What is a fair GGR (royalty) rate for casino operators in 2025?

What is GGR for a casino operator in simple terms

GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) is the gross gaming income of the casino on which royalties to providers are calculated. In essence, it is the difference between the total amount wagered and the total amount paid out to players, before costs.

• Formula: GGR = all player bets – all player winnings.
• This GGR is the base for the royalty percentage you pay to slot, poker or sportsbook providers.
• The lower the GGR rate at the same turnover, the higher the net profit of the casino.

Which GGR ranges are considered normal in 2025

The exact percentage depends on the content type, provider brand and deal structure. Below is an average picture of the market for 2025:

• Official slots. Typically 11–26% GGR. Top brands (major live and slots providers) tend to be closer to the upper range, lesser-known providers — lower.
• Slot copies. For a regular casino, the market often offers around 9–13% GGR. This lets you save compared to official providers while keeping comparable player retention.
• Sportsbook. For pre-match and live sports — on average 6–10% GGR, depending on platform functionality and brand reputation.
• Poker. For popular networks or turnkey poker solutions — roughly 10–15% GGR, especially when there is a large player pool and a stable ecosystem.

One more nuance: “default” conditions for new operators versus improved terms for more serious brands. Providers don’t advertise this directly, but strong partners almost always get a discount on GGR.

SoftIGaming conditions: reduced GGR via a partner model

We leverage exactly this effect: for large and system-level partners, providers are ready to give softer conditions than to a standalone new casino. SoftIGaming acts as an aggregator, taking over negotiations, legal work and integration.

In practice this gives the following ranges:

• Official slots via SoftIGaming. For our clients we usually negotiate from 9 to 18% GGR instead of the typical 11–26% on direct contracts.
• Slot copies. We provide copies of popular games with GGR as low as 5–7%, and for high volumes it is possible to get down to 4%. This gives a serious margin buffer at large traffic volumes.
• Sportsbook. We work on a fixed-fee model — 1,500 $ per month for sportsbook integration. Your costs become predictable and are not tied to GGR fluctuations.
• Poker. Since we connect poker directly rather than via another intermediary, the rate for clients is only 3–5% GGR — roughly three times lower than the standard 10–15% on the market.

We handle all negotiations on rates, contracts and technical integration, giving the casino owner time to focus on marketing and operations.

How to optimise GGR and increase casino margin in 2025

Working with GGR is not only about “pushing the provider for a lower percentage”. The overall structure of your content and financial model matters:

• Combine official and copy slots. Flagship brands bring trust and conversion, low-GGR copies bring margin and flexibility. The task is to build a portfolio where retention and profit do not conflict.
• Use fixed models where they are beneficial. As with sportsbook for 1,500 $ per month — expenses are predictable and, as turnover grows, the share of GGR spent on it goes down.
• Grow turnover, not only squeeze the rate. With a small difference in GGR but a multiple increase in volume, total profit often ends up higher than with a “perfect” rate on tiny traffic.
• Negotiate through an aggregator. Coming to providers via SoftIGaming lets you start not as “just another new casino”, but as part of an existing partner network with proven volumes.