Swedish gaming solutions provider NetEnt AB announced that the first game from a selection of its most popular titles had been launched and is already available at William Hill’s retail shops across the United Kingdom.
Last year, the two companies inked an agreement for the gaming provider to supply various casino games to the gambling operator’s retail network. It seems that the integration process has been completed successfully and William Hill’s customers can now find the first of many casino titles.
This is the first time that a NetEnt product goes live in retail shops across the UK. The company pointed out that the games have been redesigned in a manner that would meet the demands of William Hill’s retail customers.
Launching its product offering on the land-based casino market is part of NetEnt’s multichannel strategy to provide gaming operators with a selection of its most popular casino content for various channels. Thus, gaming companies such as William Hill would be able to meet players’ demands more easily and effectively.
The first NetEnt game to appear in the operator’s retail shops is Starburst. In fact, it is now available in a number of properties and will be gradually installed in locations across the UK.
Per Eriksson, Chief Executive Officer of NetEnt, commented that they are delighted with the opportunity to supply William Hill and its land-based customers with its top casino products. He also pointed out that the UK-based operator being among the country’s largest ones would make it possible for his company to “maximize distribution” in various channels such as mobile, desktop, and retail.
The executive noted that although the online casino business has grown steadily over the past several years and this trend is expected to continue, it is still not popular enough. As Mr. Eriksson noted, the online casino segment accounts for 5% of the overall global casino market, with the rest coming from offline gaming.
NetEnt’s CEO said that the company sees the opportunities for a future growth in the retail segment and their multichannel strategy would most definitely contribute to the “increased convergence” between online and land-based gaming.
Last week, the gaming provider announced that it had inked an agreement with bwin.party and Borgata to supply their New Jersey brands with its multichannel casino content. NetEnt had previously applied for a gaming license so as to be able to provide its products on the territory of the state. Its application is currently being reviewed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and an announcement is expected to be made as to whether the Swedish company will be awarded a full operating license.
