DIA Updates New Zealand Online Casino Licensing Guidance

This update follows our earlier report, NZ Online Casino Licensing Reform: What the Online Casino Bill Changes, published on 3 January 2026, which explains the proposed licensing system and the steps casinos would need to go through to get approved. Since then, the Department of Internal Affairs has updated its guidance for providers and highlighted the next key dates in the Online Casino Gambling Bill, as New Zealand moves closer to regulating online casinos.

What DIA has updated for providers

DIA has updated its Resources for providers page and is using it as the main place to share the latest information about the Online Casino Gambling Bill and the new licensing system. 

For online casinos, it’s a simple guide to what’s coming next. In particular, it covers what they may need to do to apply for a licence, how the process could work, and what to expect if they don’t apply.

Two dates matter most right now.

•    1 May 2026: This is the planned start date for the new law, once it gets final approval.
•    1 December 2026: Online casinos that haven’t applied for a NZ licence must stop offering their services to New Zealanders. Casinos that do apply can keep operating while DIA decides, but they must leave if they’re turned down.

Timeline snapshot

What to watch next

Next, as things progress, keep an eye on updates from Parliament and the Department of Internal Affairs, as well as any new rules clarifying what licensed casinos must do.

Meanwhile, for casino operators, the big question is how the licence process will work in practice and what compliance steps they’ll need to meet. For NZ players, on the other hand, it’s simpler: watch which brands apply, which ones get approved, and what protections licensed sites will have.
In the meantime, until licences are actually issued, be careful with any site claiming it is “NZ licensed” and stick to official updates.