New Zealand DIA advances 11 bidders in online casino licence tender

On 13 October, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) in New Zealand published the outcome of its tender for online casino licences. A total of 11 entities paid NZ$15m (€7.5m) to move forward in the process, and among the successful applicants were Entain, Super Group and Stake. Fifteen licences are on offer, and certain companies are following a multi-brand approach in the country.

A licence, valid for a single brand, permits operation in the regulated online casino market for three years, and holders may seek a further five-year renewal. According to the DIA, 32 bidders took part and the auction ran for 10 rounds. The body added that it will not disclose, at this point, which brands each operator intends to trade under.

The full list published on the DIA's website reads: Baytree Interactive Limited with three rights to apply; Christchurch Online NZ Limited; One Casino Limited; Playvia Gaming (NZ) Limited with two rights to apply; Rock Swift Group Limited with two rights to apply; 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.

Baytree Interactive, the vehicle of Betway owner Super Group, secured the largest allocation open to a single operator: three rights to apply. Through its Playvia Gaming (NZ) subsidiary, Entain gained two rights to apply, and it holds one more licence via TAB NZ, which it runs entirely as part of a 25-year strategic sports betting partnership. Blackrush Casino and FoxySpins are the two brands the company has launched in the market so far.

SkillOnNet and LCKY (formerly Glitnor Group), which applied via its One Casino company, are both based in Malta and each gained a single right to apply. SkyCity, the local giant, picked up two rights to apply. The remaining names are Rock Swift Group Limited, which was previously licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and Christchurch Online NZ. The source notes that the latter is a Malta-registered business, despite its name suggesting a link to Christchurch Casino.

An Entain spokesperson said the company had progressed to the final licence application stage for its BlackRush and Foxy brands, alongside TAB NZ, and that a comprehensive application and due diligence process is still to come. A Stake spokesperson said the company was looking forward to the next stages of the process, following its expansion into Alberta, Argentina and Mexico this year.

The DIA said business-to-consumer operators that did not clear this stage have until 1 December 2026 to stop operating, while the market is due to open fully in 2027 on a date that has not been specified.