The price of creating video games, including casino games, varies depending on the project. As of 2022, the market for internet gaming was worth USD 63.53 billion. It is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 11.7% from 2023 to 2030. Casino games are obviously a profitable industry to invest in. But how much must the creation of casino games cost? The total cost will depend on a number of variables. The entire cost of constructing a casino video game is influenced by a variety of factors, including security methods and casino game kinds.
Continue reading to find out more about the variables that determine the production expenses for casino games that are projected by various casino game development studios.
Market data for gambling games
Since the COVID-19 epidemic, casino games have become much more popular. By 2022, in-app purchases, or IAP income, from casino video games will total USD 6.37 billion, predicts Statista. In 2022, revenues from ads in casino games were at 2.64 billion USD.
According to Time to Play’s latest study on the US market for casino games, 50% of all international online gambling companies will have their headquarters there by 2023. The global average is 63%, compared to 58% of users in the USA who are interested in online casinos. India has the highest inclination for gaming, at 76%.
Factors Affecting the Development of Casino Games
Finding out the aspects influencing the cost is the first thing to do if you’re curious about how much it costs to produce a casino game. The phases of creating a casino game may be generally divided into three categories: design, integration, and game features. Together, these elements affect how much it costs to build a casino game. These elements are described in further depth below:
1. Game Design
Although it is not the most expensive aspect of creating a casino game, design plays a crucial part. The secret to choosing the general concept and topic for the casino game is to analyze the target demographic. Hiring a video game creator often costs $20 to $100 per hour. This design elements can make the casino costs higher:
- Graphics and Animation: The quality and complexity of graphics and animations significantly impact the development cost of a casino game. High-definition visuals, intricate animations, and realistic 3D modeling require more time and resources, leading to increased development expenses.
- User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX): Intuitive and visually appealing UI/UX design is crucial for engaging players in a casino game. Designing an interface that is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and provides a seamless gaming experience often involves specialized designers and developers, adding to the overall development cost.
- Gameplay Mechanics and Features: The complexity and variety of gameplay mechanics and features directly influence the development cost. Intricate game rules, interactive gameplay elements, and multiple bonus rounds require extensive development efforts, coding, and testing, contributing to higher costs.
- Sound Design and Music: High-quality audio, sound effects, and background music contribute to the immersive gaming experience. Investing in professional sound design and composing original music tailored to the theme of the game increases the development budget.
Understanding and carefully managing these design elements during the development process allows for efficient allocation of resources and helps control the overall cost of creating a successful casino game.
2. Coding
One significant element that affects the entire cost of the development process is the casino game’s code. The cost of development is influenced by the intricacy of the coding as well as the skill and execution of the coding. The anticipated total cost for creating the casino game is influenced by the skill, experience, and tech stack of the game developers. The software and technology used by game developers are typically determined by the platform on which the game is being created. Generally speaking, game developers favor technologies like JavaScript, C++, Pearl, NodeJS, and Angular.
3. Testing and Quality Assurance
Rigorous testing and quality assurance are vital to deliver a bug-free and polished casino game. Thorough testing across various devices, platforms, and user scenarios requires time and resources, impacting the overall development budget.
5. Tech Stack
The creation of casino games involves a number of specialized technology. Some of the software used to create various elements of these games includes the following:
- Among the tools used to create art include Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, and Inkscape.
- For 3D modeling, programs like Blender, Adobe After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Autodesk 3Ds Max are utilized.
- Figma, Adobe XD, InVision, and other programs are used for UI/UX design.
- CryEngine, Unity, GameMaker Studio, Lumberyard, and other well-liked options are frequently used as gaming engines for casinos.
- Programming languages including C++, C#, JavaScript, HTML5, and Python are frequently used to create casino games.
- Casino game testing makes use of tools like Unreal Engine Automation, System, Appium, and Unity Automated Testing.
6. Integration of Third-Party APIs and Systems
Implementing third-party APIs and systems, such as payment gateways, customer support systems, or analytics tools, into the casino game impacts the development cost. Integration complexity, customization, and ensuring seamless functionality can add to the overall expenses.
7. Features
The game’s ability to work properly depends on a number of aspects. The lengthier it takes to design a game, the more features and how complex it is. The game also has other elements that were created and added. That would raise the overall cost of development, though. Some of the elements that the casino game must have are listed below.
Creating an Account and a Profile
To play safely, users must register and create a profile on the online casino gaming platforms. This enables the program to accurately measure user stats. As a result, each casino gaming app or website must need registration and profile setup. You need this feature, thus it has to be made since you can’t live without it. Depending on the intricacy of the features being built, the cost to construct this feature is often between $300 and $5,000.
