NZ-owned · online runs offshore skycity casino
SkyCity – independent review
SkyCity is the one brand here with genuine New Zealand roots: SkyCity Entertainment Group (listed on the NZX/ASX as SKC) is New Zealand's largest land-based casino company. Its online arm, SkyCity Online Casino, is a different story — it launched in August 2019 and runs offshore from Malta, through the subsidiary SkyCity Malta and partner Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), on GiG's Malta Gaming Authority licence.
That structure was a deliberate way to offer online casino before New Zealand regulated it. So while the parent company is New Zealand-owned, the online casino does not hold a New Zealand licence — it is offshore like every other brand here. SkyCity has signalled interest in a New Zealand licence once the regime opens. Winnings are generally tax-free for recreational players; 18+. For a purely offshore comparison, see LeoVegas.
Licence & ownership
Owner
SkyCity Entertainment Group (NZX/ASX: SKC), based in Auckland, owns the SkyCity brand and runs five land-based casinos across New Zealand and Australia — the only brand in this list with a real New Zealand corporate presence.
Licence
The online casino is a separate story: it launched in August 2019 and is operated from Malta via the subsidiary SkyCity Malta and partner Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), running on GiG's Malta Gaming Authority licence. That is an offshore arrangement, not a New Zealand licence — the structure let SkyCity offer online casino before New Zealand regulated it.
NZ status
So the trust angle is real (an established, listed New Zealand company stands behind the brand), but the online casino cannot claim local licensing and a dispute would fall under Malta's regulator. SkyCity has signalled interest in a New Zealand licence once the regime opens. For the largest brand NZ players search for, see our review of the long-running JackpotCity.
Games
SkyCity Online Casino runs on GiG's platform with a standard online-casino mix of pokies, table games and live dealer. Specific counts are not detailed in our sources, so we don't state numbers.
The draw here is less the library and more the brand: a known New Zealand casino company standing behind the site, even though the online operation sits offshore.
Payments & NZD
As an NZ-facing site run from Malta, SkyCity Online supports New Zealand players in NZD. Because the online arm is offshore, the transaction and dispute framework is Malta's, not New Zealand's.
Verify current payment terms on the site. The land-based SkyCity venues are a separate, New Zealand-regulated business and should not be confused with the offshore online casino.
What New Zealand players should know
Even though SkyCity is New Zealand-owned, its online casino is offshore and holds no New Zealand licence — the Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 only began licensing from 1 May 2026, with the first licences expected no earlier than 2027. Marketing online casino to NZ customers is prohibited.
If SkyCity obtains one of the new licences, its status could change; until then it is offshore like the rest. See all the brands we review.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Backed by SkyCity Entertainment Group (NZX:SKC), a major NZ company
- Established land-based operator; has signalled interest in an NZ licence
- NZD-ready and set up for New Zealand players
Cons
- The online casino is offshore (Malta/GiG) — no New Zealand licence
- Easy to assume it is 'NZ-licensed' because the parent is NZ-owned — it is not
- Marketing of online casino to NZ customers is prohibited (2026 Act)
Frequently asked questions
Is SkyCity Online Casino licensed in New Zealand?
No. The parent, SkyCity Entertainment Group, is New Zealand-owned and runs land-based casinos here, but the online casino operates offshore from Malta on GiG's MGA licence. No New Zealand online-casino licences exist yet.
Why does an NZ company run its online casino from Malta?
SkyCity launched its online casino in 2019, before New Zealand regulated online gambling, so it used an offshore Malta structure (SkyCity Malta + GiG). It has signalled interest in a New Zealand licence once the regime opens.
Is the online casino the same as SkyCity's land-based venues?
No. SkyCity Entertainment Group runs five land-based casinos across New Zealand and Australia (including SkyCity Auckland), and those are a separate, New Zealand-regulated business. The online casino is a distinct offshore operation run from Malta via SkyCity Malta and GiG, and should not be confused with them.
Is SkyCity online safe for New Zealand players?
It is backed by an established, NZX/ASX-listed New Zealand company and runs on GiG's MGA-licensed platform, which is a reassurance point. But the online casino itself is offshore with no New Zealand licence, so there is no local consumer protection — a dispute would fall under Malta's regulator. Verify the current terms on the site.
Will SkyCity get a New Zealand online casino licence?
SkyCity has signalled interest in a New Zealand licence once the regime opens, but it does not hold one yet, so its online casino remains offshore for now. If it obtains one, its status could change.