13 October 2026
Kia ora,
The Department of Internal Affairs has successfully concluded the online casino licence auction, marking a significant milestone in the implementation of New Zealand's regulated online casino gambling market.
Following completion of the auction process, we can confirm that 11 entities have been successful at winning the right to apply for the 15 licenses available.
The auction attracted 32 bidders and concluded after 10 rounds, with the final auction price reaching $15 million (NZD) per licence. The auction determined who has won the right to apply for an online casino gambling licence. Successful participation in the auction does not guarantee that a licence will be granted, and all successful entities must now proceed through a detailed application and assessment process before any licensing decisions are made.
Applicants will be required to demonstrate that they can meet New Zealand's legislative and regulatory requirements, including regulations and standards relating to consumer protection, gambling harm prevention, operational integrity and ongoing compliance. This assessment phase is designed to ensure that only providers capable of meeting New Zealand's regulatory expectations are granted a licence.
Licences are expected to be issued from early 2027, subject to applicants providing a robust application and successfully meeting all licensing requirements.
The introduction of a regulated online casino market will provide people who choose to gamble in New Zealand with stronger protections and greater regulatory oversight than what currently exists. Those who choose to participate in online casino gambling will be able to do so through licensed operators operating under New Zealand's regulatory framework.
There is no immediate change for those who choose to gamble while the licensing assessment process is underway. However, providers that have not secured a pathway to a New Zealand licence, including those that did not participate in the licensing process, must cease providing online casino gambling services to New Zealanders by 1 December 2026. As a result, some online casino brands could leave the New Zealand market ahead of that date.
While the successful auction participants are being announced, the brands that may ultimately operate under a licence are not being published at this stage. Applicants may make changes throughout the application process, and approved brands will be published on a public register owned by the Department of Internal Affairs once their licence has been granted.
Successful auction participants
The following 11 entities were successful in securing a pathway to the detailed application and assessment stage:
- Baytree Interactive Limited – 3 rights to apply
- Christchurch Online NZ Limited
- One Casino Limited
- Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited – 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
This list has also been published on the information for providers page (and the auction outcome will also be published on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) as part of the commercial process).
Ngā mihi nui,
Trina Lowry
Programme Director - Online Gambling Implementation
