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Extendy. How much does it cost to operate an online casino?
When thinking about launching their own online casino, many arbitrageurs consider a white label solution as the best option. With so many platforms on the market to choose from, it’s no wonder that many may feel deterred by all the work involved. Fully-fledged, high-level operations are offered only by a few white label casinos. What’s more, attempting to launch an online casino by one’s self essentially involves building a new business from scratch with all the risks and pitfalls that accompany it.
In this article, we will discuss all that goes into launching and operating an online casino based on one of our experience, the main departments and tasks involved, the number of employees needed at the start, and the costs involved in employing teams of iGaming professionals.
Payment Processing / PSP
Deals with player payment processing – from connecting payment methods to quickly resolving issues with deposits.
While part of the team monitors deposit drops, the other works ‘on the front line’ 24/7. This involves handling all player requests, and financial reconciliation. The Payment Processing department also ensures the necessary number of payment methods and their proper functioning: searching by GEO, signing, testing, integration, routing (switching payment methods), and communicating with payment account managers.
Included in the tasks of the Payment Processing team are helping to avoid signing unreliable payment methods, ensuring quick onboarding and annual payment method verification, quickly resolving deposit issues, and thus avoiding additional chargeback fees.
The department includes monitoring managers, inbound request handlers, business developers, lawyers, account managers, and technical specialists. To set up a PSP team would require at least 5 employees, with the cost of the team starting from €9000 depending on the location.
Payments, Risk & Fraud
Handles KYC, regulates payments, conducts checks when necessary, and identifies and combats fraud. While the team primarily uses automated solutions in their daily tasks, a significant part of the daily work is performed by employees.
Payment verification is carried out in several stages. Identifying fraud sometimes resembles detective work – one needs to study the overall behavior of different groups of players and look for patterns. Fraud is constantly evolving which also means employees in this department will be continuously analyzing, adjusting and tweaking processes to prevent fraudulent clients from returning, and to prevent various risks, including license complaints.
The department’s work affects direct potential losses from fraud, which can be quite substantial. A few months back, thanks to the quick work of the Payment, Risk and Fraud’s team, we were able to promptly identify and prevent a potential case of abuse of funds which could have cost us several hundred thousands of dollars.
When setting up a Payment, Risk and Fraud team, you could expect small volumes of FTDs (First Time Deposits). This means you can start off with a team of 6 employees which would cost around €9000 a month. Training employees and finding employees who are well-experienced in identifying unusual fraudulent schemes can prove to be particularly difficult, so these aspects should be taken into consideration.
CRM
Responsible for tournaments and gamification, this department’s key functions are player retention and upselling. The functionality can vary depending on which CRM system is used: more advanced solutions allow you to set up more flexible chains of actions and bonuses, quickly connect new GEOs, introduce player missions, and much more. However, such systems require more experienced employees to launch and manage activities for different segments of players, including VIPs.
When setting up your online casino, you could be looking at recruiting three CRM managers for one brand, and, depending on the location and the managers’ experience, the cost could begin at around €8000. Once again, it is important to consider the few experienced specialists on the market which could mean the price could be even higher.
Game Management
Responsible for negotiating with game providers and discussing promotions with game studios. The game management department also handles the placement of games on the casino site while taking the GEO into account. For instance, players in different countries will likely prefer different games. Localisation and dedicating proper prioritization to players will help increase casino revenue.
Specialists with a deep understanding of games and the markets might be hard to come by, and the cost of one manager when setting up a brand could start at around €2000 depending on the location.
Content
Responsible for player communication. This includes explaining tournament rules, drafting marketing material about upcoming tournaments and campaigns, drafting notifications, email newsletters, Gamble Addiction & Anti-Money Laundering policies, payout rules, various terms and conditions, and much more.
Discrepancies in the terms and conditions of ongoing tournaments can lead to thousands of support requests and even more serious consequences such as discrepancies in payout limits indications, followed by player complaints and license revocation.
When launching your content department, each language team can consist of 3 content writers who are native speakers of the language they are writing in, with each team costing around €5000 per month.
