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maltatoday SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2017 Gaming XXI Six challenges aliates need to overcome to become gambling operators AN affiliate may have been reassured that joining the online gambling industry as operator would bring high winnings in the long run. But is it that simple? Are there additional risks and challenges we didn't notice? Though there are many types of online gambling websites and it is difficult to give a "one size fits all" formula, there are some major questions every new op- erator needs to answer in order to become a successful gaming player on the market: 1. What do I want to offer on my gambling website? It's wonderful that as an affili- ate you decided to take the leap and jump on the operators' boat. But have you decided on the gaming content you want to offer your clients? Building a classic casino gam- ing website supposes providing some popular casino games, such as slots, roulette, baccarat, bingo and poker. What about add- ing live casino rooms to deliver the ultimate "real-life" gaming experience? In case you decide to add live casino rooms to your website, don't forget there may be multiple software providers that you need to contact. At the same time, you may want to focus solely on sports betting, but will you leave aside the incredible thrills delivered by the last minute betting in live events? The above questions take us further to one of the most impor- tant points every new operator needs to tackle. 2. Whom should I select to build my gaming website? This is probably the single most important decision you'll need to make in your hopefully long career as gambling operator. To reach the best possible conclu- sion, you need to really under- stand the main players out there, their services and of course, their prices. Did you decide to launch an online casino? Or maybe you feel better in the sports betting arena? In this case, focus your search on software providers that are experienced in launching these types of gaming websites. Are you not fully decided and feel like changing direction in the future? Then, you should settle your search campaign by finding companies that delivered both platforms in the market along the years and did it in a success- ful manner. At the same time, every opera- tor needs to find a fully custom- isable solution and a flexible mindset that gives a certain free- dom in controlling the platform implementation, from day one to the final launch. Though each gaming business brings its own requirements, from a wide perspective, it is a wise decision to enter into a partnership with a software provider that is able to deliver a flexible software platform for both sportsbooks and casino games, a large array of payment options and multiple licences for various jurisdictions to access the targeted regions. 3. How do I obtain the necessary gambling licences to access the desired market(s)? The regulatory landscape in today's iGaming industry is more fragmented than ever. Especially when an operator wants to offer betting services in regulated countries and territories, like the ones in the European Union. Creating an online gaming website while respecting the requirements imposed across a jurisdiction is not an easy task to accomplish, not by yourself. There are a number of elements to question before you gain ac- cess to a particular jurisdiction, for example you need to know what licence requirements are to be respected, what are the costs involved and how much time it takes to obtain a licence. As the above questions imply, it's not easy to secure a gam- bling licence by yourself without some regulatory and legal teams behind. The easiest way to access a ju- risdiction is to simply become a licensee of the iGaming software provider we mentioned at step 2. This is another reason why selecting a reliable and experi- enced software provider is a vital decision. 4. Do I need a payment system provider? To enable players create depos- its and offer easy steps to collect their winnings is another ele- ment that needs to be tackled. To be considered as a serious player in the industry, you have to sign an agreement with a payment system provider that is capable to assure multiple payment options, for a number of countries. It is important, of course, to choose a payment provider that is more experienced in the market you want to access, than in other jurisdictions where you have little interest. As in the gambling licensing process aforementioned, to sim- plify things, it is recommended to find a software provider that integrated a large number of payment methods into its gam- ing platform. Finding a provider that is capable to deliver not only gaming software, but a licensing system and a number of payment options is of paramount impor- tance. 5. What should my website look like? For every operator, the way a gaming website looks like is important, no question about it. It matters to welcome players by offering a friendly interface and control the final gaming experi- ence. As a new operator entering the market, a normal question may rise, such as: Should I control my website's image or let the software provider take the best shoot? There is no denial that an experienced provider can give you a good template for your website, but in the end, isn't this the reason you want to become an iGaming operator: to offer the ultimate gaming experience and an original front end, totally different from other websites already out there? 6. How do I promote my gaming website? Some of the main tools used by affiliates in promoting their content is to combine social media with content marketing and search engine optimisation techniques. The same methods can be employed further on as gaming operators. But, delivering targeted content and specific information to increase a website's traffic audi- ence – especially when some so- cial media platforms and search engines are against gambling advertising – is not easy to do. Before you find your voice through a solid marketing strategy, there are a number of elements to be considered and reinforced online and offline, such as keeping your gaming website as a provider of quality games and fair betting options. In addition to this, your business has to be seen as transparent and trustworthy. As soon as you have secured the elements above, a number of marketing campaigns need to be launched and maintained over a long period of time in order to make your website's name known in the targeted market. To keep players interested, you can set up a number of market- ing strategies, from retention campaigns to bonus and loyalty systems. To become an iGaming operator To be successful in iGaming as operator, you need to prepare a long term strategy. As any online gaming business that targets a high number of customers, the financial aspects involved should not be treated lightly and the additional challenges, like regula- tory demands and legal requests, from a jurisdiction need to be fully understood. Setting up your business in a country recognised for its contri- bution to the iGaming industry's evolution is an important deci- sion that could affect in a posi- tive way your business operation. If we look at Malta, for in- stance, it is easy to notice the ob- vious advantages offered by this country, from its proximity to the European space to the quality provided by the online gam- bling legislation and the general regulatory framework that allows planning a gambling business. In addition to this, it is vital to understand that behind every major success there are people. Hiring the right individuals with experience in the field, able to contribute with their marketing skills and understanding the iG- aming industry is another major part of the business that should not go overlooked. Dealing with a number of af- filiates in the industry allowed us to witness a number of suc- cesses along the years among our clients. For example, Wayne Casino, a former gaming affiliate created by a team of gaming pro- fessionals with over 10 years' ex- perience in the industry, decided to take the step and become a gaming operator. Wayne Casino is now a popular online gambling website providing over 100 jack- pot, casino and live casino games with a Wild West theme. At the end of the day, the gam- ing operator is the one respon- sible for the players' satisfaction and delivering the ultimate gaming experience is the final purpose for every gambling web- site that wants to keep customers coming back for more.