New Zealand opens EOI process for 15 online casino licences ahead of 2027 launch

New Zealand’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has launched the first phase of its online casino licensing process, opening expressions of interest (EOIs) for one of 15 licences under the new Online Casino Gambling Act. For PSPs and operators, the useful part is simple: this is no longer policy talk, but the start of a controlled market entry process with capital, disclosure, and timing requirements attached.

1. The government published the invitation on 16 July, and it became effective on Friday. Companies must submit EOIs via the procurement portal GETS by 14 August 2026. The licensing process was first outlined by the DIA in March, so this is the formal start of a three-part sequence: EOI, auction in September, and full application submissions from October.
2. Each application carries a non-refundable fee of NZ$19,000 ($11,082). Applicants also need to show access to at least NZ$7.5 million in capital, which tells you where the bar is set: this is not an open-door market, but one designed for a limited number of established operators with balance sheet capacity.
3. The cap is 15 licences, and each operator can hold up to three licences. That detail matters for groups looking at brand segmentation or multi-licence strategies. Entain CEO Stella David said on the operator’s FY’25 results call in March that Entain intended to apply for three of the available 15 licences. She also noted that, with its exclusive betting brand TAB in New Zealand, Entain would be the only online operator able to cross-sell between sports and iGaming.
4. The DIA is asking for full disclosure on ownership and management structures, the identities of all key officers, and detailed descriptions of the brand and gambling platform to be used. It also wants evidence to verify the information submitted, including credit reports, certified identification, criminal record clearances or international equivalents, and proof of available capital.
5. Applicants must disclose prior regulatory breaches, ongoing legal investigations, insolvency events such as liquidation or bankruptcy, and any adverse rulings by advertising regulators in New Zealand or abroad. In practice, this is the sort of probity review that can make or break a file long before any commercial discussion starts.

New Zealand’s parliament signed off on the Online Casino Gambling Act earlier this year, legalising and regulating online casino gambling in the country. The market is scheduled to launch in 2027, so the licensing calendar now has real operational implications for PSPs, acquirers, and operators mapping when they need readiness, documentation, and banking support in place.