• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Saturday 10 May 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

New Zealand’s SkyCity reportedly asked government to limit online gaming licenses to five

Newsdesk by Newsdesk
Tue 11 Mar 2025 at 04:31
We’re Back!

SkyCity Auckland

19
SHARES
482
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

SkyCity Entertainment Group, operator of three casinos in New Zealand and another in Australia, is reportedly opposed to a New Zealand government plan to issue up to 15 online casino licenses, arguing only five licenses should be granting instead. The company also wants those licenses to be restricted to local New Zealand firms.

SkyCity’s stance was included in official documents related to a new Online Gambling Bill and accessed by local media outlet RNZ under the country’s Official Information Act. The documents reveal a similar stance by the TAB, which wants no more than five to seven licenses issued.

Details of the Online Gambling Bill were first announced last year, with the government keen to offer up licenses in a bid to minimize the proliferation of illegal offshore gambling across the country.

However, in a letter to Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velde, SkyCity – which has already confirmed its intention to bid for one of the licenses on offer, argued, “The safest way to ensure online casino profits are subject to New Zealand income tax is to only allow incorporated New Zealand companies to hold licenses and not permit a license to be held by a foreign company or a New Zealand branch of a foreign company.”

Van Velden told RNZ that it was clear SkyCity was looking out for its own interests. casino was looking after its own interests.

“I’m not here to look out for SkyCity. I’m not here to look out for any established particular casino or their brands. I’m here to ensure that we have a fair marketplace and a fair, regulated market,” she said, according to the RNZ report.

The TAB, meanwhile, argued in a letter to New Zealand’s Racing Minister Winston Peters that opening the market up to foreign operators threatened the viability of domestic firms.

“Settings that create an open market would allow for multinational domination over NZ’s existing operators, establishing an unsustainable model for traditional gambling products, and risking our ability to appropriately fund racing and sport – all while driving gambling profits offshore and delivering worse harm outcomes for Kiwi consumers,” the TAB wrote. This would, it added, cause “severe implications for TAB NZ if this fast-growing online casinos market cannibalizes our existing operations by being legitimized in NZ in an open market context.”

However, van Velden also said any attempts to favor local operators could breach New Zealand’s free trade agreements.

“I have considered whether or not it should be domestic priority or offshore priority,” she said. “I think it’s fair just to allow anybody to bid for one of the licenses, rather than try and say, just because you’re here and you’ve been established for years in New Zealand, you’re necessarily a better operator.”

The New Zealand government is due to start issuing licenses in February 2026, with each licenses to be granted for an initial three years.

RelatedPosts

Entain wins race to operate TAB NZ’s wagering and broadcasting for next 25 years

New Zealand government pushing back against TAB’s efforts to secure online gaming license

Wed 19 Mar 2025 at 05:50
We’re Back!

SkyCity to roll out mandatory carded play across New Zealand properties in July

Thu 20 Feb 2025 at 13:24
Bad luck can’t stop SKYCITY from upward surge in FY19

SkyCity to open Auckland’s long-delayed New Zealand International Convention Centre in February 2026

Fri 7 Feb 2025 at 11:21
Philippines tech firm DigiPlus enters final stage of Brazil’s iGaming licensing process

Philippines tech firm DigiPlus eying local partner for Brazil online gaming move

Thu 6 Feb 2025 at 05:26
Load More
Tags: Brooke van VeldenLicenseNew Zealandonline casinoSKYCITY Entertainment Group
Share8Share1
Newsdesk

Newsdesk

The IAG Newsdesk team comprises some of the most experienced journalists in the Asian gaming industry. Offering a broad range of expertise, their decades of combined know-how spans multiple countries across a variety of topics.

Current Issue

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

Editorial – The real reason Philippines casino revenues are down

by Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 23:04

After enjoying a post-COVID surge in gaming revenues at its licensed casinos, the Philippines has hit a rocky patch. In...

Inside Thai IRs

Inside Thai IRs

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:59

No time to read this whole article? Here are the bullet points! With passage of Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill through...

Resorts World Las Vegas – Lighting up the north

Resorts World Las Vegas – Lighting up the north

by Andrew W Scott and Ben Blaschke
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:52

Inside Asian Gaming recently visited Genting’s American icon Resorts World Las Vegas to take a closer look at a property...

A baccarat perspective

A baccarat perspective

by Ryan Hong-Wai Ho
Sun 30 Mar 2025 at 22:37

In the first of a two-part series, Ryan Ho explores how gaming innovations and market changes have shaped the prominence...

Evolution Asia
Aristocrat
GLI
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
Nustar
Jumbo

Related Posts

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim talks after deal sealed to acquire Australia’s Star Entertainment

by Newsdesk
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 06:16

Star Entertainment Group confirmed Monday it had entered into a binding term sheet with US casino operator Bally’s Corp to take control of the company as part of a US$300 million (US$180 million) deal. The term sheet, comprising a multi-tranche...

China-owned contractor of Chow Tai Fook’s Baha Mar ordered to pay US$1.6 billion to original owner for “many acts of fraud”

New York appellate court dismisses China Construction America’s appeal in US$1.6 billion Baha Mar fraud case

by Ben Blaschke
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:59

A New York court has dismissed an appeal by China Construction America, Inc (CCA) against a Supreme Court ruling in October requiring it to pay US$1.6 billion to the original owner of Bahamas casino resort Baha Mar for committing “many acts...

Trade union warns massively increased casino pokies tax in NSW will cost jobs

Pub baron Bruce Mathieson agrees additional AU$100 million Star investment, reduces Bally’s contribution to AU$200 million

by Ben Blaschke
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:40

Star Entertainment Group’s largest individual shareholder Investment Holdings Pty Ltd has entered into a binding term sheet with US casino operator Bally’s Corp that will see it subscribe for AU$100 million (US$60 million) in convertible bonds, reducing in the process...

RWLV names former MGM executive Greg Shulman as EVP of International Marketing

RWLV names former MGM executive Greg Shulman as EVP of International Marketing

by Newsdesk
Wed 9 Apr 2025 at 05:35

Genting Group’s US flagship Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) has announced the appointment of casino industry veteran Greg Shulman as Executive Vice President of International Marketing. Continuing the property’s recent management overhaul, RWLV said Shulman will lead its international casino...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • English