This August, Leadstar Media, a Stockholm-based iGaming affiliate, launched their first website built specifically to target New Zealand punters at https://mybettingsites.com/nz/.
The parent website, which operates under the ‘My Betting Sites’ domain, already caters towards bettors in the UK, India, Canada, Kenya and Nigeria.
According to Leadstar Media’s CEO, Eskil Kvarnström, the launch of the New Zealand based affiliate site was part of the company’s plan to expand into markets where sports betting was popular and where the presence of high-quality websites comparing betting sites was low.
“We see My Betting Sites New Zealand as a great opportunity for us to grow in a market where people have a real interest in sports and sports betting, but where our competition may have overlooked the value of the players. New Zealand’s sports betting has long been done with New Zealand based operators, but with recent industry changes, and an increase in the number of international betting sites that now cater to Kiwi players by offering New Zealand dollars, we see a real opportunity to help facilitate New Zealand punters’ choices and boost their betting experience.”
The industry changes Kvarnström is talking about refer to the fact that New Zealand’s sports betting industry has recently undergone a massive overhaul.
In New Zealand, sports and racing betting used to be controlled by the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB). The NZRB oversaw New Zealand’s only on-shore betting operator, the Totalisator Agency Board (TAB).
However, due to stiff competition from offshore betting websites, like those found on My Betting Sites New Zealand, the TAB faced years of financial struggle, government bail-outs and job cuts.
This led to a reform of New Zealand’s betting industry which began in 2018 but has ended with the NZRB being dissolved and replaced with the TAB NZ, which now oversees the sports and racing betting industries in New Zealand.
But how is Leadstar Media aiming to change the way Kiwis bet?
Leadstar Media’s product director, Jacob Ljunggren, told us that their focus on SEO and organic growth is a key part of how they aim to help New Zealanders find the best betting sites and betting bonuses.
“There are two things we want from My Betting Sites New Zealand – to provide great value for New Zealand punters who are looking for the best sports betting websites and to rank well for searches related to betting sites in New Zealand. Fortunately, what we have found in other markets, is that these things come hand in hand. If you build your site with the user in mind, helping them to find what they are looking for, then your site will rank well for the keywords you want it to, and then more users will be able to find it. At the end of the day, we focus on growing organically by understanding what New Zealand punters want and catering our sites to their needs.”
“We believe that there are many Kiwis out there that don’t want to bet with the TAB NZ, and that are looking for other legal, reliable betting websites that accept New Zealand players. If we’re right then New Zealanders will continue to bet with offshore bookmakers and New Zealand’s sports betting industry will continue to change.”
