TAB faces government rejection for online casino license

TAB reportedly offered the New Zealand Government NZ$150 million in an attempt to secure an online casino license, according to RNZ.

The government is currently auctioning 15 online casino licenses as it prepares to launch a regulated online gaming market. However, as a statutory entity and the monopoly operator of sports and race betting, TAB is barred from offering online gaming.

In a bid to change this, TAB wrote to ministers, arguing that its business may not be sustainable without access to the online casino market. Despite the NZ$150 million offer, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden was reportedly uninterested.

Brooke van Velden, Internal Affairs Minister, mentioned:

I don’t believe the Government should be involved in casino gambling. I look at the Government trying to address the core services people need in their lives and providing an online service for casino games is not what I think the Government should be involved in.

TAB mentioned in a letter:

It is possible to get a substantial capital payment to the Government from selling the rights to iGaming in an exclusive market. We estimate that there is a NZ$150m capital payment available for an exclusive market where there are one or two providers.

Racing Minister Winston Peters has also been made aware of TAB’s ambitions to enter the online casino market, having received correspondence from the operator. However, he stated that he would not amend the law to accommodate TAB’s request.