GLI Approved to Test iGaming for New Zealand’s Newly Regulated Online Casino Market
Gaming Laboratories International has been approved to provide independent testing services in support of New Zealand’s newly regulated online casino gambling market. The approval positions the testing firm to support operators and suppliers preparing to meet the technical and regulatory requirements of a market that is only now taking shape.
The timing is notable. New Zealand’s framework is being built under the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026, and on 8 October 2026 GLI confirmed its approval just as the market moves toward its first licence applications. For operators eyeing entry, the arrival of an approved testing partner removes one of the early unknowns.
Inside New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Act 2026
New Zealand’s Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 establishes the framework for the country’s regulated online casino market. As implementation progresses, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has published Minimum Standards and draft Testing and Monitoring Requirements, setting out the technical expectations operators and suppliers will need to meet.
The licensing process is moving through a competitive allocation process, with the licence application stage scheduled to begin in October 2026. That competitive structure means the testing and compliance groundwork operators lay now will carry weight when applications open.
What GLI’s Approval Means for Operators Entering the Market
GLI’s approval enables operators and suppliers preparing to enter the New Zealand market to access the firm’s iGaming testing and compliance expertise as they work to meet the requirements of the new framework. In practice, that gives applicants a recognised route to demonstrate their platforms meet the DIA’s standards ahead of the competitive allocation.
The operator read here is straightforward. In a market where licences are allocated competitively rather than issued on demand, having a clear and credible testing pathway in place early is less a convenience and more a prerequisite for being ready when the window opens.
GLI’s APAC Presence Behind the New Zealand Approval
GLI provides testing, certification, cybersecurity and professional services to the global gaming industry and serves more than 710 regulated gaming jurisdictions worldwide. The company maintains an extensive APAC presence, including laboratories in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as operations throughout the broader Asia-Pacific region.
That regional footprint is the practical backbone of the New Zealand approval. As GLI APAC Managing Director Richard Howarth put it:
“New Zealand represents an important development for regulated iGaming in the APAC region, and we are delighted that GLI is approved to support this new market. As operators and suppliers prepare for licensing and market entry, our teams are ready to help them understand and efficiently navigate the technical requirements of the new regulatory framework.”
Howarth added:
“GLI has decades of experience supporting regulators, operators, and suppliers as new gaming markets develop around the world. Combining that global iGaming expertise with the knowledge and capabilities of our APAC teams means we can provide clients entering New Zealand with both international experience and strong regional support.”
GLI’s Record in Newly Regulated iGaming Markets
New Zealand is not the firm’s only recent move into a developing market. Earlier in 2026, GLI became the first independent gaming testing laboratory accredited by PAGCOR to test and certify iGaming platforms in the Philippines, and in August it was officially listed by Uzbekistan’s regulator among laboratories whose testing and certification reports are accepted.
These are distinct forms of recognition rather than a single repeated status, but together they reflect GLI’s stated experience supporting newly regulated and developing iGaming jurisdictions as frameworks are stood up.
What Comes Next for New Zealand’s Regulated Online Casino Market?
With Minimum Standards published and licence applications scheduled to begin in October 2026, the next phase will test how quickly operators can meet the DIA’s technical requirements and move through the competitive allocation. GLI’s approval gives applicants one recognised testing partner to work with, though the framework itself, including the final Testing and Monitoring Requirements, is still being finalised. The real measure of this market will not be who is approved to test it, but which operators clear the requirements and secure a licence once the window opens.
