New Zealand gambling law specialist, Jarrod True, provides an update on the Government’s plans to introduce an online licensing system for casino games by early 2026.
A licensing system for online casinos will be passed into law before the end of 2025. The vetting and auction process will start in February 2026. Licenced providers will be able to commence trading in April 2026.
The licensing framework is expected to be as follows:
New Zealand’s current online gambling spend is estimated to be between $300m and $800m annually. The intention of the new licensing system is not to see growth in online gambling, but this appears inevitable given that online gambling is already very popular in New Zealand. A licensing system will provide greater confidence for players, and more opportunities for providers to market and promote themselves.
The above information is based on what has been published and signalled to date. More information will become available once the draft legislation and draft regulations are released for public consultation. The proposed licensing structure could change as a result of the public consultation. It is therefore recommended that providers who are interested in obtaining a licence consult Jarrod to keep up to date with what is proposed, as part of their due diligence.
Jarrod True
True Legal Limited
www.truelegal.co.nz
Jarrod.True@truelegal.co.nz +64 27 452 7763
23 May 2025
Jarrod is New Zealand’s leading expert on gambling law. His firm, True Legal (truelegal.co.nz) acts for a large number of New Zealand’s gambling operators. Jarrod is the author of the New Zealand Gambling Law Guide (www.gamblinglaw.co.nz), and the author of Gambling Law (a Thomson Reuters publication).
Jarrod provides regular advice on New Zealand’s online gambling laws, including advice to offshore-based developers of gambling-related apps. Jarrod contributes to the Advennt digital platform and has written the New Zealand online gambling section, which summarises the New Zealand online gambling market, including the attractions and challenges.