New Zealand Caps Online Casino Market at 15 Licences
New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026 and established a licensed online casino regime for the first time. According to Jarrod True of True Legal, existing offshore operators can continue under transition rules until 1 December 2026, after which only licensed brands may serve New Zealand players.
Just 15 online casino licences will be available. They will be allocated through Expressions of Interest, an invitation-only auction and a full licence application via the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS). Each licence applies per brand or platform, and operators are capped at three licences each.
Each licence runs for three years, with one renewal of up to five years. Licensed operators may offer slots, table games such as blackjack, poker and baccarat, as well as virtual sports and virtual racing. Synthetic lotteries are prohibited.
Revenue figures confirm the market’s scale. Declared online casino revenue for the year to 30 June 2025 reached NZ$520.8 million, while actual market size is estimated at NZ$700 million to NZ$800 million because offshore operators underreport revenue.
Advertising restrictions are strict. The Act prohibits influencer and affiliate marketing, jackpot advertising, and content that targets people under 25. Bonus offers are capped at NZ$100 or 200% of deposit, and direct marketing is restricted to registered users only.
Consumer protection rules add further obligations. Operators must apply age verification from 18, offer self-exclusion tools, and set deposit, spend and session limits. Autoplay is banned, as are credit card and buy-now-pay-later deposits.
Enforcement powers include licence suspension, cancellation, take-down notices and financial penalties of up to NZ$5 million. Both companies and individual directors or managers may face penalties.
Applications are expected to open in early July. Applicants will have 20 working days to submit from that point.
TGJ Take
New Zealand has not opened a broad online casino market. The 15-licence cap, auction mechanism and affiliate ban together produce a high-barrier, high-cost entry model where well-resourced operators with strong compliance records will have the clearest route in. The affiliate prohibition removes the standard acquisition playbook, so licensed operators will need to rely more on owned channels, registered-user marketing and direct brand investment from day one. For suppliers, commercial conversations should start now with the operators most likely to clear the suitability threshold. Once the 15 winners are known, supplier access will narrow quickly.
