New Zealand online casino licences a step closer as 11 operators win rights to apply

Eleven operators, including Entain, Stake, Betway and SkyCity, have won the right to apply for New Zealand online casino licences after an auction closed at NZ$15 million (US$8.42 million) per licence. The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed the outcome on Tuesday, October 13, iGB reported.

Which operators can apply

The auction drew 32 bidders and ran for 10 rounds before the price settled, GamblingNews reported, leaving 11 participants holding 15 rights to apply. iGB said the department used an ascending clock format: the price rose in steps and bidders declared at each one whether they were still in, with the auction closing once the number of willing bidders matched the 15 licences available.

Three of the winners took more than one right. Baytree Interactive Limited, which operates Betway, secured three; Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited, part of Entain, took two; and Rock Swift Group Limited took two. The remaining rights went to Christchurch Online NZ Limited, One Casino Limited, Rush Entertainment Limited, Skill On Net Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO1 Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO2 Limited, Stake New Zealand and TAB New Zealand, an Entain joint venture.

Entain had hoped for three licences, iGB reported. The outlet noted that Chief Executive Stella David told the company's FY25 earnings call that TAB, its exclusive betting brand in New Zealand, makes it the only online operator in a position to cross-sell between sports and iGaming.

Stake New Zealand said the result suits its expansion into regulated markets, which iGB said has recently taken in Alberta, Argentina and Mexico. "It's a strong fit for Stake and another important step in growing our presence globally," a spokesperson said. "We're looking forward to the next stages of the process and, ultimately, bringing the Stake experience to customers in New Zealand."

What a licence application requires

A right to apply is not a licence. Successful bidders must pay the NZ$15 million fee and submit detailed applications covering their business operations, advertising strategies, consumer safeguards and plans to prevent and reduce gambling harm, GamblingNews reported. The department will also consider information from the earlier expression-of-interest stage, which opened in March 2026 and asked operators to show access to at least NZ$7.5 million in capital and to pay a non-refundable NZ$19,000 fee, according to iGB.

Each licence covers a single brand. It runs for an initial term of up to three years and can be renewed for up to five, GamblingNews reported. The department has not said which brands sit behind the applications; approved names will be published on a public register once licences are granted, iGB reported.

Player protection rules

Operators will have to publish rules on daily, weekly and monthly gambling limits, provide mandatory breaks during extended sessions and offer self-exclusion. Credit cards are banned for gambling payments, along with certain advertising practices, according to GamblingNews. The outlet described the measures as part of a wider effort to pull offshore and unlicensed casino activity into a regulated market.

The December 1 deadline

Operators already serving New Zealand customers face a fixed date. From December 1, 2026, any provider that has not submitted a licence application must stop offering online casino gambling in the country, GamblingNews reported. Companies with applications in progress may advertise while they wait, but not during the transitional arrangements period, the outlet added.

Licences are expected to be issued in early 2027, once the department has assessed each application against the country's legal and operational standards.