NetEnt made some of the most famous online pokies ever: Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Dead or Alive, Twin Spin, Divine Fortune. For a long time they were the default in every lobby. These days Aussie punters mostly notice NetEnt by its absence, because the studio blocks Australian players on a lot of sites. Here’s why, and what that means if you’re a fan.
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Who is NetEnt?
NetEnt (Net Entertainment) is a Swedish studio founded in the 1990s that helped shape what online pokies look like. Its games were clean, polished and fast to load back when most of the competition looked like a clip-art slideshow. In 2020, NetEnt was acquired by Evolution, the live dealer giant, and it’s now part of that group alongside Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming and Nolimit City.
Why can’t I play NetEnt in Australia?
Short answer: compliance. The Interactive Gambling Act makes it illegal to offer online casino games to people in Australia. Since the Evolution takeover, NetEnt has tightened country restrictions, and on many operators its games simply won’t load for Australian players. You’ll either see the game missing from the lobby or get a “not available in your region” message.
Some offshore sites still show a few NetEnt games to Aussies, and availability shifts. In my own tests over the past year, I’ve seen Starburst appear on a site one week and disappear the next. That’s frustrating, but it’s the studio doing what regulated studios do.
Heads up: Using a VPN to get around a studio’s geo-block usually breaks the casino’s terms. If you win, they can void it and close the account. It’s not worth it.
The NetEnt classics
- Starburst Low volatility, expanding wilds with respins, both-ways pays. The gentle one everyone learned on.
- Gonzo’s Quest The avalanche mechanic that inspired a thousand tumbling-reel games since.
- Dead or Alive 2 The opposite of Starburst: savage volatility, sticky wilds, massive swings.
- Divine Fortune A progressive jackpot with a mythology theme and a gentle base game.
- Twin Spin Retro look, linked reels, deceptively quick.
What NetEnt games feel like to play
A lot of NetEnt’s back catalogue is lower to medium volatility with steady small wins, which makes it great for stretching a small bankroll. Starburst’s RTP sits around 96%, and it hits often. The flip side is limited max wins compared to modern Pragmatic or Hacksaw titles. If you want a slow arvo session with a $20 budget, NetEnt style suits. If you want a 10,000x shot, look elsewhere. Our volatility explainer goes into why that matters.
NetEnt alternatives for Aussie players
If NetEnt games are blocked where you play, a few studios scratch a similar itch:
- For Starburst-style gentle play, many Play’n GO and BGaming classics sit at similar volatility.
- For Gonzo-style tumbles, Pragmatic’s cascading games (though far swingier). See our Pragmatic Play review.
- For Dead or Alive style madness, Hacksaw Gaming is the obvious pick, and their Wanted Dead or a Wild is a spiritual cousin.
Want to try before you deposit? Our free pokies page covers demo play, and you can often find NetEnt demos on the studio’s own site even when real-money play is blocked.
Is NetEnt RTP fixed?
Like most modern studios, NetEnt has offered games at more than one RTP setting to different operators. The number in the game’s info screen is the one that applies. I always check it: an unknown site running a low version of a famous game is the kind of thing Nick flags in our reviews. For the bigger picture on picking a safe site, see our safe online casinos guide.
What we like
- Beautifully made, well-tested classics
- Lots of low to medium volatility options
- Strong compliance culture under Evolution
What bugs us
- Widely geo-blocked for Australians
- Smaller max wins than newer studios
- Fewer fresh releases than in its heyday
Starburst was the first online pokie I ever played, on a $10 deposit years ago. It lasted forty minutes and paid out nothing special, but I had a nice time. That’s NetEnt in a nutshell.
Compare NetEnt with the rest in our casino software providers hub.
Is NetEnt available in Australia?
NetEnt restricts its games for Australian players on many sites to comply with the Interactive Gambling Act, so availability is patchy and can change without notice.
Who owns NetEnt?
Evolution, the Swedish live casino company, acquired NetEnt in 2020.
What is the most popular NetEnt pokie?
Starburst is the best known, followed by Gonzo’s Quest and Dead or Alive 2.
What is the RTP of Starburst?
Starburst is typically listed at around 96%, though operators can run different versions, so check the game’s info screen.
Can I use a VPN to play NetEnt games?
It usually breaches the casino’s terms, and winnings can be voided. We don’t recommend it.