As one of the oldest online casino software providers in the world, NetEnt has grown to be one of the most well-respected, award-winning developer in the market. While there has been no shortage of great software companies to come out of this region since NetEnt launched, the company continues to push the envelope when it comes to game design and content, showing no signs of slowing down over 20 years into its existence. The company has seen many changes over the years but finds itself in an excellent position to succeed well into the future. Let’s take a quick look at the company as a whole and some of its more popular games.
Recommended NetEnt Casino Sites
Overview of NetEnt Slot Games
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Mega Fortune
It is no surprise that this is one of the most popular games that NetEnt offers today, given the fact that it is a progressive jackpot game that has awarded multi-million dollar jackpots in the past, including one which was over 18 Million USD! The gameplay is relatively standard when compared to the games offered by NetEnt, with loads of wild symbols and free spins, but what really sets this game apart is the bonus game, featuring a Wheel of Fortune-style wheel loaded with great bonuses and prizes. The payout for this slot is lower due to the progressive engine, but players do not seem to mind at all with a seven-figure payday in their sights!
Starburst
The popularity of Starburst is for almost the exact opposite reason of that for MegaFortune. The Starburst slot machine features very little in the way of wilds, free spins or bonuses. The key to the success of this game is that NetEnt has promoted it as the go-to slot machine for Free Spin promotions amongst its licensees. In fact, most casinos that use NetEnt software have Free Starburst spins available in all their bonuses. This promotes the game to everyone who makes a deposit at these casinos, and once playing through the Free Spins, many players stay on to play the game for real-money as well.
South Park
While NetEnt has brought to life so many characters from the world of entertainment in their slot machine, we love that the company has chosen to bring us closer to the world of Kenny, Cartman, Kyle, and Stan with the South Park game. Not only are the characters used as symbols on this 5 reel, 25 pay line slot, but each character delivers a different bonus as you play the game. Add in the sounds of their voices and the theme of the show itself, and you will no doubt feel like you have been immersed in the cartoon while you spin the reels.
Mobile Compatibility
Not only has NetEnt made their games available for mobile use by building them in Flash from the outset, but the company has made significant strides to be a leader in the mobile gaming space. The NetEnt Touch mobile platform is one of the best on the market and is responsible for a large piece of the overall company revenue. The company shows no signs of slowing down in mobile development so we can expect that more innovation will come from this area of NetEnt well into the future.
A Brief History of NetEnt
Launched in 1996, NetEnt was originally formed as an offshoot of the land-based casino business, coming from the Cherryföretagen company. This company had been around since the 60s and had been manufacturing slots games for the Swedish land-based casino market when they decided to also get into the online development world. Strangely enough, the first few years of NetEnt’s history were spent making sportsbook software, and it wasn’t until the turn of the century when the company decided to pivot and focus on casino software.
The first Net Entertainment casino was launched in 2000 for their own purposes, and from there the juggernaut began. The company moved into the licensing game with their 2002 casino platform release, allowing new licensees and land-based casinos to use their platform and games to attract players. Response to the NetEnt software was overwhelmingly positive, and the company never looked back. With a focus on game design, the quality of their product, especially the slots catalog, made them a popular choice with players around the world.
The company received a gaming license from the Malta Gaming Authority in 2005, and in 2007 NetEnt was spun off from their parent company and went public on the secondary market of the Stockholm Stock Exchange. It was bumped up to the main exchange in 2009 and has moved again into the high-cap section as of 2015.
NetEnt has seen significant growth in their number of licensees over the last decade, including being introduced into the newly-regulated New Jersey casino market in 2015. Over the years, the company has also created several content-licensing arrangements with entertainment brands to bring this content to life in their slot catalog. Along with receiving several more gaming licenses from jurisdictions around Europe, the company has created several strategic partnerships over the years ensuring that its games will continue to be deployed for many years to come.