New Zealand Details Online Casino Licence Requirements

New Zealand has detailed the requirements online casino operators will face after its licensing auction, which is scheduled for September 29, 2026.

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has already assessed expressions of interest and notified operators accepted into the auction. The regulator has not disclosed the number or identities of participating companies. Up to 15 successful bidders will win the right to apply for an online casino gambling licence.

Winning the auction will not guarantee a licence. Operators must pass a separate application and suitability assessment before the DIA can approve them.

Auction Winners Must Submit Detailed Operating Plans

Successful bidders will be required to provide a business plan alongside detailed strategies covering advertising and marketing, consumer protection, harm prevention and minimisation, and regulatory compliance.

Applicants will also have to demonstrate how their policies, systems and operational processes comply with the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, the Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 and the country's minimum technical standards.

The DIA says information submitted during the earlier expression of interest stage will also form part of its assessment of whether an applicant is suitable and capable of meeting its regulatory obligations.

Games and RNGs Face Independent Testing

New Zealand has also published draft testing and monitoring requirements covering games, random number generators and other gambling technology.

The draft recognises testing laboratories approved by the UK Gambling Commission and laboratories registered with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. It also lists Gaming Laboratories International Australia, Quality Assurance Laboratories and BMM Australia among approved testing facilities.

Licence applicants will need to maintain a Game and RNG Register confirming that every game, including live dealer products, and every RNG they intend to offer has been tested by an approved laboratory against recognised standards.

Games and RNGs already independently tested against the UK Gambling Commission's Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards or Ontario's Standards for Internet Gaming would not need to undergo additional external testing against New Zealand requirements at the start of a licence.

The exemption does not extend indefinitely. New games and RNGs introduced after a licence begins, as well as changes that could affect game fairness, would require external testing under New Zealand's ongoing testing rules.

The technical requirements remain a discussion draft. According to iGaming Expert, successful auction participants will be able to discuss the proposals with the DIA after the auction, with the requirements expected to be finalised by October 23, 2026.

New Zealand Will Issue Up to 15 Licences

New Zealand's framework allows for a maximum of 15 online casino licences. Each licence will cover a single brand and the platforms customers use to access that brand. No person can hold or exercise significant influence over more than three licences.

Licences will initially be valid for up to three years and can be renewed for a further period of up to five years.

Licence applications are scheduled to open in October following the auction. From December 1, 2026, operators that have not applied for a licence will have to stop serving New Zealand customers. Operators with applications under consideration can continue operating without advertising until a decision is reached.

The DIA expects the licensed online casino regime to become fully operational during 2027.