BI Analytics
One of the most important departments in an online casino, its main aim is to help the business make the right decisions. BI is critical for marketing, VIP management, CRM, antifraud, payments, and much more. The analytics team processes huge amounts of data from various sources, allowing other departments to monitor important metrics, evaluate efficiency, and optimize work.
Building an effective BI Analytics department can take up to a year and costs start from around €300,000 per year. The main expenses are the employees, software, and hardware. We should point out that investing more in the employees, or choosing rather to invest in the software aspect will have an effect on the level of automation but will not significantly impact the final cost.
While “Ready-made solutions” usually provide access to an analytical solution, there still needs to be someone who will manage it. Therefore, an operational team with high expertise is needed. Its size can vary from 5 to 20 employees depending on the tasks and solutions used. On average, the cost of the team’s work, including software and hardware expenses will be around €25,000 euros per month. An analytics team can start out with three employees, and can cost about €14,000 euros per month.
Support
This is the first point of communication for players, and the quality of the department’s work directly affects player retention and loyalty. Properly written player communication scripts, case resolution algorithms, and team training help with this.
Support agents work 24/7 to help solve various problems encountered by players regarding fund deposits and withdrawals, player and payment verification, and account settings. Customer support agents also explain tournament rules, promotions and campaigns, as well as casino features such as bonuses, missions, etc.
An effective customer support team usually includes between 20 to 70 customer support agents, depending on the level of automation and the GEOs involved. As the number of GEOs grows, finding enough employees with the required language skills and suitable experience can be a challenge. When setting up a customer support team, you need to consider starting out with at least 6 people, and the cost of this team would be around €7000.
Call Center
Partially complements support functions in solving new player problems but also performs other important business tasks, such as reactivation. A properly set up call center could mean a return of up to 20% of players.
Another function of call centers is collecting feedback and passing it onto the product team. For example, optimizing bonuses could result in players receiving more attractive rewards and an increase in deposits for the casino.
A call center department can start off with two employees, and can cost around €3000 per month.
VIP Management
Working with VIP players is key in casino operations, ensuring retention of high-paying clients and revenue growth. VIP managers develop a VIP management strategy and set metrics to classify clients as VIPs, such as average bet size, frequency of play, or deposit amount.
The main principle in working with VIPs is to provide a highly personalized service through creating exclusive promotions and bonuses based on the VIP players’ preferences and actions on the site. Unique bonus calendars need to be developed for each product the client plays: casino, sports, live.
The VIP manager should have a good sense of the player, a desire to solve problems, and have a sense of empathy, as well as be able to upsell bonuses, games, and other offers to the client.
The department also handles objections, resolves complex cases, and legal issues together with lawyers and other departments such as Risk & Fraud.
When starting out, a VIP department can consist of two managers, and should cost around €6000.
Conclusion
When launching an online casino, you’ll be looking at a minimum of 30 professionals and a minimum monthly cost of €63,000. This amount is based on CIS countries and only includes the net salaries of department heads and employees, mainly at mid-level. When hiring on the international market or head-hunting the best industry professionals, you could be looking at double the cost per team, and possibly higher.
Extendy is a white label solution that offers turnkey operations without additional costs for partners. We look forward to discussing the possibilities of launching your online casino brand. Reach out to us by filling in an application on the website if you want to discuss the possibility of cooperation and launching your casino brand with us.
The post Extendy. How much does it cost to operate an online casino? appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teams with Hard Rock International as Brand Ambassador

Hard Rock International has welcomed NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a brand ambassador to its roster of legendary athlete partners. This exciting partnership will bring exclusive collaborations and limited-time offers to NASCAR fans while they watch and revel in the 2025 season.
“Hard Rock is such a historic and iconic brand. I have always been a huge fan of music, so the vibes and attention to detail that Hard Rock puts into its locations is incredible to me. They have something for everyone – music, food, drinks, casino games and sports betting. I’m excited to partner with them and the opportunities we have to do some really fun things together,” said Earnhardt Jr.
