What you need to know about starting an online casino

In the ever-changing betting and gaming landscape, online casino has become a beacon of consistency.

On average, in the 12 months through to the end of September 2024, a new online casino launched nearly every three days. There are now over 3,500 such platforms worldwide – and they are expanding, fast.

Fuelled by a rapid expansion in game providers and portfolios, at the latest count, online casinos operated more than 40,000 URLs – up from just over 26,000 a year earlier.

The vertical’s market value, estimated at $19.11bn last year, is projected to increase by a compound annual growth rate of 12.2% from 2025 to 2030.

Online casino is booming – and increasing mobile adoption worldwide is only accelerating demand, resulting in more entrepreneurs than ever starting an online casino business. There are half a billion more mobile phone users than there were just three years ago, with 87% of the current total owning smartphones. The opportunity for would-be operators wondering how to start an online casino is unparalleled.

Growing momentum

TrueLabel, an online casino platform provider with white-label and turnkey clients, is well positioned to provide an inside perspective of this growing momentum.

“The igaming industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, making it an ideal time to launch an online casino,” CEO Maxim Vinnikov says.

“The increasing legalisation of online gambling in various markets, technological advancements, and shifting player preferences toward digital gaming all contribute to this momentum. With more players engaging in online gaming than ever before, operators have a unique opportunity to enter a thriving industry, capitalise on emerging markets, and establish a strong foothold before competition intensifies further.

“Additionally, the rise of mobile gaming, innovative payment solutions such as cryptocurrency, and enhanced security measures have made online casinos more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.”

While launching an online casino is an increasingly compelling proposition for igaming entrepreneurs and investors, Vinnikov stresses that such a project requires “careful planning and execution”. This, he says, should begin with detailed market research and business planning, with target markets identified, competitors analysed, and a unique value proposition defined.

White label or turnkey?

Deciding between a white-label or turnkey solution is the next step, with the former being favoured for a quick launch and a reduced regulatory burden, while the latter typically offers greater control and flexibility, but with direct licensing and operational management required.

Then the task is to select a flexible and scalable igaming platform provider.

“For white-label operators, it’s important to verify if a platform provider offers a broad portfolio of integrated game content and payment solutions with commercially attractive terms,” Vinnikov says. “That significantly accelerates time to market and reduces operational costs.”

After creating an engaging and user-friendly casino website optimised for desktop and mobile users, and undergoing thorough testing to ensure functionality, security and compliance before officially launching, attention turns to customer engagement techniques to attract and retain players. On a related note, it is important to establish a strong support team and responsible gaming policies to enhance player trust and satisfaction.

Tackling the challenges

However, complacency is fatal – and potential pitfalls and headwinds have to be navigated if a brand is to secure market share in an increasingly cluttered space.

More than 1,000 closed online casinos are listed on the AskGamblers affiliate website – just some of the brands that have succumbed to market or regulatory pressures over the years.

According to Vinnikov, there are several specific challenges that first-time operators commonly encounter. As a starting point, he says, some simply underestimate the operational scope.

“Many assume that picking a platform is the biggest hurdle,” he explains. “In reality, success also depends on licensing, payments, retention tools, marketing and customer support – all needing close coordination from day one.”

Overcomplicating the product at the outset and also launching without a clear retention strategy are two other issues that often scupper hopes of growth.

“Ambitious ideas are great, but trying to implement too many features, markets or custom integrations early on can delay time-to-market and distract from core user experience,” Vinnikov adds. “Also, operators may focus entirely on acquisition and neglect player engagement. A generic experience without loyalty mechanisms or personalisation won’t perform in today’s competitive landscape.”

With this in mind, TrueLabel offers a platform that features customer relationship management, as well as gamification, loyalty and support tools. There is also a deliberate focus on providing strategic advice early on in the process, as well as practical guidance on the requirements for both white-label and turnkey models.

Regulatory landscapes

The provider is also on hand to share insights from multiple jurisdictions and regulatory landscapes. An online casino can live or die on the market selection – and some operators simply opt for the wrong one.

