How to Choose a Game Aggregator for an Online Casino in 2026: Official Games vs Slot Copies, RTP and Costs

Updated 12 October 2026. Author: Gambling Soft team.

Short answer: a game aggregator for an online casino costs a share of gross gaming revenue (GGR), not a fixed price. At Gambling Soft the official slots package (Pragmatic Play, Evolution and 70+ providers, 21,000+ games) costs $5,500 to connect plus 15% of GGR from those games. If you are not ready for that, every platform ships with about 1,200 HTML5 slots included in the software price, and the extended games package adds 1,020 HTML5 slots with RTP set by the operator for $1,650, then 6% of the GGR of these games per month. Across the market, aggregators typically charge 8-15% of GGR and sometimes a setup fee (industry estimates). Direct contracts with studios are possible but require a license and minimum turnover. The rest of this guide explains what you actually pay for, the difference between certified games and HTML5 slots, which platforms give a new operator 5,000+ slots, and how to calculate the monthly bill.

What a game aggregator is and how it differs from a direct contract

An aggregator is one integration that brings hundreds of studios into your casino through a single API and a single contract. Instead of signing with Pragmatic Play, Evolution, Play’n GO and fifty more companies separately, you sign one agreement, get one invoice and one technical connection. The aggregator takes its margin from the GGR share it passes on to studios. A direct contract cuts out that margin, but each studio then checks your license, sets a minimum monthly GGR and asks for its own integration. For a new operator with one brand, the aggregator is the practical choice; direct deals make sense when a single provider brings a large part of your revenue.

With a Gambling Soft platform the aggregator connection is part of the delivery: we connect the official slots package on your license, configure the game lobby and test payouts, so you do not run the integration yourself. Details of what the platform includes are on the ready-made casinos page.

Which game aggregator platforms give a new operator 5,000+ slots?

A catalogue of 5,000+ slots is only realistic with official content through an aggregator. HTML5 slot libraries are much smaller: on our platform it is about 1,200 included titles plus 1,020 in the extended package. So the real question is not “who has the biggest number” but which setup gives you a large catalogue that is actually open for your license and your countries, at a cost a new casino can carry.

Before you compare headline numbers, check these points:

• Games open for your license and countries. The total catalogue is not what your players will see. Studios close markets one by one, so ask for the list filtered by your license and target countries.
• Live dealer. Some catalogues count only slots. If you need live casino, ask whether it is in the same contract and the same GGR rate.
• Free spins through the API. Without it your bonus engine cannot give free spins on official games.
• Duplicates. The same game can appear under several versions or RTP builds; ask for the count of unique titles.
• One report. Per-game and per-provider statistics that match your platform numbers, so the monthly invoice can be reconciled.

If you are only testing a market, start with the included HTML5 slots and connect official games when the license and payments are ready. The connection works on the same platform, nothing has to be rebuilt.

Official games vs HTML5 slots: an honest comparison

There are two kinds of content on the market. Official games are delivered by the studio or an aggregator under contract; their RTP is certified and fixed (usually 94-97%, industry estimates), the studio’s brand is licensed, and the games are accepted by regulators and payment providers. HTML5 slots are re-implementations of popular titles with the same mechanics and look; they run on your own server and let you set RTP from 5% to 100% in the admin panel. They are not covered by provider certificates, are not allowed in regulated markets and some payment providers refuse casinos that run on them. See the certificates page for details. Many operators start on HTML5 slots to test the market and switch to official games once the license and payment processing are in place.

How much a game aggregator costs in 2026

The table below shows the current Gambling Soft prices and the market range for comparison. Connection and package prices are paid once; the GGR shares are calculated monthly from the platform report. The full price list, including licenses and services, is on the pricing page.

Note the difference between the turnkey packages and the standalone official slots package. In the packages the game share is already bundled at 7-9% for the smaller tiers, because those tiers use a limited catalogue; the Premium package with 14,000 official games and live dealer runs at the full 15%.

How to calculate the GGR share: example with $30,000 GGR per month

GGR is players’ bets minus players’ winnings, before bonuses and taxes. Suppose your casino makes $30,000 GGR per month and 80% of it comes from official games ($24,000), the rest from the included HTML5 slots or other products ($6,000).