“As a leader consistently delivering entertaining experiences across live music, gaming and sports to guests, Hard Rock is honored to have Dale Earnhardt Jr. as part of our team. Together we will celebrate the spirit of car racing at our properties across the globe through exciting new menu items, apparel and more,” said Keith Sheldon, President of Entertainment and Brand at Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming.
Through the partnership, NASCAR fans will have the opportunity to engage with Earnhardt via Hard Rock Bet, which has already hosted a sweepstakes at Daytona International Speedway and will offer additional “money can’t buy” experiences for its players to meet the Hall of Fame driver. Fans can also follow along with Earnhardt’s sports betting picks on the top-rated Hard Rock Bet app and view exclusive video content on @HardRockBet channels.
Additionally, later this spring, Hard Rock Games will debut the free-to-play Full Throttle with Dale Earnhardt Jr. slot game on the Hard Rock Neverland Casino and Jackpot Planet apps. This high-octane game will put players in the driver’s seat, with their race car gaining speed with each win, delivering an adrenaline-fueled slot experience like no other.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver, champion team owner, businessman, NASCAR analyst, and 2022 inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He won a record 15 straight NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards from 2003 to 2017, consecutive NASCAR Busch Series Championships in 1998 and 1999 and the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014.
The post NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Teams with Hard Rock International as Brand Ambassador appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Ernie Stevens Jr
Ernie Stevens Jr. Re-elected as Chairman of Indian Gaming Association

Ernie Stevens Jr. has been re-elected for his 13th term as Chairman of the Indian Gaming Association (IGA). Running unopposed, he received unanimous support from tribal leadership, reinforcing their confidence in his leadership.
Stevens said: “From day one of my Chairmanship, my commitment has been unwavering – my work is my campaign, always inspired and guided by our tribal leadership. For 24 years, I have remained steadfast, and I will not unpack my bags for the next two years either. Together, we will vigorously advance our proactive agenda and stand ready to unite Indian Country to defend tribal sovereignty at all costs. I promised each of you that I would dedicate myself fully – morning, noon, and night – to champion our interests in tribal government gaming. I am honored to be your messenger, amplifying the voices of our elected tribal officials, and I will carry your message with pride and purpose.”
During his tenure, Indian gaming revenues have soared from $11 billion in 2000 to over $49.1 billion in 2024, solidifying tribal government gaming as the largest segment of the gaming industry in the US.
The post Ernie Stevens Jr. Re-elected as Chairman of Indian Gaming Association appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Compliance Updates
BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable

Standards body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has represented the regulated betting and gaming sector at a shadow DCMS roundtable held on Tuesday.
The roundtable, titled: Future of the Gambling Industry in the United Kingdom, drew industry leaders together to explore key issues including responsible gambling, regulatory developments and the future of the sector.
CEO Grainne Hurst represented the BGC at the summit, hosted by Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Stuart Andrew MP and Shadow Minister for Gambling Louie French MP inside the House of Common’s Shadow Cabinet Room.
BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “It was fantastic to sit down alongside our members and other stakeholders from across our diverse sector to thrash out the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today with the shadow DCMS team.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Stuart Andrew and Louie French, two dedicated MPs who understand this industry, and are keen to ensure the Opposition are completely across the key pressures facing our members, their millions of customers, and thousands of employees.
“Collaboration is key for the BGC, and we welcome this positive engagement with the shadow DCMS team.”
The roundtable also focussed on balancing economic growth with consumer protections and social responsibility.
Following welcome remarks, the summit heard industry’s perspectives on current challenges and future opportunities plus ways in which the Opposition can support future policy.
Grainne attended alongside representatives from BGC members, Flutter, Entain, Evoke, bet365, Bally’s, The Rank Group, Star Sports and the Hippodrome Casino, plus the UK Tote Group, National Lottery, BACTA and the Gambling Business Group.
BGC members support 109,000 jobs, generate £6.8bn for the economy while raising £4bn in taxes.
They also help fund horseracing to the tune of £350m a year through sponsorship, media rights and the levy, provide £40m for the English Football League and its clubs and millions more for rugby league, darts and snooker.
Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
The post BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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