Sweden’s iGaming software pioneers, NetEnt, have announced that they have reached an agreement with the British Columbian Lottery Corporation (BCLC) to provide its considerable portfolio of iGaming slots and table games to regulated Canada-based iGaming platforms throughout British Columbia. This is exciting news for Canadian iGamers, who will get legalised access to world-renowned games such as Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest for the first time.
It is the developer’s first foray into the regulated Canadian iGaming marketplace and is a key development as part of NetEnt’s plans to cement their position throughout North America. Therese Hillman, Group CEO of NetEnt, confirmed that entering regulated iGaming markets is “a vital part of [the company’s] strategy going forward, especially within the WLA (World Lottery Association) sector”.
It will be interesting to see how some of Canada’s longest established iGaming operators perceive this news and whether they will attempt to gain access NetEnt’s full roster of slot titles and table games. Household name Spin Palace, which has been an iGaming favorite among Canada-based iGamers for many years, could be a prime candidate taking some of NetEnt’s most innovative slot titles – including a virtual reality (VR) version of Gonzo’s Quest. VR gaming is a hugely appealing proposition to millennial gamers – those that crave immersive experiences in all forms of their life. VR iGaming helps to transport players into gaming environments, stepping into slot backdrops and sitting down at tables that mimic the look and feel of brick-and-mortar casinos.
However, before you sign up at Spin Palace, it’s important to note that the operator’s current portfolio of games is supplied exclusively by Microgaming, which could make it tough for NetEnt to penetrate and compete against the undisputed pioneers of global iGaming. The massively popular Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slot is still one of the best-loved slots among Canadian iGamers.
Some people have lazily suggested that Canada’s iGaming industry is not thriving as well as other parts of the world. That’s based largely on the fact that Canada’s revenue share of the iGaming industry fell from 4.9% in 2010 to 3.4% in 2015. However, that 1.5% decline is due largely to the expansion of various other iGaming markets, most notably Europe and Asia. If anything, Canada’s iGaming market is doing well to hold 3.4% of the industry on its own. When you consider that the global industry is said to be worth almost $60 billion by the turn of the next decade, it’s safe to say that iGaming is booming just as much as video gaming. Certainly, the adoption of NetEnt’s state-of-the-art iGaming titles will open exciting new avenues for future growth, particularly in terms of VR and augmented reality (AR) iGaming.