Entain Confident in New Zealand’s iGaming Potential
Entain has voiced confidence that New Zealand’s forthcoming regulated online gaming market will be large enough to support multiple licensees, while warning that any advertising battle among operators could provoke a regulatory backlash with lasting consequences for the industry.
The comments come at a pivotal moment in New Zealand’s gambling reform agenda. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026, establishing a licensing framework for online casino gaming, with detailed regulations covering advertising, harm prevention and consumer protection taking effect on 3 July 2026. The market is expected to go live in 2027, and expressions of interest in up to 15 online casino licences opened in July, with licence applications anticipated from October.
A Deliberately Restrictive Framework
New Zealand has chosen a measured approach to liberalisation. The regime, administered by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), imposes a capital requirement of NZ$7.5 million per licence, limits on gambling time, deposits and spend, and advertising restrictions that include prohibitions on casino advertising during live sport broadcasts. The DIA has also moved against offshore operators, including warning influencers who promote unlicensed online casinos.
Entain already occupies a prominent position in the market through its 25-year partnership with TAB New Zealand, established in 2023. The Racing Industry Amendment Act 2025 extended TAB NZ’s legislated monopoly on sports and racing betting to online channels, making the Entain-operated TAB the only legal online sports betting platform in the country. The company has since signalled its intention to compete for multiple online casino licences when the market opens.
The Advertising Question
According to Entain, the market can accommodate several successful operators, but the group has cautioned against aggressive marketing competition among licensees. In jurisdictions where licensed operators have engaged in heavy advertising spend, public and political pressure has frequently led to tighter restrictions. Australia, New Zealand’s closest regulatory comparator, has experienced sustained debate over gambling advertising, with successive reviews recommending further limits on marketing and sponsorship.
The concern reflects a practical reality for operators: advertising rules under the New Zealand regime remain tightly controlled, and any perception that licensees are circumventing the spirit of those rules could prompt the regulator or Parliament to tighten them further, potentially constraining the entire market rather than individual offenders.
A balanced reading of the situation suggests both risk and opportunity. Restrictive advertising conditions may limit customer acquisition and slow the migration of players from unlicensed offshore sites, which currently operate with minimal oversight. At the same time, a disciplined market may build greater public and political trust, strengthening the long-term durability of the licensing regime.
