Wellington, October 13, 2026. New Zealand selected 11 entities to apply for 15 online casino licences, following an auction held from September 29 to October 12 that attracted 32 participants, lasted ten rounds, and established a final price of NZ$15 million (US$8.4 million) per license. The process opens the next phase of the regulated market, although companies must still undergo an assessment before receiving their final licenses.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), headed by Paul James, allocated the rights among Baytree Interactive, linked to Betway, with three; Playvia Gaming, associated with Entain, and Rock Swift Group, with two each.
Jason Walbridge
Christchurch Online NZ, One Casino, Rush Entertainment, SkillOnNet, Stake New Zealand, and TAB New Zealand also advanced, securing one right each. SkyCity Entertainment obtained another two through its subsidiaries SkyCity NZ Online NO1 and NO2.
The combined theoretical value of the 15 rights amounts to NZ$225 million, although that figure does not represent confirmed government revenue. Jason Walbridge, CEO of SkyCity, reported that the company's two rights represent NZ$30 million plus GST. Stake, founded by Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, also secured a place in the process.
Ed Craven
The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, enacted on April 28, establishes a maximum of 15 licenses, an initial term of up to three years, renewal for up to five additional years, and a limit of three authorisations under the same significant influence. The reform, championed by Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden, requires a minimum gambling age of 18, identity verification, harm prevention measures, and consumer protection mechanisms.
Operators without a valid application must exit the market by December 1, 2026. The first licenses are expected during 2027, subject to DIA assessment. From January 1, 2027, the online gambling tax will increase from 12% to 16%, with four percentage points allocated to funding community programmes.
