How to choose a platform to create an online casino
Creating a turnkey online casino or a ready-made solution?
These are three universal development options. The first involves obtaining a fully autonomous product, the second - the purchase of a ready-made sublicence, the third - the development of a site based on a ready-made script, with all those no deposit bonuses included. Let's take a closer look at them.
Casino turnkey
Development of casino online - is the writing of the "backbone" of the site, as well as the creation and configuration of the necessary tools that will provide the basic functions of the project. The site itself will cost from $20 thousand. If it is decided to develop a unique software together with the portal, the cost will range from $300 thousand to 1 million. Among the advantages:
full control of the source code;
control of the gameplay and applications;
no additional costs in the process.
Sub-licensed casinos
Buying a franchise or choosing any other ready-made option, the casino owner gets rid of the long and complicated process of creating a website. Usually it is enough to register a domain, rent hosting, and ready-made site templates for customisation is provided by the franchisor. This significantly reduces the cost of the start-up process: a sublicence will cost $15 - 60 thousand. Other advantages:
development and updates of the site are taken by the licence holder;
programmes are well-known and have been repeatedly tested in operation;
there is no need to maintain your own support service.
However, the franchisee has to promote someone else's brand, pay monthly interest on income (on average 7-15%) or buy a one-time, but expensive licence. In addition, he can not fully manage the gameplay and develop the project.
Script for casino
CMS for online casino - almost the most inexpensive and easy way to open a gaming site. In fact, it is a ready-made platform, which is enough to integrate on the site and customise.
The solution is good, but only in one case - if the script is developed by a responsible company, distributed for a fee and with certain conditions (support, software updates, etc.).
You should not trust free scripts for two serious reasons:
A free product is in most cases raw. It needs to be refined - accordingly, spend on developer services. It is cheaper and faster to buy a quality author's product.
There is a risk that a free platform has built-in spyware that will steal and transmit data (including customers' payment information).
What is the minimum functionality needed for an online casino site
Initiate the creation of an online casino should be clearly imagining the end result. There are several basic criteria for the successful operation of gambling projects on the Internet:
Attractive design without trivialities
Even if it is decided to create a site based on a ready-made franchise template or script, the design should be unique. It is better to connect it with the style of the gambling establishment. It is worth abandoning template solutions: "beauties", "suitcases with dollars", etc. They are used by 8 casinos out of 10.
Reliable CRM-system
It will become a single base for managing all content on the site, storage and processing of customer data, the work of technical support, etc.
Support for multiple languages
Online casinos are initially positioned as international projects. Within one country it is difficult to compete and work profitably.
Convenient personal account of the client
Simple management, clear functionality is welcomed.
Bonus and incentive system, affiliate programme
Practically mandatory elements to promote a modern gambling project.
In more detail, the casino site should include systems of player and challenge management, systems of administrative management of games and affiliates, security and payment systems, incentives and bonuses. You should also allow for multiple administrators to maintain the site. It would not hurt to have a convenient notification mechanism for registered players.
Self-described casino site: stages of development and integration
If there is a budget for the creation of a separate site and independent work, it is worth choosing this option. Consider the main points and stages.
What solutions to choose?
To develop a full-fledged self-described casino site use the Django framework in the Python programming language, PostgreSQL database management system, Vue.js JavaScript framework. For simpler (local, niche) projects, PHP, JavaScript and MySQL are suitable.
How to connect payments?
The most optimal option is to integrate a ready-made payment tool. It is difficult to work directly with bank acquiring: not all banks agree to work in a high-risk category, and not all players are comfortable paying only by card.
The way out is to connect Any.Money payment aggregator. Advantages of the service:
multi-currency support;
processing of cards of different payment systems;
acceptance of payments with electronic money;
work with promising cryptocurrencies;
a single merchant cabinet for managing transactions.
In essence, an aggregator is a complex tool that allows you to conveniently control large volumes of payments. They are received into a single merchant account, from where income can be withdrawn to the company's current account.
How long does development take?
Creating a website from scratch takes several months. The main stages are:
setting the task;
development and coordination of the terms of reference;
creation and approval of the design layout;
programme layout of pages;
programming of site functions;
integration of game software;
customisation and testing;
final edits and approvals.
The main functional parts of the casino site: administrator panel with live monitoring functions, user accounts, game deposits of players. For gaming software is characterised by the use of high-quality graphics, 3D-rendering, animated elements. All this has to be foreseen during development, and all this requires enormous resources.
Integration with services and game providers
The casino site is just a platform with basic functionality. In an online gambling establishment it is turned into a game. In most cases, for casinos choose ready-made products from providers. There are more than a hundred of them: 1x2 Network, Ainsworth, Amatic, Pariplay and many others.
Only global projects can afford to co-operate with them directly. The rest work through official intermediaries. Now there are many services on the market that allow you to cooperate with the products of several providers.
Such software is integrated via API. This is a set of software methods for adding content to a certain environment. The process requires professional intervention and can take up to 1 month (depending on the number of added games and solutions).
Ready-made solutions for creating online casinos
Site templates, modules, scripts - they greatly simplify the development process and allow you to launch a casino site in a matter of hours. Let's consider the specifics of this process.
3 gaming platforms with ready-made scripts for casinos
Win&Win Casino
One of the most popular online casino platforms in the CIS. Offers ready-made software and convenient CMS for quick product integration. Representatives claim that these solutions allow you to create a casino site in 1 day. In principle, this is true. You can evaluate the functionality and features by connecting the demo version.
Gaminator
This is a large and well-known provider of gaming projects. It offers ready-made solutions for creating a casino site, as well as software for already developed sites. The company is a partner of the world's major developers of casino and slots game software. This gives customers access to hundreds of luxury level software options.
Superomatic
Offers ready-made solutions for launching casinos online or on mobile platforms. The main specialisation is new-style slots in HD format, with modern design. Additional advantages for owners of gambling projects - transparent reporting, simple administration and technical support 24/7.
Installation of the script
Casino website template can be a completely ready-made project - it is enough to upload it to the hosting server and configure it. The second option - a script for a popular CMS. In this case, you need to initially install on hosting a suitable site management system, and then - connect and configure the script. Given the complexity of the project, it is almost always necessary to engage a specialist for this purpose.
Timing of integration
One of the main advantages: ready-made solutions for online casinos can be installed on the site and set up within a few hours. The site will be fully operational and ready to use. In general, the process can take from 1 to 5 days, depending on the individual features of the project.
Maintenance, updates and improvements
The platform for an online casino can be open source. This means that the site owner still has the opportunity to refine the code for the individual needs of the project and add new games, slots. In this case, worries about support, updating and fixing technical problems completely fall on the owner of the site.
If the platform is closed, the casino operator can not interfere in the software processes. On the one hand, this limits the possibilities. On the other - shifts the responsibility for updates, improvements, bug fixes to the developer of the platform.
Connecting payments for online casino script
Depending on the features of the ready-made module, the owner of the casino can have two options:
Use the provided payment solutions. Often the developer provides integrated gateways and aggregators for accepting payments. In this case, it is enough to make settings, specify details, sign the necessary documents.
Independently select and integrate a payment provider tool. As in the case with self-written casino sites, the best solution is to cooperate with an aggregator.
