What was announced
On 13 October 2026 the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) announced the results of the auction for New Zealand's 15 online casino licences. The final price was NZ$15 million per licence. Licences will last three years and are expected to be issued in early 2027.
The DIA said a successful bid does not guarantee a licence: every bidder must still pass a detailed application and assessment. It is not publishing the brands that may run under each licence yet.
Successful bidders (as reported)
- Baytree Interactive (three rights)
- Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited (two rights)
- Rock Swift Group (two rights)
- SkyCity NZ Online NO1 and SkyCity NZ Online NO2
- Stake New Zealand
- Christchurch Online NZ
- One Casino
- Rush Entertainment
- Skill On Net
- TAB New Zealand
What this means for the register
No online casino licences have been granted yet. IRLG will add New Zealand online casino licence holders only once the DIA publishes them. Once the regime starts, offering online casino games to New Zealanders without a licence will be illegal.
Sources
- Casino operators bid $15 million for online licences — RNZ, 15 October 2026
- 11 bidders for New Zealand gaming licence — GamblingNews, 14 October 2026