A mystery US-backed group is reportedly orchestrating a class action lawsuit against New Zealand’s largest tourism, leisure and entertainment company and its Malta-based and licensed online casino platform.
The plaintiffs are suing subsidiaries of New Zealand-based SkyCity Entertainment Group and SkyCity.com’s online gambling firm Silvereye Entertainment Limited “to test the lawfulness of the online gaming operations” they offer. On the claim that the Silvereye platform was illegal, the suit seeks to retrieve gambling losses from SkyCity Online spanning February 2020 to February 2026.
According to reports, SkyCity believed that partnering with the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)-licensed Silvereye would allow it to legally operate an iCasino platform using the SkyCity brand while complying with New Zealand laws and tax regulations.
not a crime for New Zealanders to play on offshore casino sites
Only online racing, sports, and lottery betting is legal under New Zealand’s gambling laws. While it’s illegal for any New Zealand-based company to offer online gaming to Kiwis, it’s not a crime for New Zealanders to play on offshore casino sites, which is how the Silvereye-powered SkyCity Online Casino came about.
According to a legal filing, SkyCity has denied any such liability and has stated it will “actively defend the proceedings.”
The case is expected to test the protection Malta’s Gambling Act gives MGA-licensed firms like Silvereye, with Maltese law preventing the enforcement of foreign rulings on licensees. The lawsuit also comes as New Zealand prepares to launch regulated online gambling later this year with 15 licenses up for grabs.
