Overview
SkyCity Auckland operates as a land-based casino in Auckland, New Zealand, under the legal name SkyCity Casino Management Limited, a subsidiary of SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited. As a casino operating in New Zealand, SkyCity Auckland is a reporting entity under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). This document sets out the identity verification requirements, customer due diligence procedures, and related compliance obligations that apply to patrons of the casino.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) is the designated AML/CFT supervisor for casinos in New Zealand. SkyCity Auckland is required to establish, implement, and maintain an AML/CFT compliance programme that meets the obligations set out in the AML/CFT Act.
Legal Basis
The AML/CFT Act 2009 requires SkyCity Auckland to:
- Know its customers
- Verify customer identity for certain transactions
- Verify source of funds for specified activities
- Verify source of wealth in limited circumstances
- Conduct ongoing monitoring of accounts and transactions
- Apply enhanced customer due diligence (EDD) where required
- Terminate business relationships when required by law
These obligations apply regardless of whether a patron is a regular visitor or a first-time guest, provided the relevant transaction thresholds or account conditions are met.
Identity Verification Requirements
When Verification Is Required
SkyCity Auckland is required to verify a customer’s identity in the following circumstances:
- Cash transactions of NZ$6,000 or more
- Applies to a single transaction or to linked transactions that together reach or exceed this threshold
- Opening a casino deposit account
- Required before the account is activated
- Opening a QUICK Pay account
- Required before the account is activated
- TITO ticket transactions above NZ$500
- Player identification is required when amounts over NZ$500 are placed onto or cashed from TITO tickets in non-restricted areas
Acceptable Identity Documents
SkyCity Auckland accepts the following documents for identity verification:
- Current New Zealand passport
- Current overseas passport
- Current New Zealand driver licence
The document presented must be valid and not expired at the time of verification. If a previously accepted document has expired, updated identification will be required before further transactions can proceed.
Address Verification
When a patron opens a casino deposit account or QUICK Pay account, SkyCity Auckland is also required to verify the patron’s home address. Acceptable evidence includes a utility bill, which may be presented in digital form on a smartphone. The address on the document must correspond to the patron’s current residential address.
Source of Funds and Source of Wealth
In certain circumstances, SkyCity Auckland may request information about the origin of funds used in transactions. This applies particularly to large cash transactions or large electronic transfers. In limited cases, verification of source of wealth may also be required.
Acceptable supporting documents include:
- Bank statements demonstrating income or savings
- Business records confirming ownership or employment
- Receipts or records showing the origin of cash or electronic payments
Patrons are expected to cooperate with these requests. Where satisfactory information cannot be provided, SkyCity Auckland may be required to decline the transaction or terminate the business relationship in accordance with its AML/CFT obligations.
Ongoing Monitoring and Controls
SkyCity Auckland maintains ongoing monitoring procedures for accounts and transactions as part of its AML/CFT compliance programme. For carded players, analytics are used to identify patterns that may indicate suspicious activity or gambling-related harm. Facial recognition technology is used to monitor repeat ATM withdrawals and multiple declined ATM transactions on the casino premises.
These monitoring measures form part of SkyCity Auckland’s broader AML/CFT programme, which is designed to detect, deter, manage, and mitigate risks associated with money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Enhanced Customer Due Diligence
Where standard customer due diligence is assessed as insufficient given the nature of a transaction or the risk profile of a customer, SkyCity Auckland will apply enhanced customer due diligence. This may involve requesting additional documentation, conducting further verification steps, or escalating the matter internally. The specific circumstances that trigger EDD are determined by SkyCity Auckland’s internal risk assessment and compliance programme.
Age Requirements
Entry to the gaming areas of SkyCity Auckland is restricted to persons aged 20 years or older. ID scanners are used at casino entrances to verify patron age and reduce the risk of minors entering the gaming floor. Children under the age of 14 must not be left unaccompanied at SkyCity Auckland premises.
Regulatory History
The Department of Internal Affairs has taken enforcement action against SkyCity Casino Management Limited in relation to AML/CFT compliance. SkyCity admitted breaches of its obligations under the AML/CFT Act, including failures relating to its risk assessment, compliance programme maintenance, account and transaction monitoring, enhanced customer due diligence, and the termination of business relationships when required. A civil penalty of NZ$4.16 million was agreed as part of the resolution of those proceedings.
This enforcement history does not alter the current obligations described in this document. SkyCity Auckland continues to operate its AML/CFT programme in accordance with the requirements of the AML/CFT Act and under the supervision of the DIA.
Contact and Support
For questions related to host responsibility, self-exclusion, or third-party exclusion, patrons may contact SkyCity Auckland using the following details:
- Phone: 0800 SKYCITY (0800 759 2489)
- Email: [email protected]
For general AML/KYC enquiries, patrons should direct their questions to casino staff at the relevant service point on the premises.
SkyCity Auckland is located at the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets, Auckland CBD, New Zealand. The registered office of SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited is at 99 Albert Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.