New Zealand names 11 firms cleared to seek online casino licences

New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed the 11 companies that have won the right to apply for an online casino licence, clearing the way for the country's regulated igaming market to launch early next year.

The department ran the auction between 29 September and 12 October, attracting 32 bidders across 10 rounds. The final price per licence right reached NZ$15m, equivalent to roughly £6.4m, EGR reported.

Winning the auction does not itself grant a licence. It only secures the right to submit a formal application for one of the 15 online casino licences the government plans to issue under the new framework.

Super Group's Betway-linked entity Baytree Interactive Limited took three rights to apply, the largest single allocation. Entain's local vehicle Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited secured two, as did Rock Swift Group Limited, which operates the Casino Kingdom brand.

Land-based operator SkyCity Entertainment also picked up two rights to apply, won through separate bidding entities. The remaining six successful bidders, including Stake, SkillOnNet and LCKY Group, each secured a single right.

Jason Walbridge, chief executive of SkyCity, said the company was "excited to have been successful in the auction to apply for two licences and to be taking the next step towards entering the online casino gambling market in New Zealand."

He added: "We know New Zealanders trust the SkyCity brand, and we will combine that trust with our deep knowledge of the New Zealand market to build a successful online business here."

The 11 approved applicants must now lodge what the department calls a comprehensive application, covering marketing plans, consumer protection measures and compliance arrangements, before a licence can be granted.

Any operator currently serving New Zealand players online without having applied for a licence will have to stop offering online casino products in the country from 1 December. The government expects the licensed system to be fully up and running in 2027.

Tax on online casino activity in the market is set to rise from 12% to 16% from January 2027. Operators will also pay New Zealand's standard 15% goods and services tax, plus a separate 1.24% levy that funds problem gambling services.

The shake-up does not touch TAB New Zealand, the monopoly sports and racing betting operator run as a joint venture with Entain. The two parties signed a 25-year strategic partnership in 2023 aimed at channelling more revenue into the country's racing industry, and Entain has since rolled out its betcha brand locally.