SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited unveils online casino plans

In New Zealand, local casino firm, SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited, has reportedly announced that it will be launching an iGaming service by the end of the year even though such operations are currently illegal in its home nation.

Official opposition:

According to a Sunday report from The New Zealand Herald newspaper, the revelation came from the Auckland-headquartered casino firm’s Communications General Manager, Colin Espiner, in the face of objections from the coalition government of New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

Looking towards Europe:

SkyCity is responsible for four land-based casinos in New Zealand alongside two in Australia but Espiner reportedly declared that current rules mean that his firm’s coming iGaming service cannot be hosted from sites in these nations. Instead, he stated that Europe is being seen as the most likely home for the coming enterprise ‘given that’s where most online gaming is based’ with the venture most likely run by a subsidiary in association with an already-established technology partner.

Local prohibition:

The New Zealand Herald reported that SkyCity’s coming offshore online casino service is to be targeted at international players although domestic punters may be able to access its wares by disguising their location via the utilization of virtual private network (VPN) software. The newspaper moreover detailed that the casino firm intends to employ search engine optimization technologies in order to attract foreign customers to its envisioned iGaming enterprise as it is to be banned from advertising such a venture to New Zealanders.

Voluntary tax:

In hopes of deflecting criticism of the coming iGaming enterprise, Espiner proclaimed that his firm intends to donate up to $27 million a year to the government of New Zealand via a voluntary goods and services tax. If officials subsequently refuse to accept such funds, the spokesperson purportedly disclosed that the cash would be given to its own community trust program.

Finally, Espiner reportedly divulged that his firm expects high set-up costs will lead to the coming iGaming service recording almost no profit for its first year but that any later proceeds are to be repatriated and subjected to local taxes.