NetEnt is celebrating 30 years

Sami Kurvinen

Last updated: 11 July 2026

4 minutes

One of the early slot developers, NetEnt, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. We look back at their early days and their recent trajectory towards being one of the best game studios again after a few years in the shadows.

NetEnt’s early days

30 years as a game developer in the online casino industry. Not many other companies have been around for that long in this (still) new industry.

Net Entertainment, as it was originally called, was launched in 1996 by Cherryföretagen, one of Sweden’s oldest gambling companies.

It was Pontus Lindwall, the son of Cherry’s co-founder, who had the vision to position himself and the company toward the online side of gambling as internet use became more mainstream and accessible in the 1990s.

It was clearly a wise decision, as NetEnt early positioned itself as one of the few slot developers in the upcoming online casino industry.

NetEnt’s legacy slots

The 1990s and 2000s were different times, as NetEnt had few competitors, but the challenges were more about technical limitations. However, NetEnt was one of the pioneers, and it’s quite amazing to see that some of its early games are still popular among both new and old players.

The main one that has stood the test of time is, of course, Starburst.

Starburst is such a simple but entertaining online slot that it becomes timeless. The features are few but still exciting, and the low volatility can keep you spinning for long periods without getting bored.

Starburst was also a preferred game for online casinos to use for welcome bonuses, as its low volatility, combined with its popularity, made it a brilliant choice. This also extended its popularity, as the game was often marketed and featured in game lobbies, and it was the first game many players tried online.

Other amazing legacy slots include Gonzo’s Quest, Dead or Alive,  Twin Spin, and Blood Suckers, to name a few.

These were all revolutionary online slots that still influence how games are made today.

Personal favourites

There are so many games to choose from when looking over the vast NetEnt catalogue of online slots, but I would like to focus on some of the older releases that are still among my favourites.

One of the games that made me enjoy playing online slots was Reel Rush, released in 2013. The simplicity, combined with the sound effects and the 8-bit-influenced style, got me hooked. I still enjoy giving it a few spins here and there.

Another one that I have a soft spot for is Neon Staxx. I know that it’s not for everyone, but that game just mesmerised me back in 2015, and it’s still enjoyable.

Mega Fortune showed the rest of the industry how jackpot games should be made, while Guns N’ Roses is probably the ultimate rock slot ever created.

Oh, wait, I also have to mention Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen. I love that one.

NetEnt’s recent comeback towards greatness

NetEnt has always been a force to be reckoned with and a recognisable brand in the online casino industry, but after its 2020 acquisition by Evolution in a deal worth €1.9 billion, it lost some of its shine.

For example, NetEnt used to release at least one major branded slot per year with a big reveal during the yearly ICE event that became an industry tradition, but that vanished after the Evolution acquisition for unknown reasons.

More importantly, NetEnt’s new games weren’t as innovative or as fun to play as they used to be. One reason could be that many key employees left NetEnt to start their own game studios or join exciting startups, taking their skills with them.

The good news is that we have started to see a grand comeback by NetEnt in recent months with great releases such as Dead or Alive 3, Flock Me, In and Out and others that once again show what NetEnt is capable of.

We can’t wait to see what else NetEnt has in the pipeline.  

The future of NetEnt

NetEnt has gone through a fantastic 30-year journey that has included many ups and downs, from being a pioneer and creating legacy slots (that are still popular and appreciated today) to being acquired by Evolution to again starting to find its place in the industry and to compete with all new and upcoming game studios that break barriers and are full of the innovative spirit needed to succeed.

Their recent releases are showing signs of proper greatness again, and the resources at hand, combined with the valuable brands at their disposal, mixed with new ones, are setting NetEnt up for an exciting future.

We at CasinoWizard.com want to congratulate NetEnt on their milestone 30th anniversary and look forward to what the next 30 years will bring us.