How to Make a Gaming Site Popular in 2024: Step-by-Step Guide

Online casino Guide
Updated 25 may 2023

Experienced specialists from Online Casino Market will share the secrets of creating and promoting gambling platforms. Our experts will tell you how to quickly implement such a project, obtain a licence, and attract a solvent audience.

A Step-by-Step Plan for Launching a Digital Casino

Popular iGaming site: launch

To bring to life any good idea, it is always necessary to build a strategy. It is difficult to think everything through to the smallest detail. However, it is quite possible to chart an approximate trajectory for the growth of a startup.

The main stages of the implementation of a casino project on the Web:

  • analysis of competition in the market;
  • choice of the country, registration of a legal entity, and acquisition of a licence;
  • purchase of software (platform, content, and payment system);
  • setting up exchange operations and data transmission channels;
  • conclusion of an agreement with a hosting provider;
  • creation of a UX design for a digital casino;
  • launch of an advertising and bonus campaign.

This is not a complete list of steps that need to be taken to ensure a full-fledged operation of a gambling platform. Entrepreneurs also need to buy security software, connect affiliated services, come up with a recognisable corporate identity, and much more.

Initial costs for launching a virtual casino are fixed in the business plan. Already at the beginning of their activity, operators see an accurate calculation of the project’s cost, taking into account permit and lease duties, taxes, and payroll.

Expected revenues and other performance indicators (ROI, CR, and GGR) are also shown in the plan. After some time, they can be compared with real metrics and evaluate the success of a startup.

Having the document is a mandatory requirement for obtaining a certificate. The Gambling Commission of the selected region will carefully study it to make sure that the company is serious and has a responsible approach to casino entertainment.

Registration of the Permit in a Prestigious Country

Offshore zones are the most popular ones with operators. Advantages of such territories include minimal taxes, well-developed IT infrastructure, simple receipt of the document, and its long validity period.

Where to get a permit in 2024:

Malta

About 13% of the country's GDP is accounted for by the casino industry and, according to experts, by 2027, this figure will reach 19%. The niche is the third largest private sector in the state, conceding only to construction and tourism.

The government encourages the growth of the sector in every possible way. It has some of the lowest taxes in the world, as well as excellent conditions for launching and scaling an iGaming business.

MGA (Malta Gaming Authority) has signed several bilateral agreements with Gambling Commissions of other countries, thus giving operators some additional preferences. For example, entrepreneurs from Malta can legally advertise their online casinos in the UK

Alderney

The Channel Island belongs to the British crown but it has a more loyal attitude toward gambling companies. Here, you can quickly register a business, receive a permit, and enter the market with an attractive iGaming startup.

The jurisdiction issues 2 types of certificates: for operators of digital platforms and software vendors. Applicants can also receive a temporary document, which is valid for 59 calendar days

Isle of Man

The local authority (GSC) grants licences to gambling and lottery operators, as well as software developers. A sub-licence is available for beginning entrepreneurs, and a network-type document is an excellent choice for experienced businessmen. The latter option allows brands to accept bets from foreign players without additional verification.

The jurisdiction applies a progressive scale of taxation. The more operators earn, the less money they transfer to the budget. The fiscal burden on the gambling sector is 0.1–0.15% of GGR

Curacao

The island state is distinguished by minimal taxes (2% of net profit), loyal requirements for the applicants, and a well-developed gambling community. More than 450 iGaming companies are registered here. These are the owners of online casinos and poker rooms, software vendors, hosting providers, etc.

Large-scale changes in the regulation of the sector have been announced for 2024. The government of the island promises to connect entrepreneurs to the online monitoring system, streamline the issuance of sub-licences, and tighten the responsibility for allowing minors to make bids

Costa Rica

The Caribbean country is notable for its non-standard approach to the regulation of the industry. It is strictly prohibited to accept bets from the local population, and to interact with foreign users, a special certificate is required.

The main advantage of working on the island is the absence of GGR tax. Investors are also attracted by a simple business registration (all procedures take only one day), a loyal attitude towards cryptocurrency, a well-developed telecommunications network

Thorough Analysis of the Target Market

In 2024, entrepreneurs should focus on mobile Internet traffic. Smartphone owners are the driving force of the industry: they bring operators a stable income and react positively to any innovations in the work of iGaming sites.

To analyse the target audience, it is possible to use artificial intelligence algorithms. Machine learning technology collects and processes terabytes of information, dividing customers into categories based on the obtained data.

There are several elements that are used as a basis for classifying gamblers:

  • preferences in choosing slots and bonuses;
  • time of visiting the gambling site;
  • nature of the game (frequency of bets and duration of sessions);
  • limits, and other indicators.

