The iGaming Platform Choice: Key Considerations

As part of an op-ed series for Gaming Intelligence, Pragmatic Solutions CEO Ashley Lang examines the main questions operators should consider when choosing their Player Account Management (PAM) platform

Editorial published on Gaming Intelligence, July 2024.

A crucial decision

The Player Account Management (PAM) platform represents the core technological foundation of any online betting and gaming enterprise.

In an operator’s business, every single transaction is processed by this platform. All other third-party services (content, payment providers, KYC services, data tools, regulatory integrations, etc.) integrate with and intercommunicate via the PAM platform.

Like a Central Processing Unit (CPU) in the motherboard of a computer, the PAM platform acts as the heart of the technology estate of the operator and, as such, its capabilities can define the capabilities of the operator's technology stack as a whole.

If not chosen correctly, the PAM platform can profoundly impact the ability to execute business objectives and hamper the operator from scaling beyond the competition.

Given its pivotal role in the operational success of an online gaming business, selecting the appropriate platform is arguably the most important product and technical decisions leadership teams will make – it can define the destiny of the business for years to come and separate the winners from the losers in a competitive market.

Strategic alignment

Choosing a platform provider goes far beyond an evaluation of features and capabilities against the operator's current requirements.

We like to say that it is comparable to a marriage in that the operator is entering a long-term relationship with a strategic partner with whom they will build their future.

As with choosing any long-term partner, it is essential to understand their history and values (how did they get to where they are today, and how do they conduct themselves), their commitment and contribution to the relationship (what do they bring to the table), and their vision of the future (does it align with yours?).

At the platform decision process, one key point we advocate for is for operators to start by outlining their business objectives for the next two to five years. Rarely will these objectives be technical (although they may be dependent on technology).

In this respect, the pertinent questions are: What are your revenue targets? What markets will you enter, and what is your product strategy to win market share? How will you attract, engage and retain customers at better rates that your competitors? What will define the future enterprise value of your business and deliver the greatest return for your shareholders?

These business objectives should be the compass points that all secondary implementation decisions are weighed against on their value to positively impact successful execution and minimise cost and risk.

With this as the foundation, operators can move to other key factors to consider, with technology positioned as the enabler of commercial business objectives rather than the development of technology itself as the business goal. This concept alone is often a very powerful reflection point for senior stakeholders and opens their minds to see the platform technology landscape differently.

A long-term partnership

Operators should not only think about which PAM platform is right for them. It is equally important to consider which PAM platform provider is their right long-term technology partner.

Technology is ever-evolving and ours is a very fast-paced industry with diverse and differentiated regulatory requirements across different markets. What meets an operator's requirements today may be obsolete or inappropriate for the requirements and opportunities that emerge tomorrow.

The PAM platform technology must always be at the service of the operator’s business goals, and to do so it is strategically critical to prioritise the evaluation of the capabilities of the platform strategy and partner to respond (now and tomorrow) to the demands of the market.

The crucial question at this level is: who is strategically aligned with my business objectives and has the core technology and development capabilities to forge a long-term partnership towards mutually beneficial commercial success?

Yes, operators need to be able to accelerate their business growth without sacrificing technical stability. They need flexibility to deliver personalised content and promotions for their players. They need to develop bespoke operational features to differentiate themselves in the market. They must also ensure that their PAM platform is providing them with updated tools and integrations to comply with the latest regulations in multiple jurisdictions. And they need all this fast, with the possibility to control their roadmap and make changes on the way.

In the above points, we are addressing the alignment of resources and technical capabilities as much as the feature set of the current platform. Neither the requirements, nor the solutions are static and, therefore, we highlight the importance to evaluate closely the velocity of development possible by a given strategy/partner and the pedigree and loyalty of the key senior engineers involved in the lifecycle of a platform.

Ultimately, the selection of a third-party PAM platform, as advocated by Pragmatic Solutions, is not just a choice but a strategic alliance. In our business model, we commit to a partnership that prioritises stability, scalability, and the rapid response to the needs of operators, striving for innovation and excellence.

We strongly advise operators to carefully consider these terms when selecting a platform provider, only selecting a vendor that aligns with their strategic goals and has tangible proof of being able ensure their clients’ lasting success.

This advice is offered as guidance for management teams who have already embarked on evaluating their platform options, but it is equally valuable for those who have yet to recognise that changing platform technology and strategic partners may be key to unlocking their business objectives.

A deeper look into platform selection

At Pragmatic Solutions, our team is comprised of senior executives with extensive experience in both operator businesses (B2C) and platform technology provision (B2B).

We have drawn upon this experience and the many conversations we have had with management teams as they navigate their platform strategy options, and we have put together a comprehensive guide to assist them in this process.

We call this thought-piece, “A Pragmatic Approach to Platform Selection,” and we believe that it will be a helpful and insightful read for all stakeholders who are evaluating (or reevaluating) their platform options.

The goal of this guide is to help key decision makers—senior stakeholders and board members—successfully navigate the critical decision of upgrading their PAM platform technology. It is a white paper that goes beyond the usual list of platform features that companies check when comparing providers. Instead, it focuses on breaking down all the strategic considerations.

The white paper is available for free download here.

We welcome engagement and further discussion on the concepts we present.