This week, New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) officially kicked off the first phase of its iGaming licensing process. The department is inviting companies to submit expressions of interest (EOIs) for one of the 15 new online casino licenses that will be available under the recently established legislation.
The invitation was published on July 16 and became effective on Friday. It provides detailed guidelines for operators wanting to enter the country’s newly regulated online casino market, which is set to launch in 2027.
This initiative marks a significant shift for the government, moving from policy development to practical steps in procurement and licensing.
According to the requirements, applicants must submit their EOIs through the government’s procurement portal, GETS, by August 14, 2026. The DIA originally laid out this timeline in March.
Each application must include a non-refundable fee of NZ$19,000 (approximately $11,082). The limitation of 15 licenses, along with the requirement that operators demonstrate access to a minimum of NZ$7.5 million in capital, indicates the government’s intention to restrict market participation to a select group of financially stable and established operators.
Prospective licensees will have disclosure responsibilities, which include detailed identification of all key officers and a thorough breakdown of ownership and management structures. They will also need to provide in-depth descriptions of their brand and the gambling platform they intend to use. Each operator will be restricted to holding a maximum of three licenses.
Entain's CEO Stella David announced during an earnings call in March that the company plans to apply for three of the 15 licenses available. David highlighted that, with its exclusive betting brand TAB in New Zealand, Entain would uniquely position itself to cross-sell between sports and iGaming.
The DIA has requested substantial evidence to support the information provided in applications. This includes credit reports, certified identification, criminal record clearances, and verification of available capital. Additionally, applicants must disclose any relevant regulatory breaches, ongoing legal investigations, insolvency events like liquidation or bankruptcy, and any negative rulings from advertising regulators both domestically and internationally.
Earlier this year, New Zealand's parliament passed the Online Casino Gambling Act, which legalizes and imposes strict regulations on online casino gambling.
The next phase is anticipated to involve a license auction in September, where successful bidders will then be invited to submit full license applications starting in October. Final iGaming licenses are expected to be awarded in early 2027.
This timeline underscores the complexity involved in the implementation process. A spokesperson stated that a 2027 launch allows sufficient lead time to ensure thorough and thoughtful execution in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
While some operators had hoped for a quicker rollout, the current situation reflects not regulatory delays but a deliberate approach to regulatory design. Experts, regulators, and industry operators suggest that the 2027 timeline is the result of New Zealand's chosen approach, which emphasizes licensing scrutiny, harm minimization, and consumer protection, potentially leading to one of the more restrictive online casino frameworks seen in recently regulated markets.
Jarrod True, director of True Legal, remarked that the major change represents a shift from an unregulated offshore market to a tightly controlled licensing regime under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026. He noted that this delay appears to be intentional, prioritizing a careful transition and strong regulatory infrastructure over a rapid market entry.
