SkyCity, Super Group and Bet365 face New Zealand group action suits
Table of contents
- SkyCity, Super Group and Bet365 have been named in three separate group action proceedings filed at Auckland’s High Court.
- Claims are brought under the Gambling Act 2003 and the Fair Trading Act 1986, with other statutory regimes also indicated in the filings.
- The cases follow a June 2025 law change that banned offshore operators from accepting bets from players located within New Zealand.
SkyCity Entertainment Group, Super Group and Bet365 are facing three separate group action proceedings at the High Court in Auckland, with claimants alleging the operators ran unlawful online gambling services targeting New Zealand players.
The cases were heard at a case management hearing on 17 April 2026. Justice Ian Gault noted that at least one plaintiff appears across multiple applications and that the proceedings raise the same or similar legal issues, though he said it was too early to consolidate them under joint management.
An interim name suppression order has been granted to shield the identities of the plaintiffs.
What the claims allege
The claims are brought under the Gambling Act 2003 and the Fair Trading Act 1986, with filings indicating that other statutory regimes may also be engaged. All three applications seek group action status and the recovery of gambling losses from New Zealand-based players.
The SkyCity-specific claim seeks funded group action status covering losses incurred by players on SkyCity Online between February 2020 and February 2026. The proceedings name SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited, SkyCity Auckland Holdings Limited and Silvereye Entertainment Limited, a Malta-based company licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority that operates SkyCity Online on behalf of an overseas SkyCity-related entity.
SkyCity has confirmed it received notice of the proceedings and stated it “denies any such liability and will actively defend the proceedings.”
Bet365 CEO Denise Coates is named as a defendant alongside Hillside (Gaming) ENC and Hillside (Sports). Those defendants have objected to the jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts to hear the claims. Justice Gault has noted the objection but has not yet ruled on it.
Super Group CEO Neal Menashe is named alongside Bayton Limited, DigiMedia Limited, Digamma Limited, GM Gaming Limited, Baytree Alderney Limited and Baytree Interactive Limited. These entities are connected to the Betway brand and other online casino offerings targeting New Zealand players.
Regulatory context
In June 2025, New Zealand amended its legal framework to prohibit offshore operators from accepting bets from persons located within New Zealand, effectively making such activity illegal when directed at domestic players.
Under the Gambling Act 2003, New Zealand-based entities are generally prohibited from offering online casino games to residents, with limited exceptions for TAB NZ and New Zealand Lotteries. The legislation had not historically prevented New Zealand residents from accessing offshore sites, creating a loophole that several operators relied upon.
The Department of Internal Affairs has indicated that up to 15 online casino licences may be issued later in 2026 as part of a new domestic licensing regime. Claimants are represented by Davey Salmon KC, with defendants retaining David Cooper KC among other counsel.
What comes next
The three proceedings represent the first coordinated legal test of how New Zealand courts will treat offshore-facing gambling operators that have historically served local players without a domestic licence.
The outcome of Bet365’s jurisdictional objection will be decisive in determining whether the claims proceed in New Zealand or are pushed offshore.
For operators currently serving New Zealand players through unlicensed offshore structures, the proceedings signal that civil liability is now a live concern alongside regulatory risk. The forthcoming licensing regime will provide a compliant route into the market, though the group action claims suggest that historical activity may face scrutiny regardless of what rules apply going forward.
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