Online Casinos in New Zealand

New Zealand is introducing its first licensed online casino market. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026, with up to 15 licences to be allocated by auction and a deadline of 1 December 2026 for unlicensed operators. Advertising of unlicensed online casinos is prohibited. Sports and racing betting remain with TAB NZ.

Last verified: 2026-10-01

The position is in transition. Until now the Gambling Act 2003 prohibited New Zealand-based online casino operators, while not criminalising players who used offshore sites. Under that law, overseas operators were also prohibited from advertising to New Zealanders.

The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026, and the Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 took effect on 3 July 2026. Any operator enabling people in New Zealand to play online casino games will need a licence from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA, dia.govt.nz), regardless of where it is based. Online sports and racing betting remain with TAB New Zealand, and lotteries with Lotto NZ.

The DIA is running a three-stage process.

• Stage 1, expressions of interest: ran from 17 July to 14 August 2026.
• Stage 2, auction: an ascending clock auction scheduled for September 2026 decides who may apply, and at what price. Up to 15 licences are available.
• Stage 3, applications: successful bidders apply from October 2026, with first licences expected from early 2027.
• 1 December 2026: operators without a licence application must stop serving New Zealand customers. Only auction winners with applications under assessment may continue under an exemption.

Until licences are issued, no new providers may enter the market, and online casino advertising to New Zealand customers remains prohibited.

Licensed operators will have to offer limits, act on signs of harm and prohibit credit-card and buy-now-pay-later payments for online casino play, according to law-firm summaries of the Act. Licensed operators will pay GST, online gambling duty and a problem gambling levy. Reports describe the online gambling duty rising from 12% to 16% of profits, with figures for the DIA levy varying across sources (for example 1.24% and 3.5% appear), so check the DIA for the final rates.

Recreational gambling winnings are generally not taxed for players in New Zealand. The minimum age for online casino play under the new regime should be confirmed with the DIA, as land-based casinos use 20 and TAB and Lotto use 18.

Only casino-style games will be licensed, and an operator may hold no more than three licences. Racing and sports betting are not part of the licensing round, and TAB NZ's exclusivity was expanded through amendments to the Racing Industry Act.

The new Act strengthens enforcement against advertising of unlicensed online casino gambling, including take-down notices and penalties of up to NZ$5 million for companies. The DIA is also working with social media platforms to remove unauthorised ads. This is why blucca.com does not promote online casinos to New Zealand visitors at present.

blucca.com treats New Zealand as an informational market while the licensing round is in progress. We will review the page once licences are issued and only feature licensed operators then. Content is editorial and makes no promise of winnings.

The Gambling Helpline is free and confidential on 0800 654 655, and the Problem Gambling Foundation offers support. Please gamble only if you are of legal age.

Affiliate disclosure: blucca.com may earn a commission if you register with a licensed operator through some links. This never changes our licensing checks. 18+ or the legal age in your location. Gambling carries risk and is not a way to make money. If gambling is a problem, seek help.