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New Zealand recently passed legislation opening up a regulated online casino market in the country - but it won't be happening until mid 2027 at the earliest. The law passed though the country's Parliament in April, and is now set to be signed off on formally in the near future.
The details on how this regulated market will shape up are slowly being revealed - before the July 2027 marketing opening. International operators are expressing interest, and there are also developments for offshore casinos that currently serve Kiwi customers. This is what you need to know about the latest moves in the sector, for both players and industry insiders.
Online Casinos Licensing Process Details Emerging
If things go as planned, licensing applications will open around October 2026. The NZ government's Department of Internal Affairs has recently confirmed some more aspects of the market. For example it will have 15 licenses available initially. These will not have a set price, as is often the case globally, but will instead be auctioned off in a bidding war. The starting price isn't yet known.
Once the market opens, responsible gambling tools and monitoring will be required from the start.
The bill also specified that local sports clubs, community groups, and grassroots organisations will have a guaranteed slice of the funding from the new tax pot generated.
Although New Zealand does not have a huge population, Kiwis have demonstrated an appetite for casino gambling through both slot machines (pokies) and offshore casino sites. The latter have served NZ players for years, but when the law changes only licensed operators will be able to legally carry on doing so. When regulated, estimates are the market could initially be worth as much $600 million a year.
As it is, platforms like Casino.org show players new and existing options available right now. Customers will likely continue to use these review sites to inform them on the merits of newly regulated and licensed operators, when they launch in 2027. Regardless of where they gamble, players like to compare bonuses, payment speeds, game collections and other features. That won't change after a regulated market launches.
As well as comparison sites, some New Zealand-based gambling operators will be affected by the changes.
SkyCity Sued Over its Online Casino Operations
One example is SkyCity Entertainment Group. As New Zealand's biggest land-based casino operator, it is widely expected to obtain one of the 15 licenses when they are doled out in 2027. However that picture could now be complicated by its offshore casino operations that have offered services to Kiwi players since 2020.
Licensed in Malta, one of the jurisdictions used by casinos in Europe, the group is facing a lawsuit from a US consumer group claiming it owes them reparations for gambling losses via its SkyCity branded casino. Which is also available to New Zealand players currently.
However, SkyCity Entertainment says its overseas subsidiary runs the online casino and it does so via a group of third party contractors so it is not the one at fault. It will be hoping this lawsuit can be settled or defended against before it applies for an NZ license - which is has previously confirmed it is interested in.
The operator made $493 million in revenue in 2025, across its four NZ casinos and one in Australia:
- SkyCity Auckland
- SkyCity Hamilton
- SkyCity Queenstown
- SkyCity Wharf Casino
- SkyCity Adelaide
European Giant Entain Confirms Interest, Other Global Names on the List
New Zealand legal sports betting monopoly for decades, but since 2020 its online sports betting operation TAB has been managed by European online gambling giant Entain.
The $6-plus billion yearly revenue business recently confirmed it will be looking to move in the new online casino market. It said it may apply for three licenses, under different brands - including TAB. Its operation could have a significant market advantage as it would be the only operator able to cross sell with its online sports betting.
It is still possible the government could not give TAB a casino license for this reason, but the answer to that is not yet clear.
Other operators who have apparently expressed interest, either according to NZ government sources or investors earning calls, include 888, bet365 and Betway.
The license application deadline will be December 1, 2026. After that date, operators that have not applied will be illegally serving New Zealand players if they continue to do so.
Tax Revenues and Denting Offshore Operations is the Aim
New Zealand is just the latest country around the world to move to a locally-regulated model in recent years. Countries are increasingly looking dimly on potential tax income flowing away to offshore casinos, when they see other countries succeed in launching regulated markets.
For example, the Canadian province of Ontario managed to bring more than 85% of gamblers away from offshore sites to regulated operators in just four years. And made billions in tax dollars along the way.
New Zealand's politicians will be hoping their new market can see similar levels of uptake, and significant tax revenue increases of their own.
It is estimated that Kiwis currently spend some $500 million a year on offshore casino gambling, and the government hopes it that regulated operators will be able to capture most of that market.
Like most countries that have tried a state-backed monopoly sports betting model, TAB NZ has been a mixed bag when it comes to success in the sports betting space. It makes around $500 million a year in revenue but estimates are Kiwis still spend around $180 million a year on offshore sports betting sites.
It pays out millions in funding for grass roots sports leagues alone, as well as millions more in taxes other funding through its one off license fee of $150 million and yearly 50/50 revenue agreement. Despite that the government has consistently set higher targets for Entain and TAB NZ. Whether or not expanding into online casino will help that case is yet to be seen.
When online casinos become regulated, New Zealand will become one of the only countries in the world that has an open but regulated online casino market while sports bettors are still using offshore sites. How that will play out, will be seen from July next year.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
