New Zealand Unveils Online Casino Rules Ahead of Licensing Launch
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand has published the regulations that will govern its new online casino market, providing operators with their first detailed look at the requirements attached to obtaining a licence.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The regulations, which take effect on 3 July, support the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 and arrive just weeks before the country begins a competitive licensing process for up to 15 online casino licences.
The framework covers responsible gambling measures, advertising restrictions, payment controls, reporting obligations and a new gambling levy on licensed operators.
Player Protection Requirements Expanded
The regulations place consumer protection at the centre of the new regime. Licensed operators will be required to offer tools allowing customers to set daily, weekly or monthly limits on deposits, spending and playtime. Players must be prompted to establish those limits when opening an account and reminded to review them every month.
Requests to increase or remove limits will be subject to a mandatory 24-hour waiting period. The rules also require platforms to introduce mandatory breaks in play. Customers must receive at least a five-minute pause after 60 minutes of continuous gambling, while timeout options ranging from one day to three months must also be available.
Self-exclusion measures have been strengthened. Operators must process exclusion requests within 24 hours and take action when signs of harmful gambling behaviour emerge. In some cases, customers may be excluded for up to two years.
Advertising and Payment Restrictions Introduced
The regulations impose significant limits on how licensed online casinos can advertise. Advertisements will be prohibited in certain locations, including public transport and prominent positions in print publications. Television and radio promotions will not be permitted during live broadcasts or within 30 minutes before or after them.
Affiliate marketing, sponsorship-style promotions and advertising designed to encourage impulsive gambling are also prohibited. Operators must ensure advertising does not target minors or audiences where more than 20% of viewers are under 18. Direct marketing will only be allowed where customers have provided clear consent.
The rules also introduce payment safeguards. Operators must verify a customer's identity, age and date of birth before an account can be activated.
Credit cards and certain credit-linked payment products will be banned. The payment rule follows New Zealand’s earlier move to restrict credit card gambling ahead of the iGaming launch. Customers will be limited to one account and one registered deposit method per operator, while changes to payment methods will trigger a 24-hour lock period.
More Regulation
Operators Face Levy and Reporting Duties
Licensed operators will be required to pay a quarterly levy equal to 3.5% of online gambling profits.
The regulations also require operators to submit quarterly and annual reports detailing customer activity, usage patterns and revenue performance. Serious incidents must be reported to authorities within five working days.
Additional product restrictions prohibit autoplay functions and prevent customers from playing multiple online slot games simultaneously.
Competition Begins for 15 Licences
The publication of the regulations marks another major step in New Zealand's transition to a regulated online casino market.
Legislation passed last month authorised the government to award up to 15 online casino licences through a competitive process. Prospective operators must first submit an expression of interest, which carries a NZ$19,000 application fee, before progressing to an auction and full licensing assessment.
Several international gambling companies have already expressed interest in the market. Entain recently indicated that it intends to pursue multiple licences once applications open.
The regulations provide the clearest indication yet of the standards operators will need to meet if they wish to secure access to New Zealand's newly regulated online gambling sector.
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