Providers with an application under consideration may continue to operate without advertising until a decision is made. Every day, New Zealanders use hundreds of overseas gambling websites. Regulating this sector will help protect consumers, reduce gambling harm, prevent crime and dishonesty, and make sure casinos providing to customers in New Zealand follow clear rules.
The end of New Zealand’s offshore grey market
Casinos in New Zealand are physical venues under casino operator’s licences issued under Part 3 of the Gambling Act 2003. Online casinos operate under the separate Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, which comes into effect on 1 December 2026 and creates a new licensing regime for operators serving New Zealand players online. Before December 2026, online casino play by New Zealand residents occurs on overseas-licensed offshore sites, which the DIA doesn’t regulate directly. All licensed operators will be held to the same regulatory standards, meaning people who choose to gamble will be better protected. These standards will ensure online casinos are fair and secure and that harm is minimised. To help customers identify which online casinos are licensed and meet New Zealand’s regulatory requirements, we will publish a public register of licensed online casinos.
Some sites will disappear
After the 1 December 2026 deadline, though, an unlicensed site is operating unlawfully and sits outside New Zealand’s new consumer protections, so the practical risk shifts onto you. For years, Kiwi players have used offshore casinos without the protection of a New Zealand licensing system. Instead, it controls which operators can legally offer online games here and introduces local rules designed to protect customers. The scale of that offshore activity is what pushed the reform.
- For the first time, the Department of Internal Affairs can license online casino operators to legally serve New Zealanders.
- The DIA is the primary regulator for all land-based gambling in New Zealand.
- Machine and table counts are indicative from published operator statements.
- An act of Parliament would be required for one of these casinos to expand its game menu.
- During 2026 and into 2027, expect some sites to claim New Zealand licensing before any licence exists.
Licensed casinos will also be required to display a unique registration icon on their platforms and in their advertising, making it easier for players to recognise licensed operators. For now, Kiwis can continue playing at offshore casinos that were already serving New Zealand before 1 May 2026. Players do not commit an offence, and gambling winnings for most recreational players, are generally not subject to income tax in NZ. The major change begins from 1 December 2026, when only successful auction bidders with applications under consideration may continue temporarily.
Timeline overview
Licensed operators will need to comply with regulations designed to ensure system integrity, player protection, and responsible gambling. Providers who have submitted a licence application will be granted an exemption to continue operating without advertising until the outcome of their application has been determined. Providers that have not applied for a licence must cease operating in New Zealand.
The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026
Detailed regulations supporting the Act have now been released and are informing the staged implementation of the regime. Our engagement approach is built on transparency and fairness. Anyone in NZ with a smartphone or tablet connected to the Internet can use it to access any online casino we recommend.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)
Providers who have submitted a licence application can continue to operate until the outcome of their application has been determined. If the licence application is declined, the provider will be required to cease all online casino gambling operations in New Zealand and must exit the market. The auction attracted 32 bidders and concluded after 10 rounds, with the final auction price reaching $15 million (NZD) per licence. The auction determined who has won the right to apply for an online casino gambling licence. Just because an online casino accepts players from New Zealand does not mean that it is a legitimate or reputable destination. In addition, not all legal online casinos are of high quality.
As part of this programme of work, the Department has gathered insights across New Zealand’s online gambling environment- including online casino gambling, online sports and race betting, and overseas lotteries. This page of our resource guide will provide you with information regarding legal casino gambling opportunities that are available to New Zealand citizens, both online and offline. This website is intended to serve as a dedicated resource guide for all things relevant to legal online gambling in New Zealand. We’ve created a section for each major gambling platform, including legal New Zealand online poker, bingo, and sports betting.
Contact a Casino Gambling Inspector
In 2023 the brand was relaunched as an independent affiliate and review platform. We no longer accept player registrations, process deposits, or offer gambling services. The Department of Internal Affairs issues gambling venue licences under the Gambling Act 2003. The DIA is the primary regulator for all land-based gambling in New Zealand. Pokies are available at all five licensed casinos and at every licensed pokie venue. The six cities with the largest concentrations of pokie venues are Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Dunedin, and Queenstown.
It is general information about how the law applies to consumers, not advice on your circumstances. Some sites currently accepting Kiwis will exit during 2027. If you hold a balance at one, the section below on the December 2026 deadline is the part to read. Here are the main charges a licensed operator will carry.
A pokie venue is a pub, club, or similar DIA-licensed site hosting between one and 18 pokies machines under the Gambling Act 2003. Pokie venues are distinct from casinos, which are licensed under a separate casino operator’s licence regime (Part 3 of the Act). They run at much lower per-spin stake caps and are embedded in ordinary hospitality venues rather than standalone gambling buildings. The years of discussion about regulating online gambling ended in 2026.
- The Online Casino Gambling Act will require these licensed operators to comply with safety standards, ensuring stronger player protections and a safer gambling environment.
- During this time, we will start the licensing process, however providers must not advertise to people in New Zealand.
- If you hold a balance at one, the section below on the December 2026 deadline is the part to read.
- Operators that were already serving the market before the Act took effect may continue until 1 December 2026.
- However, there are no laws prohibiting Kiwis from enjoying legally licensed and regulated online casinos that are located offshore.
- From 1 May 2026 operators must not advertise online casino gambling services to New Zealand customers while unlicensed.
- Those penalties can fall not only on operators but on anyone who publishes or arranges prohibited ads.
The full register is published by the DIA at dia.govt.nz/Gambling-Class-4. First, no pokie venue may hold more than 18 pokies machines. Third, roughly 40 per cent of gross proceeds must be returned to the community as grants, typically funding sport, arts, and charity.
Autoplay and multi-slot play speed up losses and blur how much is being staked, while celebratory effects on losing spins train players to misread outcomes. Stripping them out slows the game down and keeps the real result visible, which is the whole point of the reform. Allocation runs through a three-stage process on the government tenders’ platform, and the DIA has published indicative timing for each step. The table below maps the stages that lead into a licensed launch. Following completion of the auction process, we can confirm that 11 entities have been successful at winning the right to apply for the 15 licenses available.
Casinos offer higher-stakes table games and uncapped-stake pokies, so the Gambling Act 2003 treats casino entry as a more consequential decision and raises the minimum age by two years. Class 4 pokies machines have the $2.50-per-spin cap and are embedded in regular pubs, so the 18-year age aligns with the general drinking-age framework. From 1 December 2026, providers must cease conducting online casino gambling in New Zealand if they have not applied for a licence. The regulated and licensed online casino gambling system is expected to be fully in place. The auction has concluded, with 11 entities winning the right to apply for an online casino gambling licence.
Bringing operators inside a licensed regime is meant to close that gap. No operator holds a DIA licence yet, so no casino can honestly claim to be a licensed New Zealand casino in 2026. What you can do now is learn the checks that will separate a genuine, licensed site from an unlicensed one once the register goes live and apply the general safety signals that hold true in any market.
This staged approach allows time to establish licensing arrangements, assess applicants, and ensure that regulatory, harm minimisation and compliance systems are in place before the regime is fully implemented. The Gambling Act 2003 regulates those who conduct or promote gambling and creates no offence of participating in overseas online gambling. The operator side is now licensed Zoccer casino review under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, which came into force on 1 May 2026. If you’re looking for somewhere to play that isn’t one of the five casinos, see the licensed pokie venues directory or pick your region. Online casino operators cannot advertise to New Zealand customers.