NetEnt

NetEnt is a Swedish slot studio, founded in Stockholm in 1996 as Net Entertainment. Its catalogue includes Starburst and Gonzo's Quest, it introduced the Avalanche mechanic, and it is known for progressive jackpots such as Mega Fortune. Since 2020 it has been part of the Evolution group, where it continues as its own slot brand. Details below are as of September 2026.

History

• 1996 — Founded in Stockholm as Net Entertainment. Its roots lie in the Cherry group (Cherryföretagen), a Swedish land-based gaming business, and it was reportedly founded by Pontus Lindwall of the Lindwall family behind Cherry.
• 2005 — Reportedly licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority.
• 2007–2009 — Spun off and listed, reportedly first on NGM Equity in 2007, before moving to the main list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange in 2009.
• Early 2010s — An early mover in browser-based and then mobile casino games, with a mobile platform reportedly launched as NetEnt Touch in 2011 and built on HTML5.
• Around 2015 — Reportedly rebranded as NetEnt, and entered the US market through New Jersey.
• 2019 — Acquired the slot studio Red Tiger, for a reported £220m or so.
• 2020 — Acquired by Evolution for a reported SEK 19.6bn or so. The deal completed around the end of 2020, and NetEnt was delisted.

Design style and signature mechanics

Two mechanics are especially associated with the studio.

• Avalanche. Instead of spinning reels, symbols fall into place. Winning symbols explode and new ones drop into the gaps, so one spin can chain several wins. It was introduced with Gonzo's Quest, reportedly in the early 2010s.
• Cluster Pays. Wins come from groups of matching symbols touching each other rather than from paylines. It reportedly debuted in Aloha! Cluster Pays.

Classic games that shaped online slots

• Starburst (2012) — a 5×3, 10-payline game with expanding wilds that trigger re-spins. It is low volatility and has been widely used for free-spin promotions. Its RTP is reported at about 96.1% and its max win at 800x.
• Gonzo's Quest — the game that introduced Avalanche, followed by sequels.
• Dead or Alive and Dead or Alive 2 — high-volatility games.
• Blood Suckers — reported to have a high RTP of about 98%.
• Twin Spin and Jack Hammer — further well-known titles from the catalogue.
• Mega Joker — reported to reach an RTP of up to about 99% in its supermeter mode, depending on how it is played.

Several of these are reported to rank among the most played online slots of all time.

Jackpots

NetEnt is known for progressive jackpots, where a share of each stake feeds a prize pool that grows until someone wins it. Mega Fortune and Divine Fortune are its best-known examples, and Mega Fortune has reportedly paid some of the largest online slot jackpots on record. Progressive jackpots are won very rarely, and the chance of landing one on any given spin is extremely small.

Branded slots

NetEnt has also built slots around licensed music and film brands, including titles based on Guns N' Roses, Jimi Hendrix and Motörhead, reportedly in the mid-2010s.

Red Tiger and the Evolution group

In 2019 NetEnt bought Red Tiger, another slot studio. A year later NetEnt itself was acquired by Evolution. It now operates as a distinct slot brand inside the Evolution group, alongside Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City and Ezugi. NetEnt's former live casino products were reportedly folded into Evolution's live offering. See our Evolution Gaming profile for the parent company.

Licensing and fairness

NetEnt operates under group licences with major regulators, including the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission, as well as in other regulated markets. Its games are independently tested, reportedly by labs such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs.

Supplier licences do not determine whether a game is offered to you; that depends on your casino and on local rules, so availability varies by jurisdiction.

RTP and volatility

NetEnt's catalogue spans the full volatility range, from low-volatility games such as Starburst to high-volatility titles such as Dead or Alive 2. Many of its games ship in several RTP versions, and the casino chooses which one to run, so a published RTP is only the highest version. Check the RTP in the game's info panel before you play — casinos may run lower versions.

Volatility describes how a game spreads its return, not how much it returns. A low-volatility game pays smaller amounts more often, so a balance tends to move gently. A high-volatility game pays less often but can pay more when it does, so a balance can fall quickly before a larger result arrives, or without one arriving at all. Two games with the same RTP can feel very different to play for that reason, so pick the volatility that matches your budget and patience.

Who it suits

NetEnt suits a wide range of players because its catalogue does. Newcomers can start with simple, low-volatility games; players who enjoy bigger swings can look at its high-volatility titles; and jackpot games are there for those who accept that the top prize is a very long shot. Whatever you choose, set a budget first and treat play as entertainment. 18+ only. Play responsibly; terms apply at the casino you choose.

NetEnt FAQ

When was NetEnt founded?

In 1996, in Stockholm, as Net Entertainment. Its roots lie in the Swedish land-based gaming business Cherry.

Who owns NetEnt?

Evolution, which acquired it in a deal that completed around the end of 2020. NetEnt continues as its own slot brand inside the Evolution group.

What is the Avalanche feature?

NetEnt's falling-symbols mechanic: winning symbols explode and new ones drop in, which can chain several wins from one spin. It was introduced with Gonzo's Quest.

Is Starburst low volatility?

Yes. Starburst is a low-volatility game with expanding wilds and re-spins. Its RTP is reported at about 96.1%; check the game's info panel for the version your casino runs.

Does NetEnt make jackpot slots?

Yes. It is known for progressive jackpots such as Mega Fortune and Divine Fortune. The top prizes are won very rarely.

Is NetEnt licensed?

Yes. It operates under group licences with regulators including the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission, and its games are independently tested.