What surprised me about setting up a cost for a casino launch

[MB FUN]

The biggest costs were going to be games and the platform. They weren't.

Running the numbers, payments, KYC/AML checks, licensing, acquiring customers, and people sometimes cost more than the casino platform itself.

Also, I had underestimated the supporting architecture required in addition to the platform. Player accounts, wallets, reporting tools, bonuses, game integration, back office operations - all that needs to be taken into account too.

That is why, evaluating iGaming platform costs per month is a misguiding factor here. The right question should be which things are you going to add to those monthly costs.

When comparing a couple of iGaming software companies recently, that is what I would now focus on.

[David Astor]

This is a crucial reality check for anyone looking into the operator side. The hidden cost of backend infrastructure - especially CRM automation, fraud prevention tools, and game provider monthly minimums (MMGs) - surprises almost everyone.

Personally, I think the biggest underestimated expense is payment routing and liquidity management. When you factor in cross-border fees, chargeback protection, and the staff required to handle manual KYC approvals and bonus-abuse monitoring 24/7, the software license fee looks almost minor by comparison. Asking what extras are stacked on top of the base price is definitely the right approach when comparing providers.