New Zealand picks 11 operators to bid for online casino licences

New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs has confirmed that 11 operators secured the right to apply for online casino licences after an expression-of-interest auction, as first reported by iGaming Business.

The auction ran to 10 rounds with 32 bidders competing for 15 available licences, and closed with a final price of NZ$15 million (around US$8.42 million) per licence.

An ascending clock auction format was used, with the licence price rising incrementally at each step until the number of bidders still willing to pay matched the 15 licences on offer.

Winning the right to apply does not guarantee a licence. Each successful bidder must still pass a full application and regulatory assessment before the Department of Internal Affairs formally issues any licence.

Fifteen rights to apply were granted across 11 successful participants, with several securing more than one. Baytree Interactive Limited, which operates Betway, took three rights, while Rock Swift Group Limited also secured two.

Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited, Entain's local entity, was awarded two rights to apply, and TAB New Zealand, Entain's joint venture, also features among the winners. Other successful bidders include Christchurch Online NZ Limited, One Casino Limited, Rush Entertainment Limited, Skill On Net Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO1 Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO2 Limited, and Stake.

The regulator has not disclosed which consumer-facing brands will ultimately operate under the licences; approved brands will appear on a public register once licences are formally granted.

Stake New Zealand Limited, the local arm of international operator Stake, welcomed the result. A company spokesperson said in a statement reported by iGaming Business that the auction outcome was "a strong fit for Stake and another important step in growing our presence globally", adding that the operator was "looking forward to the next stages of the process and, ultimately, bringing the Stake experience to customers in New Zealand."

Stake's bid follows recent regulated market entries in Alberta, Argentina and Mexico, according to the outlet.

Entain secured two of the three rights it had pursued. Chief executive Stella David had told the group's FY25 earnings call that Entain, through its exclusive New Zealand betting brand TAB, was the only online operator able to cross-sell between sports betting and iGaming. That positioning came despite earlier doubts over whether TAB, which holds a betting monopoly in the market, would be eligible to apply at all.

The auction forms the second stage of a three-part liberalisation of iGaming in New Zealand. An initial expression-of-interest window opened in March, requiring operators to show access to a minimum of NZ$7.5 million in capital and to pay a non-refundable fee of NZ$19,000.

Operators that have not applied for a licence by December will be required to cease operating in New Zealand from 1 December. The final stage of the process, in which licences are issued based on auction payment and a completed comprehensive application, is expected to conclude in early 2027.