“Some markets seem attractive but have complex or slow-moving regulatory environments,” Vinnikov says. “Without proper guidance, operators can waste months or invest heavily in the wrong set-up.”

In the increasingly global marketplace, each online casino territory has its own regulatory regime, player preferences and operational challenges.

In Europe, for example, Vinnikov highlights that players often prefer high-quality graphics, live dealer games, sports betting and seamless mobile experiences. From a regulatory perspective, while licences from jurisdictions like Malta or Gibraltar were previously sufficient for operating across multiple countries, many nations now require operators to obtain local licences to offer their services. Furthermore, compliance with stringent anti-money laundering (AML) and responsible gaming policies – such as Know Your Customer (KYC) – is essential.

Contrastingly, Latin America’s rapidly growing market has emerging regulations, with countries like Brazil and Colombia appealing to operators due to high player engagement and evolving licensing frameworks.

Meanwhile, regulatory complexities in Asia means operators must navigate jurisdiction-specific laws and ensure secure payment processing for local players, with popular gaming options including live casino games and esports betting.

Critical compliance

Indeed, regulatory compliance is one of the most critical – and often underestimated – aspects of launching and running an online casino, Vinnikov adds.

It is not only essential for operators to stay informed about the specific requirements of each target market, but also work with legal professionals who specialise in igaming compliance. Building on this, selecting a platform that incorporates compliance into the product will make the process easier, with integrated responsible gaming tools, secure data handling, and automated KYC and AML checks.

“At TrueLabel, we’ve built up years of experience supporting operators in a wide range of jurisdictions,” Vinnikov says. “Our platform includes a deep repository of regulatory best practices, which we apply directly in our white-label projects making compliance smoother and faster for new brands.

“For turnkey clients, we’re always ready to share market-specific insights and help navigate the regulatory landscape based on real-world cases. Our goal is to make sure operators don’t just meet requirements but understand the broader context, and stay ahead of future changes.”

Timeline factors

Launch timelines vary depending on the chosen operation model and the complexity of the project.

For instance, with TrueLabel’s white-label solution, the timeline largely depends on whether the operator chooses a standard design template or a custom look and feel. Whether the platform needs additional functionality development is also a factor, according to Vinnikov. If the set-up is straightforward, a white-label casino can go live in between one and two months, with more customised projects extending the timeline up to six months.

With the turnkey model, operators take on licensing, payment and game provider integrations, and the full legal and financial infrastructure set-up. Depending on the jurisdiction and the complexity of the project, an online casino will typically take at least three months to launch, and possibly up to a year in some cases.

The main challenge with any brand launch, of course, is to get the right balance of speed, compliance, and crucially, customisation.

With increasing competition in the marketplace, differentiation is key. Given this, Vinnikov adds, operators should focus on unique game portfolios that offer diverse selections and exclusive content, as well as player engagement through gamification and loyalty programmes.

A seamless user experience that is mobile-friendly is essential, along with advanced fraud prevention and fair gaming policies to build player trust.

Power of personalisation

Personalised marketing strategies that leverage AI-driven insights for targeted promotions and retention are also increasingly viewed as vital for driving loyalty and customer lifetime value.

Across all sectors, more than three-quarters of all consumers get frustrated with companies fail to deliver personalised interactions. In an activity as personal as online casino, such demands will be amplified.

“TrueLabel empowers operators with all these tools, providing a cutting-edge platform that not only meets industry standards but also helps businesses establish a strong brand presence and gain a competitive edge in the igaming space,” Vinnikov adds. “By leveraging our expertise and technology, operators can create a sustainable and successful online casino that adapts to industry trends and player demands.”

While it is inevitable that the complexities and challenges of an online casino launch project will demand a forensic short-term focus, a vision that stretches into the future is also necessary to provide a platform for sustainable success.

“Our business model is built around long-term partnerships – not one-time set-ups,” Vinnikov explains. “We’re directly invested in the profitability and growth of the operators we support. When our clients succeed, we succeed, which is why we put such a strong focus on helping them build sustainable operations – not just launch quickly.”