Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has been approved to provide independent testing services for New Zealand’s newly regulated online casino market, giving operators and suppliers another route to certify games and systems before licensed play begins.
The approval sits under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, the country’s first regulated framework for online casino gaming, which came into force on May 1st. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has published minimum standards and draft testing and monitoring requirements as it puts the regime in place, Gambling.com reported.
Under the draft requirements, games, random number generators and live dealer products must be tested by an approved independent laboratory. GLI is one of three laboratories named in the DIA’s discussion draft, alongside Quality Assurance Laboratories and BMM Australia.
The draft also allows testing already carried out for the United Kingdom or Ontario, Canada, to be accepted for existing games, random number generators, live dealer operations or platform systems where it gives sufficient assurance. That could shorten preparation for suppliers already certified in those markets.
“New Zealand represents an important development for regulated iGaming in the APAC region,” said Richard Howarth, GLI’s managing director for Asia-Pacific. He said the company’s teams were ready to help operators and suppliers understand and meet the technical requirements.
Limited licenses
New Zealand is not running an open application system. Operator licenses are being allocated through a competitive process that caps the number on offer at 15, and the license auction held from September 29th is being followed by an application stage due to start this month.
Winning a place in the auction does not guarantee a license. Successful bidders must still meet the DIA’s further requirements, including technical compliance, before they can take bets from New Zealand players.
The country’s parliament passed the online casino bill in April, setting the stage for a 15-license market.
