# New Zealand Online Casino Rules Leave Crypto Deposits Unaddressed

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/36990
Published: 2026-10-21T20:01:21.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-21T20:01:21.000Z
Section: Regulation

> Eleven entities won the right to apply for 15 licenses after an Oct. 12 auction. The licensed system is expected to be fully operational in 2027.

New Zealand’s online casino regulations restrict deposit methods but do not address cryptocurrency or stablecoins, leaving their treatment unresolved as the country moves toward a fully licensed system in 2027.

The payment rules prohibit methods involving a credit contract, including credit cards. Deposit options tied to gambling accounts or accounts used for betting on physical sporting events are also barred.

Customers may register only one deposit method per platform and cannot change it within 24 hours. Operators must allow customers to withdraw funds using a different method. Those rules set limits on how deposits are made without specifying how a digital-asset payment route would fit.

Separate technical standards require payment service providers that process transactions to comply with PCI DSS v4.0.1 (2024). The payment regulations do not name cryptocurrency or stablecoins, or explain how wallets, exchanges or conversion services fit their requirements. They provide no crypto-specific approval or prohibition.

An operator that offers a crypto payment route would still have to meet the market’s general consumer and security requirements. The published rules leave the treatment of that route open as operators prepare license applications.

Users can transfer cryptoassets and stablecoins directly or through exchanges without a bank handling the transfer. Many cryptoasset prices fluctuate widely, and recovering lost funds may be difficult. Those characteristics make the lack of specific payment rules relevant to operators considering digital-asset deposits.

The licensing process has advanced beyond the auction stage. An auction that ended Oct. 12 drew 32 bidders over 10 rounds. Eleven entities won the right to apply for 15 licenses, with a final price of NZ$15 million per license. Winning an application right does not guarantee that an entity will receive a license.

The transition rules set different conditions for applicants and providers that do not apply. Applicants may continue operating while their applications are reviewed, but they cannot advertise. The licensing system is expected to be fully in place in 2027.

Online casino providers without a license application must cease New Zealand operations on Dec. 1.