What a casino API really costs
Published pricing in this industry is rare, and the headline number is rarely the whole bill. Here is how aggregator pricing is actually structured, and which line items to ask about before you sign anything.
The main line: revenue share on GGR
Almost every aggregator charges a percentage of gross gaming revenue — total bets minus total wins over a period. The industry range sits roughly between 8% and 15%, and the number you are quoted usually depends on projected volume.
The catch is that many suppliers quote one headline rate and then apply different rates per provider, because premium live-casino studios cost the aggregator more than commodity slots. An operator quoted '10%' can find their effective blended rate is 13% once the live tables are in the mix.
AS Tech API charges a flat 10% of GGR on every provider and every vertical — slots, live dealer, card, marbles, mini games and sportsbook. There is no per-provider rate to negotiate and no blended-rate surprise.
- Ask for the effective blended rate, not the headline rate
- Ask whether live casino and sportsbook carry different percentages
- Confirm how GGR is defined — is bonus play included in bets?
- Confirm the settlement period and when the deduction happens
Setup fees and minimum guarantees
Two costs catch new operators. Setup or integration fees are one-off charges for credentials and onboarding. Minimum monthly guarantees are worse: you owe a floor amount regardless of volume, so a slow first quarter is paid for out of pocket. A guarantee that looks small against projections becomes the dominant cost when projections slip.
Security deposits are a third. Some suppliers hold a deposit against wallet exposure before you can go live. AS Tech API operates on a prepaid balance with no separate security deposit — commission is drawn from that balance as rounds settle.
- One-off setup or integration fee
- Minimum monthly guarantee — the real risk item
- Security deposit held against exposure
- Charges for additional currencies, brands or sub-accounts
Costs the contract does not show
Engineering time is the largest hidden cost of a bad integration. Every provider-specific signature scheme, each with its own callback format and error codes, is developer weeks. An aggregator that normalises this into one contract removes that cost entirely — which is why a slightly higher revenue share can be cheaper in total.
The second hidden cost is currency failure. If a studio does not genuinely open in your market's currency, you find out from a player complaint, not from the catalogue. Verified per-currency support prevents that class of support load.
- Developer time per studio integration
- Support load from games that fail to open in local currency
- Reconciliation effort when wallet models create stranded balances
- Reporting gaps that force manual month-end work
A simple way to compare quotes
Model twelve months at your realistic — not optimistic — volume. Apply the blended rate, add any minimum guarantee that bites in the low months, add setup, and add an honest estimate of engineering days. The supplier with the lowest headline percentage frequently does not win that calculation.
Frequently asked questions
How much commission do casino aggregators charge?
Typically 8% to 15% of gross gaming revenue, often varying by provider and vertical. AS Tech API charges a flat 10% of GGR across every provider and every game type.
Is there a setup fee for a casino API?
Many suppliers charge one. AS Tech API has no setup fee and no separate security deposit — partners run a prepaid balance from which commission is deducted as rounds settle.
What is a minimum monthly guarantee?
A contractual floor: you pay at least that amount each month regardless of actual revenue. It is the line item most likely to hurt a new brand, so check for it explicitly.