Charities on the Hibiscus Coast will soon have a permanent option to conduct their fundraising lotteries online, as per a recent government decision.

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden announced that lotteries run by organisations such as the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices will not revert to traditional in-person or postal ticket sales.

“Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024,” said van Velden.

“This Government has taken action so that charities can operate their fundraising lotteries online permanently in an increasingly digital world.”

Initially, these "class three" lotteries, characterised by prize values exceeding $5000, received a temporary exemption from the ban on "remote interactive gambling" during the COVID-19 response.

This exemption, set to expire on 31 October 2024, allowed these lotteries to sell tickets online.

Without a change, charities faced the prospect of losing customers and increasing operational costs, potentially reducing the funds available for community purposes.

“These lotteries are a significant source of funding for some charities and pose a very low risk of causing harm,” van Velden assured.

“During the time the temporary exemption has been in place, people have not been presenting for gambling harm from these types of lotteries.”

The bill, aimed to be passed before the October deadline, seeks to provide certainty for these non-profit organisations.

“This minor amendment will make a significant difference to the non-profit organisations which use the revenue from lotteries to carry out their services to the community,” van Velden added.

Charities can now plan their future fundraising efforts with the knowledge that their ability to sell lottery tickets online will continue uninterrupted.