The Department of Internal Affairs of New Zealand named 11 companies that have won the right to apply for online casino licences under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026. The results come from a two-week government auction that ran from 29 September to 12 October 2026.
The auction drew 32 bidders and ended after 10 rounds, with a final price of NZ$15 million per licence. That is about $8.4 million at the exchange rate on 2 November (1 New Zealand dollar ≈ 0.56 dollars).
The auction used an “ascending clock” format. Prices rose in steps, and bidders dropped out until the number of remaining bidders matched the number of licences.
Baytree Interactive Limited won the most rights, three in total. Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited and Rock Swift Group Limited received two each. Eight more companies got one right each: Christchurch Online NZ Limited, One Casino Limited, Rush Entertainment Limited, Skill On Net Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO1 Limited, SkyCity NZ Online NO2 Limited, Stake New Zealand Limited and TAB New Zealand.
The right to apply does not mean a licence. An application includes a business plan and strategies for advertising, consumer protection, harm reduction and compliance, and licences are issued only after the provider's suitability is checked. A winning bid does not guarantee a licence, and all bidders must go through a detailed application and assessment process.
Brands have not been disclosed yet. The brands that may ultimately operate under a licence are not being published at this stage. Approved brands will appear on a public register once their licences are granted, and each licence covers one brand for an initial three-year period with a possible five-year renewal.
1 December 2026 is the key date for the market. From that day, providers that have not submitted a licence application must stop offering online casino gambling services in New Zealand. Companies with applications under review may keep operating during the assessment period, but they will not be allowed to advertise.
The fully licensed regime starts in 2027. For reference, 15 rights at the auction price come to NZ$225 million, or about $126 million. Payment of that price is part of the application process, not the auction itself.
The next step is full applications from the 11 companies and their assessment by the Department of Internal Affairs.
