, as well as gain insight into the role of the Gambling Commission, Department of Internal Affairs and the Lotteries Commission.

The New Zealand Racing Act of 2003

The New Zealand Racing Act of 2003 is a piece of legislation that was created for governing the racing industry and regulating sports betting. The Act put a streamlined, simplified infrastructure in place for effective regulatory oversight. Use our guide to understanding the Racing Act of 2003 to learn how this law transformed the regulating of the racing industry in New Zealand and how it ensures that bettors have access to a safe, secure and high quality betting experience. Also included in this guide is information about the New Zealand Racing Board.

The New Zealand Gambling Compliance Group

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The Gambling Compliance Group’s objective is to ensure that all gambling services offered in New Zealand are in complete compliance with the Gambling Act of 2003. They utilize a variety of strategy methods for ensuring compliance, focusing on ensuring a fair, secure and quality gambling environment that minimizes harm and reinvests in the community. Gain insight into the impact and role of the GCG from our page dedicated to the New Zealand Gambling Compliance Group.

New Zealand Gambling Law FAQs

What Types of Gambling Are Legal In New Zealand?

As far as gambling opportunities that are licensed through the government of New Zealand, Kiwis have access to variety of legally sanctioned betting options, including lottery, housie (bingo), sports betting, pokies, racing, poker and casino gambling. The gambling laws in New Zealand are comprised of the Gambling Act of 2003 and the Racing Act of 2003. In addition, the Department of Internal Affairs has clarified that it is perfectly legal for New Zealand residents to participate in legally licensed and regulated online gambling from businesses located outside of the nation’s borders, which means that offshore online gambling is perfectly legal when offered through legitimately licensed destinations. This guide provides access for you to legal New Zealand online casinos, poker, sports betting and bingo.

What Is The Legal Gambling Age in New Zealand?

The legal minimum gambling age in New Zealand varies depending on what type of betting you are engaged in. There is no minimum age requirement for lottery games. Scratch off cards require players to be at least 16 years old. Horse racing, bingo and sports betting require bettors to be at least 18 years old, and casino and poker gambling requires players to be at least 20 years of age. The authorities in New Zealand take legal gambling age requirements very seriously, and violating this law by offering betting services to underage players carries stiff penalties. The same minimum gambling ages apply even when you are seeking legal New Zealand online poker, casino or sportsbook gambling.

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How Can I Tell Which Offshore Gambling Sites Are Legal?

This is actually harder to do than you might think. Savvy web design can effectively mimic a legitimate gambling site and even produce a fraudulent license that is reasonably convincing. We highly recommend that you consider professional input when determining which online gambling sites you will consider visiting. Our team of analysts has the expertise and training necessary to recognize questionable online destinations that offer betting services to NZ players. These professionals also recognize legitimate destinations that meet and/or exceed licensing requirements and industry standards. We are trained in how to verify legitimacy of a site, evaluate their security profile, and assess the quality of their services, banking suite and interface. We cannot urge you enough to be highly selective on which sites you will give your business to. Our recommendations are all verified to be operating legally within the industry and provide a secure, high quality environment for participating in online gambling action. Our recommendations include legal New Zealand online sportsbooks, casinos, poker rooms and even legal New Zealand online bingo sites.