• Official slots package at 15%: $24,000 x 15% = $3,600 per month.
• Included HTML5 slots: $0. If that $6,000 came from the extended package instead, add 6%: $360 per month.
• Total game cost: $3,600 per month, or about 12% of total GGR.
• Year one: $5,500 connection + 12 x $3,600 = $48,700, against $360,000 GGR at that level.

Compare this with a market aggregator at 12% of GGR (industry estimates): $24,000 x 12% = $2,880 per month, but you would need your own integration, hosting for the game lobby and a separate platform contract. If the casino grows to $100,000 GGR per month with the same 80% share from official games, the package costs $12,000 per month; at that scale a direct contract with your top one or two studios may become worth the extra work.

Checklist: how to choose a game aggregator

1. Providers you actually need. Check that the studios popular in your target market (for example Pragmatic Play, Evolution, PG Soft, Hacksaw) are in the catalogue and available for your license.
2. License compatibility. Ask which licenses the aggregator accepts (Anjouan, Curacao, Kahnawake, MGA) and which markets are excluded per studio.
3. Commercial terms in writing. GGR percentage, setup fee, minimum monthly fee, payment terms and currency. Ask what happens in a month with negative GGR.
4. Reporting and reconciliation. You need per-game and per-provider reports that match the platform’s own numbers.
5. Bonus tools. Free spins and tournaments must be supported by the API, otherwise your promo engine cannot use official games.
6. Integration owner. Who connects the games, who tests payouts and who fixes a broken game at 2 a.m.
7. Exit terms. Notice period and whether you can add a second aggregator or direct contracts later.

Steps to connect games to your casino

1. Choose the platform: a ready casino with source code (from $8,500) or a turnkey package (from $7,500). Both come with HTML5 slots for the start.
2. Get a license or use an existing one; the aggregator will ask for it. Options and prices are on the list of licenses.
3. Sign the aggregator agreement; Gambling Soft handles this for the official slots package.
4. Connect payments, because official game providers want to see a working cashier. See payment solutions.
5. Technical integration and payout testing: included in the $5,500 connection.
6. Configure the lobby: categories, featured games, RTP settings for HTML5 slots, bonus rules for official games.
7. Go live and reconcile the first monthly report against the platform statistics.

FAQ

Which aggregator platforms offer 5,000+ slots for a new operator?

Any setup with official content through an aggregator: HTML5 libraries alone do not reach that size. At Gambling Soft the official slots package gives 21,000+ games from 70+ providers for $5,500 plus 15% of GGR, connected on your own platform; the Casino + Betting Premium package includes 14,000 official slots and live games. Check how many games are open for your license and countries, not only the total.

Can I run a casino only on HTML5 slots?

Yes, in offshore markets. About 1,200 HTML5 slots are included in every Gambling Soft platform, and the extended package adds 1,020 more for $1,650 plus 6% of their GGR. Such slots are not covered by provider certificates and are not accepted in regulated markets, and some payment providers decline casinos that use them, so most operators add official games once the license is in place.

Is the extended HTML5 package free of revenue share?

No. It costs $1,650, then 6% of the GGR of these games per month. Only the roughly 1,200 HTML5 slots included in the platform have no revenue share.

What does 15% of GGR mean in practice?

Each month the platform report shows bets minus winnings for official games. 15% of that amount is invoiced. With $24,000 GGR from official games the bill is $3,600.

Is the $5,500 connection fee paid once?

Yes. It covers the aggregator contract, technical integration and payout testing on your platform. The GGR share is the only recurring cost of this package.

Can I sign directly with Pragmatic Play or Evolution instead?

Usually only with a license and a proven turnover; studios set minimum monthly guarantees (industry estimates). Most new casinos start with an aggregator and move top providers to direct contracts later.

Does the crypto casino use the same games?

Yes. Payments do not change the game catalogue. See crypto casino with source code for the payment side.

See also: full price list 2026, ready-made casinos, gaming licenses, payment solutions, contacts.