SkyCity swipes right on regulators, but maybe left on revenue, as mandatory carded play arrives

Callum Mallett says carded play in SkyCity’s NZ properties looks very different to the Australian version. (Image: Supplied)

Dileepa Fonseka

Wed, 23 Jul 2025

SkyCity has now finished rolling out mandatory carded play across all its New Zealand properties, a measure the casino has already admitted will likely bring down revenues.In Australia, a similar move was seen by some commentators as a major blow to casino operations, the Sydney Morning Herald describing Star Casino’s move to mandatory carded play as the “final, fatal blow for its Sydney casino”.SkyCity chief executive Jason Walbridge told BusinessDesk on Wednesday that Auckland had only gone online with mandatory carded play...

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