Ladbrokes NZ: Legal Status and Alternatives (2026)

Ladbrokes is one of the oldest bookmaking brands in the world, and for years New Zealand punters reached it through its Australian website to bet on racing and sport. That situation has changed. A 2025 law reform handed TAB NZ exclusive rights to online betting in New Zealand, and offshore bookmakers — Ladbrokes among them — may no longer lawfully take bets from people here. This guide explains what Ladbrokes is, where it still operates, what the New Zealand rules now say, and the one legal way to place a sports or racing bet in the country today.

A bookmaker is a company that sets odds and accepts bets on an event, paying out winners from the pool of stakes it takes in. Everything below is general information, not betting advice.

What Is Ladbrokes?

Ladbrokes traces its roots to 1886, when commission agents began taking bets on horses trained at Ladbroke Hall in Warwickshire, England — the name came later. The business moved to London, expanded rapidly after the United Kingdom legalised betting shops in 1961, and opened its first shop in 1962. Over the following decades it grew into one of Britain’s best-known high-street bookmakers.

In 2016 Ladbrokes merged with rival Coral to form Ladbrokes Coral Group. In 2018 the combined group was bought by GVC Holdings, which later renamed itself Entain. Today Ladbrokes operates mainly in the United Kingdom and Australia, where it holds the relevant local licences. Its Australian arm, which NZ bettors historically used, trades as Ladbrokes.com.au.

Can You Legally Use Ladbrokes in New Zealand?

For online sports and racing betting, the short answer is no. Since 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may lawfully take online racing and sports bets from people located in New Zealand. Offshore bookmakers are barred from accepting those bets, so Ladbrokes no longer has a legal route to serve Kiwi customers.

What the 2025 law changed

The Racing Industry Amendment Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 June 2025 and took effect the next day. It extended TAB NZ’s existing monopoly on retail betting to cover all domestic online racing and sports betting, making TAB NZ the sole legal provider. The reform does not geo-block overseas websites; instead it places the legal liability on the offshore operator for taking a bet from someone in New Zealand.

In practice this means the rules target bookmakers rather than individual players. Even so, with the legal risk now sitting squarely on the operator, mainstream offshore brands have strong reasons to stop serving the New Zealand market. For a fuller explanation, see our guides on New Zealand’s sports betting laws and how New Zealand regulates offshore sportsbooks.

Why Ladbrokes has stepped back from New Zealand

There is an extra layer here. Ladbrokes is owned by Entain, and Entain is the company that runs TAB NZ’s betting platform under a 25-year partnership agreed in 2023. Entain therefore has a direct commercial and compliance interest in keeping the New Zealand market exclusive to TAB NZ, because breaching the rules could also put its licences in other countries at risk. Reporting on the reform indicates that Entain’s offshore brands, Ladbrokes included, have closed to New Zealand customers. If you try to register or bet from a New Zealand location, expect the service to be unavailable to you.

A separate piece of law, the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, came into force on 1 May 2026 and creates a licensing system for online casinos run by the Department of Internal Affairs. That regime is about casino games, not sports and racing betting, and it does not change the TAB NZ monopoly on bookmaking. You can read more in our overview of whether online sports betting is legal in New Zealand.

The Legal Way to Bet on Sport and Racing in NZ

If you are in New Zealand and want to bet legally on sport or racing, TAB NZ is the only licensed option. It offers both tote (pool) betting and fixed-odds markets across racing and a wide range of sports, in retail outlets and online. TAB NZ also runs a second digital brand, Betcha, launched in 2024 and aimed at younger bettors; it is a separate platform on the same licensed operator, so it requires its own account.

Because TAB NZ is licensed here, it is bound by New Zealand consumer protections, harm-minimisation requirements and dispute processes — safeguards an offshore site cannot offer. You can learn how its markets work in our guide to TAB racing and fixed-odds betting, and compare the operator on our TAB NZ page.

