For two decades New Zealand banned domestic online casinos but placed no limits on offshore ones, so Kiwis played on sites licensed overseas, with no local recourse and no local tax. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 exists to bring that money, and those players, onshore.
Fifteen licences, three stages
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is the only regulator involved. The process narrows the field in three steps:
- Expression of interest: a non-refundable NZ$19,000 fee, proof of capital and fit-and-proper checks. The window ran from 17 July to 14 August 2026.
- Auction: an ascending-clock auction in September 2026. Winning earns the right to apply, not the licence itself.
- Full application: from October 2026, covering the business plan, advertising and harm-minimisation measures.
No operator can hold more than three of the 15 licences, and each licence covers a single brand. Licences run for up to three years, with one renewal of up to five more.
The dates that end the grey market
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 May 2026 | The Act comes into force; advertising unlicensed online casino gambling is banned |
| 3 July 2026 | The supporting regulations take effect |
| 1 December 2026 | Offshore casinos without a licence application must stop serving New Zealanders |
| 1 June 2027 | The latest date for operators with a pending application, unless licensed |
The tax
Offshore operators pay a duty of 12% of their gross gambling revenue, rising to 16% from 1 January 2027. The extra four points are set aside for community funding, after select committee submissions pressed for a share like the one New Zealand's pub pokies return to communities. Official forecasts for the yield have been far below the figures first promised, and the government has framed the reform around access and harm prevention rather than revenue.
Enforcement aimed at operators abroad
The DIA can issue takedown notices, formal warnings and enforceable undertakings, and seek penalties of up to NZ$5 million for a company or NZ$300,000 for an individual. The Act applies to any operator that lets people in New Zealand gamble online, wherever it is based.
Licensed sites may not take credit card deposits, affiliate marketing is restricted, and advertising around live sport is limited. The advertising crackdown began before licensing: in 2025 the DIA fined four social media influencers and the Curaçao-licensed casino Spinbet a combined NZ$125,000 for breaching advertising rules.
Lawsuits in the background
Class-action claims filed in the High Court in Auckland target offshore operators that served New Zealanders before the Act. They do not stop the defendants from applying for a licence: eligibility depends on meeting the licensing thresholds, not on litigation history.
Australia is doing the opposite
Australia bans online casino games outright under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and has no licensing route, so Australians who want to play use the same offshore market New Zealand is now trying to license. The two countries are testing opposite answers to the same problem.
What is not decided yet
Which brands win licences, how many applications the DIA received and how much the duty will raise are all still open. For now, check each casino's review on this site for whether it still accepts New Zealand players, and see our report on the application window.