Eleven operators secured the right to apply for online casino licences in New Zealand after an auction that closed on 15 October. The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed the final price reached NZ$15m ($8.42m) per licence. Thirty-two companies competed across ten rounds for 15 application rights.
Some operators won multiple rights. Baytree Interactive, which operates Betway, secured three; Playvia Gaming, Entain's vehicle, took two. Stake New Zealand Limited also progressed. A company representative described entry into New Zealand's regulated market as part of a global expansion following launches in Alberta, Argentina and Mexico.
Entain originally bid for three licences. CEO Stella David had said the company was the only operator in the country capable of cross-selling between sports betting and iGaming through its exclusive TAB brand. Despite concerns over TAB's monopoly on wagering, the operator advanced.
The auction marks the second stage of New Zealand's three-phase iGaming liberalisation. The first ran in March: operators filed expressions of interest, demonstrating at least NZ$7.5m in capital and paying a non-refundable NZ$19,000 fee. Winning an auction slot does not guarantee a licence — each applicant faces regulatory assessment. Operators that do not apply by December must cease activity by 1 December. Licence issuance is scheduled for early 2027.
