Casino licensing in New Zealand is governed by the Gambling Act 2003, which is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs and Gambling Commission.
Under the Gambling Act, two licences are required to operate a casino in New Zealand:
- a site-specific casino venue licence; and
- a casino operator's licence.
A casino venue licence typically runs for an initial term of 25 years from the date of opening of the relevant casino. However, a casino venue licence may be renewed for further successive periods of 15 years each under the Gambling Act. A casino venue licence has been issued for each of SkyCity's New Zealand casinos.
SkyCity Casino Management Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited) holds a casino operator's licence for each of SkyCity's New Zealand casinos.
SkyCity's casino venue licences and casino operator's licences can be viewed at the Gambling Commission's website.
SkyCity has a venue licence for each of its three venues in New Zealand - Auckland, Hamilton and Queenstown. The table below outlines the significant dates associated with the licences.
|
SkyCity Casino |
Date Venue Licence Granted |
Term of Venue Licence for Casino |
Operational Start Date of Casino |
Expiry Date |
|
Auckland |
24 April 1995 |
25 yrs from date of operation |
2 February 1996 |
30 June 2048 (1) & (2) |
|
Hamilton |
10 December 1999 |
25 yrs from date of operation |
19 September 2002 |
18 September 2027 (1) |
|
Queenstown |
18 June 1999 |
25 yrs from date of operation |
7 December 2000 |
6 December 2025 (1) |
|
Queenstown (Wharf Casino) NOW CLOSED |
18 June 1999 |
25 yrs from date of operation |
11 September 1999 Acquired by SkyCity 23 July 2013 |
11 September 2024 (1) This licence was surrendered on 28 March 2024 |
(1) The casino licences may be renewed for a further period of 15 years as provided by section 138 of the Gambling Act 2003.
(2) As extended by the New Zealand International Convention Centre Project and Licensing Agreement dated 5 July 2013.