Financial Integration
Smooth operation of casino games depends on payment integration. To enable consumers to complete all transactions easily, there must be a variety of payment choices. Both the deposit mechanism and the payment gateway should be simple to use and operate without any problems. It should be possible to connect well-known payment methods like PayPal, Skrill, Mastercard, Visa, and UPI Payments. To simplify this aspect of your casino app, you will need to employ a payment processor or an internal processing unit. The quantity of payment choices you provide will determine the total cost of building and implementing the payment features. The price of creating the payment integration is about $5000 – $15000.
Security and Safety
Another important thing to take into account is the general safety and security of the casino game. On gambling platforms, user and personal data are transferred in large quantities and must be safeguarded at all costs. When the security features are robust, users will be committed to the platform and like using it. Users are more inclined to utilize and suggest a platform if they believe it to be secure. Both RNG and SSL should be included into the program to ensure fair play. The average cost of integrating a safety feature is about $10000.
Client Services
Casino games provide detailed upkeep and customer assistance as standard features. Users seek for systems that are dependable, secure, and customer-focused. They want a gambling platform where all of their questions can be answered by customer care quickly. The upkeep and support make sure the game is constantly current and playable. When the user base expands, this might get rather pricey. Implementing customer service features often costs $5000 or more.
Integration of Social Media
On the gaming site, players adore showing off their achievements and rankings. Additionally, individuals may communicate with other users and share their gaming experiences with their friends. The platform’s integration of social media makes all of these feasible. The anticipated cost of adding social media functionality to the gaming platform is $50,000.
Casino Bonuses
Casino games are more profitable for players thanks to bonuses and awards of all kinds. One of the main draws of casino platforms is their array of exclusive events, daily incentives, tournaments, discounts, referral bonuses, and welcome bonuses. Even though they are not required, they increase the overall appeal of the online casino gaming platform. Depending on how many bonuses are introduced to the platform, building different bonus systems like free spins, lucky draws, and more costs between $10000 and $15000.
Affiliates
To reach potential players, the gaming platform has to be marketed and promoted by third-party partners and businesses. Finding appropriate partners for the platform may be done with the help of affiliate payment schemes. After the gaming platform has been released, it is very crucial to integrate the affiliate payment system. The integration and affiliate payout range from $5000 to $10000.
Game Type at a Casino
The cost of developing a casino game is also influenced by the game’s nature. Numerous casino games are available, including roulette, bingo, 3D slot machines, card games, blackjack, baccarat, and others. One or more of these casino games may be present in a casino gaming app. The amount of different casino game kinds that are supported by the platform determines the development cost. The final price varies depending on whether a turnkey casino game development project or a white-label game development project is being undertaken. While turnkey projects can cost between $40000 and $50000, the price for white-label projects is substantially cheaper at about $35,000.
Developer Placement
The location of the game developer team is another element that influences the entire cost of creating a casino game. The price of creating a casino game varies depending on where you are. The cost of building a casino game may be greatly reduced by outsourcing the job to a game development company at a reasonably low rate. When compared to the cost in the USA and the UK, employing casino game developers is substantially less expensive per hour in places like India, the Philippines, and even Australia.
The hourly rate for hiring Indian game developers ranges from $40 to $70. In the UK, creating casino games costs between $70 and $110 per hour. In the USA, creating casino games costs between $80-$120 each game.
Cost Estimate for Casino Game Development
Numerous elements, from the intricacy of the development process to the numerous features incorporated to the game, have an impact on the overall cost of developing a casino game. Along with the reputation of the game firm, it also depends on where the production team is located. The general price range for creating a casino game is between $200,000 and $500,000. Some casino games might cost $100,000 or more to design since they contain elaborate game mechanics, extensive features, and multiplayer support. A casino game takes between 9 and 12 weeks, or around 2550 hours, to produce.
Estimation of Costs per Stage in Casino Game Production
Outlined below is a step-by-step cost estimation for various stages involved in the development of a casino game:
| Development Stage | Approximate Time Required | Estimated Development Cost Range |
| Concept | 24 hours | $2,000-$4,000 |
| Design | 1,500 hours | $30,000-$50,000 |
| Development & Testing | 1,000 hours | $30,000-$50,000 |
| Marketing | 50 hours | $10,000-$100,000 |
The Crux
Have a firm understanding of what you anticipate from the game before asking how much casino games cost. You can comprehend and estimate the general cost for your casino game project by looking at the specific development stages and contributing components. When you estimate the cost of developing the game for the project, it is essential to have a reasonable cost assessment.
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