ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Westpac: When NZ Banks Block Casino Deposits

Which banks are blocking what

Why it's happening

Major NZ banks filter on the merchant category code (MCC) attached to the transaction. Offshore casinos tag as MCC 7995 (betting/wagering) which triggers automated blocks on several banks' credit card products. The Gambling Amendment Act 2026 formalises this - credit cards for offshore gambling become fully illegal from December 2026.

Workarounds that still work

• Switch to debit card - most banks only block credit, not debit, despite the same MCC
• Use POLi - classified as a bank transfer, bypasses card MCC filtering entirely
• Fund a Skrill or Neteller wallet from your NZ bank first, then deposit from the wallet to the casino - the casino sees an e-wallet, not a card
• Crypto via Easy Crypto NZ - buy BTC locally, deposit at crypto-friendly casinos (7Bit, KatsuBet)

What doesn't work

Prepaid Visa/Mastercard gift cards are increasingly blocked - same MCC trigger. Wise transfers can work but Wise's own T&Cs prohibit gambling usage, so funds can be held. Revolut has the same policy for NZ users.