As of 2022, esports had a global audience of 261.2 million enthusiasts and 270.9 million occasional viewers. Now, esports betting is taking the spotlight, becoming more popular in New Zealand and other parts of the world. At the same time, the number of gambling platforms offering it as an option is also growing rapidly, but only a handful of them are reliable and NZ-friendly.
To filter these options, NZ players use review sites like BetKiwi to evaluate their options. There, they find guides and reviews of gambling platforms for different categories, but are they actually useful for esports fans?
In short, does BetKiwi showcase the best range of esports betting options for New Zealand punters? Read on to get the answers.
It was obvious to me that BetKiwi invested a lot into the looks of their website and it’s paying dividends for them. The website is clear, smooth, and well-optimized for both big and small screens. So whether you’re playing on a mobile app or desktop, I found the user experience to be seamless, which is a must in today’s market.
To find the esports section, you just need to click or hover on the sportsbook on the navigation bar at the top of the page. There, you’ll find “esports;” clicking on it will take you to the dedicated page.
I love the fact that the contents are not generic; they are focused on NZ players specifically, which only makes sense, but other review sites tend to cover the global market so Kiwis are left out. The list is concise and straight to the point, with a short description of each esports gambling site, allowing you to learn more about their services.
I should also mention that the website has a dark background that is easy on the eyes. This is very important because most of my apps are in dark mode.
NZ-Focused Betting Options and Relevance
BetKiwi as a whole is focused on New Zealand players, so unsurprisingly, everything about esports on there is also tailored for Kiwi players. So, the sportsbooks have favorable conditions for you; their bonuses, promotions, and loyalty programs are also in NZD. All the content is well-researched for New Zealand players as the main target audience.
I noticed that beyond the esports page, BetKiwi emphasizes the New Zealand Gambling Commission and the NZ Department of Internal Affairs. They have dedicated pages where players can read and learn about the relevance of these organizations to their online gambling activities. Not to mention, after conducting further research, all the betting sites listed are licensed and regulated.
Overview of BetKiwi Team
It is one thing to have a face behind the team; it’s another thing to have credible and trusted faces. Fortunately, BetKiwi ticks the boxes in this area, too. You don’t have to do much digging to find the faces behind the operation because they have an easily findable “Meet the Team” page. But that said, here are some of the parties responsible for the content of this review site:
- Lucius Boehm: Lucius is a sports expert that has made significant contributions to BetKiwi pages. His sport, health and physical education background was integral in making him fascinated by this industry. Now, he’s one of New Zealand’s top sports gambling specialists and a published author, and his expertise extends to esports, too. With over a decade of experience, Lucius has been around long enough to see the growth of esports. I immediately recognized that he wrote the main esports sportsbook page.
- Wayne Goodchild: Wayne is a jack-of-all-trades since he is fascinated by both casino and sports betting topics. With over 55 articles on BetKiwi, it’s almost certain that you’ll come across his work at one time or the other. He prides on his eye for detail, his ability to write on a wide range of topics, and his testing bookies and casinos according to very strict criteria.
- Heather Gartland: You may not see Heather’s name on most BetKiwi articles but be rest assured that she’s involved in every single one of them. This is because she’s the head of content meaning everything goes through her. With up to two decades of experience in the industry, Heather has her way with things, and it works for her. She proofreads, edits, and fact-checks the esports content to ensure every piece of information is accurate and up-to-date.
- Dominic Greenholt: Dominic has a very special interest in this industry. He is a payment method expert with over 10 years of experience. His Financial Management background gave him a boost in this career. So, anything related to payment methods, cryptocurrencies, digital wallets, financial policies, and other finance topics, Dominic is the guy for the job. He checks and confirms the trustworthiness of the esports websites’ payment options, their speed, fees, and other aspects relevant to his area of expertise.
Seeing such experts being in charge of BetKiwi is very comforting, and it gave me the assurance that I’m in safe hands. I was particularly impressed with Heather, the head of content. Her experience and expertise are remarkable, and I have no doubt that she’s doing a great job in running things.
Quality of Information, Comparisons, and Insights
BetKiwi could dedicate its website to marketing and promoting bookies without caring too much about punters, which is something I noticed in many other review sites I came across. However, that isn’t the case. Instead, they have a proper structure for their operations. With each page, there is extensive content explaining the rating process behind the best-of-list, and details of esports for those who are not familiar with the niche.
Not to mention, each bookie has a dedicated review page where BetKiwi analyzes them critically, showing their strengths and weaknesses. That way, it’s easy for you to compare each brand when you can’t make a choice.
I particularly love that for each sportsbook, BetKiwi has three insight points that summarize their strength as a brand. By looking at these points, you can get an excellent idea of what the brand offers and if it aligns with what you want as a player. If it doesn’t, you move on.
For instance, I needed an esports platform that particularly supports regular tournaments. And through the insights, I was able to find one without going through the long reviews. That saved me the time and stress of checking them one after the other.
Trust and Transparency of the Platform
In this industry, trust is everything. Since players will be betting with real money, they need to know that they can trust a platform and its recommendations. So, when a platform is not upfront about its dealings, players won’t feel safe enough to trust it.
From my findings, BetKiwi is 100% transparent about what they do – being an affiliate website. But at the same time, they don’t try to push just any brand to punters. They do proper research and recommend only the best, as opposed to being interested in their commissions alone.
I also noticed that the content tone isn’t overly-promotional; in fact, it’s more neutral and impartial. If you don’t know much about esports, you’re surely going to learn from BetKiwi’s articles and content. So beyond the commissions they stand to get, they pursue the best interest of players.
Content Freshness and Frequency of Updates
In the gambling industry, it’s crucial to be up-to-date. This is because regulations are passed frequently and it implies that things are subject to change very often. Apart from that, gambling sites tend to change their bonus offers occasionally. So as a player, you have to update yourself regularly to remain in the light. That is why content freshness and frequency of updates are imperative.
After checking most of BetKiwi’s pages, it was easy to deduce that they prioritize regular updates. For each page, they have a “last updated” section right above the toplist, and it shows the month that the page in question was reviewed last by their team.
I found that every single page I checked was last updated in the same month. That is quite impressive, especially considering the amount of pages and reviews they have on their website. It shows the work rate of the team in this ever-changing industry.
Responsiveness and Contact Options
If you have reasons to reach out to the team, they make it possible through the “Contact Us” page. There, you’ll find emails for each department, depending on what you need. Here are the contact information they have listed:
- General Questions – [email protected]
- Advertising & Sales Inquiries – [email protected]
- Editorial Information – [email protected]
- Media Relations – [email protected]
- Customer Support – [email protected]
- Permissions and Licensing – [email protected]
I particularly like the fact that they have specific emails for different purposes. With that, they can sort mail easily and reply to inquiries faster. I asked whether one of BetKiwi’s recommendations covers some New Zealand esports tournaments and received a polite, informed reply within 12 hours.
Wrap-Up: Is BetKiwi the Ideal for Kiwi Esports Fans?
BetKiwi is not perfect, but you cannot say they don’t provide great services for esports fans. For such a rapidly growing sector, they have some of the best content and recommendations for New Zealand’s players.
The team is also constantly updating content, making it better by the day. So, if you’re a huge esports fan and are looking for where to get the best bonuses, tournaments, and VIP offers, you’ll surely find several solid options on BetKiwi.
