New Zealand Wants Licensed Gambling but Not AI Celebrity Endorsements

New Zealand is preparing to welcome licensed online gambling operators for the first time, but regulators are drawing a clear line over how those brands can attract customers. Before the country’s regulated market officially opens, authorities have announced a ban on AI-generated celebrity endorsements for online casinos, arguing that deepfakes are becoming one of the fastest-growing tools used to deceive players and promote illegal gambling websites.

The decision reflects how gambling regulation is evolving beyond licensing and responsible gambling. Increasingly, regulators are also being forced to address emerging technologies that can blur the line between legitimate advertising and outright fraud.

AI Deepfakes Becoming a Growing Enforcement Challenge

According to the Department of Internal Affairs, AI-generated videos, voices and synthetic influencers have already been used to advertise gambling products in New Zealand. Officials cited one example involving a gambling app called Māori Game, which allegedly featured fabricated endorsements from filmmaker Taika Waititi and television presenter Jenny May Clarkson.

Authorities warned that these advertisements can mislead consumers into believing a trusted public figure has endorsed a gambling platform when no such relationship exists. In many cases, officials say the campaigns are designed to lure users onto fraudulent websites where they risk financial losses or identity theft.

Deputy Director of Gambling Ben Gamboni said similar scams have become increasingly common in both the United Kingdom and the United States, illustrating that AI-enabled gambling fraud is rapidly becoming a global issue rather than a uniquely New Zealand problem. He also noted that these fake endorsements can damage the reputations of the celebrities whose likenesses are used without permission.

Building Trust

The AI advertising restrictions arrive as New Zealand prepares to launch a regulated online gambling framework featuring up to 15 licensed operators. The government’s broader objective is to channel players away from offshore platforms and into a regulated environment that offers stronger consumer protections and regulatory oversight.

Officials believe consumer confidence will be critical to achieving that goal. Allowing AI-generated celebrity endorsements to circulate unchecked could make it harder for players to distinguish between licensed operators and fraudulent websites that imitate legitimate gambling brands. Rather than targeting artificial intelligence itself, the new approach focuses on preventing deceptive marketing practices that exploit trusted public figures to attract players.

Opening a regulated market is one challenge. Convincing players they can trust it is another. By targeting AI-generated celebrity promotions before the first licenses go live, New Zealand is trying to ensure that legitimate operators are not competing alongside misleading or fraudulent campaigns that blur the line between authentic endorsements and fabricated content. As AI continues to reshape digital advertising, the country’s early intervention could become a case study for gambling regulators well beyond its borders.