New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has named 11 entities that have won the right to apply for one or more of the maximum 15 licenses available under the country’s Online Casino Gambling Act 2026.
The entities will now be free to take part in the license application period following conclusion of the recent auction, which attracted 32 bidders and concluded after 10 rounds. The final auction price reached NZ$15 million (US$8.4 million) per license.
In an update, the DIA noted that successful participation in the auction does not guarantee a license will be granted, with all successful entities now required to proceed through a detailed application and assessment process before any licensing decisions are made.
The 11 entities to have progressed include SkyCity Entertainment Group, Entain, Stake, Betway, Rush Entertainment and Skill On Net, among others, with the official listing as follows:
- Baytree Interactive Limited (Betway) – 3 rights to apply
- Christchurch Online NZ Limited
- One Casino Limited
- Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited (Entain) – 2 rights to apply
- Rock Swift Group Limited – 2 rights to apply
- Rush Entertainment Limited
- Skill On Net Limited
- SkyCity NZ Online NO1 Limited
- SkyCity NZ Online NO2 Limited
- Stake New Zealand Limited
- TAB New Zealand
According to the DIA, the successful bidders can now apply for a license by paying the determined amount – NZ$15 million – and completing a comprehensive application, including providing a business plan and detailed strategies relating to advertising and marketing, consumer protection, harm prevention and minimization, and compliance, as well as any additional information required at the license application stage.
This information, together with information during the expression of interest stage, will be used to assess whether the provider is suitable to hold a license and is willing and able to comply with all applicable requirements.
From 1 December 2026, providers must cease conducting online casino gambling in New Zealand if they have not applied for a license, while those who have submitted a license application will be granted an exemption to continue operating without advertising until the outcome of their application has been determined.
As previously reported by IAG, New Zealand’s move to license and regulate online casinos is aimed at channeling the country’s existing grey market operations into a legal market, providing a safer environment for locals to participate.
This also positions New Zealand alongside the Philippines as the only two jurisdictions in Asia to offer a comprehensive suite of regulated online gaming to the domestic market.
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