How fast can you create a new casino for the Indian market?

Entering the world of business is usually daunting as there exists an air of uncertainty. The products or services you offer must be in high demand from your customer, and you need to be better than your competitors. 

However, with the online casino industry, you already know that players in India love gambling on the internet. It’s a sure-fire plan to start your entrepreneurial journey, but, and this is crucial, you must go about it legally and correctly.

Let’s consider how you can get your piece of the Indian online gambling spend. We look at the difference between being an affiliate and an operator. 

Which software should you use and which games do you want to host? And more importantly how do you go about getting a license? Read on to answer these questions and more. 

Why start an Online Casino in India?

Considering the storied history of gambling and constant technological developments, there’s never been a better time to start a new online casino. While this form of entertainment is popular around the globe, there’s a specific appeal in the Indian market. 

Firstly, their sheer population size as the second largest in the world means that you’re trying to hit a beach ball with a cricket bat - you’re never going to miss. When you factor in the connectivity to the internet and access to the latest devices, you have a steady platform for players to enjoy gambling.

In terms of the law, there is no defining, centralised law prohibiting gambling. Players can freely access offshore casino sites if they wish without the possibility of getting into trouble. India is also ranked first globally for new internet usage, with over 127 million people going online in 2019 alone. 

This statistic might encourage you to create a new casino brand for Indian players - approximately 80 percent of the adult population gamble at least once a year while 700 million people have access to smartphones. 

Ways to Get Involved

You can enter the world of online gambling as an operator or affiliate. The former will have higher costs since you’d need to obtain licenses, but the rewards are clear to see, and you can enjoy them in a short space of time. As an affiliate, you can use your digital marketing skills to recruit players for the casino and make some pocket money for yourself. 

Operating a customer-centric online casino requires a fair amount of dedication to achieve your desired results. Bear in mind that your site must be attractive and feature the games that will attract players to your online casino. 

Bonuses, promotions, cutting-edge technology, and platform compatibility are factors you must consider before entering this industry as a business owner. In short, these are the steps you must remember when you’re starting an online gambling site.

• Select reliable gaming software providers.
• Find gambling content.
• Obtain a proper gaming license.
• Include various legal payment methods.
• Create the look and feel of the casino.
• Focus on marketing and promotional activities. 

Software Providers

If your website is the 'building' of the online casino, the software providers are the designers for the parts inside. It’s crucial to obtain high-quality software that can set you apart from the majority of providers. 

You need to strike a deal with a gambling software provider that assists in determining the performance expectations of the casino. While pricing, security, and terms of guarantees are essential, pay attention to the gaming content, technical support, and certifications that must be part of the package. 

Decide on Gambling Content

To establish a successful online casino for Indian players, you must find a way to attract the market and satisfy them. The old supply and demand principle applies best regarding the content. Land-based casinos are only legal in Goa, where Indian players can enjoy some offline gaming. 

Usually, players enjoy traditional table games such as Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, and Baccarat. However, those are available on any casino site. Indian players, in particular, prefer playing card games such as Teen Patti, Andar Bahar, and Indian Rummy. Since the rules of the game are familiar, it will be beneficial to create an online version for these players.

Slot machines with their eye-catching graphics, entertaining themes, and simplicity are attractive features for Indian players. Some popular slots include Goddess of Wisdom, The Age of God, and Steelman Game. Additionally, hosting live dealer games brings with it another degree of excitement since players can interact with an actual human dealer. 

This type of content makes players feel as if they’re enjoying a proper casino experience. Since Indians love sport, it would be to your benefit to include a sportsbook of some sort to offer live betting on sporting fixtures. Alternatively, virtual sports will have enthusiasts glued to their screens. 

Gaming License

The legal framework for gambling can differ significantly between countries which makes the licensing process complicated. Only a few nations have set out regulations for the market to follow. You can find various ways in which countries deal with gambling. These are:

• Countries that govern their home markets.
• Those that govern and have a monopoly.
• Nations where gambling is prohibited.
• Those that don’t regulate the market.

Several licensing jurisdictions exist, such as the United Kingdom, Curacao, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Alderney, and Malta. When selecting which jurisdiction to go with, consider their reputation, duration of the license, and the price for the operating permit. 

While some licenses have international recognition, other countries have authorities that demand the operator has a license from their internal bodies. A typical example would be if you wanted to operate the site in the UK, you’d need a license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Some online gaming providers and payment partners will only provide their services to licensed casinos. Furthermore, habitual gamblers, the people who are your main priority, generally look for license details before signing up for a playing account and spending their money. It’s a sign of trustworthiness that any casino site can do with, especially if they’re just starting. 

Secure Payment Methods

This factor is another critical point to consider, especially considering how your business will make money. Since you’re an international organisation, your online casino must support international transactions. When designing your business plan, your platform should be fully integrated with popular payment methods. 

You shouldn’t ignore some traditional methods such as credit and debit card payments or vouchers as it will negatively impact the operation. Without these, players can’t securely deposit or withdraw funds from their playing account. 

To have secure payment methods on the site, you must sign agreements with payment system providers who are transparent about their security structures. As a result, your casino and players transactions are kept secure.

When looking at a payment provider system, look at these points:

• Fast Processing.
• Supports Indian Currencies.
• Excellent Reputation.
• Online Support.
• Anti-Hacking Capabilities.

Furthermore, understanding what the Indian market prefers in terms of payment methods would do a lot of good. PayTM is a local company from Uttar Pradesh and offers its services in 11 Indian languages. GPay is Google’s payment system in India that allows users to transfer money using a bank account without transactional fees. 

Unified Payments Interface or UPI is a product of the National Payments Corporation of India. Since the Reserve Bank of India governs it, you can trust the instant funds transfer between two bank accounts. Finally, Visa and MasterCard have become the world standard for online transactions, and Indian players also use this method. 

Creating the Website

If anybody tells you that appearance doesn’t matter, they’re not in the online gambling world. We can’t stress enough how much aesthetics means to players. An eye-catching website goes a long way to attract new players to the site while retaining existing players. 

The visual information on the landing page increases the value of your site, which is why the quality should be first-class, and it needs to be different to other platforms. Using too many graphical elements can complicate the experience for certain players resulting in them ditching you for a simpler site. 

Use the correct image sizes for banners and thumbnails that players peruse when searching for a game.

Through every step of setting up the platform, envision the player going through the process to experience what it feels like. The site must be easy to navigate with clearly marked buttons. 

You can get inspiration from our partners that recently have launched new online casino sites in India, on that page, scroll through the list and check out the websites and design to get an idea on what they are doing.

Marketing and Promotion 

Marketing is the billboards for your casino. When you’re ready to open the gambling site to Indian players, you need to communicate all the positive elements of your platform. To do this, you’d require a proper marketing strategy alongside an affiliate program. 

Following this process ensures that your website receives constant engagement there’s always traffic into the site. Consider including generous welcome bonuses to attract players who are loyal to other platforms. 

When you have established a decent following, keep them around with the introduction of VIP programs and different retention strategies. It doesn’t hurt to perform competitor analysis to identify their weaknesses and strengths. This process allows you to weed out the negative while incorporating the positive ideas. 

Continue to Grow your Profit

When you’ve set up your new online casino, it’s time to sustain the business and bear in mind all the costs to keep you going. Licenses must be renewed annually, and you may require more staff to handle the workload. Factor in operational expenses such as website maintenance and leave the majority of your budget to marketing, ensuring that you remain profitable for years to come.