About Us
Our Mission
Every player who wants to spin the reels of a pokie, place a bet, or chase a jackpot, should, in DashTickets’ opinion, be able to do so safely, responsibly, and with all of the facts in front of them.
That promise is what drives our entire mission here at DashTickets, and our goal is simple: to be the trusted and reliable mate who’s already tested the casino you’re looking sat, who’s already played the pokies you’re interested in – and who knows the best payment methods to use, the best bonuses to claim, how to complete KYC quickly – and everything in between.
Of course, our wider aim goes beyond any singular review, as we want to build an open record of how offshore gambling actually works – both domestically, here in New Zealand, and in other markets we’re not targeting.
Our Values
Integrity: We fund all casino reviews with our own money – never with operator credits. If a casino offers a higher commission for a better rating – we decline.
Transparency: Our full review methodology is public, on the How We Review page.
Player Empowerment: Every guide, review, and explainer article exists to give you better control over your gambling decisions.
Our Story & Milestones
DashTickets New Zealand Limited was incorporated in Christchurch on the 21st August 2009, and what ended up turning it into a consumer-grade publication was the idea of a gambling resource website that actually tested its claims – using real cash, real deposits, and real players.
The business changed from concert tickets company to a gambling magazine in 2023.
The first ever article we published – a guide on five casinos that stalled when it came to withdrawals – went live in 2011, and the piece was very popular, so, soon after, more writers joined us, and the operation grew into what it’s become today.
Growth kept pace with the industry:
Dash Tickets New Zealand Limited is incorporated in Christchurch.
Matthew Robert Davey becomes sole director and relocates day‑to‑day operations to Stuart Street, Dunedin.
The first complete “Best Online Casinos NZ” ranking—powered by the prototype DashScore v1—goes live.
Site‑wide database rebuild completed to align with New Zealand’s new AML rules
Major legal refresh: new Terms of Use, Terms of Sale and Privacy Policy are issued.
DashScore 2.0 debuts with a fully sortable performance chart.
Nationwide press‑wire highlights DashTickets’ quality standards for online pokies.
A London Post profile calls DashScore “ the most trusted metric” among Kiwi players.
West Wales Chronicle spotlights DashTickets’ new Healthy‑Play Practices guide, underscoring a deeper push into safer‑gambling content.
Who We Serve
- Casual players after a few fun spins after work
- High-rollers who care about fast withdrawals for large amounts
- First-timers who want plain-language breakdowns of casinos, games, bonuses, RTP, and more
- Safety-minded readers wanting tools to spot – and curb – gambling problems before they get out of control
- Data fans comparing operators and brands through our DashTickets tables
What We Do
- Publish independent casino reviews powered by our proprietary DashScore algorithm – using real-money deposits and withdrawals, so you can see how each site actually performs
- Apply our “How We Review” methodology – payout speeds, KYC, T&C fine print, and game fairness – to every casino we cover
- Break down every bonus (welcome promos, free spins, reloads, etc), including wagering requirements, expiry dates, game/payment exclusions, and actual value
- Produce game guides, how-tos, and an industry digest covering new releases and big wins
- Publish plain-language guides on responsible gambling
Our Impact
Readers generate more than one million pageviews a year, spending nearly seven minutes per visit—a big dwell time for a specialist site. Over 800 players have sent screenshots of successful withdrawals achieved after following our step‑by‑step cash‑out walkthroughs. Four casinos quietly rewrote ambiguous terms last year when we flagged them in embargoed drafts, proof that our red‑pen edits translate into real‑world improvements.
DashTickets: Why trust us?
Here at DashTickets, we review using actual, tangible data. This means our team personally signs-up-at and reviews all the brands we test. We report the facts directly, so you can make up your own mind.
$25,000+ Verified
Real funds deposited. View our ledger process
2,900+ Verified
Hours of manual testing. See our methodology
123,600+ Verified
Annual Kiwi readers. About our mission
50+ Years Verified
Combined team expertise. Meet our experts
💬 “Your DashScore saved me from a site that would’ve swallowed my five hundred bucks. Went with an 86-rated one and cashed out in 24 hours.”
Authors
Sophia Novakivska
Sophia combines her English literature degree with over a decade of gambling-related experience. Her reviews are factual and known to cut to the chase, and she always tries to explain complex topics in an understandable way. Her career started on UK- and Asia-focused sites before she pivoted to New Zealand and Australian gambling. Sophia Novakivska.
Alex Smith
Alex has worked in the iGaming industry for more than 14 years and was previously Head of Editorial at Casinomeister before its acquisition by GiG/Gentoo. Throughout this career, Alex has written over 1,500 slot and casino reviews, and he’s known for taking a player-first approach that translates complex topics into clear, practical advice for DashTickets readers. Alex Smith.
Contact
Found a broken link or have a question? Email [email protected] or call +64 3 129 1163 during business hours. We’ll reply to your message as quickly as we can.
Why We Stand Apart
New Zealand still lacks a domestic regulatory body (although that’s changing later this year), which means players like you can be left exposed to slow-paying, lightly regulated sites. We work to try and fill that gap with independent research, honest ratings and reviews, and a commitment to blacklist any operator that fails our three-point test: fair games, fair payouts, and fair treatment of all players.
Affiliation Disclaimer
We may earn a small commission at no extra charge to you if you click on a casino link and register through that link. Commissions do not change our review process and they come at no additional cost to you.