Lotto Amendment Rules 2026
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Lotto Amendment Rules 2026
These rules are made by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission (Lotto New Zealand) under section 243 of the Gambling Act 2003 after approval by the Minister of Internal Affairs.
Contents
Rules
1 Title
These rules are the Lotto Amendment Rules 2026.
2 Commencement
These rules come into force on 13 September 2026.
3 Principal rules
These rules amend the Lotto Rules 2025.
4 Rule 4 amended (Interpretation)
(1)
In rule 4, definition of lotto powerball selection, replace “10”
with “14”
.
(2)
In rule 4, definition of lotto powerball winning number, replace “10”
with “14”
.
(3)
In rule 4, definition of lucky dip selection, paragraph (b), replace “10”
with “14”
.
(4)
In rule 4, definition of player selection, paragraph (b), replace “10”
with “14”
.
5 Rule 29 amended (Amount of prize pool for game of lotto powerball)
In rule 29(1), replace “60%”
with “55%”
.
6 Rule 30 amended (Division of prizes and allocation of prize pool for lotto powerball)
(1)
After rule 30(1)(g), insert:
(h)
division eight, being—
(i)
a lotto powerball selection that correctly matches the lotto powerball winning number drawn in that game; and
(ii)
a standard lotto selection that it has been issued in conjunction with and that correctly matches, in any order, 2 of the 6 standard lotto winning numbers drawn in that game plus the bonus number drawn in that game.
(2)
In rule 30(2)(a), replace “94.720% of the prize pool for the game after division seven”
with “94.620% of the prize pool for the game after division seven and division eight”
.
(3)
In rule 30(2)(b), replace “0.850% of the prize pool for the game after division seven”
with “0.840% of the prize pool for the game after division seven and division eight”
.
(4)
In rule 30(2)(c), replace “0.900% of the prize pool for the game after division seven”
with “0.890% of the prize pool for the game after division seven and division eight”
.
(5)
In rule 30(2)(d), after “division seven”
, insert “and division eight”
.
(6)
In rule 30(2)(e), replace “1.760% of the prize pool for the game after division seven”
with “1.790% of the prize pool for the game after division seven and division eight”
.
(7)
In rule 30(2)(f), replace “1.560% of the prize pool for the game after division seven”
with “1.650% of the prize pool for the game after division seven and division eight”
.
(8)
In rule 30(2)(g), replace “$15”
with “$20”
.
(9)
After rule 30(2)(g), insert:
(h)
division eight, $12 for each winning lotto powerball selection in this division.
(10)
In rule 30(4), replace “division seven,”
with “divisions seven and eight,”
.
7 Rule 32 amended (Threshold amount, maximum number of games, and specified lotto powerball date)
In rule 32(1)(a)(i), after “prize pool”
, insert “after which no further jackpots under rule 33 may take place”
.
8 Rule 41 amended (Prize reserve fund)
In rule 41(2)(b), delete “(other than a prize division that has a fixed prize)”
.
9 Rule 42 amended (Reallocation of prize pool if no winning selection in divisions below division one)
Replace rule 42(3) with:
(3)
This rule does not apply to the following prize divisions that have a fixed prize:
(a)
division seven of standard lotto:
(b)
division seven and division eight of lotto powerball:
(c)
division four of lotto strike.
10 Rule 43 amended (More than 1 winning selection in prize division)
Replace rule 43(4) with:
(4)
This rule does not apply to the following prize divisions that have a fixed prize:
(a)
division seven of standard lotto:
(b)
division seven and division eight of lotto powerball:
(c)
division four of lotto strike.
11 Rule 45 amended (Results)
In rule 45(1) and (2), replace “displayed”
with “made available”
.
12 Schedule 1 amended
In Schedule 1,—
(a)
insert the Part set out in the Schedule of these rules as the last Part; and
(b)
make all necessary consequential amendments.
Schedule New Part 2 inserted into Schedule 1
Part 2 Provision relating to Lotto Amendment Rules 2026
2 Prizes won before 13 September 2026 but distributed on or after that date
(1)
This clause applies if—
(a)
a person has won a prize in a drawing held before 13 September 2026; and
(b)
the prize is to be distributed to the person on or after that date.
(2)
The rules that apply to the prize and the distribution of the prize are the rules that were in force at the date of the drawing as a result of which the prize was won.
Dated at Wellington this 5th day of March 2026.
The Common Seal of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission was affixed in the presence of:
[Seal]
Mark Todd,
Chairperson.
Jason Delamore,
Chief Executive.
Dated at Wellington this 5th day of March 2026.
Hon Brooke van Velden,
Minister of Internal Affairs.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the rules but is intended to indicate their general effect.
These rules, which come into force on 13 September 2026, amend the Lotto Rules 2025 (the principal rules) to make changes to lotto powerball.
The amendments—
change the lotto powerball selection from a group of numbers between 1 and 10 (inclusive) to a group of numbers between 1 and 14 (inclusive):
adjust the overall prize pool for a game of lotto powerball from an amount of not less than 60% of the turnover for the game to an amount of not less than 55% of the turnover for the game:
add a new prize division for lotto powerball (division eight) with a fixed prize of $12:
update the percentages of the prize pools for each prize division of lotto powerball (except division four):
increase the prize payable for a winning division seven lotto powerball selection from $15 to $20:
ensure that the division seven and division eight prizes in a game of lotto powerball are allocated before the other prize divisions in that game:
make other technical changes to the principal rules.
Date of notification in Gazette: 24 March 2026.
These rules are administered by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.
Versions
Lotto Amendment Rules 2026
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