For operators in the iGaming industry, blind trust of suppliers can be costly. So audits are necessary to show the hidden risks, unfair practices, and technical glitches before they can do damage to an operator’s reputation.
This article gets into TESTA’s take on how suppliers fit into the industry and where the challenges lie. It also explains the solutions offered by TESTA’s crowdtesting services.
Defining providers and suppliers in iGaming
The iGaming industry thrives on the interplay of platforms, players, and a complex network of services, which adds complexity to supplier audits.
Two of the key services are providers and suppliers. These terms are often used interchangeably but they actually possess distinct functions within the iGaming industry.
Providers/game studios
Provider companies or game studios like Evolution, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Play n’ Go, Yggdrasil Gaming and others are the creative forces, crafting engaging games for player entertainment. They’re akin to talented composers and musicians.
Suppliers
Suppliers, on the other hand, such as EveryMatrix, MicroGaming, IGT (International Game Technology) Scientific Games, and BetConstruct, SBTech, and others play a broader role, providing essential infrastructure and services like platforms, payment solutions, compliance software, and back office management and marketing tools. They are the backstage crew, ensuring the smooth operation and success of any iGaming platform.
Hybrids
Some companies, like Playtech, wear multiple hats, offering both captivating slots and essential platform solutions. Understanding these distinct roles is crucial QA testing and supplier audits.
How the supplier space organizes itself
Many different companies and individuals provide essential services and resources for iGaming platform operation.
These suppliers play pivotal roles in ensuring the seamless functioning of iGaming platforms. There are three key categories to know when it comes to iGaming suppliers:
Software and gaming content
The backbone of your unparalleled player experience is intricately woven by various segments. To sculpt and refine your iGaming journey, consider engaging with the expertise of the following key segments:
- Game developers: Craft diverse gaming content that resonates with players, specializing in areas such as slot games, table games, live dealer games, and sports betting.
- Platform providers: Build foundational structures, handling everything from user registration and game hosting to payment processing and data analytics.
- White label solutions: Streamline entry with pre-built platforms, minimizing upfront investment costs for operators.
- Content aggregators: Enhance game offerings by seamlessly distributing games from various developers, eliminating the need for lengthy technical integration processes.
Technology and infrastructure
Elevating your iGaming experience to new heights requires a strategic alliance with suppliers contributing to the technological and infrastructural foundations. These key players play a pivotal role in creating a seamless and secure gaming environment:
- Payment processors: Guarantee seamless, secure, and efficient transactions between players and operators to enhance trust and loyalty.
- Fraud prevention providers: Detect suspicious activity and potential fraud attempts, safeguarding both players and financial transactions.
- Data analytics platforms: Uncover player insights and guide better decision-making through tailored Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- CDN (content delivery networks) providers: Ensure content swiftly reaches players worldwide, enhancing responsiveness and minimizing frustration.
- Cloud hosting providers: Deliver secure, scalable, and cost-effective infrastructure to support the smooth operation of websites and applications.
Legal services and customer support
Ensuring legal compliance and customer support demands precision. Expertise in navigating legal intricacies and fostering player satisfaction requires dedicated services:
- Legal services: Guide operators through the maze of regulations, ensuring compliance with legal requirements specific to the iGaming sector.
- Responsible gaming and compliance suppliers: Equip operators with essential tools, such as age verification, self-exclusion features, and responsible gambling training programs, ensuring a safe iGaming environment for both players and operators.
- Customer support: Provide assistance to players with technical or account-related issues, enhancing their overall experience and addressing concerns promptly, contributing to the protection of the operator’s brand reputation.
This provides just a glimpse into the diverse world of iGaming suppliers. Many other specialized categories exist, such as live streaming providers, marketing and acquisition suppliers, and cybersecurity firms, all contributing to the iGaming experience.
Real-world operators and their suppliers
Besides the diverse supplier categories, there are also the real-world dynamics of iGaming operators and their suppliers to consider. Understanding top industry players and their suppliers is essential when oranizing testing for supplier audits. This partial list is the tip of the iceburg for worldwide iGaming operations.
- BetMGM
- Suppliers: Playtech, International Game Technology (IGT), NetEnt, Microgaming Gaming
- Bet365
- Suppliers: Evolution Gaming, Red Tiger, Sportradar, Amazon Web Services
- LeoVegas
- Suppliers: NetEnt, Yggdrasil Gaming, Clarivate Analytics, PwC, Playtech Live
- Flutter Entertainment
- Suppliers: Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Microsoft Azure, Sportradar
- William Hill
- Suppliers: Playtech, Red Tiger, Microsoft Azure, Genius Sports
- Entain Plc
- Suppliers: Evolution Gaming, Red Tiger, Playtech, Amazon Web Services, Sportradar
Why choose TESTA for supplier audits
The dynamic landscape of the iGaming industry, marked by evolving games, technologies, and player preferences, poses a challenge to traditional audit methods.
These conventional approaches, relying on static snapshots, often fall short in several key areas:
- Time-consuming processes: Integrating with game providers, payment processors, and external systems in iGaming platforms is complex. Traditional audits are inefficient and time-consuming.
- Evolving technologies: The fast adoption of new technologies in the industry often surpasses the expertise of traditional auditors, making it difficult to effectively assess and control risks.
- Real-time feedback: Periodic or post-issue conventional audits are limited in their preventive effectiveness as they fail to capture real-time transactions and suspicious activities.
- Audit scope: Focusing mainly on technical and financial compliance, traditional methods often overlook qualitative testing on user experience, localization and performance.
TESTA's innovative crowdtesting approach
To meet these supplier audit challenges, TESTA uses crowdtesting, ensuring that operators can…
- Test quickly: TESTA’s method significantly reduces the time required to gather and analyze data, efficiently navigating through the complex integrations of iGaming platforms.
- Keep up with new tech: By leveraging a diverse pool of expert testers familiar with the latest industry trends, TESTA stays ahead, ensuring thorough audits.
- Get real-time feedback and monitoring: Unlike traditional audits, TESTA’s crowdtesting provides continuous, real-time insights, capturing immediate activities, thus enhancing prevention.
- Expand beyond technical and financial aspects: Traditional audits typically miss out on qualitative aspects that are crucial in the iGaming industry. TESTA addresses this gap with testing that evaluates user experience, localization accuracy, and performance.
By offering independent and unbiased reviews, highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses of suppliers, and identifying user preferences, TESTA’s crowdtesting approach not only overcomes the limitations of traditional audits—but also provides a platform for continuous improvement and innovation in supplier relations.
Next steps: take control of your supplier audits
Discover more about TESTA’s transformative crowdtesting solutions for the iGaming industry by exploring more about supplier audits here.
The next step is yours—seize it and elevate your iGaming operations to new heights with TESTA. For more insights and updates, contact us and follow us on LinkedIn.
About the author
Ian McKinnon
TESTA Head of Marketing