How to start an online casino
Three decisions shape the launch: the platform model, the licence, and who brings the players.
Updated
White label, turnkey or your own build?
The question underneath all three is who holds the licence and the money. Everything else follows from that.
| Aspect | White label | Turnkey | Own build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | The provider's | Yours | Yours |
| Payment accounts | The provider's | Yours | Yours |
| Player funds sit with | The provider | You | You |
| Software | The provider's | The provider's | Built by your team |
| What you run | Brand and marketing | Brand, marketing, compliance, payments | Everything |
| Time to launch | Shortest | Longer, the licence sets the pace | Longest |
| Upfront cost | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
| How the provider is paid | Setup fee and a share of revenue | Setup fee and a monthly or revenue-based fee | No provider; you pay a development team |
| Leaving later | Hard. Players registered under their licence | Possible. The licence and accounts are yours | Not applicable |
Most first-time operators start on a white label and find out later what they signed. If you expect to outgrow it, settle the player database and the exit terms before the setup fee is paid.
What does an online casino need to run?
Five things. A provider can sell you the first four.
- A licence, or a provider who lends you theirs. The licence decides which countries you can serve and which payment and game companies will work with you.
- A platform. Player accounts, wallet, bonuses, back office and reporting. This is what white label and turnkey providers sell.
- Games and odds. Casino games arrive through an aggregator, one integration that carries many studios. A sportsbook needs an odds feed and a trading team, usually from the same provider.
- Payments. Deposit and withdrawal methods your players already use, in their currency. A method that works in one country is often missing in the next.
- Players. Nobody includes these in the package. Ads, SEO, affiliates and retention start on launch day and do not stop.
The fifth is our trade. See how we run iGaming acquisition or compare iGaming marketing agencies.
Where do the regulators publish their rules?
Fees and requirements change, so each row links to the regulator. Where we have read the fee schedule ourselves, the breakdown is linked too.
- Curaçao
- Curaçao Gaming AuthorityLicenses online gaming under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK). Applications go through its own portal.Curaçao fees and deadlines
- Anjouan
- Anjouan GamingStates that it operates under the Anjouan Offshore Financial Authority and issues licences in B2C and B2B categories.Anjouan cost and requirements
- Kahnawà:ke
- Kahnawà:ke Gaming CommissionLicenses gaming within and from the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawà:ke, with five licence types for interactive gaming.
Regulator descriptions are taken from the linked sites as read on . A licence from one jurisdiction does not make a site legal in every country where its players sit. This page is not legal advice.
Eight questions to ask before you pay a setup fee
Ask for the answers in writing. A provider who will not give them has answered.
- Whose licence will my site run under, and can I see it on the regulator's register?A licence number you cannot find on the regulator's own site is not a licence.
- Which legal entity signs the contract, and where is it registered?You need a company name and registration number before any money moves.
- Who holds player balances, and how are withdrawals funded if you stop trading?On a white label the money is in their accounts, not yours.
- Who owns the player database, and can I export it if I leave?This decides whether you are building a business or renting one.
- What is the revenue share calculated on?A percentage of gross gaming revenue and the same percentage of net revenue after bonuses and fees are very different numbers.
- Is there a monthly minimum, and from which month?A minimum fee is owed whether or not the site has players yet.
- Which game studios and payment methods are live for my market today?A long catalogue means little if the titles and methods your players want are blocked in their country.
- What are the notice period and the exit terms?Read these before the setup fee is paid, not after.
The same habit applies to whoever buys your traffic. Our iGaming agency RFP generator writes the question list for marketing agencies.
Tools and guides for each decision
- Platform finderFive questions, one suggested model.
- Gaming license cost calculatorRegulator fees for Curaçao and Anjouan.
- Startup cost calculatorYour quotes plus regulator fees, totalled for year one.
- Turnkey casino vs white labelWho holds the license, the money and the players.
- iGaming software providers comparedWhat six providers publish about themselves.
- White label betting platforms comparedSportsbook providers, licenses and trading.
- Turnkey sportsbook solutionsThe parts, and what you supply yourself.
- Casino API and game aggregatorsHow one integration carries many studios.
- How online casinos make moneyFrom wagers to what is left, worked through.
Tell us what you are launching
We ask a few questions, then introduce you to a platform provider that fits your market and budget.
RedClaw is a marketing agency, not a platform provider. The introduction costs you nothing; a provider we introduce may pay us a referral fee. We do not take enquiries for markets where promoting online gambling is prohibited.
Common questions
How much does it cost to start an online casino?
It depends on the model. A white label has the lowest upfront cost because you use the provider's licence, payment accounts and software, and pay a setup fee plus a share of revenue. A turnkey launch adds your own licence, company and payment accounts. Building your own platform adds a development team. In all three, player acquisition is a separate budget that continues after launch. Ask each provider for the setup fee, the monthly minimum and the base the revenue share is calculated on, in writing.
What is the difference between a white label casino and a turnkey casino?
With a white label you operate under the provider's licence and payment accounts and you run the brand and the marketing. With a turnkey solution you use the provider's software but hold your own licence and payment accounts, so compliance and player funds are your responsibility. White label is faster and cheaper to start; turnkey gives you control and makes it possible to change provider later.
Do I need a gambling licence to start?
A site has to run under a licence, either yours or your provider's. A white label lets you start under the provider's licence. A licence from one jurisdiction does not make the site legal in every country where players sit: each country sets its own rules on who may offer gambling to its residents. Check the rules of your target market with a lawyer before you choose a licence. This page is not legal advice.
Can I move from a white label to my own licence later?
Sometimes. The players registered under the provider's licence, so moving them depends on what your contract says about the player database and on the provider's cooperation. Ask about migration and data export before you sign.
What does RedClaw do here, and what does it cost?
RedClaw is a marketing agency. We run paid ads and SEO for iGaming operators. We do not sell a casino platform. If you send the form on this page we ask a few questions and introduce you to a platform provider that fits your market. The introduction is free for you; the provider may pay us a referral fee. Our own ad and SEO work is a separate paid service.