New Zealand has published its completed regulatory framework for online casino gambling, giving the industry its first clear picture of how the new licensed market will operate.
The Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 were made by Order in Council on 2 June and are scheduled to come into force on 3 July this year.
The regulations sit beneath the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 and establish the operating rules covering harm prevention, consumer protection, advertising, reporting, audits, fees and levies.
The framework marks a significant departure from New Zealand’s long-standing position, as domestic operators have historically been unable to obtain local online casino licences.
New Zealanders have continued to access hundreds of offshore gambling websites, leaving a substantial portion of the market outside the reach of domestic regulators.
The Department of Internal Affairs has acknowledged this gap directly, and the new system is designed to channel players toward licensed platforms offering proper local consumer protections.
The market will not open immediately, with expressions of interest expected in the second half of July, followed by an auction in September and licence applications opening in October.
From 1 December, only auction winners with applications under assessment will be permitted to continue serving New Zealand customers under a specific exemption, with all other operators required to exit.
Full licensing is expected to begin from early 2027, with the system fully operational later that year and up to 15 licences made available across the market.
Each licence will cover one brand, last up to three years and may be renewed for up to five more, while no single person may hold significant influence over more than three licences.
The revenue structure features several layers, with licensed operators required to pay goods and services tax, online gambling duty and a problem gambling levy.
The government has set the duty rate at 16%, with 4% ringfenced for community funding, and a separate quarterly levy of 3.5% of online gambling profits has also been introduced.
A 2024 regulatory impact statement estimated the total market at between NZ$300m and NZ$800m, while a later report placed the figure attributable to operators paying GST at NZ$342.5m.
Inland Revenue data identified 36 offshore operators paying GST in New Zealand, with just 15 of those accounting for more than 90% of the total collected.
Player protection rules are among the most detailed in the framework, requiring operators to allow customers to set daily, weekly or monthly limits on playing time, deposits and spending.
Any request to increase or remove a limit must wait at least 24 hours, and players must also be offered breaks in play, time-outs and pop-up alerts during sessions.
A minimum break of five minutes must be available after 60 continuous minutes of play, with pop-ups required to display session time, session losses and an exit option before the game resumes.
Self-exclusion rules are strict, with operators required to act within 24 hours of a request and the exclusion period unable to be shortened once set.
A return to gambling after self-exclusion requires a deliberate decision, acknowledgement of help services and a further 24-hour waiting period before access is restored.
Autoplay is prohibited entirely, customers cannot run more than one online slot simultaneously, and game designs and inducements must not encourage excessive, continuous or impulsive gambling behaviour.
Credit contracts including credit cards are banned, operators must keep customer funds separate from their own money, and identity and age verification must be completed before any account is activated.
Advertising restrictions are equally firm, banning sponsorships, endorsements and affiliate arrangements while prohibiting ads during live broadcasts and the 30 minutes either side of them.
Ads are also barred from placements where more than 20% of the expected audience is under 18, and direct marketing requires express consent from customers.
The strategy for tackling unlicensed operators extends beyond website blocking, with potential penalties of up to NZ$5m for serious or repeat violations, alongside prohibition orders, takedown notices and forced suspensions.
The Department of Internal Affairs has also confirmed it is coordinating with social media platforms to remove or block unauthorised gambling advertising that targets New Zealand audiences.
