With an eye for garnering more users worldwide, Christchurch Casino in New Zealand this week launched its newest gaming Web site. The launch comes nearly a month after the government's determination that the company's online operations are not in violation of New Zealand law.
The government investigation, conducted by the New Zealand Internal Affairs office, involved the company's Internet casino, www.kiwicasino.com, which launched more than two years ago. The site targets only players outside of New Zealand, but Internal Affairs was concerned over how easily Kiwis could gain access to the system.
After little progress was made in the investigation, and company officials proved that proper safeguards were in place to block Kiwis from gambling, the company was given the green light to move forward with the second site, kiwibingo.com.
The new site, developed by BingoWorks, features bingo games every six minutes with prizes of up to $10,000.
Christchurch Casino maintains the new Antigua-based site is legal because, like kiwicasino.com, it blocks bets from within New Zealand's borders.
The Internal Affairs department says it is not legal to run a "cyber casino," or for anyone other than the TAB to take bets over the Internet in New Zealand.
Christchurch Casino chief executive Arthur Pitcher told Internal Affairs in 2000 that players had to promise they were not New Zealanders, or located in New Zealand, when they signed up to use the facility. He said people are also turned away if they register with a New Zealand address, and that people can't gamble online using credit cards issued in New Zealand or with New Zealand billing addresses.
New Zealand regulators said they will continue to monitor Christchurch Casino's online activities, but have said that as long as current operations continue and the chances of New Zealanders being able to gamble on either of the sites remain low, the company would be free and clear of further investigations.