8 steps on how to start an online casino

As one of the leading casino software providers in the iGaming environment, the Limeup team has 10+ years of experience and launched dozens of online casinos from scratch. The group of over 50+ adept developers and marketers we have is always ready to share their industry experience. Contact us to consult on all issues when setting off a casino, regardless of size and location.

FACT! A unique background in the design of the gaming platform, assistance in acquiring a gaming license, and customized software from Limeup will allow you to bypass financial losses and save time.

We do not clone gambling projects. Each new case confirms these words directly. A client-oriented approach, individual solutions, flexible planning, and constant interaction with our team can transform an ordinary business idea into a successful project! Now, let’s lift the veil of secrecy and review the main stages of launching a best casino app.

Step 1: Do market research & analysis

The question of “How do I start my own online casino?” can seem daunting since thorough research, analysis, and planning are necessary. Based on the collected data, you must assemble a detailed business plan that encapsulates your strategy for success.

At this stage, you must focus on understanding your target audience, current market trends, and the competitive advantage you will bring.

Step 2: Aquire a license

There are clear laws and regulations regarding the casino industry, both local and international. The primary legal requirement to open an online casino is to obtain a gambling license from a regulatory body like the Malta Gaming Authority. Failure to comply with laws once licensed can result in severe legal sanctions, fines, and irreparable damage to your brand’s reputation.

Each jurisdiction has a clear set of rules and a financial entry threshold to remember before choosing the proper jurisdiction. Here is a brief overview of the top licensing jurisdictions and bodies that regulate gambling:

• The UK – the United Kingdom Gambling Commission
• Curacao – the Curacao eGaming Authority
• Gibraltar – the Gibraltar Gambling Commission
• Malta – the Malta Gaming Authority
• The Isle of Man – the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission

Deciding on the proper jurisdiction is a life-changing decision that will significantly impact your business achievements. Some gambling licenses have more assertive international recognition and are fitted in most countries.

For example, if you want to establish a casino in the UK market, you must enlist the United Kingdom Gambling Commission’s support. The cost of obtaining the license can vary from $2.640 (intermediary license) to $57.746 if it concerns a full-fledged license for a remote casino.

Step 3: Design the website

At Limeup, we are concentrating on reimagining online casino design and improving user experience. We can ensure that your online casino will stand out from the competition by providing an engaging, seamless, and immersive experience for an end user.

We offer the opportunity to create a custom online casino that will stand out from the out-of-the-box platforms of most competitors. A seamless interface, sleek design, intuitive navigation, and enhanced user experience are the backbones we deliver to contribute to your casino’s success.

Our design team will accompany you at every stage of UX research and share all the intermediate results so that the final result can ensure an unparalleled casino experience for your users. Then, we focus on delivering wireframes and prototypes that outline the user journeys in detail to agree upon further design steps.

After the basic picture of the design is approved, we move forward with creating an overall visual appearance of the online or crypto casino solution. At this stage, color schemes, themes, icons, and other elements are designed according to the branding guide to correspond with the image you want to portray.

Step 4: Build the software

The software is the backbone of the entire platform, so keeping a strong focus on this step is essential if you want to make an online casino that will be profitable and operational. There are several stages of the development process, which can differ slightly based on your specific project requirements.

Every development process starts with thorough planning. Based on the documentation and architecture of the project, our iGaming software providers schedule tasks according to their priorities and initiate platform development. Meanwhile, our project manager oversees the entire process at every stage and provides reporting to a customer.

Detailed and well-structured documentation is a complete package of documents that allows customers to understand and use all the platform’s features fully. Moreover, the documentation will enable you to manage and scale an online casino efficiently. We also build the architecture of the future platform, taking into account the potential load on the infrastructure and possible scaling.

Step 5: Decide on the gaming library

This stage is vital since the choice of game types and game providers defines the interest of the users in your casino platform. Each type of game has different profitability and favor among users. That is why it is imperative to understand your customer pool and their interests and preferences in gambling.

Some prefer table games, including Poker, Blackjack, and Baccarat. Others may spend hours on end playing Roulette or progressive jackpot slots. So here are a few fundamental parameters that you should pay attention to when creating a game library:

• Game providers
• House edge
• Versatility for different types of devices

Remember that your online gaming customers may be gambling on older smartphones. Therefore, choosing powerful 3D graphics for slots can become an obstacle for ordinary users. On the other hand, if you are targeting a solvent audience, such finer points can be left aside.

Step 6: Launch and maintenance

The long-awaited launch of an online casino is the first step toward building a sustainable business and a successful gaming network. Achieving long-term success will require focusing on essential elements such as growth and maintenance.

Once your platform is deployed into the servers, the work does not end there. Understanding how to open an online casino involves continuous analysis of key performance indicators and anticipating areas for optimization or improvement. This will allow you to strengthen your competitive advantages and quickly implement technological and marketing innovations.

Scaling is one of the stages after launching a casino and debugging all processes, from attracting a user to paying out winnings. For example, expanding the list of quality games is one of the most common updates you can implement when maintaining online casinos.

Step 7: Provide exceptional customer support

A customer-centric approach and exceptional user support are central when starting an online casino. These approaches are critical to the implementation of long-term business development strategies. However, providing exceptional customer support and retention service will require significant resources and a balanced approach.

Remember that a certain percentage of the players coming to your gaming site will be newbies. A FAQ or a chatbot will unlikely be able to handle all of the queries. Therefore, ensure that your brand representatives can respond to user requests and be as helpful as possible to players of any level.

Step 8: Set up a marketing strategy

Forming a loyal customer base, retaining, and attracting new players are the top priorities of marketing and promotion. A detailed marketing strategy is critical to increasing traffic to an online casino site and maximizing your user base.

Gambling is among the most highly competitive niches, so a well-thought-out and robust marketing strategy covers two main issues: increasing brand awareness and attracting new users. For this reason, loyalty bonuses and promotions are the keys that can help you start your own online casino.

As with bonus programs, marketing tools require constant updating and monitoring of performance. Optimizing your marketing efforts will allow you to pinpoint which areas or advertising tools need refinement to allocate resources more efficiently.