Why a merger between NetEnt and Evolution Gaming makes perfect sense

Published on the 2020-10-26

The casino gaming world was thrown into shock earlier this year when it was suggested that two of the leading developers would be merging. It was revealed that Evolution Gaming would soon be leading a takeover bid for NetEnt. Evolution Gaming had earned acclaim for its live casino gaming platforms, while NetEnt is well known for being a world-leader in jackpot slot games and table games. 

If the proposed £1.6 billion merger goes ahead it would create possibly the largest casino game developer in the world. Already, Evolution Gaming has rebranded as just Evolution in preparation for the takeover, and hopes are high that the move will be approved by the relevant competitions and markets authorities. 

The moves would help the two companies benefit from economies of scale in burgeoning new markets like the US. But what would the merger mean for the regular gamer who is more likely to be interested in the size of the latest jackpot slots? Here are some of the key reasons why this merger could be the best thing to come to online casino gaming in some time.

Larger workforce

The merging of these two major brands will produce one of the largest online casino development companies. NetEnt has been in existence since 1996 and has grown to become a decent sized development brand that employs over 700 people in offices ranging from Sweden to Malta, the Ukraine, India, the UK and the US. Evolution Gaming started operations in 2006 and has expanded from Latvia to have hubs in countries that include Canada and the UK. 

By pooling together their workforces, the two companies would have much more manpower to develop casino games. This would mean that more jackpot slots get created each year. NetEnt has already significantly upgraded its output of jackpot games in recent years. These have included major titles such as Trollpot 5000, Gold Money Frog and Imperial Riches.

But by combining with Evolution, the sheer quantity of developers available means that there will always be a ready supply of skilled technicians available to power the development of yet more award-winning jackpot slot games. 

Greater expertise

Of course, it’s not the sheer quantity of developers in the combined companies that will benefit the average gamer. This is because both Evolution and NetEnt have an immense amount of experience in creating some of the world’s leading casino games. By pooling together such technological knowhow, the combined company will ensure that NetEnt’s slot games stay ahead of rival brands such as Microgaming.

Such developing skills could lead to some fascinating gaming hybrids between Evolution and NetEnt. Evolution Gaming has primarily been known for exclusively dealing in live dealer casino games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker. While NetEnt is more at home in creating casino games that are based on random number generators such as slots and two-dimensional table games. But by moving in with each other, we could see the combined developers working together to give gamers many new and interesting ways to win big. 

Increased jackpots 

It almost goes without saying that if Evolution merged with NetEnt that there could be potential for bigger and better jackpots. This is because the combined forces of these two developer titans would raise the minimum jackpot on offer for each game. 

At the moment you stand to make a minimum win of a not insignificant £150,000 by hitting the jackpot on the NetEnt Mega Fortune slot. But if these brands joined forces, then the combined capital could lead the pair to produce ever more generous prize pools. This means that NetEnt’s previous record-breaking jackpots of £17 million could be dwarfed in the not too distant future.

Plus the fact that they would benefit from economies of scale would mean that more people would get exposed to the jackpot games in more countries. Both NetEnt and Evolution are working to enter the potentially lucrative American market. By having millions more gamers playing these online slots, it would mean that the combined prize pools could grow even more impressive. 

More efficient production

Of course there are often cost-cutting measures whenever two companies are involved in a merger deal. While this might have some short term side effects, both NetEnt and Evolution should emerge as a much leaner and productive outfit. Keeping operating costs to a bare minimum is a hugely important part of succeeding in the incredibly competitive casino game development industry. 

The timing of this deal could mean that the emergent company will be perfectly placed to take advantage of the new operating environments. This year has already been a momentous year with new markets opening up in the US and Latin America. It’s only by keeping costs down and streamlining production that developers are going to be able to stay competitive in such territories. All of which means that the planned merger between NetEnt and Evolution couldn’t be better timed. 

Enhanced creativity

Finally, the sheer creative knowhow of Evolution Gaming and NetEnt is going to be a sight to behold. NetEnt is well known for creating some of the most innovative jackpot slot games. Titles like Divine Fortune, Mega Fortune Dreams and Grand Spinn Superpot are a testament to this fact. Plus Evolution Gaming has shown plenty of skill in adding innovation to the live dealer realm. Recent game show game titles like Crazy Time illustrate the fact that this brand is keen to push things forward in live casino entertainment.

As a result hopes are high that the ensuing merger will lead to enhanced creativity between the two brands. This means that gamers can look forward to playing casino games with even more themes that factor in the varying tastes and demands of gamers in different parts of the world. It’s too early to see what the first fruits of the union between NetEnt and Evolution might be. But early indications are that this will be great news for all fans of jackpot gaming.