- Partypoker and Bwin will cease operations in New Zealand from August 28.
- This follows parent company, Entain’s, strategic partnership with New Zealand’s betting agency, TAB.
- Entain was accused of violating New Zealand’s Gambling Act by advertising overseas gambling services.
- Partypoker’s withdrawal aligns with its plan to focus on regulated markets only.
- Partypoker has exited several markets since 2018, leading to a decline in its cash game traffic.
- Brazil’s future as a potential market for Partypoker remains uncertain following recent legal changes.
Partypoker has announced that it will cease its operations in New Zealand at the end of August.
Affected players were notified via email earlier this month, and the move has been corroborated by a partypoker representative on its official Discord room. The spokesperson confirmed that, as of August 28, the room will end its operations in the country. Players will still be able to log in and request withdrawals.
While the reason for the exit was not specified, the move follows a few months after Entain, the parent company of Partypoker, obtained approval from New Zealand authorities for a strategic partnership with TAB, the nation’s sports and racing betting agency, in a groundbreaking 25-year agreement.
The deal, which commenced on June 1, 2023, was to allow Entain to assume control over TAB’s betting and broadcasting operations for the next two and half decades. The pact also grants Entain “unrestricted access” into the regulated New Zealand sports betting market.
