As New Zealand gears up for the launch of its regulated online casino market in 2026, internal affairs minister Brooke Van Velden revealed 15 licences will be available to online operators.

As per the country’s gambling regulation, Van Velden said these licences would be awarded by auction and that each brand would require one to operate. As per cabinet papers filed in September, a number of operators, including SkyCity, TAB NZ, 888, Bet365 and SpinBet have expressed interest in applying for an online licence.

The county first announced that it would regulate online casinos in July, agreeing for a high-level approach to online casino regulation. This was to minimise harm, support tax collection and provide consumer protections to New Zealand players.

A legislation for a licensing system is planned for 2025. A bill will be introduced in April next year, which is to be enacted before the end of the year. The vetting and auction process will start on 2 February 2026, with licenced providers being able to commence trading from April 2026.

Currently, there are 36 online operators who are registered with the New Zealand government, including global operators Flutter, Super Group, Bet365 and Entain and local land-based incumbent SkyCity.

The registered operators pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) to government. Of this, data from Inland Revenue shows that the leading 15 operators accounted for over 90 percent of online gambling GST in the last three years.

“This suggests that a high channeling rate and maximising revenue can be achieved without a large number of operators. Limiting the number of licensed operators will reduce regulatory costs of the regime,” the cabinet papers noted.  

Player protection

The country could levy a fine of up to NZ$5 million for breaching player protection rules, Van Velden suggested. These would include restrictions on gambling advertising and a total ban on ads appealing to minors as a measure to ensure player protection. In addition, operators would require an age verification system for players to enter their products.

“My goal is not to increase the amount of gambling that is happening online, but to enable New Zealanders who wish to play casino games online to do so more safely than they can today,” Van Velden said.  

“Currently, New Zealanders can and do gamble on thousands of offshore gambling websites. By introducing a regulatory system my intention is to channel customers towards up to 15 licensed operators.

“Further regulations will be developed on the detailed rules around advertising, as well as harm minimisation and consumer protection requirements. This is the same approach used in the existing Gambling Act and will give us more flexibility to adjust the regulations where necessary.”

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