Expression of Interest (EOI) for an Online Casino Gambling Licence (Stage 1)
Tender Overview
About this tender
Overview The Secretary for Internal Affairs has invited expressions of interest (EOIs) for licences under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, through a public notice issued by the Department of Internal Affairs (NZ). About This EOI process is the first of a three-stage licensing process for obtaining a licence to conduct online casino gambling in New Zealand. Applicants whose EOIs are accepted will be invited to participate in the auction stage. Successful auction participants will then be notified that they may apply for a licence in the third and final stage of the licensing process. Submission of an EOI, or acceptance of an EOI by the Secretary, does not confer any entitlement to a licence and does not constitute an application for a licence to conduct online casino gambling in New Zealand. Eligibility Up to 15 licences will be available Applicants must have access to a minimum of NZD $7.5 million in capital Information Requested The public notice specifies a list of information that must be included in the expression of interest. All required information must be provided using the approved EOI forms. Instructions to Respondents The expression of interest must be submitted by 14 August While not required, potential applicants may notify the Department of their intention to submit an EOI by emailing OCGlicensing@dia.govt.nz by 10 August 2026. This indication is for planning purposes only, to provide an indication of the number of EOIs to be processed. It is not a form of EOI submission and will not form part of the assessment process or affect the acceptance of any EOI. Enquiries Contact: OCG Licensing, OCGlicensing@dia.govt.nz
How to respond to this tender
A strong tender response is clear, compliant, and backed by evidence. These steps apply to most Australian and New Zealand public tenders.
Read the requirements in full
Open the official listing and download the full tender pack. Note the response schedules, evaluation criteria, mandatory conditions, and the exact closing time and lodgement method.
Confirm you are eligible and it is worth bidding
Check licences, insurances, certifications, and any conformance requirements before you commit. A quick bid or no-bid decision saves days of wasted effort on a tender you cannot win.
Answer every criterion with evidence
Respond to each evaluation criterion directly and back your claims with concrete examples, referees, and past performance. Address the buyer’s stated need, not a generic capability statement.
Lodge early through the official portal
Submit through the source portal well before the deadline. Late or incorrectly lodged bids are almost always rejected, so leave time for uploads, portal errors, and last-minute questions.
