Sports Betting History comes a long way and to date, it is one of the best ways for players in New Zealand and the world use to pass time. It dates back from 1835, with the first pedigree horse coming to NZ in 1840. Horse racing was already taking place in the military barracks. Soldiers were using their own horses in a contest with their officers that were acting as officials. The sport quickly became a popular fun activity for the locals with races featured at the first anniversary celebrations in numerous places such as Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago.
However, the sport evolved into the country’s popular pastime in the late 1870s with crowds of up to 30,000 filling big race meetings. People from all walks of life came and saw it as one of the best ways to be entertained. This also added the possibility of one making real money out of it. So, sports betting in New Zealand was born. These machines were planned to calculate the amount of the stakes-placed on a specific race, and then allocate the winnings to the bettors who had placed bets on the race.
In This Guide You Will Find:
- Best NZ Sports Betting Sites
- How Sports Betting Began?
- Understanding the History of Online Betting
- Sports Betting Today
- The Future of Sports Betting
- Current NZ Gambling Laws
Best NZ Sports Betting Sites
Operator | Bonus | Payout | Bet Now |
 | 100% Up to $300 | 98.0% | Leo Vegas Sportsbook |
 | $200Free Bet | 97.6% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 98.5% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 98.5% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 99.4% | |
 | $200 Bonus | 98.5% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 98.5% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 97.5% | |
 | 100 Spins Up to $3000 | 98.0% | |
 | 100% Up to $100 | 98.5% |
How Sports Betting Began?
The first record of sports betting dates back to more than 2,000 years ago. The Greeks’ love of sports made them introduce Olympics to the biosphere as well as the initial records of gambling on athletic races. From the Greeks, sports betting then spread to ancient Rome where it was accepted and legalized. In particular, Romans wagered on the gladiator games, and even when sporting occasion came to a stop, betting survived and went on to spread to other kingdoms. During medieval times, religious leaders tried to come up with laws that prohibit sports betting. This is when sports betting went underground and continued to exist and grew to even introduce events to the world.
Later on, gambling became popular in England in the form of horse betting. The English then spread the practice to the rest of the world. Overall, it continues to grow globally. Today online sports betting is one of the biggest forms of gambling worldwide.
Understanding the History of Online Betting
The internet has made sports betting even more popular and convenient for players across the world. Before the internet, sports betting was nowhere near as extensive as it is today. With the introduction of the internet, punters could place bets at any time and anywhere using their mobile devices.
With that taking place, there’s no need for players to then head to the bookmaker to place their bets or attend sports events. Bettors are now able to place their bets at the comfort of their homes. With online gambling, you can see betting lines change, which means you can find the best gaming opportunities as the event takes place, particularly when you bet on live sporting matches. It’s possible to wager on any event in the world. In addition, you can even place bets on politics, the box office, entertainment shows, eSports, and more.
Sports Betting Today
Although TAB controlled sports betting in New Zealand is allowed, numerous types of betting remain unlawful over the years. However, amendments are slowly being made to the laws. In the 1990’s the first casinos opened, followed by TAB authorizing fixed odds and sports betting. Today, there are more than 640 TAB outlets nationwide offering bets on rugby and cricket.
The Future of Sports Betting
Sports betting has been around for a very long time and people have been placing bets as well, which doesn’t look like its future might change anytime. The most played sport is football, also called soccer in other parts of the world. There’s also American football, which includes the world-famous NFL and the college league. More popular sports to bet on include basketball, hockey, and baseball. The internet and smartphones continue to fuel the growth of online sports betting. Make sure you learn about the betting tips and how to place bets online here.
Current NZ Gambling Laws
Under New Zealand law, the Department of Internal Affairs controls everything gambling related. In this, gambling has to return a percentage of the profits to the community. While there have been numerous laws that prohibited or allowed dissimilar types of betting activities through the history of NZ, the current laws that oversee the activity are the Gambling Act of 2003 and also the Racing Act of 2003. The Racing Act protects sports gambling and racing, and the Gambling Act protects all other types of gambling.
While these laws are concerned with the activities of betting institutions, there are also supplies that can apply to persons. It is suggested that you take time to know and understand the laws that may be pertinent to any bookmaking activity that you plan to take part in.
More Sports Betting Guides