New Zealand High Court faces bet365, Super Group, Skycity offshore gambling claims
Three separate cases have been filed in the New Zealand High Court in Auckland against bet365, Super Group and Skycity over offshore online gambling offered to New Zealand residents. The New Zealand High Court action is being pursued as a coordinated group claim, though it is not yet formally consolidated for joint case management.
Skycity’s case is positioned as a class action covering player losses from February 2020 to February 2026. It names Skycity Entertainment Group, Skycity Auckland Holdings Limited and Malta-based Silvereye Entertainment Limited (a Gaming Innovation Group subsidiary operating under a Malta Gaming Authority licence). Skycity denies liability. An interim suppression order has been granted for the plaintiffs.
The bet365 proceedings name Hillside (Gaming) ENC, Hillside (Sports) and CEO Denise Coates personally. bet365 has formally objected to New Zealand court jurisdiction.
The Super Group proceedings name CEO Neal Menashe personally and multiple corporate entities, including those connected to the Betway and Spin brands and Kiwi’s Treasure casino marketed to New Zealand players.
The legal push follows New Zealand regulatory changes, including June 2025 Racing Industry Act 2020 amendments that make it illegal for offshore operators (except TAB NZ) to accept racing/sports bets from NZ residents. From May 1, an Online Casino Gambling Bill is expected to extend prohibitions to online casino advertising and introduce a licensing framework for up to 15 operators, with a December 1 market-exit deadline for unlicensed providers.
All three firms have signalled interest in applying for NZ licences, but they now face potential restitution liabilities while seeking regulated market access. The Skycity claim is also described as aligned with a prior EU Court of Justice approach affecting how Malta-licensed operators may face player restitution claims in prohibited markets.
Bearish
Legal overhang from New Zealand High Court restitution claims can pressure iGaming operators’ risk profiles and raise the probability of cash outflows/settlement costs. In the short term, this can weigh on investor sentiment toward offshore-facing betting brands as traders anticipate headline-driven volatility around jurisdiction fights, class-action exposure windows, and potential licence-related uncertainty. In the long term, outcomes could redefine how Malta-licensed platforms and other offshore operators handle cross-border liability—similar to how prior EU-related restitution precedents can trigger waves of follow-on claims.
However, the impact may be only partially negative because all three firms have indicated intent to apply for NZ licenses, which could reduce future regulatory exposure if licences are granted. The key market variable for trading is the scope of historical damages (Skycity’s stated 2020–2026 window) and the result of bet365’s jurisdictional challenge, both of which can drive repricing of legal-risk assumptions.