How to start an online casino in 5 steps?
1. Obtain a gambling license
Obtaining a gambling license is one of the main requirements for a company to open an online casino. With a license, an organization is able to legally offer gambling services, open a bank account, and partner with casino software providers. Additionally, securing a gambling license allows platform operators to improve customer credibility.
Speaking of jurisdictions that allow online gambling, casino operators can obtain a license from the UK, Curacao, Malta, Antigua, Gibraltar, Denmark, Belgium and other countries.
Reading: How to create a online casino website
Let’s look at some popular licenses:
- Gibraltar. In order to get a license, a company must provide a business plan and proof of its financial stability, while transactions are only conducted through the banks of Gibraltar. Licensees must pay 1% of their annual turnover, but not less than £85,000.
- Curacao. The cost of a gambling license generally does not exceed $150,000. The island does not levy taxes on casino winnings and low running expenses. The licensing process usually takes 1.5-2 months, which is pretty quick. However, there are some restrictions, for example, casino website owners must place servers on the territory of Curacao. In addition, license holders must pay 2% corporate income tax.
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The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). The Gambling Commission was enacted under the Gambling Act 2005 and is responsible for regulating commercial gambling in the UK. As one of the world’s largest gambling control agencies, the UKGC requires licensees to pay a fee when a casino founder applies. In order to offer online casino services, it is also necessary to pay an annual fee.
The price of a license depends on its type and other factors. In principle, the UKGC charges a fee of between 15% and 50% of the gross gaming revenue (GGR), depending on the amount. To obtain a license from this agency, companies must submit a business plan, prove their solvency, and have no criminal convictions.
- Kahnawake. The Kahnawake Gaming Commission was established in 1996 and allows organizations to secure a license – known as Client Provider Authorization – to run an online casino to open in Canada. The license has an initial annual fee of $40,000 and an annual renewal fee of $10,000. In addition, casino site operators have to pay $15,000 in software verification fees.
When choosing a license to open an online casino, it is important to consider the countries in which it is valid, the terms of cooperation, the license period, the price, the examination period for the Submission and other aspects to consider. Business owners should take into account that some countries have enacted laws against online casino gaming, including France, Poland and the majority of US states.
Nonetheless, thanks to recent legislative changes, over 15 US states have already allowed the provision of online gambling services.
2. Contact Trusted Casino Software Providers
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In order to launch an online casino and attract an audience, a business must offer numerous games such as poker and add roulette, baccarat, bingo, slots and blackjack. There are two ways to integrate games into a casino website. The first option is to choose a casino software provider that offers application programming interfaces (APIs) for game integration.
Popular providers include Vivo Gaming, NetEnt, Ezugi, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, EGT Interactive, Playson, Betsoft, Digitain and TVBET. Evolution Gaming, for example, contains more than 40 games optimized for users to play on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones (iOS, Android). To enforce security, the system uses an SSL protocol.
Established in 1996, NetEnt is another trusted casino software provider. NetEnt supports web and mobile devices and allows users to access over 220 games with graphics, animations, video intros and sound effects.
The second approach is to develop bespoke games for an online casino platform. Although this approach is more expensive, it allows software developers to create an immersive user experience and ensure the highest level of security.
By using blockchain technology, an organization can protect itself from hacking attacks, as well as prevent fraud and data breaches. Additionally, with custom development, it is generally easier to achieve scalability, fault tolerance and uninterrupted performance of a casino website.
3. Choose Casino Gaming Content
Since the majority of users like having the opportunity to play different games, a company should offer a Offer variety of gambling content.Basically, an online casino platform should offer the most popular games like poker, roulette and baccarat. However, in order to meet the needs and expectations of the customers, it is advisable to conduct an audience analysis before creating a casino website.
When creating custom games, you can start by adding three or five, and then gradually add new content. When choosing a casino software provider, it is important to consider supported gambling content, certifications, terms of cooperation and technical support.
4. Design a casino website
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When creating a casino website, it is important to focus on the user interface (UI) / experience (UX ) to concentrate. Design. The attractiveness of the design has a direct impact on customer loyalty and thus on the return on investment (ROI). According to Adobe, 38% of users stop interacting with a web solution if the layout is unattractive. SWEOR reports that 94% of the first impression visitors enter a website is related to design.
Analysts also note that survey respondents react negatively to factors such as a lack of navigational aids, fine print, cumbersome search, excessive text, and pop-up ads. Additionally, SWEOR shares that 94% of negative feedback is related to website design, while a modern, intuitive interface contributes to improved user satisfaction. Therefore, creating a user-friendly design of an online casino platform should be a top priority.
With the aim of developing an attractive design, it is crucial to:
- Create an intuitive user interface. Online casino players should be able to easily find what they need.
- Deliver a seamless UX that includes smooth navigation, a convenient search system, and a simple menu structure.
- Ensure consistency across all operating systems and devices, including smartphones and tablets.
- Implement a unique brand style. With an individual UI/UX design of a casino website, a company will succeed in differentiating itself from the competition and increasing brand awareness.
- Choose a color theme that takes color perception psychology into account (e.g., blue is associated with trust and reliability).
In order to create a casino website with attractive layout and content, it is imperative to hire a trusted UI/UX design service provider. At Arateg, our software experts conduct competitive analysis to identify their strengths and weaknesses and what excites customers the most.
5. Build and test a casino website
Before creating an online casino, a gambling entrepreneur needs to identify the key features for the first product release. To do this, a company must analyze the needs of the target group. For example, here at Arateg we can help clients develop impact maps and user personas that show what actions different parties – players, dealers – should be able to take when using an online casino platform.
In addition, our business analysts create user stories that describe product features from an end-user perspective, for example: “As a player, I would like to have access to games like poker, bingo, baccarat, etc. , as well as deposits and withdrawals”.
After the online casino development is complete, there comes a Quality Assurance (QA) phase, which is crucial to building a website that meets the project requirements. Thanks to QA, software experts deliver solutions that are characterized by high usability, performance, reliability and maintainability. Testing and debugging prevent potential bottlenecks and security gaps.
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