Studying the preferences of the audience allows you to build an advertising campaign more effectively and spend money only on those communication channels that bring good results. Understanding the wishes of customers helps business owners to correctly set up a plan related to the placement on the website of only the content that is of interest to the audience.

Acquisition of High-Quality Software

Quality software for a gambling platform

Among the key characteristics of the solution, we can name reliability, trouble-free operation, good response from the audience, a wide variety of topics, etc.

It is also essential to have certificates of conformity. They confirm that the product is modern, safe, and tested in the world’s leading international laboratories: QUINEL, Gaming Laboratory International, BMM TestLab, iTechLabs, and other independent centres.

To ensure a full-fledged operation, entrepreneurs will need:

  1. Catalogue of entertainment. It is better to focus on software from well-known vendors. These are Microgaming, NetEnt, Amatic, Novomatic, Pragmatic Play, Playson, and other big brands. The wide range of content, support for jackpots, availability of bonuses, and access to different spinning modes is important for the audience.
  2. Financial system. It is possible to order special software from a specific provider (for example, Visa or MasterCard) or turn to an aggregator. The latter combines several settlement methods in one user interface, offers low fees, and contains many additional features. These are a currency conversion, a savings system, and lending at a minimum percentage.
  3. Security software. The program increases the resistance of online casinos to various attacks and failures. The product often includes a risk management module responsible for additional verification of transactions for compliance with AML and FATF policies.
  4. CRM system. It forms statistics and detailed analytics in key areas of the operator's activity (acceptance of bets, advertising, signing sponsorship agreements, etc.). The service simplifies the management of user accounts and facilitates interaction with B2B partners.
  5. Gaming platform. This is the basis of any casino website. Entertainment, security software, financial modules, and other components are installed on it. The resource must be reliable and flexible and maintain a trouble-free operation under conditions of increased load on the infrastructure of the iGaming site.

Use of Partner Services

This is an effective promotion method. Entrepreneurs can outsource part of the advertising functions and receive solvent internet traffic in return.

Cooperation with partners (individuals or companies) can be organised directly or through special services. The affiliated module should be connected to the gambling platform. This gives operators additional benefits: they can monitor the partner's actions, generate detailed analytics, and control the transactions.

Reasons for the popularity of affiliate marketing:

  1. Payment only for real and measurable results. All settlements are made under the 2 schemes: CPA and RevShare. In the first case, the number of targeted actions is calculated (transitions to the site, registrations, and replenishments of an account), and in the second — the profit received by the casino due to the attracted audience.
  2. End-to-end control. Already after a month of cooperation with the affiliate, entrepreneurs see whether the promotion brings the expected results. The partner can be replaced at any time. It is also possible to shift the focus to other marketing channels.

A Well-Thought-Out User Retention Strategy

We are talking about a bonus program, thanks to which the customer lifecycle on the website increases, and the operator's income grows.

Indicators of an effective loyalty system:

Wide variety of retention tools

These are bonuses, one-time drawings, targeted gifts, seasonal missions, tournaments, jackpots with accumulative and fixed prize funds, as well as additional sessions of spins.

Among the rewards, there are bonuses for the registration, initial deposit, attraction of a friend to the virtual casino, the number of rounds played, and loyalty to the gambling establishment

Focus on seasonal promotions

Short-term initiatives dedicated to the holidays (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc.) will increase the number of repeat registrations on the website. The tool will also help operators to attract players who visit their online casinos from time to time

Segmentation of bonuses

For each selected category (beginners, regular customers, and high rollers), different types of rewards are provided. This helps businessmen to use funds more efficiently

In different European countries, approaches to the organisation of the bonus system may vary. That is why, before launching a loyalty program, entrepreneurs need to carefully study the laws and requirements of local regulators.

Regulation of the accrual of bonuses:

  • In the UK, operators are required to pay taxes on start-up bonuses and free spins. There are a huge number of such rotations in English casinos, which leads to extra costs for the owners of gambling platforms.
  • Operators from Sweden can only offer new players one start-up bonus. It must not exceed 100 SEK.
  • The Czech government imposes some restrictions in terms of the distribution of bonuses. Thus, operators cannot make special offers to gamblers regarding bets in a casino or quotes in a bookmaker's office.
  • In Spain, any type of promotion of iGaming solutions is prohibited since 2021, be it a welcome bonus, free spins, welcome packages, or other gifts.

Attractive Design of the Gaming Site

The main page of a resource should be bright and original, with well-read text and an appropriate soundtrack:

  • In the design, it is worth giving preference to a palette of 3 or 4 colours, without overloading the interface with complex patterns and harsh contrasts. An excellent choice would be to add a gradient in which the tones move across the spectrum, for example, from pink to purple.
  • Big iGaming brands prefer a calm colour scheme. These are cool blues and greens, which are the perfect background for texts in white, grey, or yellow.
  • An interesting and original logo is the basis of the online casino's corporate identity. It is possible to use different text formats (such as italics or underlined words), add symbols (such as lightning or stars), and apply highlighting.

