Evolution, the international online casino games developer known for operating NetEnt, has entered a partnership with Gaming Arts LLC to bring several of NetEnt’s popular slot titles to land-based casino cabinets across North America.
The companies announced the agreement on Wednesday, outlining plans to launch four NetEnt games on Gaming Arts’ MOD EX cabinets by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Key takeaways:
- Evolution and Gaming Arts’ partnership adapts popular online titles for physical casinos by 2025
- New land-based versions will include multiplayer and persistent bonus features
- Industry observations focus on the impact of shifting content flow from online to land-based venues
Sending NetEnt Big Hits to Physical Casino
The initial lineup includes Divine Fortune, one of Evolution’s longstanding top-performing slot games in the U.S., alongside its new sequel, Divine Fortune Ascension. The sequel is described as incorporating an “all-new three-pot perceived persistence feature.”
Besides, the package features Starburst, NetEnt’s flagship slot game worldwide, which will be offered as a two-game multi-pack. This pair combines a classic Starburst variant with a new title named Starburst Supernova.
Both land-based versions are said to include multiplayer-enabled functionality as well as persistent bonuses leading into a hold-and-spin mechanic typical of physical slot experiences.
Evolution’s Reverse Migration Is Redrawing the Casino Map
Todd Haushalter, Evolution’s chief product officer, characterized the alliance between Evolution and Gaming Arts as indicative of a new direction in content distribution within the casino industry. “Since the beginning of online gaming, content has traditionally flowed in one direction — from land-based casinos to online,” Haushalter stated. “What excites us now is reversing that trend by taking some of the most successful games in the history of online gaming and bringing them to land-based casinos.”
Traditionally, the industry witnessed a notable transition from physical slot machines to online platforms, driven by evolving regulatory frameworks, player preferences for convenience, and a broader variety of game offerings. This arrangement marks a reversal, migrating well-established online intellectual property back onto casino floors, a move that could influence competitive dynamics across both digital and physical sectors of the market.
Shaping the Industry After the Sports Betting Ban Lifted
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling that ended the federal sports betting ban outside of Nevada, different states have made varying progress in regulating online casino gaming, leading operators and suppliers to create strategies that allow players to access games in multiple ways.
Leading suppliers such as Evolution have expanded their presence in land-based venues, often through partnerships and the deployment of factory-built cabinets, while companies like Gaming Arts specialize in customizing content and hardware optimized for physical casino settings.
Adaptations to Perfect Gaming Arts’ Casino Floor
The land-based versions of the titles are expected to emphasize features tailored to the social and tactile experience of the casino floor. These include persistent bonuses that carry over sessions, multiplayer gaming modes to encourage player interaction, and hardware optimizations to enhance gameplay performance.
Such adaptations aim to maintain the recognizable mechanics and brand identity of the original online games while fitting the expectations of a physical casino environment.
What to Watch as Evolution and Gaming Arts Test the Model
Evolution and Gaming Arts’ collaboration underscores a developing industry trend: the adaptation of successful online slot games for physical casino play. The outcome will clarify whether this strategy drives net growth in player participation and revenues or primarily redistributes existing spending.
Positive results may encourage an accelerated expansion of online-to-land-based game transitions, while less favorable effects could prompt operators to revise how cross-platform product portfolios and marketing strategies are structured to maintain profitability.
