GR8_TECH Sets Loading Speed as Standard in Global iGaming

Loading speed is set as a new technical standard in iGaming, according to Edward Smyshliayev, CTO of GR8_TECH, following the company's recent front-end rebuild. This update has reduced the average loading time to 1.72 seconds and increased Lighthouse scores to 90-95. GR8_TECH compared these results by measuring its platform against over 15 leading B2C iGaming brands, covering both traditional sportsbook operators and cryptocurrency-focused casinos.

Speed as a Prerequisite for Personalization

Despite the attention that artificial intelligence and personalization receive, Smyshliayev emphasizes that user experience begins with speed. "If a page takes five or six seconds to load on mobile, it loses the player before they see the recommendation or personalized content," he warns. The proposal from GR8_TECH is that while smart experiences add value, a solid and fast technical foundation is essential for these features to take effect.

Technical Migration as a Solution to Speed Issues in iGaming

For GR8_TECH, technical migration was crucial given the magnitude of the challenge involved in improving loading speed. Smyshliayev stresses that initiatives such as adopting advanced technologies require robust engineering teams and significant investment in R&D. "We have nearly 500 engineers at the company. Even so, it was a challenging year and demanded abundant effort and resources," he points out. The recommendation for operators is to partner with providers who have already undergone this process, taking on the main technical risks and providing the right guidance.

Benchmarks and Figures: How GR8_TECH Supports Its Speed Leadership

GR8_TECH's claim of achieving the fastest platform in the sector is based on extensive comparisons. The benchmarking covered 15 relevant B2C sites in the market —including cryptocurrency-focused casinos— and primarily measured performance on mobile devices and under typical network conditions. For its own platform, GR8_TECH prioritized real user data (Speed Index, FCP, and LCP metrics) and used Catchpoint to evaluate the competition in different regions and devices.

The results show a pronounced gap:

• Only one in three evaluated operators recorded a loading time of less than 3.4 seconds.
• More than 40% exceeded 5.8 seconds.
• GR8_TECH’s new platform achieved 1.72 seconds in Speed Index and averaged 90-95 Lighthouse points.
• The best alternatives in the sector lagged at least 10 points behind in these metrics.

The measurement spanned Latin America, Africa, MENA, Europe, and Asia. This eliminates the possibility that results depend exclusively on a specific region or network environment.

Emerging Markets: Primary Beneficiaries of Faster Platforms

According to Smyshliayev, markets with the greatest connectivity challenges —Latin America, MENA, parts of Asia, and Africa— are those that experience the most significant gains in performance following optimization. In Europe and the U.S., mobile and Wi-Fi infrastructure is solid, allowing for reasonable experiences even if the server is located far away. However, in emerging markets, performance degradation is pronounced if cloud infrastructure is not close to the user. GR8_TECH’s migration, supported by infrastructure improvements, shows gains of up to six times in distant markets, providing experiences equivalent to those in Europe. In that continent, the improvement tends to be two times.

The CTO points out the logistical difficulties: even large cloud providers maintain uneven coverage, with specific gaps by country, as seen in parts of South America. The solution necessarily involves bringing the infrastructure closer to the end player.

From Speed as an Advantage to Flexibility as the New Frontier

If speed becomes the basic expectation, operators must prioritize flexibility. GR8_TECH believes that platform providers must guarantee speed without sacrificing the operator’s ability to modify interfaces, promotions, and user journeys without continually relying on the technical area. "Speed becomes the standard, but flexibility allows for product differentiation and responsiveness to player demands," concludes Smyshliayev.

"Speed becomes the standard, but flexibility allows for product differentiation and responsiveness to player demands." — Edward Smyshliayev

Edward Smyshliayev serves as CTO at GR8_TECH, with over a decade of experience in software engineering, artificial intelligence, and large-scale digital transformation. He leads the strategic development of the platform architecture, as well as information security and technical governance focused on global innovation.