Gambling Apps Ios
Mobile casino gaming is quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of online gambling. It wasn’t too long ago that you could only play casino games — such as slots, roulette and blackjack — on your desktop or laptop. If you go even further back, you’d have to visit a live casino to play them at all. However, advances in technology have made real money gambling apps accessible to all.
The ability to enjoy real money casino games on the go is perfect for the busy lives people have today. The opportunity to play while commuting is ideal. What better way to spend a journey than by landing a jackpot on a slot? Especially if you can earn member loyalty rewards.
In fact, there are currently over 200 casino-related apps available in the App Store. These are all native iOS apps. They may have been coded and developed originally for iOS. But it’s more likely that most of them were updated and developed from scratch to comply with Apple’s latest gambling apps guidelines. Apple and Gambling Overview. The company basically declared that gambling apps would need to be built on native iOS, which is the programming platform most Apple apps run on. Most online casinos are coded in HTML5, so getting listed in the App Store will take some time for some casino apps.
Gambling Apps Ios Apps
List of the Top Mobile Casinos for US players
This guide to online casino apps is split into several sections, including details of how you’ll get started with mobile gaming, the range of devices you’ll be able to use and a rundown of all of the mobile casino games you can enjoy on the go:
- How to access a mobile casino: The first steps to getting started with casino gaming on the go.
- Casino apps and devices: Which mobile devices can you use for casino gambling, including Apple, Android and other devices.
- Apps versus desktop: What are the advantages of using a mobile app for your casino gaming.
- Mobile casinos security: Is playing at a mobile casino safe?
- Bonuses and promotions: Can I claim a bonus at a mobile casino?
How to access a mobile casino
To get started with mobile casino gaming, you’ll need to register with your site of choice. With legal options in many states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and virtual currency casinos elsewhere, finding a safe, regulated casino is your first step.
To play on the go, you’ll have two different options: through an app or play directly through your phone’s web browser. Most regulated casinos will guide you through downloading their app. While these have the smoothest gaming experience, the largest selection of games is available via the casino websites. These work with HTML5 or Java to adapt the games to your screen size and input method.
The installation process can change from device to device. Here are details regarding the most popular mobile devices and the accessibility of the apps for each one.
Mobile gambling apps for iPhone / iPad users
To download a casino app for your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to head to the app store. You can download apps for Apple devices; usually, you’ll find they are available for all of the latest versions of the devices and many previous versions, too.
Individual casino sites usually will provide a direct link to the casino app in the app store; although, you can just as easily do a search and find the appropriate app, too. If you haven’t already registered for an account, you’ll have to do this on launching the app. You’ll then be ready to enjoy the casino gaming.
The popularity of Apple devices means that any time there is a casino app, it will undoubtedly be available. No app developer is going to design a casino app that isn’t available for Apple devices, but available elsewhere.
Mobile gambling apps for Android users
The download process for an Android device is a little more complicated, due to Google Play having stricter rules and regulations surrounding their apps. At the moment, casino and other gambling apps are not allowed. However, the apps are 100% still available; you’ll have to download it direct from the casino site itself.
Here are the steps you’ll need to take:
- Head to the mobile casino using your smartphone and click on the app download link.
- At this point, you will usually receive a security warning (some casinos have managed to bypass this step through the downloaded software). To continue, you will need to allow apps to run from “unknown sources.” The software will usually direct you directly to the appropriate page, so you won’t be trawling through menus to find the proper setting.
- At this point, the app will now download to your mobile device.
- When downloaded, you’ll launch the app in the usual way, with a direct link to the app added to your home screen.
Android apps are widely available.
Mobile casinos on Windows, Blackberry and other devices
The availability of real money casino apps outside of Apple and Android devices is minimal. If the casino can play browser-based games, the scope of mobile device availability is widened. Check with the individual casinos to see if play is available on devices such as a Windows phone and a Blackberry.
What real money games are available on the apps?
The best aspect of gambling apps is the sheer variety of games you can enjoy. Some will enjoy the timeless games such as craps or roulette; others will enjoy games where strategy takes center stage such as blackjack. Some will enjoy the entertainment and fast-paced action that online slot machines can bring, while varieties of video poker will offer some mouth-watering wins.
