New Zealand advances 11 operators towards online casino licence applications

New Zealand’s online casino licensing process advanced during the week, with the Department of Internal Affairs confirming that 11 operators received rights to apply following an auction. The process involved 32 bidders over 10 rounds and ended at NZ$15m per licence. Stake, Entain, Betway and SkyCity were among those eligible to apply for the 15 licences available. ¹²

Alongside licensing, New Zealand proposed community funding contributions under its online gambling bill. The proposed contribution would equal 4% of operators’ adjusted gross gaming revenue, generating an estimated NZ$10m–NZ$20m annually. ³

SkyCity signed a binding agreement to sell Auckland’s Grand Hotel and its business assets to Eden Global Capital and Auckland City Collective for NZ$221m, requiring Overseas Investment Office approval. Separately, Random State introduced its first eInstant titles at Lotto NZ through Scientific Games’ SG Content Hub. ⁴⁵

Entries cited

1. New Zealand allocates 15 online casino application rights after auction 2026-10-13
2. New Zealand selects 11 operators to apply for online casino licences 2026-10-14
3. New Zealand proposes online casino contributions of up to NZD20m annually 2026-10-15
4. SkyCity agrees to sell The Grand Hotel in Auckland for NZ$221 million 2026-10-16
5. Random State enters New Zealand through Lotto NZ rollout 2026-10-14

Written by The Weekly Edge desk from our own entries, using AI drafting tools and our editorial standard. Each figure links to the entry and its original source. Standards · Corrections