Building a successful online casino business is not a walk in the park but writer Sharon Davies has the secret.
‘You say that like we’re baking a cake,’ laughs Sharon, as she takes another sip of her morning coffee – decaf Americano, no milk, no sugar. She’s referring to our question: what’s the secret formula to a successful online casino business? This is something that might sound simple to a lot of readers.
After all, in 2023, there is room for countless online casinos, with new tech like AI, VR, and 5G paving the way for more efficiency, accessibility, and new forms of gaming. But building an online casino is not as simple as knocking a few games together and hoping it all works out. The experienced AskGamblers writer Sharon Davies knows this better than anyone.
Trust In Online Casinos
‘It’s about giving players the full package,’ she says firmly. ‘Even for a startup casino, users have to feel like they’ve existed for decades, even though they know they haven’t. There’s no room for inaccuracy. Think about the pomp and pretension of traditional casinos. You’re supposed to put on that sort of show, and do it confidently, with all things considered.’
Sharon is a delicate, but serious talker. Even over a Zoom call, she seems to take over the room with her words and her passion. We tell her this. She laughs.
‘It’s not me, it’s my connection. See, I’m in one of those areas of the US that actually has 5G.’ For those unaware, she’s talking about the ongoing – but rather slow – rollout of the new 5G network. We asked her if that’s important for casinos.
‘Not really,’ she replies. ‘But I know the point you’re trying to make. We’re in a world now where speed is everything, and that’s the first thing an online casino must deliver. Speed. Efficiency. Because if you have those two things, then you are giving convenience to the user. And that’s the keyword. Convenience.’
Convenience In Online Casinos
Online casinos only became a thing because people preferred the idea of playing their favourite games quickly, even though they were giving up the whole event of the traditional casino. The social aspect, and everything that came with that. They want convenience.’
As if on cue, there’s a small ping behind her, and she gets up to pour another cup of freshly brewed coffee from the machine. We ask her how exactly casinos offer that convenience.
‘Well, having a range of games for a start, and making them accessible. For instance, name me one of the most popular casino games…’ We reply by saying “Blackjack”. ‘Okay,’ she continues, ‘so what do you do if you know everyone’s favourite game is Blackjack? You offer them Blackjack. But there are so many ways you can play that game. Over a hundred. So you have to offer them as many variants as possible, to cater to that one customer who prefers Buster Blackjack over Blackjack Switch or Spanish 21. And you have to do it in as few clicks as possible.’
Security In Online Casinos
We ask Sharon whether those are the only staples you need for a successful online casino.
‘Those are perhaps the most important. That’s what AskGamblers really looks for, especially in our recommendations. But speed and convenience come down to more than the games. Security, for instance. How fast can you pay? How fast can you claim your win, or put down a deposit? How many different options are there? You have to make sure that the whole aspect doesn’t take up too much of the player’s time, but you need to make sure it’s safe too, and as secure as possible. That’s the trust thing we were talking about earlier. There are so many online casinos out there, you have to know you can trust the platform you’re playing on, and every detail has been put into making it secure in an age of worsening cyberattacks and hacking attempts.’
We finish up by saying that it sounds pretty simple, but Sharon refutes that.
‘It’s simple to say, but not so simple to achieve. In fact, it really is like making a cake. Sure, the recipe might look easy to follow, but then you start doing it, and there’s flour everywhere, and eggs all over your pants. It takes real care and precision to get right so that everyone can enjoy their slice. And the best casinos have worked that out. Not just the staples, but how to apply them.’