Unlike gambling, which is thought to be older than the written word, dating back as far as 3000 BC, online gambling, or iGaming, didn’t appear until the 1990s, around the same time as the internet was taking off commercially. Today, sites dedicated to online gambling can be found in more than 85 countries around the world. These range from online casinos and sportsbooks to casino review portals such as kiwigambler, which aims to help its visitors choose the best New Zealand online casinos available today.
Fast Fact – currently, the Gambling Act of 2003 prohibits remote interactive gambling in the island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, however, it does not prohibit gambling conducted overseas. This means that someone in the country could legally participate in gambling over the Internet as long as the website is based overseas.
Online Gambling Beginnings
Nealy three decades ago, the very first online gaming venue opened its virtual doors to the general public when the International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation (ILLF) was created to operate the first online lottery, InterLotto. State controlled, the ILLF processed the first ever online gambling transaction on October 7, 1995 in Liechtenstein’s capital city of Vaduz.
The first online casinos were introduced in 1994 when Antigua and Barbuda passed the Free Trade & Processing Act, which allowed licensees to be granted to businesses interested in operating online casinos. Still in its infancy, by the end of 1996 there were just 15 online casinos in operation. By the end of 1997, that number had risen significantly and there were 200 virtual casinos up and running. And with nearly 4,500 online global and online gambling businesses in 2023, the market size is expected to reach USD 153.6 billion by 2030, according to a recently published report by Grand View Research, Inc.
Comparison Items
In addition to being a source of entertainment, iGaming is also a serious business and sometimes a source of considerable income. Platforms such as the aforementioned kiwigambler, take the guesswork out of finding the right online casino by doing the necessary research and making the decision much easier. The top online casinos are reviewed and compared based on a important criteria such as:
- Licenses – making sure the brand is licensed by reputable jurisdictions such as the Malta Gaming Authority, Gibraltar and the UK-based Gambling Commission is vital.
- Game Catalogue & Providers – not only is it important to have a large portfolio of games, including online pokies, table games, and live dealer games, but it is also essential that the content is high quality from industry-leading software providers, such as Evolution, Microgaming, Pragmatic Play, Nolimit City, Big Time Gaming and other top game developers.
- Banking – being able to deposit money quickly, easily, and securely is of prime importance when making real money bets at the online casino of your choice. Players should be able to make deposits with their banking method of choice, with just some options including Credid, Debit, eWallets, Paysafecard, PayPal, Neteller, Cryptocurriencies, Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer and others.
- Bonuses & Reviews – in addition to providing honest reveiws of online casinos in New Zealand, kiwigambler also lets you you know the best online casino bonuses, if you qualify, wagering requirements, minimum deposit, maximum bet, etc. These promotions give players more chances to win at the casino they choose via welcome offers, free spins and more.
Money Makers
Casino review portals such as gambling.com, bonus.net.nz and kiwigambler.co.nz, aid consumers in finding and comparing bonuses for online casinos and sportsbooks. Platforms such as these, publish reviews about casinos that offer all the legal online casino and betting sites around a specific country or countries. By covering all aspects of online gambling promotions and bonuses from online slots to poker, users are able to make more informed decisions in choosing the best casinos from an up-to-date list with legal gambling sites. They communicate information on each provider as well as how to access each bonus and make the most of it.
In order to build a loyal player base, online casinos and sportsbooks require a large and consistent flow of traffic. That, however, can be too big a task for a lot of operators, who then turn to affiliates to drive their business. Performance based, online gambling platforms pay for advertising strategies that consistently produce results. These commissions are the bread and butter of these informational sites.