New Zealand Opens Expression Of Interest Stage For 15 Online Casino Licences
New Zealand has opened the first stage of its online casino licensing regime, inviting operators to compete for one of just 15 licences. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) opened the expression of interest (EOI) stage on July 17, 2026, and submissions must be lodged through the government's GETS procurement portal by August 14, 2026.
What The Notice Sets Out
The Secretary for Internal Affairs invited EOIs by public notice on July 16, effective the following day, under the Online Casino Gambling (Invitation to Submit an Expression of Interest) Notice 2026. The notice confirms the hard numbers: 15 licences are available, each EOI must be accompanied by a prescribed fee of NZ$19,000, and applicants must show access to a minimum of NZ$7.5 million in capital.
Those thresholds point to a market built around a small group of well-funded operators rather than an open field.
A Three-Stage Process
The EOI is only the entry gate. Providers whose submissions are accepted move to a competitive auction, which the DIA has confirmed will run in September 2026 as an ascending clock auction, where participants are offered the same price at each step and choose to stay in or drop out until demand matches the licences available.
Successful bidders may then submit full licence applications from October 2026, setting out business plans and detailed strategies on advertising, consumer protection and harm minimisation. Final licences are expected in early 2027.
The Legal Framework
The process flows from the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, which legalised and regulated the sector, with the Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 coming into force on July 3, 2026. Until the licensed market goes live, offshore operators that currently serve New Zealanders continue to do so in an unregulated space, which is part of the reason ministers have set a high capital bar and a licence cap.
Players can see which operators are covered by our reviews through our guide to online casinos in New Zealand.
Why It Matters
Capping licences at 15 and demanding proof of NZ$7.5 million in available capital is a deliberate filter. It favours established, well-capitalised brands and limits how crowded the regulated market can become, which shapes competition, marketing spend and the offers players will eventually see. The auction design also means the price of entry will be set by the operators themselves.
What To Watch
The next fixed date is August 14, 2026, when the EOI window closes and the field of eligible bidders is set. Attention then turns to the September auction and how aggressively operators bid for a place in a capped market. The DIA's online gambling guidance is the reference point for operators tracking each stage.
