This is a factual record of a casino brand that no longer operates. It contains no offers and no link to any operator.
If you are here because you had an account, or think you may still be owed a balance, the relevant sections are below.
What happened
You may recognise a sister brand rather than this one
The 2020 suspension notice named twelve websites operating under the same licence. The regulator later described the operator as running fourteen. All were affected by the same collapse.
Casino Planet · Casoola · Kassu · Pelaa
Sloty · Spela · Spinit · Vegas Hero
The sequence matters. This was not a quiet commercial wind-down like some brand closures. It ran from a regulator declaring the operator unsuitable to carry on licensed activities, through a multi-million pound penalty for social responsibility and anti-money-laundering failings, to insolvency and a cease order requiring outstanding player payments to be settled.
If you are owed money
You may know a sister brand instead
What we could and could not confirm for New Zealand
Built specifically around gaming and gambling payments
Operates under UK Financial Conduct Authority regulation
App-based, with a prepaid Mastercard and contactless options
Security includes device pairing and biometric verification
Whether New Zealand dollars are supported as an account currency
Which, if any, casinos serving New Zealand accept it
What fees would apply to a New Zealand user
What the listings still say
Casino Gods is still described across the web as a currently operating casino, with its Malta and UK licences listed as active credentials and both regulators said to “regularly audit the platform for fairness.” Scores above 8 out of 10 remain in circulation, alongside descriptions of the operator as “a renowned company in the iGaming industry.”
By the time most of that was written, the UK licence had already been suspended once and the operator had been fined £3.8 million. Those listings have not been touched since.
A licence listed on a casino page is a historical claim. It records that an authorisation existed when someone wrote the sentence. It says nothing about whether it exists now, and nothing at all about whether the company behind it is solvent.
What the closure teaches about picking a replacement
We do not recommend operators and this page does not suggest one. But if you came here looking for where to go instead, three things are worth carrying forward.
Visual similarity means nothing. A successor site with a comparable theme, a familiar-looking lobby or even a similar name is not evidence of any connection, and certainly not of regulatory continuity. Choose on the licence and the jurisdiction, not the branding.
Check the regulator’s register directly. Both the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority publish registers of current licensees, and the UKGC publishes its enforcement actions. Those are primary sources; a review page is not.
Spreading accounts across brands is not diversification if those brands share an operator. Twelve casinos failed here simultaneously because they were one company.
Our casino reviews page sets out the full checklist for assessing an operator yourself.
Where New Zealand’s rules now stand
The regime has changed substantially since this page was written.
The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 came into force on 1 May 2026. Operators serving New Zealand before that date may continue until 1 December 2026; after that, only those that have applied for a licence may continue. Licences are expected from early 2027, when the Department of Internal Affairs will publish a public register and licensed operators will display a unique registration icon.
Until then, no operator can accurately be described as licensed for online casino gambling in New Zealand, and the DIA is direct that players on unlicensed platforms will not have the same protections.
Licensed operators will be required to provide deposit, spend and session limits, to monitor for signs of harm, and to offer self-exclusion effective within 24 hours. Our New Zealand gambling laws guide sets out the framework, and our responsible gaming page lists the free support services available here.
The practical habit worth forming
The single most useful conclusion from this closure is unglamorous: withdraw rather than accumulate.
A balance in a gambling account is an unsecured claim against a company. It is exposed to the operator’s solvency, to its terms, and to the temptation to play it. Regulators can require segregated funds and can order repayment, but when a company fails the outcome depends on what remains.
Our fast payout casinos page covers why funds held inside a gambling balance are not equivalent to funds paid out.
What licensed operators will and will not be allowed to accept
| Payment route | Position for New Zealand licensed operators |
|---|---|
| Credit cards | Prohibited |
| Buy now, pay later | Prohibited |
| Debit cards and bank transfer | Permitted. Money already held, rather than borrowed. |
| E-wallets | Permitted in principle — but a wallet funded by a credit card reintroduces borrowing at one remove. How you fund the wallet is the question, not the wallet itself. |
| Deposit limits | Mandatory. Licensed operators must offer daily, weekly and monthly deposit, spend and session limits. |
This page is published for information. It is not financial, legal or gambling advice, and nothing on it is a recommendation to gamble or an endorsement of any operator.
You must be 18 or older to gamble online in New Zealand.
No link on this page goes to an operator’s cashier, and none will. Reach any casino by typing the address yourself.
Player accounts described here are individual reports rather than findings. Licensing, ownership, bonus terms, withdrawal limits and country availability all change, sometimes within weeks, and this page covers a period in which the New Zealand market is being restructured. Confirm the current position in the operator’s own terms and on the regulator’s own register before acting on anything here.
Free, confidential help is available in New Zealand from the Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006, 24 hours a day.
Reference sources
Regulator notices, industry reporting, legislation and consumer guidance used in this article. No link below goes to a gambling operator.
- Interim suspension of operating licence: Genesis Global Limited — UK Gambling Commission
- MGA orders Genesis Global to halt operations — CasinoBeats
- Malta suspends Genesis Global’s licence, and the earlier £3.8m UK penalty — Gambling Industry News
- UK Gambling Commission lifts Genesis Global licence suspension — CasinoBeats
- Lodging a player complaint — Malta Gaming Authority
- Public register of licensed operators and regulatory action — UK Gambling Commission
- Recognising and avoiding scams, including recovery scams — Consumer Protection, New Zealand Government
- Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 — New Zealand Legislation
- Information for online casino customers — Department of Internal Affairs
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa New Zealand — free, confidential support service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Casino Gods still open?
No. Its operator, Genesis Global Limited, was ordered by the Malta Gaming Authority to cease operations on 11 January 2024, following insolvency.
What happened to the operator?
The UK Gambling Commission suspended its licence in July 2020 citing compliance issues and stating it suspected the operator was unsuitable to carry on licensed activities. The suspension was lifted in October 2020, but the investigation concluded in 2022 with a £3.8 million fine, a warning and additional licence conditions for social responsibility and anti-money-laundering failings. The company told employees of insolvency in December 2022, and Malta ordered it to halt in January 2024.
I think I am still owed a balance. What can I do?
Preserve your evidence first — statements, screenshots, withdrawal confirmations, bank records and correspondence. Then approach the Malta Gaming Authority, which handles complaints about its licensees and required outstanding player payments as part of the cease order. Your card issuer may also have a chargeback process, though time limits apply.
Which other casinos were affected?
The 2020 suspension notice named twelve: Casino Gods, Genesis Casino, Casino Cruise, Casino Joy, Casino Planet, Casoola, Kassu, Pelaa, Sloty, Spela, Spinit and Vegas Hero. The regulator later described the operator as running fourteen sites.
Someone has offered to recover my funds for a fee. Is that legitimate?
Treat unsolicited approaches offering to recover lost gambling funds for an upfront fee as a second attempt on your money. Legitimate complaint routes do not cold-call and do not charge in advance.
Is it still legal to play at offshore casinos from New Zealand?
The position changed in 2026. Operators serving New Zealand before 1 May 2026 may continue until 1 December 2026; after that, only those that have applied for a licence may continue.
Where can I get help if gambling is causing problems?
The Gambling Helpline is free and available 24 hours a day on 0800 654 655, or by free text to 8006. PGF Services offers free counselling on 0800 664 262. Support is also available to whānau and friends.
