For iGaming providers, integrations drive growth. Adding new integrations means acquiring customers and boosting revenue, while also fostering long-term partnerships.
But integrations can be challenging, even with clear instructions and established methods. Misunderstandings, time zone differences and setup choices can all lead to wasted time and effort.
And who wants that? Integration testing for iGaming providers is the way forward. Read on as we discuss how TESTA does it.
How TESTA integration testing works
At TESTA, we understand the challenges and importance of integration testing in the iGaming industry. Whether you’re an operator or provider or aggregator (QTech Games for example), integrations matter. We have developed a comprehensive approach that ensures effective integration testing and minimizes risks. Here’s how we do it:
- Requirement analysis
We start by thoroughly understanding your integration requirements. This includes identifying all the components, systems, and APIs involved. - Test strategy development
Our experienced TESTA Qrowd SDM (Service delivery manager) devises a customized test strategy tailored to your specific integration needs. We prioritize critical scenarios and potential pain points. - Crowdtesting engagement
We leverage the power of crowdtesting by engaging a diverse and skilled TESTA Qrowd testers with varying devices and locations. This approach allows us to simulate real-world scenarios and uncover issues that may not be apparent in a controlled lab environment. - Test execution
TESTA Qrowd testers rigorously tests your integrated systems, reporting issues, and providing valuable feedback. This phase is crucial for identifying compatibility, performance, and security issues. - Continuous monitoring
Integration testing is an ongoing process. We continuously monitor and test your systems, ensuring that they remain robust and reliable.
The difference between in-lab integration testing and crowdtesting
In-lab integration testing is a traditional approach that involves testing in a controlled environment. While it has its merits, it often falls short in uncovering real-world issues. Here’s how crowdtesting differs:
- Real-world diversity
Crowdtesting harnesses the diversity of the real world. testers use their own devices and networks, mimicking the conditions your players will experience. - Scalability
Crowdtesting offers scalability that in-lab testing cannot match. you can quickly engage a large number of testers to ensure comprehensive coverage. - Geographical coverage
Crowdtesting allows you to test across various geographical regions, ensuring that your integration works seamlessly for players worldwide. - Feedback variety
With a diverse crowd, you receive feedback from testers with varying perspectives, improving the likelihood of catching even subtle issues.
Why integration testing for iGaming providers gets complicated
With decades of testing in the iGaming industry, TESTA has seen the challenges, risks, and benefits of successful integrations.
Common iGaming integration challenges
Integrating new features, games, or platforms into the iGaming ecosystem can be challenging. It requires combining different components, systems, and software from various providers to work together smoothly. Here are some common integration challenges iGaming providers face:
- Compatibility issues
Different software components may not play well together, leading to compatibility issues. These can range from minor glitches to complete system failures. - Data synchronization
Ensuring that data flows smoothly between different systems is crucial. Failure to synchronize data can result in inaccurate player information, transactions, and game outcomes. - Performance concerns
Slow load times, laggy gameplay, or downtime during peak hours can drive players away. Ensuring optimal performance across integrated systems is a constant concern. - Security vulnerabilities
Integrating external software or APIs can introduce security vulnerabilities that hackers may exploit. Protecting player data and financial transactions is important. - Regulatory compliance
The iGaming industry is highly regulated in many jurisdictions. Ensuring compliance with these regulations during integration is challenging but essential.
Risks and consequences of integration failure
Integration failures are a big concern for iGaming providers, causing financial losses and reputation damage. These failures result in downtime, system malfunctions, and impact player bets, deterring new customers and leading to player attrition.
Dissatisfied players may switch to competitors, and failed integrations can result in missed opportunities for incorporating new features or technologies, which can be costly in the fast-paced and competitive iGaming industry.
The legal consequences of integration issues cannot be ignored. Regulatory bodies may impose fines or revoke licenses for non-compliance, leading to costly legal battles. It also affects the trust of players and iGaming operators in a provider’s ability to fulfill its commitments.
The benefits of successful integration
Successful integration is more than just avoiding these risks; it’s about seizing opportunities and delighting your players. When done right, integration can:
- Enhance user experience (UX)
Seamless integration ensures that players enjoy a smooth and immersive gaming experience, keeping them engaged and loyal. - Expand market reach
Integration can enable access to new markets or player demographics, unlocking new revenue streams. - Stay competitive
The iGaming industry is highly competitive. rapid integration of innovative features keeps you ahead of the curve. - Improve operational efficiency
Efficient integration streamlines your operations, reducing overhead costs and boosting profits. - Build trust
A track record of successful integration builds trust among players and regulators, strengthening your brand.
iGaming provider success stories with integration crowdtesting
Let’s delve into a real-life scenario that showcases how TESTA’s integration testing played a pivotal role in helping an iGaming supplier overcome integration challenges. The provider’s client, a well-known online casino operator was delighted with the seamless integration.
The integration challenge
Our iGaming provider client integrating a new multiplayer feature into online poker platform. During in-lab testing, the multiplayer function performed well. However, a major bug occurred during real player interactions. Real players, each with unique playing styles and strategies, experienced occasional synchronization issues during poker games. Some players reported delayed moves, causing frustration and unfair gameplay.
Why in-lab testing fell short
In-lab testing, while valuable, operates within a controlled environment that may not always mimic real-world conditions. In this instance, in-lab testers missed a critical integration bug that only became evident under the unique circumstances of actual player interactions.
How TESTA’s crowdtesting uncovered the integration bug
TESTA Qrowd testers analyzed the integration in real-world contexts. They found a bug that caused intermittent disruptions in gameplay, but only under specific load conditions involving more than 200 players. This bug was difficult to detect in a controlled lab environment.
TESTA Qrowd testers also found the other three significant examples of user interactions that could cause intermittent disruptions in gameplay in an online poker game:
- Two players going all-in at the same time.
- A player trying to fold while another player is trying to raise.
- A player trying to use a third-party software program to track their opponents’ hands.
These interactions in online poker games could cause the game to crash or become unstable. TESTA Qrowd testers were able to find these bugs by testing the game in a real-world environment, where they could try out different combinations of user interactions and see how the game reacted.
The outcome
By addressing a critical integration bug before launch, TESTA Qrowd testers prevented substantial losses. The bug could have resulted in significant costs and lost revenue. Instead, the launch was successful, providing players with a seamless experience.
TESTA’s integration crowdtesting boosted revenue and player engagement for the iGaming supplier and their operator client. By leveraging TESTA’s integration testing, the supplier achieved successful integration, satisfied clients and improved financial performance.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced world of iGaming, integration is a complex but essential process. Failing to integrate effectively can lead to revenue loss, reputation damage, and missed opportunities. Successful integration, on the other hand, can enhance player experiences, expand market reach, and keep you competitive.
TESTA’s approach to integration testing, using iGaming-savvy crowdtesters, provides a powerful solution for challenges specific to iGaming. By utilizing diverse real-world testers, ensuring scalability and geographical coverage, crowdtesting uncovers issues that in-lab testing may overlook. Integration best practices, including early testing, continuous integration, security prioritization, and load testing, enhance integration success.
By adopting crowdtesting into your integration testing strategy, you can mitigate risks, ensure seamless integration, and deliver a superior gaming experience for your players. Contact TESTA to receive a free initial report of integration testing.
In the fast-paced world of iGaming, integration is a crucial process that requires careful attention. Failing to integrate effectively can lead to financial losses, harm to reputation, and missed chances for growth.
About the author
Ian McKinnon
TESTA Head of Marketing