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How NetEnt built an empire based on familiarity

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Initially founded as Net Entertainment in 1996, NetEnt is one of iGaming’s greatest and most recognisable online slot developers, a company that’s universally known for having a truly unbeatable catalogue of online slots.

But how did this gargantuan Swedish development studio grow in prominence over the years, casting an imposing shadow over the rest of the industry? The short answer, brand power!

That being said, we’re not exactly talking about NetEnt’s brand power here… We’re talking about the fact that NetEnt has traditionally utilised other recognised brands to boost their reputation within the world of iGaming.

In the beginning – NetEnt signs collaborative deal with Universal

NetEnt kick-started this incredibly smart strategy in 2010 when they entered into a landmark multi-year licensing agreement with Universal, the film studio behind some of Hollywood’s greatest movies and television shows.

The first big-name IP that NetEnt developed into an online slot was none other than Mr. Tony Montana himself, the notorious drug lord Scarface. Looking back it’s quite understandable why NetEnt decided to go with an R-rated character.

Not only is Tony Montana all about big money, but it’s much easier to pair a classic bad boy with a form of entertainment such as online slots that have long been looked upon as risqué.

Once it was quite apparent that NetEnt had discovered a winning strategy they continued to sign deals with other major film and television studios such as Colombia Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Sony Entertainment to get access to some of the world’s biggest brands.

These brand partnerships gave NetEnt a competitive edge over other studios who were themselves releasing run-of-the-mill online slots themed around ancient Egypt, Las Vegas and Ireland… Nothing particularly exciting when compared to NetEnt’s slots that are based on hit movies and television shows.

Aggressive expansion – NetEnt’s television and movie-themed slots arrive at casinos across the internet

After the success of Scarface, NetEnt decided to stick with creating branded online slots that feature characters and IP that wouldn’t be ‘tarnished’ by being made into an online slot game. Whether this was a decision made by movie and television executives, or NetEnt themselves remains to be seen… Either way, it worked!

Their next hit games were South Park and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Naturally, South Park featured all of the same rude and crude humour the famous animated show is known for, and as a result, it pulled in a whole host of players (old and new) that were interested in this new and unique crossover.

The same can be said for Creature from the Black Lagoon, a slot based on the unsettling 1954 horror movie of the same name. Despite the fact that not too many players will vividly remember the black and white film, players still flocked to this highly volatile slot.

In the months and subsequent years that followed NetEnt released a huge number of branded TV/movie-themed slots that pulled in huge audiences, these include: South Park: Reel Chaos, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, Dracula, Universal Monsters: The Phantom’s Curse, Emojiplanet, Planet of the Apes and Conan.

NetEnt also used their successful partnership with Universal to muscle in on the world of music as part of the developers 20th-anniversary celebrations, they got their hands on the IP for some of the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll stars Guns N’ Roses, Motörhead and Jimi Hendrix.

Having seriously upped their game utilising big-name brands, NetEnt continued to pull out all the stops to wow audiences with new online slots based on iconic people, tv shows and movies.

First came Jumanji Video Slot, then Narcos (based on the hit Netflix series), followed by Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Slot and most recently Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen Video Slot.

Building for the future – NetEnt supplement their success by creating their own brand icons

Despite having seen unprecedented success due to their branded slots, credit still must be given to their army of creatives as they’re also responsible for inventing some iconic brands of their own that have gone on to spawn multiple games and feature heavily in casino lobbies.

If you ask anyone today to name a handful of the most recognisable online slot games, odds are they’ll mention NetEnt classics such as Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Mega Fortune and Twin Spin. All of these games have spawned popular sequels and are often used as part of casino welcome bonuses due to how popular they are with players around the world.

NetEnt seems to be one of the very few successful online slot developers that have found the perfect balance between creating timeless classics of their own and utilising big-name brands from outside the world of iGaming to help grow their reputation.

Blueprint Gaming and Play’n GO are the only two studios that can hold a candle to NetEnt, and it’s hard to say whether any other developers will get remotely close to any of them at this point. Ultimately, the costs and intricacies involved in licensing are just far too great for up and coming developers to front.

Looking back, it’s clear to see that NetEnt took a serious risk in signing expensive deals with Hollywood studios, but it’s one that paid off tenfold. NetEnt is without a doubt the biggest name in online slots, and has been for the last decade. 

We believe that their success is entirely down to the fact they’ve played host to the biggest names and therefore gained the attention of the biggest casinos, seeing their games front and centre of slot lobbies all over the world.

777.es

Thunderkick signals Spanish growth ambitions through 777.es deal

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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has deepened its existing collaboration with prominent European operator 777, extending the agreement into Spain.

