How to get a gambling licence in New Zealand: by tender

DIA, through the Secretary for Internal Affairs, grants, conditions, suspends and cancels online casino licences, keeps the public register and enforces the Act. Several other bodies sit around it.

• The Secretary decides licences after a three-stage process: expression of interest, a competitive process, then the licence application. All three run through the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS).
• A decision refusing, suspending or cancelling a licence is appealed to the High Court within 15 working days, with a further appeal on a point of law to the Court of Appeal with leave. The Act gives no appeal for an expression of interest that is not accepted.
• DIA is also the AML/CFT supervisor. Inland Revenue collects the online gambling duty and the problem gambling levy. The Commissioner of Police holds the financial intelligence function.
• The Advertising Standards Authority is a self-regulatory body, not a regulator under the Act. A breach finding by it must be disclosed in the expression of interest and notified after licensing.
• The public register of operators and licences does not exist yet. DIA will publish it, and approved brands appear on it only once a licence is granted.

Laws that apply

• Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 (2026 No 14): assent 28 April 2026, in force 1 May 2026; ss 66 and 67 from 1 December 2026; ss 81 to 86 and the Schedule 2 amendments from 1 January 2027
• Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 (LI 2026/169), in force 3 July 2026 · Online Casino Gambling (Minimum Standards) 2026, in force 8 July 2026 · Testing and Monitoring Requirements (discussion draft v1.0, September 2026, not final)
• Gambling Act 2003 (2003 No 51), ss 9, 16 and 19 · Racing Industry Act 2020, s 74AAA (racing and sports betting reserved to TAB NZ)
• Gaming Duties Act 1971, Part 2C (online gambling duty) · Gambling (Problem Gambling Levy) Regulations 2025 · Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009

There is one online licence, and the number is capped. A supplier licence does not exist.

• One licence covers one brand and the platforms players use to reach it. An operator wanting several brands needs several licences, each with its own expression of interest.
• At most 15 licences may be held at any time, and no person may have significant influence (20% or more of voting power or securities) over more than 3.
• Term: 3 years from grant unless the licence says shorter (s 24(1)), renewable once only, for 5 years or less (s 27(2)-(3)). A licence is not transferable.
• Land-based: casino operator and venue licences (five casinos) and class 3 and class 4 licences are separate and outside this guide.

There is no residence or incorporation test, and no New Zealand company is required.

• A New Zealand company is not required. The only local item is a physical address for service in New Zealand (s 18(1)(c)). Whether the applicant has a presence in New Zealand is a factor in suitability, not a condition.
• Foreign companies may apply on the same terms as domestic ones. A GETS account needs a RealMe login, which can be created from outside New Zealand.
• At expression of interest the applicant needed access to the capital set in the public notice, NZ$7,500,000. It is a test of access, not a paid-up share capital rule, and the Act sets no continuing capital figure.
• The Secretary may accept an expression of interest only if none of the person, its chief executive, chief financial officer or chief operating officer (or equivalents) was convicted of a crime involving dishonesty in the last 7 years.
• Seven-year history disclosures cover convictions, breaches of relevant law, insolvency, advertising-code breach findings, director disqualification and earlier gambling licences.
• At licence application DIA assesses financial viability in three tiers. Tier 1 is a licence held in a comparable jurisdiction (United Kingdom, Ontario, Denmark or Malta); tiers 2 and 3 add group, guarantor and forecast review.
• The Secretary must refuse a licence that would exceed 15 licences, give a person significant influence over more than 3, or cover gambling substantially similar to a protected lottery.

The licence application is filed after the licence amount is paid. The form and the submission guidance are not yet published.

• Expression of interest (closed): approved form via GETS with the NZ$19,000 fee, one filing and one GETS login per brand; ownership structure and diagram signed within six months; certified photo ID; criminal record checks from every country where a key officer spent more than six consecutive months in the past five years; credit checks dated within 90 days; documents verifying the amount and source of capital.
• Licence application (s 18(1)): advertising and marketing strategy, consumer protection strategy, harm prevention and minimisation strategy, compliance strategy, business plan with financial viability and projections, physical address for service in New Zealand, details of platform, branding and user interface, and changes to the earlier information.
• DIA also requires a sign-posting template showing where in the applicant’s strategies, plans, policies, systems and processes compliance is shown.
• Under the draft testing requirements, a Game and RNG Register confirming every game and RNG was tested by an approved laboratory, and a list of critical technology providers with their data-centre and cloud-hosting locations.
• A successful bidder applies within 20 working days of notification, or the amount paid is refunded. The Act sets no deadline for the Secretary’s decision; DIA expects to decide all applications by 1 June 2027 at the latest if information arrives in good time.
• The Secretary may require further information from the applicant, or from any person in or outside New Zealand, within a specified period.

The price of a licence is set by the auction, not by regulation. Fixed charges and revenue-based charges are kept apart and not blended.

