A white label casino – all you need to know
If you are thinking about opening your very own online casino, it means you may have a keen eye for business opportunities, as iGaming has exploded in recent years. Many established brands have moved their casinos online, and dozens of new online-based platforms have appeared, each providing entertainment to a rising global community. There is no stopping to this trend, and as the demand grows, so does the number of providers who build and maintain these types of establishments – and who meet to exchange their experiences during annual global fairs in different parts of the world.
If you investigate the topic of iGaming further, sooner or later you will come across the term “white label casino”. This article will provide you with key information about the concept – what it is, who it is for, what benefits it has in contrast to standard development, what the downsides are, and what to focus on when looking for the best white label solution provider.
What is a white label online casino and who does it benefit the most?
First, it is important to point out that the term “white label” can be attached not only to a casino but to other products or services as well. In this broad understanding, a white label product or service is one that was created by a producer and provided to a company with that company’s branding. The product/service is sold with that company’s logo even though it was created by a different firm.
In iGaming, a white label casino is an online casino with backend and fronted provided by a company, but it includes the branding of the client’s own firm. It is possible to track the actual manufacturer of the service, as some countries require clear information about the licensing, which can be provided to users, e.g., in the footnote of the site, in its terms of use or privacy policy.
When it comes to benefits, white label is usually the least expensive option for the client and takes the burden of technical development, maintenance, legal arrangements and licensing off his shoulders. This is a great option for most clients, especially those that do not mind being connected to the provider through his license. Having an outside team deal with the development and maintenance allows the client to allocate his human resources elsewhere.
What are the cooperation models with a white label provider?
In most cases, the white label provider is responsible for the full implementation of the project. After all, it is the company’s own product and license, and they may not reveal the tech behind the platform. The client purchases a “black box” with a solution and is obliged to pay a monthly fee for maintenance. He also has to share a % of the revenue with the game providers and white label provider. Aside from the payment factor, this dependence benefits the client as a lot of responsibility is taken off his back.
What difficulties you may expect and when
There are two major situations when difficulties may arise – either when the casino is overperforming or underperforming. In the first case, when the platform begins to generate very high turnover, the fact that the owner has to share the profits with the white label provider may be an issue. In the latter example, when the income is not as high as expected, it may be difficult for the client to cover the fees for each subsequent month of support and maintenance. A well-crafted business plan is key to helping the investment succeed in the first months when the platform should be picking up speed, and the focus is on polishing the experience and attracting more visitors.
How to effectively improve the business efficiency of a white label casino?
It is worth pointing out that white label providers usually allow for full customization of the website’s appearance – within the boundaries of the norms the white label online casino has to follow as a result of the specific license. This is an opportunity to stand out from the competition. iGaming marketing is another important factor. White label providers create and maintain the platform, but marketing is usually not included in the package. It may be provided at an additional fee, but it’s often the client’s responsibility. Some owners hire a different company to do digital marketing for them, as the subject is very broad and iGaming is a very specific niche, which is not easy to advertise.
A key aspect is effective search engine optimization (SEO). A specialist or an entire team of specialists should engage in a number of activities that would help promote a white label casino and who would monitor the website for any technical issues that might affect page ranking – there are several auditing tools just for that, some of the most popular ones are provided by Google itself. An SEO specialist would work on link building, i.e., the person would be trying to put links to the platform on other websites with high authority. Whisper marketing in the right places, such as iGaming forums and groups, is also part of SEO. Social media activity remains one of the most important marketing elements. Having a presence on the most popular SMs such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok is key to reaching a larger audience. Frequent updates will ensure users that the platform is alive and well, and that there is always something interesting to look forward to. Adding a link to such messages will be an additional benefit. Longer written content is also important. Having a dedicated writer who publishes an SEO-optimized article (with the right keywords, headings, internal linking, etc.) every few days will help support organic traffic, and give the rest of the team a resource to provide links to, or to write more social media posts. Guest articles on renowned platforms with high authority and traffic (e.g. Malta Today or Times of Malta) may also be worth an investment. There are many ways to apply SEO, and its just one side of Digital Marketing.
How to change a white label?
The system provider issues the license for using the system, but the brand belongs to the client. So if the client wants to change the system, he can do it. He can work on the frontend with his logotype/brand from scratch, or he may try to find a way to copy elements from the old system.
One of the difficult aspects of implementing a radical change is the effect it may have on search engine optimization. Address changes and broken links may, and most probably will, have a significant negative impact on the platform. This might lead to low positions in search engine results, rendering a page virtually invisible online. Before making a big change, it is important to make sure that the new engine cooperates and allows, for example, to implement redirections from old addresses to new ones. Other important factors to consider include whether the new engine supports all the functions the old system had. It’s easy to forget about all the useful functionalities that were present in the previous system when the new one offers “so many interesting solutions”. It’s important not to get carried away, and to remember about the basics. Another important aspect, both from the users’ and clients’ perspectives, is the quality of support offered by the new white label provider. If something goes wrong, if there is a technical issue or some other problem with the platform, it’s important to know whether a solution is provided quickly or if it is necessary to wait weeks or more. Only facts matter in this case, not promises, so the reputation of the new company has to be good. Lastly, it is important for the platform to run well, for several reasons. Users will not want to use a website that constantly forces them to wait or one that frequently crashes. A white label casino has to be able to support the intended traffic. Low performance is also a key negative factor for SEO, affecting your website’s online visibility. As you can see, the technical and marketing aspects are intertwined, with one affecting the other.
How to recognize a good white label provider?
To ascertain whether a given white label provider is reliable and trustworthy, it is worth checking if known and appreciated payment providers and game developers cooperate with the given company. If the provider operates using an MGA license, on the MGA page you can easily check the names of casinos that operate using the white label’s specific license. Having that knowledge, you can investigate further, and see their solutions, overall performance, etc. Consulting is also a good choice knowing that the decisions you make will have an impact for many months or years to come.
Conclusion
A white label solution is usually a very good option for those who are just about to enter the iGaming industry. It often results in lower costs than the development of an original platform from scratch, it allows for full customization, and it takes off some of the responsibility from the client’s shoulders. For a monthly fee, the client receives maintenance and support services and can focus his resources on other aspects critical to the rising platform’s success, such as digital marketing.
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