Online casino games are a great tool to make money from home, and the virtual nature of the business means operators don’t need to spend a fortune on premises or staff. However, setting up your own virtual casino does require some initial investment, and there are some special skills that you’ll need to acquire.
If you have a passion for gaming, read here about how to start an online casino business. You might think that starting an online casino is something only big companies with lots of cash could do – but in reality, it’s much easier. With the rise of sites like Upwork and Fiverr, businesses of all sizes can outsource tasks at a very reasonable cost.
So if you have a love for slots, card games, and poker – as well as a computer with high-speed internet access – read on to find out how you can get started with your online casino.
Decide on a Niche
First, you need to decide on a niche for your online casino. The easiest way to do this is to look at the most popular games in land-based casinos. If you’ve ever played at a real-life casino, you’ll know that most people prefer slots and table games, which are simpler and more social.
Casinos also rely on these games because they have a house edge of around 10%, which means the operator can make a profit even if you win. Therefore, if you specialize in these games, you’ll be able to offer them lower stakes and rake than other casino games. Also, ensure that your online casino is registered with one of the legal states for online casino gambling.
Choose Your Platform
Once you’ve decided on the kind of virtual casino you want to run, the next step is to choose a software platform. It’s the program that will run your entire operation, and your options include Playtech, NetEnt, and SkillOnNet. If you’re new to the industry, you may want to start with a lower-end option that is cheaper and easier to set up.
However, these options may not be as robust. Alternatively, you can go for a premium platform that offers more features but will require more time and money to implement.
Hiring Staff
If you run an online casino, you’ll have to employ staff to handle customer queries. But you don’t need to recruit people for full-time duties – instead, you can use a virtual call center to provide customer service. These services can be outsourced to companies in the Philippines or India – they are cheap and effective.
For example, you could hire one person to deal with general queries and another to handle issues related to deposits and withdrawals. Alternatively, you can hire a single rep that does all three, although this does increase the cost.
Acquiring New Players
Acquiring new players for your online casino is a matter of advertising. You can buy advertising space on Google AdWords, Facebook, and other social media sites. However, you should be aware that advertising in these places can get expensive very quickly. Another option is to partner with a third-party affiliate program.
An affiliate program is a service that links your casino with other sites that offer links and banners to promote it. In return for driving traffic to your site, the affiliate gets a commission.
Choosing the Games You’ll Offer
The games you choose to offer are the most important part of your business. Research the games played in real-life casinos, and make sure you include the most popular titles in your virtual business. The best games are easy to play, have low stakes, and are designed to be sociable.
The games you offer will play a big part in determining your business model. For example, you can offer lower stakes if you specialize in poker or rely on a larger rake if you offer blackjack. The games you offer will also determine the kind of staff you need to hire. Most online casinos hire programmers to create different games.
However, if you want to offer card games, you’ll also need dealers to provide realistic gameplay. You can hire dealers from freelancer websites like Upwork and Fiverr, and they are relatively cheap to hire. However, they may not always produce high-quality work.
Launching Your Site and Ad Campaign
After you’ve decided on the type of casino you want to run and chosen your platform, it’s time to launch the site. It will be a mixture of updating your website with new games and banners to promote the business and adding new payment options. You’ll also want to begin an advertising campaign to bring in new players.
However, before you do this, you need to register your virtual casino with an appropriate regulatory body. The easiest way to do this is to sign up with a remote gambling operator.
Wrapping Up
Once you’ve launched your online casino, you’ll want to keep the customers coming back for more. You’ll have to keep adding games and improving customer service. You may also want to host tournaments and other events to keep your players coming back and encourage them to bring their friends.
Before long, you’ll have built up a loyal following and be able to quit your day job to focus on running an online casino full-time.
