SLA
Service Level Agreement
SLA (service level agreement) is a contract between a provider and a customer that sets measurable service quality metrics, deadlines, and liability for failing to meet them.
What is SLA (Service Level Agreement)?
SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a part of a service contract that quantifies the level of service the provider guarantees: availability, support response time, transaction processing time, payout or withdrawal deadlines, and what happens if these metrics are not met.
## How it works
An SLA usually defines metrics (uptime, response time, authorization time), a measurement methodology, a reporting period, exclusions (scheduled maintenance, force majeure), and remedies: discounts, account credits, penalties, or the right to terminate. Without a described methodology the wording is almost useless, because disputes arise precisely over whose monitoring is considered correct.
## Where it applies
In gambling and betting, SLAs cover platform availability, the speed of player payouts, and the performance of bookmaker APIs for partners. In crypto and fintech, they cover the availability of trading and payment services and the timing of deposits and withdrawals. In payments (PSP, acquiring), they cover transaction success rates, authorization time, and settlement deadlines with the merchant. In dating and nutra, SLAs more often cover moderation speed, lead processing, and timely reporting.
## Common mistakes and business impact
Typical mistakes include promising a high availability percentage without specifying the period or calculation method, not defining exclusions, not securing the right to receive actual reports, confusing website availability with API availability, and accepting terms without a compensation mechanism. Check the stated metrics against real logs and a test period, since a payment gateway outage or delayed payouts directly hit conversion, chargeback rates, and unit economics.
FAQ
What is an SLA in simple terms?
An SLA is a provider's commitment to a service expressed in numbers: how long the service stays up, how fast it responds, and what happens if it fails to deliver on that promise.
How is an SLA different from a regular service agreement?
A regular agreement describes the subject of the service, while an SLA sets measurable quality indicators and the consequences of failing them. An SLA is often drawn up as an annex to the main agreement.
Can you rely on an SLA if the provider doesn't comply with it?
Yes, but only if the agreement has clear metrics, a measurement methodology, and a compensation mechanism. Without these, it is usually difficult to prove the breach and obtain compensation.