Today we’re bringing an interview with Mark Dash, editor-in-chief of DashTickets, the most respected New Zealand online casino review website in the budding New Zealand market that is opening up to foreign casinos.
New Zealand is a small market, one-fifth the size of neighbouring Australia, but seems to be punching above its weight, as it’s known to be one of the world areas where gambling is most embedded in the general population.
Many small and major changes are taking place in New Zealand as it matures to catch up with the fully mature European markets, and one particular innovator is acting as a harbinger of changes that are to come.
Hello Mark, thank you for joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about your venture?
Mark Dash: Hello to you and to your readers. I’ll be talking about DashTickets, the leading New Zealand online casino review site. We made it our business to separate wheat from chaff and tell the players where and how to gamble. They all want to – it’s our job to make sure they’re safe while doing it.
What inspired you to create a New Zealand online casino review website specifically for New Zealand players?
Mark Dash: As is often the case in life, it was a converging point of my interests, I guess. I’m a journalist and a former poker player so I’m interested in writing and in gambling. I talk to a lot of people and have quickly noticed how far they are from understanding the gambling industry. A lot of them were clueless about how gambling works and wanted to gamble nonetheless. I can’t have that – I decided to step in and provide quality information.
What is the situation regarding casino legislation in New Zealand? What do you think of it?
Mark Dash: New Zealand has a unique position as it allows its residents to gamble at any online casino they want, licenced in other jurisdictions or not. This is both a blessing and a curse as we don’t have a regulatory body of our own. That means any brand can simply waltz into the New Zealand market. The key thing is, there is no one to take away a brand’s licence if they do something wrong. Which means that those that want to do wrong, can.
How does your website protect players from bad casinos? Can you share some of the criteria you use to evaluate these casinos?
We’re like an experienced mystery shopper who has been gambling for years. We play at casinos and then come back to our reader with the experience. The main criteria are always that the casino has to pay and pay fast, that the games need to be fair, and that the casino is known for honest and fair conflict resolution. But there are really dozens of important things to talk about, and we do just that in our reviews that are, without any false modesty, the best ones on the market.
In an industry that’s often associated with risk, how do you plan to build trust with your users?
Mark Dash: The real problem is that most New Zealand online casino review websites – and review sites in general, have you noticed? – will simply promote the brands that pay the best. It’s as if you no longer know what is a good product and what isn’t. Browse for reviews of any product you see on TV. All the reviews say it’s a great product, because they want to make an affiliate sale. Well, we have a spine over here, so if a casino is bad we say it.
What challenges do you foresee in the online casino industry in New Zealand, and how does your platform address them?
Mark Dash: In all evolving markets it’s always a matter of player education and player protection. It’s the players who decide which casino they’ll sign up with, right? If the players are educated enough to know how to distinguish between a good casino and a bad one, then we’ll be fine. But there is always a need for a regulatory body that protects the players from loss of funds and from gambling addiction, and this is where the New Zealand government should step in. Not to tax anyone or ban anything, but to be there for us Kiwis. Few countries have done it right, and I believe we have a chance to be one of them. Exciting times are ahead.
How do you see your platform evolving in the next five years? What’s your vision for the future?
Mark Dash: What I’d like to see the most is a healthy relationship with the New Zealand players. I want them to trust us more than any other brand. I would also like to see casinos respecting this market more and catering to the Kiwi player specifically, paying attention to not do us any wrong because they know we’ll collectively shut the door to a rogue brand.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone who is new to online casinos?
Mark Dash: Don’t believe the hype, the big win videos, the promises. That’s not the way she goes. Read honest New Zealand online casino reviews and educate yourself about gambling. Then you’ll be able to enjoy it for the fun activity that it is, and maybe get that big win!
