The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) of New Zealand has officially commenced its iGaming licensing phase, inviting companies to submit expressions of interest (EOIs) for one of the 15 new online casino licenses made available under fresh legislation.
This announcement, made on July 16 and effective from the following Friday, outlines the specific requirements for operators eager to enter New Zealand's newly legalized and regulated online casino market.
This development marks a significant shift from the government’s previous policy focus towards practical licensing efforts ahead of the market’s anticipated launch in 2027.
According to the government, applications for licenses must be submitted through its procurement portal, GETS, by August 14, 2026. This licensing timeline was initially set forth by the DIA in March.
Each application requires a non-refundable fee of NZ$19,000 ($11,082) and must show that the applicant has at least NZ$7.5 million in capital. This cap of 15 licenses aims to ensure that participation in the market is limited to a small group of financially robust, established operators.
License applicants will be expected to fulfill disclosure obligations that include detailed identification of key officers and a breakdown of ownership and management structures. They must also provide detailed descriptions of the brand and gambling platform they plan to use.
Additionally, each operator can hold a maximum of three licenses. Entain's CEO, Stella David, announced during the operator's FY/25 results call in March that the company intends to apply for three of these available licenses. With its exclusive betting brand TAB operating in New Zealand, Entain is positioned uniquely to cross-sell between sports betting and iGaming.
To enhance compliance and risk mitigation, the department has demanded robust verification of submitted information. This includes credit reports, certified identification, and clearances of criminal records or their international equivalents, alongside documents proving available capital.
Applicants must also reveal any previous regulatory breaches, current legal investigations, insolvency events such as liquidation or bankruptcy, and any negative rulings from advertising regulators in New Zealand and beyond.
Earlier this year, New Zealand's parliament approved the new Online Casino Gambling Act, which not only legalized online casino gambling but also established strict regulations surrounding it.
The next phase in this process is a license auction scheduled for September, where successful bidders will then be invited to submit comprehensive license applications starting in October. The issuance of final iGaming licenses is projected to occur in early 2027.
This timeline reflects the intricate nature of the implementation process. A spokesperson for the DIA stated, "A 2027 launch provides the necessary lead time to complete this work in a robust and considered manner, consistent with the requirements of the Act."
While some operators had hoped for a swifter implementation, the apparent delay seems more tied to thoughtful regulatory design rather than mere procrastination.
Legal experts, regulators, and operators agree that the 2027 timeline arises from New Zealand's selection of a model emphasizing licensing scrutiny, harm minimization, and consumer protection in addition to market regulation. This approach may result in one of the more restrictive frameworks for online casinos among recently regulated markets.
Jarrod True, director of True Legal, recently remarked, "The most significant shift is the move from an unregulated offshore market to a tightly controlled, license-limited regime under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026. The delay appears intentional, prioritizing an orderly transition and robust regulatory infrastructure over speed to market.
