The New Zealand iGaming licensing authority will try to fine operators without an online casino certificate, but there will be no Geo-blocking.
Following on from our recent New Zealand gambling news reports, developments in the licensing process have confirmed overseas online casinos will be considered black market operations.
Fines are the primary tool the new authority will use to discourage operators from offering services to players in the country. Still, the country will not geo-block these overseas iGaming platforms.
To quickly recap, New Zealand plans to bring its iGaming licensing authority online sometime in 2026. The plan is to auction off 15 licensing certificates.
Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden confirmed that overseas companies will be able to become part of the bid, despite calls by NZ’s domestic operators, SkyCity and TAB have suggested only 5 licensing certificates be made available, both of which plan on taking part in the bidding process.
Once the new licensing authority is in place and certification is awarded to 15 operators, New Zealand’s government plans to drive out overseas online casinos.
First, there is a threat of a NZD 5 million fine for any company proven to offer iGaming services to Kiwi casino players. These operators may also be reported to international regulators.
The proposed regulations aim to enhance consumer protection, particularly in areas such as responsible gambling, and ensure that online gambling activities are conducted safely.
Catch up on previous New Zealand Gambling News: We have several news reports covering the development of the new licensing via our NZ gambling news feed.
Are there plans for geo-blocking overseas casinos?
You would think so with the threat of a 5 million NZD fine. However, the news team here at Casinoplusbonus has come across a report that suggests there is no geo-blocking planned.
According to New Room New Zealand, while geo-blocking was initially considered as a measure to restrict access to unlicensed offshore casinos, the government has decided against implementing it due to its resource-intensive nature and the ease with which users can circumvent such blocks using VPNs.
In 2023, Finance Minister Nicola Willis had initially said that geo-blocking would be on the cards. She said, “If you’re providing an online gambling service in New Zealand and you are not licensed and you are not registered, you will be shut down.”
Van Velden Contradicts Initial Reports: Geo-blocking, or internet filtering, was considered. However, it will not be part of the regulatory regime because it would be very resource-intensive to maintain and is easily circumvented via a VPN.
Casinoplusbonus news team opinion
Well, most of us here at Casinoplusbonus know how easy it is to bypass geo-blocking via VPNs. Many iGaming entertainment sites advertise their services as VPN-friendly casinos.
From our point of view, the effort to impose rules upon New Zealand’s ISPs (Internet Service Providers) is flawed. We agree with Van Velden on this point. It means the country is expecting a black market in some ways. Still, it is also banking on regulatory authorities licensing these iGaming platforms to adjust their framework, preventing operators from targeting Kiwi players.
The MGA will likely ban operators from targeting NZ
We believe the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) will force operators to drop all Kiwi players. Therefore, iGaming platforms listed under the MGA licensing authority on our Online Casino New Zealand guide will likely not be available to you in 2026 if you are from New Zealand.
Our reasoning behind our line of thought is that Australia bans online casinos. The Aussie government petitioned the MGA to add a rule within its framework to prevent operators from accepting players who reside in Australia. The MGA obliged, and today, you will not find any online gambling platforms operating under the Malta Gaming Authority framework that accept players from Australia.
In short, if you are a member of an MGA online casino, such as Netbet, 21 Casino, Wildz, or Wheelz, you may not be able to play on these platforms when the new licensing authority is in place. However, I predict that Rootz (the operator of Wildz and Wheelz) will enter the New Zealand licensing bidding process.
Curacao and Anjouan online casinos are in a grey zone
The chances of Curacao or Anjouan licensing authorities preventing operators under their licensing authorities from providing iGaming services to Kiwi players are low. Once again, we can use the Australian iGaming ban as an example.
The Aussie government has long petitioned Curacao to add a rule to its framework to prevent operators under its oversight from accepting players from Australia. Now, with the fast emergence of the Anjouan licensing authority, Australia faces two sets of petitions to two licensing authorities. At this time, both Anjouan and Curacao online gambling entertainment platforms still accept Aussie players.
Many of the gambling platforms operating under both of these licensing frameworks are also VPN-friendly. Therefore, we can agree that New Zealand’s decision to exclude geo-blocking from its plan to curb overseas iGaming platforms saves the country resources.
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