The presence of clear navigation simplifies the interaction with the website. Thanks to a convenient and intuitive interface, even a beginner will quickly find information about a licence or a button using which he can make a deposit.

Special offers (bonuses, seasonal promotions, and tournaments) and banners with the latest releases should be placed on the main page of the platform.

The design of an online casino must be adapted to the parameters of the device used. Most often, people play on desktop PCs and smartphones.

Diverse Catalogue of Entertainment

Entertainment catalogue: variety

In 2024, the following content is considered the most popular:

  1. Traditional slot machines. These are solutions with 5 reels and multiple pay lines. Classic fruits and characters from movies and TV shows can appear on the screen. The developers usually supplement the software with special symbols (Scatters, Wilds, and jokers) and bonus options. Players are offered to activate a series of jackpots or a risk round.
  2. Cluster games. Prize combinations are formed of collections of different sizes — from 3x3 to 8x8. These products are distinguished by an increased number of directions for payments and innovative features. The Gigablox mechanic from Yggdrasil Gaming, for example, supports the creation of winning lines inside already-formed clusters.
  3. Lotteries, bingo, and keno. These are games with numbers where gamblers have to guess the order of figures in a combination. There are draws for 1–100 balls, options with multiple bets, secret bonuses, etc.
  4. Live content. Roulette, baccarat, blackjack, Sic Bo, and Texas Hold'em in real-time attract the audience due to the authentic gameplay, as well as transparency of accrual and payment of prizes.
  5. Crash games. They were created based on blockchain technology, which ensures the provable honesty of the results and the trust of customers. Most entertainment of this type supports multiplayer mode: 2–16 users or even more can take part in one round. Crash content is characterised by instant results and interesting additional features: 50% cashout, multiple bets, and random multipliers.

Variability of Settlement Methods

Fast and secure processing of money transfers is the key to a successful gambling business.

For players, the convenience of the deposition and withdrawal of funds is important, and for B2B partners — the level of commission since 100–300 transactions can be carried out between 2 companies per month. It is difficult to take into account all these points, so it is better to turn to a payment aggregator.

The main advantages of the financial gateway:

  1. Support for various settlement methods. These are Internet acquiring, direct bank transfers, payments via electronic wallets, as well as mobile and voucher transactions. It is good when the aggregator offers popular and well-known methods of depositing and withdrawing funds. These are Visa, MasterCard, UnionPay, Skrill, Neteller, etc.
  2. Profitable currency exchange. Often, gamblers replenish their accounts in one type of money (for example, in Swedish krona), and withdraw winnings in another (for example, euros). It is convenient when currency conversion is implemented on a gaming site. Thus, online casino visitors will not have to call upon the services of external exchange portals.
  3. High security. Major payment platforms have a PCI DSS certificate of conformity and are licensed by local authorities. Entrepreneurs appreciate the complete safety of confidential data, the security of payment channels, as well as a reliable and stable Internet connection.

The Main Things about Opening a Successful iGaming Business

The niche is a very promising one but to become a recognised market leader, operators need first to implement an interesting and unusual project.

  • Any business starts with planning. Entrepreneurs must choose a country where they will work, register a company, obtain a licence, buy software, and sign an agreement with a hosting provider.
  • Malta, Curacao, and the Isle of Man are the most popular jurisdictions for launching an online casino. Their advantages include loyal requirements for applicants, low taxes, and a well-developed IT infrastructure. For several types of activities at once (for example, for owning a casino or a bookmaker's office), a single permit can be granted.
  • Operators need to buy a platform, content, security software, payment services, and a CRM system.
  • In 2024, it is worth focusing on mobile Internet traffic. It is possible to attract smartphone users with the help of affiliate marketing and retain them thanks to an original bonus strategy. It is important that the loyalty program is adapted to local legislation and includes mechanisms for monitoring the current situation.
  • The design of a gambling site should be restrained and concise and contain elements of gamification and easy navigation. The buttons for making a deposit and receiving a welcome bonus should be placed on the main page, as well as information about the licence.

The Online Casino Market company will help you create a successful iGaming project that is guaranteed to attract customers and start bringing good profits in the shortest possible time.

We also offer several useful services:

  • development of a turnkey resource;
  • installation of White Label platform;
  • creation of a Bitcoin casino;
  • integration of financial software;
  • development of HTML5 slots according to individual sketches;
  • assistance in the certification and promotion of the already implemented project.

For all questions, please contact our managers.

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Karen Fill

Author

Karen Fill

Gambling business expert at Online Casino Market

Updated 25 may 2023