DigiPlus withdraws New Zealand casino licence bid
The Philippine operator says the decision will not affect its international expansion strategy.
Key takeaways:
- DigiPlus Interactive Corp has withdrawn from New Zealand’s online casino licensing auction, citing market analysis and an assessment of market valuations as the reasons for its decision.
- It said the withdrawal would not affect its existing businesses or alter its international expansion strategy.
- New Zealand’s auction concluded on October 12 with 11 entities securing the right to apply for licences.
New Zealand.- DigiPlus Interactive Corp says it has withdrawn from New Zealand’s online casino licensing application process. In an October 14 disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the company said it had decided not to proceed after a review of the market.
“After further market analysis and determination of market values, the Company has decided to abstain from the final rounds of the New Zealand auction on the right to apply for an online gaming licence,” DigiPlus stated.
It added: “This results in no impact on the Company’s businesses or deviation from the Company’s international expansion strategy.”
Some 11 companies have won the right to apply for one of New Zealand’s new online casino licences following the completion of a competitive auction that attracted 32 bidders and set the price of a licence at NZD15m (US$8.4m) per licence for 15 available slots under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026.
DigiPlus holds gaming licences in Brazil and South Africa, but Brazil has provisionally banned online gambling. The company said that development is not expected to affect its overall financial or operating position materially.