What Ladbrokes Offers Where It Is Licensed

For context, here is what Ladbrokes provides in markets where it legally operates, such as Australia and the United Kingdom. None of this is available to New Zealand customers, and it is included only to explain the brand.

Racing and sports markets

Ladbrokes is best known for its racing coverage, including thoroughbred, harness and greyhound fields, plus major international meetings such as the Melbourne Cup. On the sports side, its Australian arm carries Australian rules football (AFL) and rugby league (NRL), along with rugby union, football and other codes, offering fixed-odds markets, futures and multi bets. If you follow Australian racing from New Zealand, our Melbourne Cup betting guide explains how those markets work through the legal local channel.

The Ladbrokes app

In the markets it serves, Ladbrokes offers free iOS and Android apps. Because app-store policies restrict real-money gambling apps in some regions, the Android version is often distributed from the operator’s own website rather than Google Play. These apps are not intended for, and are not available to, users in New Zealand.

Payments and customer support

Where it operates, Ladbrokes has historically supported cards, bank transfers and services such as PayPal, and provides customer support by live chat, email and phone. Its Australian platform transacts in Australian dollars, which is one reason NZ users previously faced currency conversion on every deposit and withdrawal — a cost that no longer applies because the service is closed to them.

Things for NZ Punters to Keep in Mind

With offshore options now off the table, a few points are worth understanding before you look for a workaround:

• Using a VPN is risky and against the terms. Disguising your location to reach an offshore site usually breaches that site’s terms, and modern verification often requires an overseas address and phone number. Winnings can be voided and accounts frozen.
• Offshore sites offer no New Zealand protections. If a dispute arises with an operator that is not licensed here, you have no local regulator or complaints process to turn to.
• Currency conversion erodes value. Any site that settles in a foreign currency adds conversion costs on top of the odds, which can quietly reduce your returns.
• “Better odds than the TAB” claims need scrutiny. Marketing comparisons are often selective, and the odds you can legally act on in New Zealand are TAB NZ’s. Understanding how decimal odds work is more useful than chasing an operator you cannot legally use.

If you want to build a sensible approach within the legal framework, the responsible gambling tools available to NZ bettors are a good starting point.

Responsible Gambling

This article is factual information, not advice, and it does not encourage betting. Gambling involves risk, and over time bookmakers are built to return less than they take in; no strategy, app or odds comparison changes that. Betting in New Zealand is restricted to people aged 18 and over.

If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, free and confidential help is available in New Zealand from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655, and information on prohibited gambling is published by the Department of Internal Affairs. Set a budget you can afford to lose, treat any stake as the cost of entertainment, and never bet to chase losses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I legally bet with Ladbrokes in New Zealand?

No. Since 28 June 2025, only TAB NZ may lawfully accept online racing and sports bets from people in New Zealand. Offshore bookmakers such as Ladbrokes are barred from taking those bets, and reports indicate Ladbrokes has closed its service to New Zealand customers.

Who owns Ladbrokes?

Ladbrokes is owned by Entain, the global gambling group formerly known as GVC Holdings, which acquired Ladbrokes Coral in 2018. Entain also operates TAB NZ’s betting platform under a 25-year partnership, which gives it a direct interest in keeping the New Zealand market exclusive to TAB NZ.

Is Ladbrokes better than the TAB?

The comparison no longer applies in New Zealand, because TAB NZ is the only operator you can legally use here. Marketing claims about offshore brands offering sharper odds cannot be acted on legally, so the relevant question is how to use TAB NZ’s markets well.

What happens if I try to use a VPN to access Ladbrokes?

Masking your location to reach an offshore site typically breaches the operator’s terms and New Zealand’s rules. Verification checks often require overseas details, winnings can be voided, and you would have no local protection if something went wrong.

What is the legal alternative in New Zealand?

TAB NZ is the only licensed provider of online racing and sports betting in New Zealand, offering both tote and fixed-odds markets. It also runs a separate digital brand, Betcha. Because TAB NZ is licensed locally, it is subject to New Zealand consumer and harm-minimisation rules.