• The amount paid for the licence is refunded in full if the application is refused or not made in time. If the applicant withdraws, the Secretary may keep a reasonable part to cover the cost of the competitive process.
• DIA leaves each winner to decide whether GST at 15% must be added to the licence price and the expression of interest fee.
• Laboratory testing costs are commercial and no fee schedule is published.

The operator pays; the player is not taxed on winnings by any provision read.

• Online gambling duty applies under Part 2C of the Gaming Duties Act to a person registered or liable to be registered for GST who conducts online gambling for New Zealand residents. It is already payable by GST-registered offshore operators at 12%; section 82 of the Act raises it to 16% from 1 January 2027, and DIA says 4% of that is ringfenced for community funding.
• The base is online gambling profits: amounts received from New Zealand residents (total bets placed, not deposits) less prizes paid to residents, per three-month period. A negative result is carried forward, so there is no minimum duty.
• GST is 15%. A non-resident supplier must register once supplies to New Zealand customers pass NZ$60,000 in the last or next 12 months, and online gambling services are listed as remote services.
• Company income tax is 28% for most companies; a licensed operator that is a registered entity in New Zealand is expected to pay tax on its profits.
• Returns and payments fall due on 7 May, 28 July, 28 October and 28 January for the quarters ending 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December.
• No published instrument taxes player winnings or requires an operator to withhold tax on them. No tax on advertising or sponsorship spend exists.

The Minimum Standards and Regulations bind licensed operators from licence start. The Testing and Monitoring Requirements are still a discussion draft.

• Testing (draft v1.0, September 2026; DIA expects to finalise by 23 October 2026): every game, RNG and live dealer operation is tested by an approved laboratory before release and after any change affecting fairness. Approved bodies are UK Gambling Commission test houses, laboratories registered in Ontario, and three laboratories already serving land-based gambling in New Zealand.
• A game or RNG live at licence start needs no further external testing if an approved laboratory tested it before the grant to the Ontario Standards for Internet Gaming or the UK Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards. A Game Testing and Platform Certification follows six months after grant, then within 12 months of the last.
• Game design: no autoplay, one online slot game at a time, at least 2.5 seconds between rounds, and no features encouraging excessive, continuous or impulsive gambling. No minimum or maximum RTP and no stake or jackpot cap is set; RTP must be shown before first play.
• Inducements are capped at NZ$100, or where spend is required the lesser of NZ$100 and 200% of the original deposit or bet, per deposit or per bet. Winnings from an inducement must be withdrawable and the player has at least 60 days to meet the terms.
• Security: the Annex A controls of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and PCI DSS v4.0.1 for payment providers. The draft adds quarterly vulnerability scans, an annual independent penetration test and an annual security review.
• Location: the platform is available only to people in New Zealand, with location checks at log-in and mitigation of VPNs and proxies. No New Zealand server, mirror server or local domain is required. Data must not be hosted in a jurisdiction likely to prejudice New Zealand’s international reputation for trade or the maintenance of the law.
• Records are kept for the licence term and 7 years after it ends. No real-time data feed is required; DIA will provide a submission mechanism.
• Display requirements (help pages, a game clock, an exit button): the in-game clock and net-position display are fixed by the Minimum Standards; the full list of display requirements is not confirmed.

These duties bind licence holders only. DIA states that the only duty on providers in the transitional market is not to advertise.

• Minimum age 18, verified before the account is activated. Name, date of birth, exclusion status and prior accounts are collected first. No deposit or play is allowed before verification, and no single verification method is prescribed.
• Payments: credit contracts (credit cards) and payment methods linked to a gambling account are prohibited. Debit cards are permitted and cryptocurrency is not prohibited, subject to AML/CFT. Uncommitted customer funds sit in a separate bank account. Each customer registers one deposit method per platform.
• Limits: daily, weekly or monthly limits on time, deposits and spend, prompted at sign-up, with a 24-hour wait for any increase. Pop-up alerts after 60 minutes of continuous play, breaks, and time-outs of 24 hours, 1 week and 1 to 3 months.
• Self-exclusion: the customer chooses the period, including indefinite, effective within 24 hours. There is no national online register yet; the Minister must recommend regulations for one by 1 December 2027, so exclusion is per platform until then.
• The helpline is not yet required on the website by law. The Gambling Helpline is 0800 654 655, free, 24 hours.
• A registration icon and audio mark, specified by the Secretary, must be shown on the platform and advertisements; specifications are to follow.
• Complaints: acknowledge within 24 hours and answer within 40 working days. A player may also complain to the Secretary at any stage. No independent ADR body is required, and the Secretary cannot order repayment to a player.
• Players are not penalised for using offshore sites, other than racing and sports betting. The only offence is gambling on behalf of a person in New Zealand under 18 (fine up to NZ$10,000), in force from 1 December 2026.

Online casino advertising has been banned for everyone since 1 May 2026, and the ban continues until a licence is held.