The initial partnership in Belgium proved a success, with Casino777.es set to build on that momentum by integrating a range of products from Thunderkick’s diverse portfolio, including the full Midas Golden Touch franchise and its popular Día de Muertos-inspired series, Esqueleto Explosivo.

The expansion of the agreement marks another step in amplifying Thunderkick’s position in a competitive market, with its Spanish commercial network now spanning numerous European heavyweights and rising regional operators.

The 777 brand is well-established across the continent, where it continues to broaden its online reach in addition to consolidating its retail footing through a partnership with Casino de Spa, one of the world’s oldest land-based facilities.

The onboarding of Thunderkick’s content will further elevate 777.es’ online casino offering, giving players access to distinctive, engaging content, while also strengthening the Swedish studio’s visibility in a jurisdiction earmarked as a priority within its wider European growth strategy.

Mariam Dodosh, Key Account Manager at Thunderkick, said: “The ongoing relationship between 777 and Thunderkick in Belgium is a fruitful one, and the expansion into Spain marked the natural next step of this collaboration.

“Our content continues to drive results with operators in the market, and we look forward to seeing our fan-favourite titles resonate with a new audience at 777.es.”

César Paredes, Country Manager at 777.es, added: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Thunderkick, and its commitment to creativity shines through in its games.

“We have no doubt Casino777.es players will enjoy the brand-new additions to our online casino as we continue to deliver fresh, dynamic content to the Spanish market. The integration of Thunderkick into our portfolio is another step in our commitment to providing our players with the best possible gaming experience.”

The post Thunderkick signals Spanish growth ambitions through 777.es deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ClearStake

Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as investor and commercial advisor

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ClearStake, the platform transforming player verification in UK iGaming, has joined forces with Paul Myatt to support their sales and marketing efforts.

Myatt will help drive sales of ClearStake products, including ID by Bank, a new solution that enables operators to verify player identity instantly through banking apps. The product is designed to improve FTD conversion, reduce fraud and cut the volume of manual reviews.

Over a 15-year career in gaming, Myatt has previously held senior commercial and business development roles at NetEnt, QuickSpin and Aspire Global.

ClearStake CEO Martin Burt said: “Paul has a proven track record of helping major iGaming businesses commercially scale. His experience across both supplier and operator landscapes makes him the ideal partner to support sales and help us drive further revenue. This engagement strengthens our ability to scale ClearStake and support more operators with innovative verification solutions.”

ClearStake advisor Paul Myatt added: “I have followed ClearStake’s progress closely and it is clear the company is solving a real problem for operators. ID by Bank is a product with huge potential to improve onboarding and reduce cost, and I am excited to support the team as ClearStake moves into its next phase of growth.”

Last month, ClearStake completed a GBP 1.5 million funding round backed by leading names across the iGaming industry. The investment will accelerate growth and support the rollout of ID by Bank, already being used by several major UK operators including MrQ.

The post Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as investor and commercial advisor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Imagine Live

Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences

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Vindral and Imagine Live have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the quality, performance and innovation of Live Casino content. The partnership combines Imagine Live’s growing portfolio of live dealer games with Vindral’s advanced real-time streaming and green-screen technologies to deliver more immersive and cinematic player experiences.

This collaboration comes at a moment of rapid growth for Imagine Live, whose offering includes classic games such as Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Baccarat and Dragon Tiger, along with a range of high-quality game shows. The company is also investing in new cinematic tools like its Robot Arm camera, designed to create smooth, dynamic movements that bring players closer to the action and enhance the sense of being at a real table.

Vindral, founded by a team of Swedish technologists with deep expertise in video, audio, real-time streaming, object tracking, computer vision and AI, provides a high-performance live video platform built for modern live game studios. Vindral’s technology stack includes advanced green-screen solutions and features such as V-Track Roulette, V-Track Money Wheel and Crystal Speech. Vindral also offers a world-class CDN solution, Vindral Live, delivering ultra-low latency and consistent streaming quality—powered by MOQ (Media Over QUIC), a next-generation protocol the company has helped develop over the past decade.

By bringing the strengths of both companies together, the partnership delivers a powerful set of capabilities for operators looking to offer richer, faster and more engaging live gaming experiences to players worldwide.

Niclas Åström, CPO & Founder at Vindral, commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to collaborate with Imagine Live. This partnership allows us to bring our most innovative solutions to one of the most dynamic live casino providers in the market. We’re proud to support new innovation in iGaming through our AI-driven technology.”

Mikayel Aznauryan, CPO at Imagine Live, said: “Vindral’s technology perfectly complements Imagine Live’s vision to redefine the live casino experience. We are excited to deliver our next-generation content to partners and players worldwide through this collaboration.”

The post Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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