Sport and technology are not things that most people immediately associate with each other but there are several reasons why technology and the gadgets, apps and websites sports fans use are changing the way people interact with sports forever. One place where this is especially true is in New Zealand.
Sports Websites in New Zealand
In New Zealand, over 70% of residents over the age of 15 have gambled or bet, and most of this betting is done online with sports betting websites. These sports websites are hugely popular in New Zealand with total gambling and betting expenditure reaching over $2.4 billion New Zealand dollars between 2017 and 2018.
New Zealand currently has only one domestic operator that is allowed to offer sports betting from within New Zealand – the TAB NZ.
However, right now the outdated New Zealand Gambling Act doesn’t restrict Kiwis’ use of international betting websites, which has led to many Kiwis betting offshore with operators who offer better sports odds, more generous bonuses and top-notch betting apps.
The rise in popularity of online bookmakers has led the New Zealand government to begin a review of New Zealand’s current betting and gambling laws.
Sports Apps in New Zealand
Sports betting apps offer New Zealanders the opportunity to take their sports bets on the go.
With free apps that can be downloaded from the Apple Store or directly from bookmakers’ websites, betting companies are making the mobile betting experience as painless as possible for Kiwis.
Many of these apps have a variety of features like live betting, live statistics, build your bet options and secure payments which often makes betting apps even better than their desktop alternatives.
The popularity of betting apps has meant that some newer sportsbooks have created their whole company on a ‘mobile-first’ approach.
LeoVegas NZ is a prime example of this as they offer Kiwis a diverse range of sports markets and over 1100 casino games from their betting site that is optimized for mobile.
Live Streaming of Sports
Some of the top European betting companies that cater to New Zealand bettors also offer live streaming capabilities.
This means that New Zealanders no longer have to buy local sports streaming subscriptions and can instead watch high-quality football, rugby, tennis and other sports from their desktop computers or smartphones.
Bet365 and Betway are two of the top bookies for live streaming that are available in New Zealand. To access live streaming features, users just need to create a betting account and have funds in their e-wallet.
Virtual Reality and Sports
Some betting sites also offer the opportunity to view fantasy matches through VR headsets.
It is unproven whether this technology will catch on in New Zealand, and around the world, but for bettors who are looking for something extra, this is still a huge drawcard.
Summary
The popularity of sports betting sites and apps is growing faster than it ever has before and this growth is especially apparent in New Zealand where sports betting used to be dominated by local tabs for so long.
With the invention of the internet and widespread adoption of smartphones into our daily lives, technology has and will undoubtedly continue to shape the way fans interact with sports.
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