New Zealand’s online casino opening: Opportunity meets restriction

New Zealand has taken a significant step towards regulating online casino gambling, replacing a longstanding grey market with a structured licensing framework under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026. With the licensing process now officially underway, only 15 licences will be available to operators. Applicants will face a highly competitive process, alongside strict requirements covering advertising, player protection, financial compliance and responsible gambling. The new regime is expected to strengthen consumer protection and regulatory oversight. However, it also raises questions about market access, competition and channelisation... 

The magic 15: Operators compete for available licences 

On 17 July, New Zealand opened the first stage of its regulated online casino market, inviting operators to apply for one of 15 available licences. Applicants were required to submit expressions of interest by 14 August, pay a NZ$19,000 (US$10,970) application fee and demonstrate at least NZ$7.5m in capital, alongside providing detailed ownership, management and compliance disclosures. Successful licence holders will be required to pay a quarterly levy of 3.5% of online gambling profits, with penalties applying for late payments. 

Under the new framework, each licence will apply to a single brand, and no operator will be permitted to hold more than three licences. Initial licences will be issued for up to three years, with the possibility of renewal for periods of up to five years. Previously, New Zealand consumers could access offshore online casino platforms without a dedicated domestic licensing framework. 

Advertising restrictions and marketing controls 

Under the new framework, licensed operators will face strict controls on online casino advertising, including restrictions on placement, broadcast timing and promotional methods. Advertisements will not be permitted to appeal to under-18s or target audiences where more than 20% of viewers are underage. Prohibited advertising practices will also include sponsorship and endorsement promotions, affiliate marketing, messaging that encourages impulsive play, personalised spend-focused advertising and references to other gambling activities. 

Launching the regulated market with strict advertising and marketing controls may limit opportunities for consumer education and awareness of licensed operators. This presents a particular challenge in a market that was previously accessible to grey-market operators and continues to attract illegal operators, especially as the latter increasingly use sophisticated brand spoofing techniques to imitate legitimate licensed brands. 

Player protection and harm minimisation requirements 

Player protection will, understandably, be a central element of New Zealand’s new regulatory framework. Licensed operators will be required to provide tools that allow players to set deposit and spending limits, alongside regular prompts to review those limits. 

Additional requirements will include break-in-play features, session reminders, time-out options and self-exclusion tools that must be available within 24 hours. Operators will also be expected to identify customers showing signs of gambling harm, provide appropriate interventions and apply exclusions of up to two years where necessary. 

Beyond gambling controls, operators will be required to verify customers’ identity, age and eligibility before account activation. Credit-based payment methods will be prohibited, customers will be limited to one account and one deposit method per platform, and changes to deposit methods will be subject to a 24-hour lock period. These requirements reflect a broader international shift towards stronger player protection standards across regulated gambling markets. 

What to expect from the new market? 

Overall, the regulatory framework is likely to favour larger, well-capitalised operators that have both the resources and operational expertise required to meet the new requirements. This, again, reflects a broader market trend internationally. Companies with an existing grey-market presence in New Zealand may benefit from established customer relationships and familiarity with local player behaviour, however, as there will be no “cooling off” period in the market. 

Despite its relatively small population, New Zealand is an attractive opportunity due to its high internet penetration, affluent consumer base, English-speaking market and established gambling demand. 

But it is now over to the big players to try and make a success out of the region, avoiding the pitfalls of over-advertising and lax compliance, yet offering a competitive enough product to keep channelisation low. As always, it will be a tricky balance.