SkyCity Entertainment Group and TAB both wrote to New Zealand ministers, opposing the government’s plan to open up the online gambling market to 15 operators.
According to reports, SkyCity requested that only five online gaming licenses be issued and be restricted to operators with a domestic presence.
The group cited possible income tax avoidance if operators were not based in New Zealand.
According to RNZ, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden rejected the appeal, noting that “I’m here to ensure that we have a fair marketplace and a fair, regulated market”.
She furthered “I think it’s fair just to allow anybody to bid for one of the licenses, rather than try and say, just because you’re here and you’ve been established for years in New Zealand, you’re necessarily a better operator”.
TAB Chief Executive Nick Roberts also reportedly wrote to the Racing Minister saying that 10 or more licenses would equate to an open market.
The executive claimed that this “threatens the viability of all domestic gambling operators for the benefit of offshore multinational organizations”.
TAB also said this could put “at risk” the “funding streams for racing and sport”.
The company requested that between five and seven licenses be granted to New Zealand-based companies, saying otherwise there would be “multinational domination over NZ’s existing operators”.
