New Zealand Sets Out Draft Testing Rules for Licensed Online Casinos

New Zealand has taken another step towards launching its regulated online casino market, with the Department of Internal Affairs publishing draft requirements covering how operators must test and monitor their gambling technology.

The Discussion Draft Testing and Monitoring Requirements were released on 24 September 2026. They sit alongside the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, regulations and minimum standards already introduced as part of the country’s new licensing framework.

The proposals provide some of the clearest detail yet on how regulators expect licensed operators to demonstrate that online casino games are fair and that their technology continues to work as intended.

They also follow the DIA's latest guidance on what operators must provide when applying for a New Zealand online casino licence, including detailed business, compliance and player-protection plans.

Games and RNGs Face Independent Testing

Under the draft rules, operators applying for a New Zealand licence would need to maintain a register covering every game and random number generator they intend to offer.

Games, including live dealer titles, and RNGs would need to have been tested by an approved independent testing laboratory.

Testing carried out against certain standards already accepted by regulators such as the UK Gambling Commission or the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario may also be recognised during the market-entry process.

Operators would remain responsible for compliance even where games or other gambling technology are supplied by third parties.

Major changes capable of affecting game fairness would require further testing before being introduced.

RTP Would Be Checked on an Ongoing Basis

One of the most significant proposals concerns Return to Player percentages.

Independent laboratories would be required to confirm that a game's theoretical RTP has been calculated correctly and is consistent with its rules, prize tables and underlying mathematics.

Testing would also compare observed results from a statistically significant amount of simulated or actual play with the expected RTP.

Once games are live, operators would then be required to monitor actual RTP against theoretical figures on an ongoing basis.

The DIA's proposals suggest monitoring should be detailed enough to identify discrepancies that might be hidden when results are viewed only in aggregate.

Checks could therefore extend to individual stake levels, bonus features, jackpots and other game components.

Any material discrepancy identified through monitoring could trigger reporting requirements.

Technology Failures Would Also Be Monitored

The rules extend beyond the games themselves.

Operators would be expected to continuously monitor technology for incidents that could affect security, integrity, availability or the correct operation of their platforms.

That includes systems used for identity and age verification, self-exclusion, player limits, breaks in play and other harm-minimisation measures.

Another Step Towards New Zealand’s Regulated Market

The draft testing rules form another part of the wider rollout of New Zealand’s first regulated online casino regime.

For Kiwi players using online casinos in New Zealand, the eventual licensing framework is intended to introduce greater oversight of operators that have historically served the market from offshore.

The testing requirements are still in draft form and could change before becoming final.

However, they give operators and software suppliers a clearer indication of the technical standards they are likely to face before games can be offered under a New Zealand licence.