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How NetEnt built an empire based on familiarity
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.
ELA Games
Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam
Reading Time: 2 minutes
The studio releases its latest exciting addition to the Winpot series
ELA Games announces the release of its latest title, Joker Jam, a bold visual addition to the studio’s growing portfolio of strategic yet aesthetic games.
Set under the neon glow of a vibrant city, Joker Jam reimagines the classic Vegas aesthetic into a thrilling experience. Familiar symbols such as sevens and fruits adorn the reels while looming Winpot towers grow with each win. Joker Jam is a game for all players due to its engagingly strategic yet straightforward mechanics and high replay value.
Spoiler alert: the Joker Jam is available now in a seasonal holiday edition, featuring a limited-time winter-themed design. After the festive season, the game will revert to its original visual version.
The Newest Addition to the Winpot Series
Joker Jam is the latest addition to the Winpot series, adding a new visual angle to an already established product line. The Winpot Towers grow with each win, where the player can choose their own style of play to increase winnings. The 7 symbol charges up the Winpot Towers, with each Seven powering the tower with its own colour, with respective multipliers when you fill them to the top.
Joker Jam joins the family of Winpot games, which includes Joker Winpot, Zeus Winpot, and Rabbit Winpot Deluxe. This award-nominated trademark mechanic has demonstrated notable results for operators due to its fast-paced nature, giving players control over their gameplay by allowing them to decide when to cash out or continue.
Reimagining Classic Visuals With Thrilling Features
One of the most enticing aspects of Joker Jam is its visually rich animations and design, allowing players to immerse themselves in the game fully. To complement this, the game has various features to keep gameplay action-packed:
- Winpot Towers: Each 7 symbol fuels its matching colour tower, and players can choose to climb the Tower for bigger rewards or cash out when they want.
- Good Joker: This Joker boosts your run, jumping players’ progress up one level across all Towers instantly.
- Bad Joker: One appearance from the meddling Bad Joker resets all progress in the Towers.
The game’s familiar visuals that have been revamped with the studio’s signature art style, atmosphere, and high-stakes mechanics make Joker Jam both easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, commented on the game’s release, “Joker Jam is an important addition to the Winpot series as we look to develop our trademark mechanic to continue its status as a must-have feature in casino lobbies. The game’s mix of enticing visuals and fast-paced gameplay drives growth for operators, which has quickly elevated it as one of the most replayable titles in our well-balanced portfolio. We look forward to seeing how the game performs on initial release and hope everyone enjoys it!”
Jam Under the Neon Lights Today
The Jokers are always looking to play. Are you ready to entertain them?
The post Neon Towers & Plenty of Thrill: ELA Games Unleashes New Winpot Game Joker Jam appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS
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New research reveals high intent to bet, major entry of first time bettors and rising demand for personalised, trusted content ahead of the biggest World Cup in history.
Spotlight has released its World Cup 2026 Betting Outlook, presenting new insights into how fans will watch, bet and engage across the expanded 48 team, 39 day tournament.
Key findings show major shifts in fan betting behaviour:
- 66% of planned bettors will be betting on the World Cup for the first time
- In the US this rises sharply to 90%, signalling significant entry of new bettors into the market
- 70% plan to place a bet, but only 7% feel confident doing so
- 44% say late night and early morning kick off times, particularly for UK fans, will push them toward more pre match betting
- 96% want personalised betting content tailored to their interests
- Social media is the least trusted source of betting insight
The research also highlights strong enthusiasm for the expanded tournament format itself, with 93% feeling positive about the 48 team structure and 86% planning to stay engaged throughout the full 39 day schedule.
Mark Langdon, Group Sports Director at Spotlight Sports Group, said: “The data shows that the 2026 World Cup will bring a huge wave of new and inexperienced bettors into the market. Operators that deliver simple onboarding, strong pre-match insight and personalised content will be best positioned to capture and engage this audience.”
The findings will be discussed in detail during Spotlight Sports Group’s SBC webinar Engaging Audiences During the 2026 World Cup on Thursday 4 December at 2pm GMT.
About the research
The survey gathered responses from 600 sports fans across the UK, US and LATAM.
The post SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP RELEASES WORLD CUP 2026 BETTING OUTLOOK AS INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR SURGE IN FIRST TIME BETTORS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Anton Ivannikov CPO at Playson
Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Tornado Feature and dynamic Thunder Bonus Feature enrich both Main Game and Bonus play
Playson, the accomplished digital entertainment supplier, has unleashed a whirlwind of excitement with Tornado Power: Hold and Win, introducing a new Tornado Feature and enhanced payouts.
The 3×4, 10 payline slot features immersive visuals with old-school charm, as the untamed gameplay is further enhanced by a new Tornado Feature, which can be randomly triggered whenever a Thunder Bonus Symbol lands during the Main Game or Bonus Game.
Once active, multipliers of up to an impressive 20x may activate as well as Bonus Symbols to increase the likelihood of triggering the Thunder Bonus Feature or Hold and Win Bonus Game.
When both a Bonus Symbol and Thunder Bonus Symbol lands on the reels, the Thunder Bonus Feature comes into action. The feature collects the values of all Bonus Symbols in play, including four in-game Jackpot Symbols, before adding them to the winnings for the spin in the Main Game or Total Win in the Bonus Game.
Landing at least one Bonus Symbol on each reel grants access to the Hold and Win Bonus Game, where players benefit from only Bonus and Thunder Bonus symbols for the entirety of the round. In a striking twist to bonus play, up to four Thunder Bonus Collect symbols can land on the centre reel, further amplifying the win potential on offer.
Additional entry to the Bonus Game is also boosted by the Pile of Gold Feature. Any Bonus Symbols that land on the reels during the main game can randomly trigger the feature, which sees Bonus and Thunder Bonus Symbols added to the grid in quantity enough to activate the Bonus Game.
This latest release demonstrates Playson’s ability for developing unique mechanics that enhance player engagement based on data-driven insights.
Anton Ivannikov, CPO at Playson, said: “Tornado Power: Hold and Win showcases our commitment to elevating the Hold and Win experience with engagement-boosting mechanics that genuinely move the needle. The new Tornado Feature introduces a fresh layer of dynamism to gameplay, giving players more ways to interact with bonus elements and enjoy heightened win potential.
“It’s a strong reflection of our data-led approach to development, and we’re confident it will resonate across a variety of markets.”
The post Playson debuts dynamic new feature in Tornado Power: Hold and Win appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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