MANILA, Philippines — DigiPlus Interactive Corporation, the Philippine-listed digital gaming operator behind BingoPlus and ArenaPlus, has abandoned its bid to enter New Zealand’s newly regulated online casino market, delivering another setback to its ambitions of expanding beyond the Philippines.
In an October 14, 2026 disclosure, DigiPlus confirmed that it would no longer participate in the final stages of New Zealand’s online gaming licensing auction after reassessing market conditions and the value of the opportunity.
The withdrawal came as New Zealand concluded an auction in which the right to apply for an online casino license reached NZ$15 million, with 11 entities securing the opportunity to proceed to the next licensing stage.
The decision follows regulatory turmoil in Brazil, where a new government measure has disrupted online betting operations and placed DigiPlus’ first planned overseas venture under renewed uncertainty.
That leaves South Africa as a critical market in the company’s global expansion strategy.
But the bigger question is whether DigiPlus can turn its domestic gaming leadership into a profitable international business as regulations, licensing costs and competition reshape the global online gambling industry.
DigiPlus Withdraws From New Zealand’s Online Casino Auction
DigiPlus said its decision came after further market analysis and an evaluation of market values.
The company chose not to continue in the final rounds of the auction for the right to apply for an online gaming license.
The announcement marks a reversal from August 4, when DigiPlus disclosed plans to pursue New Zealand as its third overseas target, following Brazil and South Africa.
The Philippine company’s board had authorized the filing of an expression of interest under New Zealand’s new regulatory framework.
The country was preparing to establish a regulated online casino market with a limited number of licenses available.
However, DigiPlus ultimately opted not to proceed.
Management maintained that the decision would have no impact on its existing businesses and would not represent a departure from the company’s international expansion strategy.
The explanation suggests DigiPlus is becoming more selective about the markets it enters and the capital it is willing to commit.
Importantly, DigiPlus did not disclose the amount it would have invested if it had continued the process.
It also did not explicitly identify the final NZ$15-million auction price as the sole reason for withdrawing.
New Zealand Gaming Licenses Reached NZ$15 Million
The cost of entering New Zealand’s regulated online casino sector became clearer when the country’s Department of Internal Affairs released the auction results on October 13.
The auction, held from September 29 through October 12, attracted 32 bidders and concluded after 10 rounds.
Eleven entities secured the right to apply for a total of 15 available online casino licenses.
The final auction price reached NZ$15 million per license application right.
Successful participants included entities associated with SkyCity, Stake, TAB New Zealand and other established gaming companies.
The auction did not automatically grant operating licenses.
Winning entities must still undergo detailed regulatory assessments before they can receive authorization to operate.
New Zealand’s regulatory framework includes requirements intended to strengthen consumer protection, responsible gambling, compliance and operator accountability.
The fully licensed regime is expected to become operational in 2027.
For DigiPlus, the withdrawal removes a potential avenue for international market diversification.
But it also avoids committing additional resources to a market where the cost of securing entry rights became substantial.
Brazil’s Online Betting Ban Creates a Bigger Obstacle
New Zealand is not the only international market where DigiPlus has encountered difficulties.
Brazil, originally positioned as the company’s first major overseas expansion destination, has become an especially significant regulatory challenge.
DigiPlus secured a Brazilian federal gaming authorization in January 2025 after applying in August 2024.
Its GamePlus brand soft-launched in September 2025 before the company temporarily paused operations while reassessing the platform.
The business was expected to support DigiPlus’ expansion into one of Latin America’s largest consumer markets.
However, Brazil introduced Provisional Measure No. 1,394 on September 25, 2026, restricting fixed-odds betting and online gaming activities.
Brazil’s Ministry of Finance confirmed that the measure prohibits the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of covered betting activities, including services offered to people in Brazil by operators based abroad.
The government measure has disrupted DigiPlus’ plans to establish a meaningful presence in the country.
The company previously said the regulatory change was not expected to materially affect its existing financial condition or operating results.
That distinction matters.
A setback to a planned international business does not necessarily translate into an immediate decline in consolidated earnings, especially where commercial operations have not yet become a major source of revenue.
Nevertheless, Brazil’s policy reversal illustrates how rapidly regulatory changes can alter the outlook for gaming investments.
South Africa Becomes a Crucial Overseas Opportunity
With New Zealand no longer being pursued and Brazil facing restrictions, South Africa has become a more prominent part of DigiPlus’ international strategy.
The company previously secured gaming licenses from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, providing a regulatory pathway for its planned operations.
BusinessMirror and Context.ph reported that South Africa remains an important focus following the New Zealand withdrawal.
The market offers DigiPlus another opportunity to expand outside the Philippines.
However, securing a license does not by itself establish that full commercial operations have begun or that the company is already generating significant revenue in the market.
Successful expansion still depends on operational readiness, local compliance, technology, customer acquisition and competition.
South Africa’s importance to the company has therefore increased, but its future contribution to revenue and profit remains to be demonstrated.
Why DigiPlus Is Looking Beyond the Philippines
DigiPlus has become a major operator in the Philippine digital gaming market through brands including BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone.
