SkillOnNet eyes PlayOJO growth as New Zealand opens regulated online casino market

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2026/10/13: New Zealand online gaming licenses: Entain, Stake among 11 to win right to apply 2025/11/19: Playtech becomes exclusive bingo supplier to SkillOnNet in Mexico 2026/06/03: Ready Play Gaming slots launch at SkillOnNet platforms in Canada and Mexico 2026/08/20: Stake, VGW, and Dabble among Australian operators eyeing New Zealand online casino licenses

The Backstory

New Zealand moves from gray market to licensed competition

New Zealand’s decision to open a regulated online casino market marks a significant shift for a country where offshore operators have long served local players without a domestic licensing regime. The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 creates a capped market of up to 15 licenses, with the Department of Internal Affairs using an auction to determine which companies may proceed to the formal application stage.

The structure is designed to channel existing demand into supervised platforms rather than create an open-ended market. Operators that did not secure the right to apply must stop offering online casino gambling in New Zealand from Dec. 1, 2026. Those that did secure the right may continue operating while applications are assessed, but without advertising. That interim restriction reflects the government’s attempt to balance continuity for players with tighter oversight before full licenses are issued.

The auction’s NZ$15 million clearing price underscores the commercial value operators see in New Zealand, even with a small population by global standards. The high price also raises the stakes for applicants, which must still satisfy regulators on suitability, advertising controls, consumer protection, harm minimization and compliance. Winning the auction gives companies a seat at the table, not a license.

A crowded field takes shape

The field that emerged from the auction includes global gambling groups, domestic incumbents and digital-first operators seeking regulated growth. In a related report on the auction results, Entain, Stake and Betway were among 11 entities that won the right to apply, alongside SkillOnNet, SkyCity, Rush Entertainment and TAB New Zealand.

The list shows how New Zealand’s framework has drawn interest from companies with different strategic motivations. Entain already has a major presence in New Zealand through its operation of TAB’s betting business. SkyCity brings local casino roots and an existing online casino operation run from Malta. Stake and Betway add international digital casino brands with ambitions across regulated markets. SkillOnNet, meanwhile, enters with a portfolio-led model centered on brands such as PlayOJO and PlayUZU.

The Department of Internal Affairs has said the successful bidders must submit business plans and detailed strategies before any licensing decision. That means the competitive phase now moves from price to regulatory credibility. Operators must show they can advertise responsibly, prevent harm, verify players and comply with local rules. For companies used to operating across multiple jurisdictions, New Zealand will test whether global compliance systems can be adapted to a tightly capped domestic regime.

Australian-linked interest raised the stakes early

The auction followed months of market positioning by operators across Australia and beyond. Before the results were published, Australian-linked operators including Stake, VGW and Dabble were reported to be eyeing New Zealand licenses. That early interest pointed to the country’s appeal as a nearby, English-speaking market with a clear path to legal online casino operations.

Stake’s interest fit a broader expansion strategy after launches or licensing moves in markets including Italy, Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Dabble’s exploration of New Zealand followed online casino authorization in the U.K. VGW’s reported consideration was notable because of its scale in social and sweepstakes-style gaming, although its plans were less clear. Entain and SkyCity were also identified as likely contenders before the auction, reflecting the importance of existing regional relationships.

New Zealand’s appeal is not only regulatory certainty. SkyCity has estimated the market could be worth about NZ$1 billion. For operators, a capped license system limits competition once the market opens, potentially making each license more valuable. For regulators, the cap provides more control over market size and supervision. The auction outcome suggests companies were willing to pay heavily for that combination of scarcity and legitimacy.

SkillOnNet brings a regulated-market playbook

SkillOnNet’s New Zealand ambitions are tied to a wider strategy of building brands in regulated jurisdictions while broadening content and product depth. The company already holds gaming licenses in markets including the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Ontario and Alberta. That background matters because New Zealand’s assessment will focus heavily on whether applicants can operate within strict rules, not simply whether they can attract customers.

The company has been expanding its supplier base and product range in North America and Latin America, a pattern that helps explain its confidence in entering another regulated market. In one recent development, Ready Play Gaming launched slots across SkillOnNet platforms in Canada and Mexico, adding more than 60 titles to brands including PlayOJO, PlayUZU, Slingo, Mega Casino and LuckyNiki. The deal built on existing relationships with EvoPlay, Games Global and Playtech.

SkillOnNet has also deepened its bingo offering. Playtech became the company’s exclusive bingo supplier in Mexico and the U.K. after SkillOnNet migrated brands including PlayOJO and PlayUZU to Playtech’s iBingo platform. The expanded Playtech bingo partnership also supported the debut of Zingo Bingo in the U.K. and gave SkillOnNet access to pooled bingo liquidity and player engagement tools.

Those deals show how SkillOnNet seeks to compete through a multi-brand and multi-product approach rather than relying on one casino lobby. In New Zealand, that could help PlayOJO stand out, but it also creates a compliance challenge. Every brand, campaign and supplier integration must fit within the Department of Internal Affairs’ expectations on responsible gambling and advertising conduct.

Advertising rules sit at the center of the model

New Zealand’s requirement that applicants address advertising and marketing strategy reflects a wider policy question across regulated online gambling markets: how to let licensed operators be visible without encouraging excessive or underage gambling. The country’s temporary rule allowing applicants to keep operating but not advertise until decisions are made shows advertising is being treated as a core regulatory issue, not a secondary commercial matter.

The same tension has become acute in the Philippines, one of the few Asia-Pacific jurisdictions, alongside New Zealand, with a comprehensive regulated online gaming framework for domestic players. A recent analysis warned that a total Philippines gambling advertising ban could hand market share back to illegal operators by silencing licensed platforms while offshore sites continue to promote through digital channels.

The Philippine debate is relevant because it highlights the trade-off regulators face. Advertising can create harm if poorly controlled, but it also helps players identify licensed platforms subject to age checks, self-exclusion tools, dispute mechanisms and tax obligations. If legal operators cannot communicate, illegal brands may fill the gap. New Zealand appears to be avoiding an outright ban at the market-design stage, instead requiring applicants to prove they can market responsibly before licenses are granted.

What the licensing race will determine

The next phase will decide whether New Zealand can convert offshore online casino demand into a supervised market without allowing aggressive growth to outpace safeguards. The auction has already narrowed the field. The application process will test the remaining companies on governance, financing, technical controls, player protection and their ability to operate under a domestic regulator.

For SkillOnNet, the opportunity is to use PlayOJO’s brand recognition and its international operating experience to secure a place in a scarce market. For rivals, the incentive is similar: a New Zealand license offers legal access to a market expected to be material by regional standards, with a finite number of competitors. For the government, the stakes are broader than revenue. The objective is to move gambling activity into channels it can monitor, tax and discipline.

That is why New Zealand’s regime will be watched beyond its borders. If the licensing process produces a competitive but tightly supervised market, it could become a regional reference point. If compliance standards prove too weak, the government risks legitimizing operators without sufficient safeguards. If the system is too restrictive, players may remain with offshore sites. The balance struck in the coming year will determine whether regulation changes the market’s behavior or merely changes its legal label.