New Zealand has proposed limiting online casino licenses to 15 ahead of the market’s launch in 2026. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

New Zealand is gearing itself up for the expected launch of online casinos early 2026 by proposing new rules that include a capped number of licenses, hefty fines for firms operating without one, and a ban on advertising to children. 

limiting number of online casino operators

According to Radio New Zealand on Wednesday, the country’s Department of Internal Affairs has proposed limiting the number of online casino operators to 15. It also put forward a penalty of up to NZD5m ($3m) for firms operating online casinos without a license. 

RNZ cited the Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden as releasing the news on Tuesday. The proposed rules include a public register of licensed operators, and the requirement that those accredited will need to implement “harm prevention measures and robust age verification systems.”

Van Velden said the objective of setting new rules was to protect bettors currently “gambling on numerous offshore sites” and boost government tax coffers. 

“My goal is to ensure that New Zealanders can play casino games online more safely than they can today,” he said. “By establishing a regulatory system, I intend to guide customers towards 15 licensed operators.”

The Minister stressed that the proposed new rules expected to be legislated over 2025, were “not to increase online gambling but to provide a safer environment for those who choose to engage in it.”

Van Velden is part of The National Party that formed a new government in 2023 on the back of claims it could generate NZ$179m (US$105m) per year from offshore gambling firms.