The company has pursued international expansion to diversify its revenue sources and develop a presence in additional regulated gaming markets.
In 2025, DigiPlus generated approximately ₱84.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 12% from the previous year.
Full-year net income remained around ₱12.6 billion.
The results demonstrated the scale of its domestic operations, but the company also faced changing regulatory and payment conditions.
In 2026, Philippine gaming platforms were affected by restrictions on direct integration with electronic wallets, including changes involving GCash and Maya.
The industry also continued facing tighter scrutiny over consumer protection, compliance and responsible gambling practices.
For DigiPlus, entering overseas markets could provide opportunities to expand its customer base and reduce reliance on a single country’s regulatory environment.
However, Brazil and New Zealand have demonstrated that geographic diversification can introduce additional risks instead of automatically reducing them.
Philippine Gaming Market Faces Its Own Challenges
DigiPlus’ international setbacks come as its domestic business adjusts to changing consumer behavior and regulation.
During the first quarter of 2026, company revenue dropped 25% year-on-year to ₱17.2 billion.
Net income declined 33% to ₱2.8 billion.
The company attributed part of the slowdown to changes in electronic wallet integration and the resulting effects on customer activity and payment flows.
DigiPlus has responded by developing alternative payment channels, strengthening its proprietary platforms and improving customer engagement.
The company has also introduced a profitability measure based on net gaming revenue after tax to provide investors with another way to evaluate its gaming operations.
According to Context.ph, DigiPlus recorded ₱32.85 billion in revenue during the first half of 2026, down from ₱47.77 billion a year earlier.
Despite the decline in reported revenue, the company has continued investing in technology, platform development and responsible gaming systems.
These changes highlight the challenge of sustaining profitability in a sector increasingly affected by regulatory and operational requirements.
Credit Ratings Show Both Strength and Risk
In September 2026, S&P Global Ratings assigned DigiPlus a B+ credit rating with a stable outlook.
The rating agency anticipated that tighter regulation could encourage consolidation in the Philippine gaming industry, potentially benefiting large operators with established brands and compliance infrastructure.
S&P projected that DigiPlus could maintain approximately 40% to 50% of the domestic online gaming market during the period under review.
However, the agency also identified risks involving regulatory changes, profitability, debt and international expansion.
The B+ rating is below investment grade.
While a stable outlook indicates that S&P did not expect an immediate rating change under its base case, it is not a guarantee against future financial or regulatory difficulties.
The New Zealand withdrawal could be viewed in two ways.
It removes one potential international growth opportunity, but it may also reflect financial discipline if management judged the entry cost too high relative to expected returns.
Both considerations matter when assessing the company’s long-term business strategy.
Investors React to the Overseas Expansion Setback
In an October 15 commentary published by The Philippine Star, AB Capital Securities described DigiPlus’ withdrawal as a mildly negative near-term development for investor sentiment.
The brokerage noted that abandoning New Zealand eliminated a potential diversification opportunity.
However, it also emphasized that the withdrawal did not necessarily change the company’s fundamental investment outlook.
Because DigiPlus had not secured a New Zealand operating license or established a significant earnings stream there, no immediate lost profit contribution could be quantified.
AB Capital also noted that the NZ$15-million auction price could make the decision more understandable from a capital allocation perspective.
The company may have judged that its resources would generate better returns in other markets or through its existing businesses.
Nevertheless, future investor confidence will depend on management’s ability to demonstrate progress in South Africa, manage Brazil-related uncertainty and sustain domestic operating performance.
DigiPlus’ Global Ambitions Are Not Entirely Abandoned
Although its New Zealand plans have ended, DigiPlus continues operating a regional corporate structure intended to support international expansion.
In 2025, the company established DigiPlus Global Pte. Ltd. in Singapore to coordinate overseas partnerships, talent recruitment and strategic development.
The Singapore entity functions as a regional business hub rather than a licensed gambling operation serving Singapore consumers.
The arrangement provides a corporate platform through which DigiPlus can evaluate new markets and coordinate international initiatives.
But maintaining an overseas office is different from generating revenue through licensed gaming operations.
The company still needs to demonstrate that its international investments can translate into commercially viable businesses.
What Happens Next for DigiPlus?
The New Zealand withdrawal has made DigiPlus’ international expansion strategy more complicated.
Brazil’s regulatory restrictions have disrupted its first major overseas venture.
New Zealand’s licensing opportunity has now been abandoned after a costly auction process.
South Africa remains a promising market, but the scale and timing of its contribution are uncertain.
Meanwhile, DigiPlus must continue managing regulation, customer engagement and profitability in the Philippines.
The company’s next phase will require balancing growth ambitions against financial discipline and compliance risks.
Investors will be watching whether DigiPlus can convert its South African licenses into operational progress, determine a viable future for its Brazilian venture and maintain strength in its domestic platforms.
DigiPlus has stepped away from New Zealand’s online gaming market, but its global expansion ambitions are not over. The bigger test is whether the company can establish sustainable overseas earnings without exposing its shareholders to costly regulatory surprises.