• Section 10 allows an online casino advertisement that can reach a person in New Zealand only in accordance with a licence, inside or outside New Zealand. It reaches affiliates, influencers and platforms. DIA can issue take-down notices (complied with within 2 days) and seek penalties up to NZ$5 million for a body or NZ$300,000 for an individual.
• How the unlicensed market sells it anyway: DIA says offshore casinos serving New Zealand before 1 May 2026 may continue until 1 December 2026, and those that apply for a licence before then may continue without advertising until the day after the decision, at the latest 1 June 2027. No issued take-down notice is published and no court decision was found.
• Once licensed, advertising is allowed only through permitted methods and not as a prohibited form. Sponsorship, personal endorsements, affiliate arrangements and jackpot claims for online slots are prohibited, along with any advertisement likely to reach an audience of more than 20% under 18.
• Broadcast advertising is barred during a live broadcast of an event and for 30 minutes before and after it. There is no time-of-day watershed. Public transport advertising is barred.
• Direct communications need express, unrevoked consent. A welcome offer to a non-customer may appear only on the operator’s own platform, and an inducement may not be called free where a bet is required.
• No pre-approval or notification of individual advertisements is required. The operator answers for advertisements placed by third parties on its behalf.

A licence holder becomes an AML/CFT reporting entity supervised by DIA.

• Appoint an AML/CFT compliance officer (no New Zealand residence is required), carry out a written risk assessment, keep an AML/CFT programme, and do customer due diligence before the business relationship starts.
• Report a suspicious activity to the Police Financial Intelligence Unit through goAML as soon as practicable and within 3 working days. A prescribed transaction is reported within 20 working days.
• AML/CFT records are kept at least 5 years. Gambling records are kept for the licence term and 7 years after.
• Reports to DIA: a quarterly report (7 May, 28 July, 28 October, 28 January) and an annual report by 28 January with audited financial statements. A serious incident is reported in writing within 5 working days of becoming aware.
• Changes in significant influence, a new key officer, or a change of platform or branding are notified within 5 working days. They are notified, not pre-approved.
• DIA may audit an operator on 5 days’ notice. It may suspend (up to 6 months) or cancel a licence after giving written reasons and at least 20 working days to respond.

No supplier licence class exists. Suppliers are reached through the operator.

• The Act licenses the operator only. A supplier falls under the licence if it itself conducts online casino gambling, which includes operating a platform or assisting in organising or running it (s 5). How a white-label or managed-service structure is treated depends on the entity structure and whether the provider is a key officer; DIA suggests independent legal advice.
• Games and RNGs are tested by approved laboratories and recorded in the operator’s Game and RNG Register, sent to DIA every three months. The operator remains responsible for third-party technology.
• Hosting, payment, KYC, geolocation and live-studio providers need no licence. Live dealer operations are inspected against Minimum Standard 15 before launch and every 12 months, and may be offshore.
• Affiliate arrangements paid on a conversion are prohibited. Payment based only on clicks is not by itself an affiliate arrangement.
• Section 9 reaches any person, wherever located, who assists unlicensed online casino gambling open to people in New Zealand. DIA has published nothing on supplying an unlicensed operator.
• No fee, duty or levy on a supplier’s own revenue appears in the instruments. No supplier approval time, provisional authorisation or local entity requirement exists.

The route as it stands on 23 October 2026. Stages 1 and 2 are closed, so the live steps are for the holders of the 15 rights to apply.

1. 01

   Expression of interest

   closed 14 August 2026; NZ$19,000 per brand

   Filed on the approved form through GETS within 20 working days of the notice of 16 July 2026. Capital of NZ$7,500,000 had to be accessible and the 7-year dishonesty test met. The fee is non-refundable.

2. 02

   Competitive process (auction)

   29 September to 12 October 2026; NZ$15 million per licence

   DIA gave at least 10 working days’ notice. All 15 rights to apply were awarded at a final price of NZ$15 million each. No further window is announced.

3. 03

   Pay the amount for the licence

   before the application

   A successful bidder pays the auction amount to the Secretary first (s 17(2)). It is refunded if the application is refused or not made in time.

4. 04

   File the licence application

   within 20 working days of notification

   Send the strategies, business plan, address for service, platform and branding details, and the sign-posting template. DIA says application guidance will come before this stage and that applications open from October 2026.

5. 05

   Testing evidence and decision

   no statutory deadline; licences expected from early 2027

   Provide the Game and RNG Register and critical technology provider list under the draft requirements. The Secretary grants or refuses with reasons; a refusal can go to the High Court within 15 working days.

6. 06

   Operate: testing, reports, levy and duty

   quarterly and annual

   Display the registration icon, certify the platform six months after grant, file the quarterly and annual reports, and pay the 3.5% levy, the duty and the problem gambling levy. Renew at least 6 months before expiry, once only.

Tier-ordered: official government first, then practitioner, then trade media. Every primary figure was read from the in-force text on 23 Oct 2026.