Digital Entertainment company NetEnt has appointed Aditya Bhushan as the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The India-based executive takes over the role from Tobias Palmberg who left the position to pursue ‘new opportunities.’
Prior to joining the Swedish-based iGaming giant, he co-founded a start-up, focused on providing environmentally friendly baby products. Bhushan has been with the company for over a decade according to his LinkedIn profile, working his way up from a Systems Architect to Managing Director of their Indian operation before the latest switch.
Technology is undoubtedly a crucial part of the company, who pride themselves on providing ‘a cutting-edge platform’ to operators in the iGaming industry and have done so for the last 20 years. Indeed, NetEnt supplies over 200 titles such as slot machines, blackjack, and roulette to online casino sites in India, including 10CRIC and LeoVegas. Their system handles 58.3 billion gaming transactions worldwide in 2019.
At present, the company employs over 1000 people across multiple sites. These include offices in Malta and Gibraltar – both hubs of the iGaming industry – plus others in Poland, Ukraine, India, and the United States of America. Headquartered in Sweden, they have been listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange for well over a decade.
The company’s tech operations are based out of their Hyderabad office. The region has grown to become a hub for technology-focused businesses in recent times. Global brands such as Deloitte, Amazon, Microsoft, and PwC have offices in the area. With favorable infrastructure and both English and Hindi widely spoken, the central region of India is proving fertile ground for domestic and international businesses.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook previously visited ahead of the company setting up a facility that will eventually have 5,000 employees in place. An invitation to the US corporation was extended by the Telangana government in line with the company’s plans to increase its presence in India, which is already one of the biggest smartphone markets on the planet.
Gaming via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets is an area that NetEnt will look to focus on increasingly in the coming years too. The company is currently undergoing an acquisition by Evolution (formerly Evolution Gaming), a leading provider of live casino products. The deal is worth approximately $2.1 billion and will make them ‘the world leader in the online gaming industry.’ It is designed to strengthen both companies as the ongoing regulation in North America presents significant opportunities and should be closed in the coming months.
