If you want to run an online casino, you’ll need gambling web hosting. Why? Quite simply put, web hosting is the service that makes it possible for an organization or an individual to post a website onto the internet and for this site to be viewed by others so that they can interact with it online. That said, the type of web hosting services you require to run a gambling operation are a lot more complex than what is required to run a blog, for instance. Here, Casinnovate will break down the essentials for casino web hosting to help you find the best services.
Get the best web hosting from these top iGaming software providers
What is Gambling Web Hosting?
To understand gambling web hosting it first helps to understand web hosting services in general. All websites that you can view and access on the internet are hosted or stored on servers. When an online user wants to view a website, they simply type the website address or domain of the site into their web browser. Their computer (or mobile device) connects to the site’s server and the corresponding webpages are delivered to the user through their browser.
More to the point, website hosting is the physical location of your website on the Internet. It is an online storage center that houses the content (text, images, video, games, etc.) that makes up your site. It is the job of the web hosting service provider to maintain the server where the data exists that is associated with your site. The provider is also responsible for managing the technology that makes your site connect to the internet.
Basically, website hosting is usually measured in the amount of disk space your site is allotted on the server and the amount of bandwidth (data transfer) your site needs to access the server. For instance, a site that has only readable text requires far less web hosting transfer space than a site that has a lot of customer interaction (e.g. download, streaming, etc.) and that will need to access the server frequently. In essence, the more items or content you have on your site – such as in the case of an online casino website – the more disk space you’ll require for website hosting.
All that said, websites intending to run gambling activities cannot simply choose any web hosting provider. It is important to choose a company that offers gambling-friendly hosting to ensure that your site will not be blocked for offering real money betting services.
The best web hosting services for gambling are those that are legitimately licensed, deliver technical support and ensure the smooth, reliable and secure operation of an online casino that can handle bulk traffic, 24/7.
What Do Gambling Web Hosting Services Include?
As you explore your options, you’ll no doubt discover that different companies offer different types of services and solutions. That being said, here’s an idea of what to look for in a quality gambling web hosting company.
- 24/7/365 service – You should expect round-the-clock technical service all year long. Any malfunction your site may experience should be managed as soon as possible. The smooth operation of your casino depends on fast fixes when issues arise.
- Bulk traffic – The web server for your site must have high bandwidth and low latency traffic delivery. What this means is that the server can process large volumes of information in a short amount of time. In other words, thousands of players will easily be able to play on your site at the same time without failures or delays.
- Speed – Your server should be hosted on the highest-quality hardware equipment with top software components to provide instant system response to any requests. A speedy operation helps to give you a competitive advantage.
- Stability – A site that supports a bulk number of players needs to remain functioning at optimal levels, even when the site experiences critical volumes of visitors. Stability must be guaranteed in the event of traffic overflow so that your customers will trust that your website – a website where they are depositing, spending and withdrawing money – is reliable. For this type of assurance, the web host needs to provide the highest levels of software and hardware redundancy. Among these redundancies include (but are not necessarily limited to): RAID arrays, power lines and power supply units, internal and internet links, automatic load balancing across many servers, network cards and ports, etc.
- Security – The server needs to be highly secure. This is made possible with the protection of an internal Firewall as well as the Firewall of an external network provider. Various security systems should be employed to block unauthorized access to your site.
- Legally licensed – The server provided for gambling website hosting should be fully licensed and legal.
How to Obtain Web Hosting Services?
Unless you happen to run your own web hosting company, you essentially have two options when obtaining web hosting services for a gambling site:
- Obtain a white label casino solution – A white label solution is a ready-to-go, fully licenced, set-to-launch casino for which the server is provided by the iGaming software company supplying the solution.
- Independently hire a company to host your site – While you can look around for a gambling-friendly web hosting provider, several iGaming software providers, such a those we’ve listed above and that we review, offer web hosting services for operators who are interested in turnkey or self service casino solutions.
With the server and all the other products and services included, many new online casino business owners find that a white label casino solution is often the simplest and most cost effective, convenient and easiest method for entering into the internet gambling industry.
Cost of Gambling Web Hosting Services
Casino web hosting costs vary depending on the type of casino solution you choose and/or your site’s requirements. Furthermore, some companies have more than one type of web hosting package. Naturally, the more premium the package, the more it will cost.
While some providers will list prices for their different packages, many tend to provide price quotes based on your personal needs. In other words, you’ll have to contact the company’s support directly for more detailed information regarding their hosting services and fees.
Gambling Web Hosting Tips – What to Think About
Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind when you are considering your online casino web hosting options:
- Only choose a gambling-friendly web host – Remember the web hosting provider needs to be legally licensed to host a gambling website, otherwise your site can be blocked for offering gambling services.
- You need a high bandwidth web server – Many people will visit your casino at once. You need a server that can handle thousands of players at the same time and still run smoothly and remain stable. A site that is constantly crashing or lags due to high traffic issues will aggravate your customers and they won’t return.
- Settle for nothing less than top security – You don’t want hackers gaining access to your site. Top security protocols, firewalls, etc. need to be in place to make sure your site is an impenetrable fortress.
- 24/7, year-round support is a must – When you run into technical problems (and you will at some point), you need to make sure you have partnered with a provider that is available around the clock to provide you with the support you need and to clear up any issues quickly.
Gambling Web Hosting – Final Thoughts
It is imperative that you do not settle for second-rate web hosting services. When it comes to running a legitimate and successful online casino business, you need a web host that is licensed and legal and that understands how to deliver the best support, security, and stability while at the same time being able to handle bulk traffic and maintain a speedy operation.
Casinnovate reviews are a convenient way for you to learn about the industry’s iGaming software provider leaders and the various solutions that they offer both entrepreneurs and existing gambling operators. Find the top gambling web hosting services for your online casino today.