The online casino industry took form in the mid-1990s with the birth of the Internet and has grown ever since. Despite not changing significantly in the way they do business, online casinos have experienced a boom in the 21st century that makes them one of the most prominent online entertainment sources in the world. From a white-label solution to an online casino affiliate program, here’s a brief overview of how the online casino industry works and why the business model has proven to be so successful.
Casino Platforms
The core of any online casino is a strong software platform. The platform needs to support a lot of potential players, provide interesting games, and have an attractive user interface that makes people happy to play. While some casino operators spend the time and money to create their own unique software platform, most save on costs by using a white-label service that provides a pre-made casino experience.
A white-label platform gives a casino owner everything they need, including customization options to add the casino’s unique logo and branding information. A good casino platform provides a strong user experience and a high degree of security that keeps transactions safe for all users.
Game Libraries
Similar to the platform itself, most online casinos don’t design their game libraries on their own. Instead, they rely on major providers of online casino software, each of which has hundreds of different casino games, virtual slots, and other forms of entertainment to offer. Most online casino owners enter into an agreement with one specific casino game provider and include that branding somewhere on their site.
The casino pays for the right to use the provider’s games but gets to reap all the profits that come in through those games. The casino also keeps the ability to add, remove, or edit games as necessary. This provides a unique experience from one casino to another, even if they share the same basic software platform and game library.
Mobile Design
The biggest breakthrough in the online casino industry has been the transition from browser-based software to mobile platforms. The most successful casinos now provide the ability to play games and make transactions through a mobile app. This allows people to game on the go, which means more customers in any given 24-hour period even if they don’t remain online as long. Mobile casino platforms have changed the way the industry works in a significant way, providing a way to open up online gambling to a wider population. If you plan to enter the online casino business and don’t have a specific software platform in mind, be sure to consider the mobile offerings available.
With technology continuing to improve and mobile devices making it easier to access online entertainment than ever before, the online casino industry will likely continue to grow. Whether you are a customer or somebody who hopes to one day develop an online casino of your own, knowing how the industry works and what has driven much of its growth over recent years is very useful.