NZ Online Casino Rules Do Not Ban Crypto Deposits, DIA Says
New Zealand's new online casino regulations do not ban cryptocurrency as a payment method, according to the Department of Internal Affairs.
In its consumer protection guidance, the regulator says operators that choose to offer crypto must comply with New Zealand law, including the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009.
The point matters as 11 entities prepare licence applications for the country's first regulated online casinos.
What The Payment Rules Cover
Regulation 18 of the Online Casino Gambling Regulations 2026 prohibits credit contracts and specified payment methods.
The DIA guidance says debit cards are permitted. It also clarifies that a customer may hold one account covering several forms of gambling but cannot use proceeds from one form of gambling to fund online casino gambling with the operator.
Credits earned from land-based gambling, for example, cannot be used to bet on the operator's online casino platform. A customer can still use the same debit card for online casino gambling and other gambling.
The rules on withdrawals are separate. The guidance says operators must return funds through the customer's registered deposit method, and where that is not possible, for example because the account has been closed, they can use the customer's registered withdrawal method or another method the customer provides.
Operators must process withdrawals as soon as possible, and any delay needs a legitimate reason, such as meeting anti-money laundering obligations.
Where The Licensing Process Stands
The licensing process has moved beyond the auction.
The auction ran from September 29 to October 12 and drew 32 bidders over 10 rounds, with the final price reaching NZ$15 million per licence.
Eleven entities won the right to apply for the 15 licences on offer, and no one can hold more than three.
Winning the auction does not guarantee a licence. Each winner now has to go through a detailed application and assessment process.
The DIA is not publishing the brands that may eventually operate, and approved brands will appear on a public register once licences are granted. Each licence covers a single brand and runs for up to three years, with the option to renew for a further five.
What Happens To Unlicensed Operators
The transition rules set different conditions for different providers. Providers that have not applied for a licence must stop operating in New Zealand on December 1, 2026.
Those with an application under consideration can keep operating, but cannot advertise until a decision is made. Online casino advertising is already prohibited in the country.
The DIA expects the regulated system to be fully in place in 2027. It describes the regulations as covering harm prevention and minimisation, consumer protection and record-keeping, advertising and marketing, and fees, levies and charges.
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What It Means For Operators And Players
For operators, the guidance removes an open question: a licensed brand can use crypto as a payment route without violating payment regulations, provided it can demonstrate compliance with the AML Act and other consumer protection rules.
How the DIA will treat individual crypto products during application assessment is not covered in the guidance reviewed for this report.
For players, nothing changes until licences are granted. Anyone looking at the market should remember that only licensed operators will be legal after the transition, and the DIA's register will be the place to check which brands have been approved.
