Auckland businessman Jinsheng ‘Jackson’ Rao has lost a bid for the Crown to pay $60,000 in legal costs after a criminal case against him and three others over almost $200,000 of community grants was abandoned. In a decision reported by…

Invercargill city councillors have not backed a sinking lid policy for gambling, despite a staff report saying it was the best option for reducing harm. The community and regulatory committee chose the status quo cap option for consultation as part…

A company seeking New Zealand licences for two online casino brands had a representative email Newsroom seeking a sponsored content partnership arrangement, according to Newsroom reporting by senior business reporter Andrew Bevin. The pitch arrived months before any licensed operator…

The Tasman District Council’s gambling venues policy review was tabled at a council committee meeting last week. The review proposes to maintain the council’s sinking lid policy, which prevents any new pokie venues or machines, and to add a ban…

Labour has declined to reveal whether it would prevent online casino licences from being issued to 11 gambling firms early next year, if it won the general election on 7 November. The Department of Internal Affairs does not expect to…

SkillOnNet, the company behind PlayOJO, is one of 11 operators that secured the right to apply for one of New Zealand’s new online casino licences after a competitive auction process. It has named PlayOJO as the site it wants to…

SkyCity Entertainment Group will consider proposals from interested suitors to buy its whole portfolio, the company said at its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on 21 October 2026. It includes New Zealand’s largest casino, the 328-meter Sky Tower, the New…

BMM Testlabs says it has been approved to provide online gaming testing and certification services in New Zealand under the online casino framework overseen by the Department of Internal Affairs. The company announced the approval on October 19, 2026. The…