Leading Swedish iGaming software developer NetEnt has confirmed their entry into the regulated Canadian iGaming marketplace, officially launching its full portfolio of iGaming slots and table games to Canada-based players. Their full suite of iGaming titles have already gone live with the provincial lotto operator, British Columbian Lottery Corporation (BCLC), as part of the firm's plans to expand into the North American iGaming scene. Having cemented itself as a household name in the European iGaming market, this move is NetEnt's first foray into the regulated industry in Canada, which has experienced rising gaming revenues in recent years.
According to Therese Hillman, Group CEO of NetEnt, the developer's plan to enter more regulated iGaming markets is "a vital part of [NetEnt's] strategy going forward, especially within the WLA (World Lottery Association) sector". The BCLC's partnership with the International Game Technology (IGT) has helped to make NetEnt's games more accessible to Canada-based players than ever before. Its IGT Connect integration layer innovation has supplied regulated iGaming brands in the western Canadian province of British Columbia. Canadian iGamers can find Canada-based casinos that accept NetEnt games using CanadasCasino.ca's great comparison site, ranking the operators that offer the best customer service and the highest levels of online security.
NetEnt's arrival is a much-needed boost for the Canadian iGaming industry after recent events like OLG's privatization ambitions have placed huge question marks over the province of Ontario's iGaming revenue streams. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation wish to use a private operator to control the province's online and offline casinos during the next two decades; a move which could cost the province up to $72 million in annual revenue, according to the New Democratic Party's primary finance critic, John Vanthof. There have been arguments elsewhere in the world that iGaming is pinching revenue from land-based operations, but Vanthof's argument is based more on the totalitarian approach of having a sole operator in complete control of Ontario's iGaming scene.
It's certainly an exciting time for Canada-based iGamers, with NetEnt's brand-new state-of-the-art video slots such as Jumanji, Double Stacks and Gonzo's Quest playing more like console games than a traditional slot machine. NetEnt announced a double-whammy of launches into regulated iGaming markets, with the regulated Lithuanian market also benefitting from access to NetEnt's roster of titles. Lithuania's biggest land-based betting firm, TOPsport has secured a deal to become NetEnt's inaugural customer in the eastern European nation. With 31 high street stores across Lithuania and its own online platform, it's a great opportunity for NetEnt to spread its wings further into regulated EU markets.
Since the announcement of NetEnt's move into Canada and Lithuania, shares in NetEnt AB (listed as STO:NET-B) were up by more than 1% on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. It is currently trading at around 38.50 SEK. There's no doubt that NetEnt is now firmly regarded as one of the iGaming industry's software pioneers. Having been established since 1996, before the explosion of the iGaming scene, the company's founders have always had one foot in the casino scene. Bill Lindwall co-founded Restaurang Rouletter in Sweden back in 1963 and it was Lindwall's son, Pontus, who launched NetEnt with the aim of underpinning the first iGaming platforms launched at the turn of the millennium.
