Pennsylvania, USA - Pennsylvania’s regulated online casino market just went live recently, and one of the big names that announced the launch of their games in the U.S. state is Net Entertainment. It wasn’t so long ago when news broke about NetEnt having been given a conditional license in Pennsylvania, and now, their online slots and games are finally going live in the state as well.
NetEnt was granted an Interactive Gaming Manufacturer Conditional License by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) through its subsidiary, NetEnt Americas LLC, back in March. It is understandable that NetEnt and its supporters would be excited about this new development, considering that Pennsylvania is the fifth largest state in the United States, with a population of 12.8 million. The market that just opened up offers a huge opportunity for NetEnt.
NetEnt Americas Managing Director Erik Nyman has expressed their eagerness to engage the newly-opened market. “I am very pleased that the market in Pennsylvania has now opened. We are one of the few online casino suppliers offering our games right from the start, and I am convinced that our online casino games will be much appreciated by players in Pennsylvania.”
“We are very pleased to be in the first round of approved vendors to conduct online gaming in Pennsylvania,” Nyman added. “This fits well with our strategy to be live with our products at the first day of market opening.”
Pennsylvania is the second largest state to regulate its online casino market. It is known for its long tradition with brick-and-mortar casinos, which is why NetEnt is pleased with them opening up the online casino market as well. They have already signed deals with several gambling firms in the USA, one of them being Draftkings. When they first signed these deals, they promised to deliver cutting-edge games as soon as the markets open up. The Pennsylvania launch is their first chance to make good on that promise.
This latest development is especially important to NetEnt, since they have suffered a 3% year-on-year revenue decline, owing mostly to some struggles in the Nordic markets. NetEnt Group CEO Therese Hillman shares some details about their woes: “The weak development in the Nordic countries continued in the second quarter, particularly in Sweden, where we have seen fewer players and lower ARPU since the new regulation was introduced at the beginning of the year.”
“Looking ahead, we continue to invest in increased game production, a technical platform featuring more functionality, and live casino, to defend and over the long term increase our market shares in all our markets,” Hillman added. The launch of the Pennsylvania online casino market will therefore give NetEnt a chance to offset their losses in the Nordic markets.
Revenue decline notwithstanding, NetEnt is still among the biggest digital enterprises currently offering gaming solutions to online casino operators across the globe. Established in 1996, it aimed to deliver attractive and engaging games via a cutting-edge technological platform. In 2017 alone, NetEnt handled more than 40 billion gaming transactions worldwide. It currently delivers over 200 games and employs more than a thousand individuals in offices all over the world.
