Millie Elder Holmes has promoted online gambling for overseas casinos, been warned and now fined.
Millie Elder Holmes has promoted online gambling for overseas casinos, been warned and now fined.
Millie Elder-Holmes was fined $5000 for promoting online gambling.
Internal Affairs received 50 complaints about influencers promoting overseas gambling sites.
Act MP Brooke van Velden’s bill aims to regulate online gambling with fines up to $5 million.
High-profile social media influencer Millie Elder-Holmes has been fined $5000 for promoting online gambling.
The fine follows a Herald investigation into an Internal Affairs crackdown on social media influencers who were using their profiles to promote overseas online gambling sites.
It is illegal for overseas gambling sites to advertise inNew Zealand.
To get around the rules, the offshore companies or people acting on their behalf, targeted and paid well-known New Zealand influencers to push the online casino sites on their Facebook and Instagram platforms.
“Ms Elder-Holmes was issued a warning from the department [Internal Affairs] in April 2025 to cease the promotion of online gambling through her on-line platform," Vicki Scott, director gambling, regulatory services for Internal Affairs told the Herald.
In spite of the warning Ms Elder Holmes has continued to do so. A $5000 infringement has now been issued for this breach
“In spite of the warning Ms Elder Holmes has continued to do so. A $5000 infringement has now been issued for this breach.
“The department is committed to reducing gambling harm in New Zealand and urges all social media influencers to use their platforms responsibly.
“We continue to monitor social media influencers for instances of promoting online gambling”
Internal Affairs this week received this photo showing Millie Elder Holmes promoting online gambling.
The Elder-Holmes complaint included 36 screenshots of her social media activity taken between June 2024 and March 28, 2025.
The complainant wrote they were “very concerned” about Elder-Holmes allegedly “promoting gambling”.
On the Instagram account @findingmilliee a reader asked: “How come you seem to be all about health and wellness yet you promote gambling?”
The account holder identified as Elder-Holmes replied: “I get paid to promote many things, hair, makeup items, hotels, I run my Instagram account as a business so yes I’m a professional person who don’t give their time away for free. I’m an adult I do adult things.”
The Herald contacted Elder-Holmes but she did not wish to comment.
Foreign companies are likely to dominate New Zealand’s internet gambling market as the Government auctions 15 online casino licences for the first time, expected to generate up to $200 million for the Government.
Online casino licenses would be issued for three years under the new regime, which will start in February 2026.
Where to get help:
The Gambling Helpline, 0800 654 655, 7 days a week. The Gambling Helpline is also available by texting 8006.
Māori Gambling Helpline - 0800 654 656
Vai Lelei Pasifika Gambling Helpline - 0800 654 657
Youth Gambling Helpline “In Ya Face” - 0800 654 659
Gambling Debt Helpline - 0800 654 658
Joseph Los’e is an award-winning journalist and joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News, covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.
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