Kea Taimona

I’m Kea Taimona, born and raised in New Zealand and now living in Malta. My path has taken me from the newsroom to the gaming floor, and I’ve been lucky enough to spend more than a decade doing work I enjoy. These days I run MinimumDepositCasino.nz, where I write about online casinos for Kiwis. My aim is simple — to give players advice that’s easy to follow, practical, and honest.

I studied journalism at Massey University and graduated in 2011. Not long after, I joined the NZ Herald. Those five years in the newsroom were full-on — tight deadlines, big stories, and plenty of late nights. It taught me how to write clearly, double-check my facts, and tell stories that actually matter to readers.

In 2016 I joined Bet365 — my first step into the iGaming industry. A year later I moved to Malta to work with Betsson Group, where I spent almost five years writing about new games, promotions, and responsible play for an international audience. That role gave me a close, inside view of how the global casino industry works.

By 2023 I launched MinimumDepositCasino.nz. I wanted a place where Kiwi players could find straight answers about casinos — no jargon, no fluff — just the information I’d want if I were starting out.

Away from the screen, I’m a rugby fan and I still enjoy testing new casino games. The mix of Kiwi roots and Malta’s iGaming scene shapes how I write: local, relatable, and grounded in real experience.