Although we may not realise it, technology has actually changed every aspect of the Kiwi sports betting experience. From customer service and payment methods to the odds we see and the sports we bet on, I’ve seen technology revolutionise sports betting. Let’s take a look at how!
Virtual Sports Betting
Virtual sports betting is an alternative to betting on events like football matches or golf tournaments. Rather than having to wait for the next big game or hold out through the off-season, players are able to bet on these events’ virtual versions. Popular virtual sports include horse racing, football games, and tennis.
As the description I’ve mentioned suggests, virtual sports betting relies heavily on technology. Algorithms and random number generators are used to fairly determine the result of virtual sports betting across events. All matches are completely computer-generated, requiring complex simulation software.
While the virtual sports betting market might sound niche, experts like myself view it as one of the industry’s next avenues. It saw a significant boost during the Covid-19 pandemic when sporting events were cancelled. The value of virtual sports betting is expected to be over $35.53 billion by 2030, representing an annual growth rate of 17.3% between 2022 and 2030. The majority of the big names in the Kiwi sports betting market now offer virtual sports betting, and I can only see more following suit in the future.
Mobile and Live Betting
While it’s been with us for a while, the biggest technology development in the sports betting industry is also one of the most obvious – mobile betting. Long gone are the days when players had to go in person to place a wager. Now, the majority of betting is done from the convenience of a mobile phone and accessible 24/7 requiring only an internet connection.
The biggest players in the Kiwi sports betting industry offer app versions of their sites for even more convenience. These are complicated feats of engineering, monitoring tens of thousands of changes in odds and results in a matter of seconds. They manage this information across a wide range of sports, allowing bettors to find the information they require instantly.
Live betting is another feature that is reliant on technology. Players can wager during a sporting event and receive constant updates alongside evolving odds. This feature relies on complicated technology, including AI, where data is continually analysed and algorithms are used to generate odds.
It’s not to be confused with live-streamed betting, where users are able to watch a livestream of the sporting event they’re betting on. The most prolific names in the Kiwi industry host hundreds of HD livestreams of the biggest sporting events. Of course, these features are only made possible through livestreaming and adaptive bitrate technology, which adjusts streaming quality to the user’s capabilities.
Customer Service
Alongside many other online platforms, sports betting has introduced technology to improve customer service, incorporating Artificial Intelligence in the form of chatbots. AI-powered chatbots can provide users with answers much faster than a human could, often giving instant answers. To ensure they return accurate results, they analyse a wealth of information across the internet.
Efficient customer service is essential in the sports betting industry, where players must quickly access information. If I can’t find updates from an ongoing football match, for example, I want customer service to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, before the full-time whistle. It’s also critical that bettors can get instant access to responsible gambling tools to get the help they need. AI chatbots can rapidly highlight resources and support bettors for the next steps.
Although AI chatbots undoubtedly improve customer service, there will always be occasions where bettors need to speak to human representatives to solve their problems. AI also helps in these cases. By answering simple queries, it frees up human representatives for the more complex cases.
Identity Verification
When gambling online, I often come across a process that requires me to verify my identity referred to as Know Your Customer. It requires me to upload a form of ID, like a passport or driving licence, as well as proof of address. Using this process means providers can ensure that only players of legal betting age can sign up for their site.
I’ve always been impressed by how simple and smooth this process is. It relies on AI, which analyses all of the uploaded information in a matter of seconds, matching it to a database to identify the bettor. It can also help to prevent fraud or cheating by highlighting whether the entered details are already used on another profile. This is common in a form of cheating known as bonus abuse where a player uses the same information to create multiple accounts and claim a bonus more than once.
Some betting sites have even been using AI to allow for biometric identification, introducing another layer of security. In these instances, players match their live appearance using their camera, to their uploaded form of ID. AI is used to analyse facial similarities and determine whether the images match. In the future, I believe we’ll see this practice used more, especially to prevent underage players from using an adult’s ID to sign up.
Personalised Betting Experience
When I’m using a sports betting site, I want the recommendations of games to be relevant to me. It’s great when you stumble across an exciting match you didn’t know about or get recommended irresistible odds. It’s no shock that technology is responsible for all of these customised features.
Due to its ability to efficiently analyse vast amounts of data, AI can give providers helpful insights into bettor preferences and history. It can create a more representative picture of what a bettor enjoys and provide better recommendations as a result. For example, if it detects that I often bet on football games, it would be more likely to recommend odds for matches occurring in the Premier League.
Personalisation doesn’t just apply to the sports we’re recommended; it’s also used to make advertisements as relevant as possible and even customise bonuses. In the same case I mentioned earlier, I’d be more likely to see football-related bonuses recommended and receive ads regarding it.
I believe we’ll also see the role of AI grow in the future when it comes to personalisation. Generative AI, which has a greater level of autonomy than standard AI, will be instrumental in allowing this. It can alter ads to reflect a bettor’s preferences in real time, as well as be used to generate and automatically send out marketing materials. This will mean every step of marketing could be AI-dependent, finding player preferences, creating unique materials, and then distributing them to relevant audiences.
Payment Methods: Cryptocurrency and E-Wallets
As I referenced earlier, technology has truly impacted all areas of the sports betting industry, including payment methods. Cryptocurrency has been one of these changes with many sports betting platforms now offering it as a payment method. Some of the most popular cryptocurrency coins, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum, are typically offered at betting sites.
There’s a range of benefits to using cryptocurrency as a payment method for sports betting; it’s actually become one of my go-to payment options over the years. Crypto allows for faster transactions than other methods, often arriving in my account instantly. Additionally, it usually faces lower fees than other popular methods like bank transfers and card payments and provides better currency conversion rates. In fact, crypto has become so popular with bettors that there are even specialist options that only accept payment via cryptocurrency.
And I’ve often encountered lower minimum limits for crypto payments, so if you’re on a budget – this might be the perfect option for you.
E-wallets are an even more popular form of payment that’s dependent on technology. In 2024, more than half (53%) of global transactions were made using e-wallets and there were 4.3 billion e-wallet users. It’s a popular option across industries, the sports betting market included. Most Kiwi providers present a range of options, including Neteller, and Skrill.
How Has Technology Changed Sports Betting?
Technology has completely overhauled the sports betting industry across all aspects, from safety and customer service to games and payment methods. Whether it’s AI being used to produce better recommendations and enhance security, or the introduction of new payment methods like cryptocurrency, technology has reshaped sports betting. I would be surprised if this influence didn’t continue to extend in the future, improving all areas of sports betting.
Overall, we owe many of our favourite features of sports betting to technology, whether that’s the library of sports to choose from, how we pay, or what sports we’re recommended.
Lucius Boehm is a specialist in sports betting with in-depth knowledge of a range of sports played around the world. His Degree in Sport, Health and Physical Education and wealth of experience gained from ten years in the industry, make him one of New Zealand’s leading sports experts.