Offshore operators facing lawsuits remain eligible for New Zealand online casino licences
The government says companies currently serving New Zealand players, including those named in ongoing legal proceedings, will not be automatically excluded from the country’s new regulated online gambling market.
New Zealand.- New Zealand’s government has confirmed that offshore online gambling operators facing legal challenges over historical activity in the country will remain eligible to apply for licences under the newly approved online casino framework.
Speaking before Parliament’s Governance and Administration Committee, Brooke van Velden, internal affairs minister, said existing offshore operators targeting New Zealand customers would be allowed to participate in the licensing process established by the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026.
The clarification follows High Court proceedings examining whether offshore companies acted unlawfully by accepting New Zealand-based customers before the new regulatory regime was introduced.
When asked whether companies involved in active legal action should be barred from obtaining licences, van Velden said the government wanted to maintain a competitive market and would not exclude applicants solely on that basis.
Under the new framework, a maximum of 15 online casino licences will be awarded through a multi-stage process. Applicants must first pass suitability assessments, including checks for potential links to organised crime, before advancing to a competitive auction.
The Online Casino Gambling Act, approved by Parliament earlier this year, establishes New Zealand’s first regulated online casino market. Licensed operators will be subject to consumer protection, harm minimisation and taxation requirements, while unlicensed operators that continue serving the market after December 1 face fines of up to NZ$5m (US$2.9m).
Government officials also noted that having an existing presence or connection to New Zealand will not be a decisive factor in the licensing process. According to van Velden, imposing stricter local presence requirements could significantly reduce competition and limit participation from major international operators.
