Up to 50 operators have expressed interest in New Zealand’s online gambling market

New Zealand has completed the first of three licensing stages for online gambling, and the field is already crowded: up to 50 operators have shown interest. For PSPs and acquiring teams, the key detail is simple enough — the market will be capped at 15 licenses, and each license will cover one brand only.

1. From 17 July to 14 August, interested operators had to submit information to the regulator on ownership and management structure, key personnel, and financial position. That is the first filter before anyone gets near a license.
2. The full list has not been published, but the names already mentioned include Stake, Entain, Dabble, Bet365, evoke, SkyCity, Spin City, Digiplus, SpinBet, and Super Group. In other words, the shortlist is not exactly made up of hobby projects.
3. New Zealand will allow no more than 15 licenses in total. Each license applies to a single brand, and one operator can hold no more than three licenses. For payment providers, that matters because brand-level licensing usually means brand-level onboarding, compliance, and reporting work.
4. The next step is an auction scheduled for September 2026. After that, in October 2026, companies that clear the first two stages will be allowed to submit full license applications.