OnlyPlay explains Why the Best B2B Partnerships Start Long Before the API Launch

Trust Comes Before Technology

The strongest B2B iGaming integrations begin long before the technical work starts. According to Olha Marchenko, Partnership Manager at Onlyplay, trust, clear communication, aligned expectations, and mutual understanding are often more important to long-term success than the speed of an API integration. Early meetings and negotiations allow both companies to understand each other’s priorities and build a solid foundation.

“We eventually agreed on commercial terms that reflected the value of our product. The integration itself took another six months, but from the exact first month after going live, the partnership generated outstanding revenue. That experience reinforced something we strongly believe: taking more time upfront is often worth it if it helps build a healthier partnership in the long run.” — said Olha Marchenko, Partnership Manager at Onlyplay

Negotiations Set the Tone

Commercial negotiations are the first real test of compatibility. Rather than rushing to sign agreements, both sides benefit from taking the time to reach terms they genuinely consider fair. Marchenko highlights a partnership where negotiations lasted nearly a month, followed by six months of integration work. Despite the lengthy process, the partnership generated exceptional revenue from its first month live, showing that investing more time upfront can pay off.

Integration Is a Team Effort

The challenges often continue after the contract is signed. Legal, compliance, technical, QA, account management, aggregators, and operators can all be involved, with different priorities and timelines. Marchenko recalls an integration that stalled for months because of a partner’s development backlog until a face-to-face meeting helped identify the right stakeholders and move the project forward. For Onlyplay, integration is therefore a collaborative process rather than simply a technical task.

Honest Communication Builds Stronger Partnerships

When partners request complex or costly customizations, the Partnership team first looks for the business goal behind the request and considers alternative solutions. Sometimes the best approach is even to say “no” when a feature would require significant resources without delivering enough value. Face-to-face meetings also remain important for resolving challenges, understanding priorities, and creating personal connections that are difficult to establish through emails and online meetings.

Going Live Is Only the Beginning

A successful launch marks the start of a long-term relationship. Markets, regulations, products, and business strategies continue to evolve, requiring both sides to remain engaged and flexible. Open communication, respect, solution-oriented thinking, and continued support help partnerships grow, while inflexibility, silence, and unnecessary customization can undermine them. For Marchenko and Onlyplay, the best integrations do not begin with an API—they begin with people building trust, creating a foundation that makes future launches and expansion into new markets significantly easier.

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