New Zealand opens EOI process for iGaming licences as liberalisation process gathers steam

New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has formally launched the first phase of its iGaming licensing process this week, inviting companies to submit expressions of interest (EOIs) for one of 15 new online casino licences which will be available under new legislation.

The invitation, published on 16 July and effective from Friday, outlined detailed requirements for prospective operators seeking to enter the country’s newly legalised and regulated online casino market. 

The initiative represents the government’s transition from policy development to practical procurement and licensing ahead of the market’s launch in 2027.

Framework and requirements

According to the government, applicants must submit their EOIs via its procurement portal, GETS, by 14 August 2026. The original timeline for licensing was laid out by the DIA back in March.

Each application must include a non-refundable fee of NZ$19,000 ($11,082).

The cap of 15 licences, alongside an eligibility requirement demonstrating the operator has access to a minimum of NZ$7.5 million in capital, reflects the government’s intent to limit market participation to a select group of well-capitalised, established operators. 

Prospective licence holders face disclosure obligations, including full identification details of all key officers and a breakdown of ownership and management structures. They will also be expected to provide comprehensive descriptions of the brand and gambling platform to be utilised.

Operators will be capped at three licences each.

Entain CEO Stella David told analysts during the operator’s FY/25 results call in March, that it intended to apply for three of the available 15 licences. David noted that, with its exclusive betting brand TAB in New Zealand, Entain would be the only online operator that could cross-sell between sports and iGaming.  

Emphasis on probity, compliance, and risk mitigation

The department has also requested robust evidence to verify submitted information, including credit reports, certified identification, criminal record clearances or international equivalents, and documentation verifying available capital.

Applicants must also disclose any prior relevant regulatory breaches, ongoing legal investigations, insolvency events such as liquidation or bankruptcy and any adverse rulings by advertising regulators both within New Zealand and abroad. 

Next steps and timeline concerns

New Zealand’s parliament signed off on the new Online Casino Gambling Act earlier this year, which legalised and introduced stringent regulations for online casino gambling in New Zealand. 

The next step is expected to be a licence auction in September, with successful bidders invited to submit full licence applications from October. Final iGaming licences are expected to be issued in early 2027.

The licensing timeline reflects the complexity of the implementation process. “A 2027 launch provides the necessary lead time to complete this work in a robust and considered manner, consistent with the requirements of the Act,” a spokesperson told iGB in June.  

Some operators had hoped for a quicker rollout, but the emerging picture is not one of regulatory delay so much as regulatory design. 

Regulators, legal experts and operators have suggested the 2027 timeline is a consequence of the model New Zealand has chosen: one that prioritises licensing scrutiny, harm minimisation and consumer protection alongside market regulation. The result could be one of the more restrictive online casino frameworks among recently regulated jurisdictions.  

“The most significant shift is the move from an unregulated offshore market to a tightly controlled, licence-limited regime under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026,” Jarrod True, director of True Legal, recently told iGB.

“The delay appears intentional – prioritising an orderly transition and robust regulatory infrastructure over speed to market.”