Only 15 online casino licenses planned for New Zealand

The push to bring online casinos under New Zealand law is finally taking shape, but the details may surprise players. The new Online Casino Gambling Bill, which had its first reading in July, sets a hard cap: only 15 casino licenses will be handed out. That means, once the system is live, a maximum of 15 brands will be allowed to operate legally here. No more, at least not for now.

At the same time, a big shift has already landed on the sports side. Since June, offshore betting sites are banned from taking bets from Kiwis. TAB now holds a monopoly on online sports and racing wagers. If you used to log in to overseas sportsbooks for better odds or a wider range of markets, you’ve probably noticed they’ve disappeared. Some players will shrug, others are frustrated, but either way the law is now clear: sports betting outside TAB is off the table.

Combine that with the casino plan and you get a very tight market. Fifteen casino operators, one sports betting operator, and heavy penalties for anyone outside the fence. Offshore casinos that keep targeting New Zealanders could be fined millions. For players, that means less choice up front but, in theory, more trust in the brands that do make the cut.

Will 15 be enough?

On paper, a cap makes sense. Regulators want to keep control and make sure every licensed casino follows the rules. But the number feels small when you compare it to how many offshore sites Kiwis use today. Variety is one of the main reasons players go offshore in the first place. Limit the market too tightly, and there’s a real risk that people drift straight back to unlicensed sites for the options they’re missing at home.

The other sticking point is the license length. Early drafts suggest they’ll run for just five years. That’s not long if you’re a company investing in staff, games, and local support. For players, it could also mean instability. What happens if a casino you’ve been using doesn’t get its license renewed? Where does your balance go? None of that has been explained in detail yet, and until it is, it’s fair for players to be cautious.

Community sport groups have also raised alarms. More than 50 organisations have said the Bill doesn’t guarantee them any funding from online casinos. At the moment, local clubs get support through gambling trusts, and if that revenue dries up, the gap could be huge. Unless the government builds in a system for licensed operators to contribute back, community sport could lose out badly.

What players should expect next

The Bill is still in motion. It will go through select committee, public submissions, and more debate before it becomes law. So don’t expect to see the first licensed casinos before 2026. Until then, offshore casinos will continue to operate in a grey area, but the message is clear: their time is limited. The ban on offshore sports betting is already being enforced, and casinos will be next in line once the law is passed.

For players, it’s a mixed picture. Licensed casinos should mean clearer rules, better dispute handling, and safer gambling tools that actually have to be used, not just offered. On the flip side, the cap of 15 means you may lose the variety you’re used to. Add short license periods into the mix, and the market could feel unsettled, especially if brands come and go more often than expected.

We’ll keep following the progress of the Bill and report back as more details are locked in. Which brands apply, which ones succeed, and how the rules are enforced will make a big difference to the real experience for Kiwi players. For now, just know that the gambling landscape is changing fast, and by this time next year the options on your screen could look very different.