Here, you’ll find a game-by-game guide, detailing the mobile casino experience, including graphics, the speed of the game, how suited they are to mobile devices and every other aspect of enjoying each at a mobile casino.
Slot Apps
In online casinos today, there is little doubt that slots lead the way. In most cases, there are more slots than any other games in the casino, usually outnumbering all the other games added together.
While not all of the slots available on the desktop version will be available on the casino app, this number seems to be rising all the time, so it’s probable that your favorite casino slot will be available to play on the go.
On most established casino apps, it would be a surprise to find less than a couple hundred of mobile slots available. So even if not all of the games are available, you’ll still have a plethora of options.
Slots are perfect for mobile devices; these visually eye-catching games can fit the screen of a mobile device entirely. Place the phone or tablet in a landscape position, and the reels will fill the device display. Slots are optimized for mobile play, with easy controls usually overlaying the reels, while you’ll set the stakes or number of lines in play using a slider.
One of the beauties about slots is the sheer range of different game types.
Some play slots for the opportunity of winning an incredible jackpot prize. An excellent example of a jackpot slot available via mobile is Cleopatra, where you can win the mega-jackpots prize (which at time of writing has reached $630,000). Simply line up the five mega-jackpots symbols on the first line across the middle, and you’ll pick up the life-changing sum. You can also win the prize randomly, too, while other bonuses on this ancient Egyptian-themed slot include 15 free spins.
Some slots can offer an incredible number of ways to win at each spin.
Raging Rhino is a fine example. You’ll have 4,096 ways to win on every spin, with the game featuring six reels of action.
Other games offer the opportunity to win many times at just one spin due to the cascading reels feature. The fun and stylish Gonzo’s Quest features cascading reels, where each successive win will see the multiplier increase. If you win multiple times during one turn, you’ll have a 5x multiplier in place during the base game and a 15x multiplier in place during the feature.
Innovative games with weird and wonderful rules such as Steam Tower can also be enjoyed. Enter an industrial steampunk world and try and guide the hero inventor to the top of the tower. This is as involving a game as you’ll find.
If you like wacky fun, try Invaders from the Planet Moolah, where you’ll find yourself under attack from alien cows. Yes, that’s right, alien cows.
With the sheer range of real money slot apps available, there really is something for everyone when it comes to mobile slot play. Whether you like historical games, classic games with those traditional fruit symbols, slots based on films and TV, jackpot slots, Atlantic City slots or many more, you’ll find them on mobile slots.
The games can be fast-paced and visually stunning and are entirely geared to playing on your mobile device. Impressive sound effects enhance many of the games, so plug those headphones in, and you’ll become immersed in the reel action.
Mobile casino video poker apps
For a real change of pace, video poker might be the game for you. Once again, the setup is ideal for a mobile device, with the action fitting perfectly onto your mobile device in landscape mode. Graphically, these games aren’t quite as rich as slots; there is only so much you can do with a set of playing cards. However, these games do offer a nice level of strategy. Every time the cards are dealt, you’ll have to decide on which to hold to give you the best chance of landing that win.
The range of video poker games available on a mobile casino can be limited, although you will usually find at least a handful of mobile video poker games. The range will typically include classics such as jacks or better and deuces wild. As a handy hint, you can find strategy charts online (Google is your friend!), telling you exactly which cards to hold in any given situation, giving you the best chance of making a profit.
Mobile casino blackjack apps
Similar to video poker, blackjack is another slower paced game, and perhaps one of the most talked about strategy games of all. Blackjack strategy charts are widely available (even some live casinos will give these away), so you’ll have no real trouble playing perfect blackjack, which gives you every chance of beating the casino.
In terms of gameplay, this is another game ideally suited to a mobile device. There is not much screen real estate taken up by just a few playing cards so that you can see all of the action very clearly. Different versions of the game will be available if you shop around various online casino apps, including the classic game and Atlantic City rules with eight decks. While you won’t find a vast selection of online blackjack games at any one casino, this is blackjack, so you won’t need to.
Mobile casino roulette apps
Roulette can be a challenging game to transfer to a mobile device, as there is a lot of action to fit onto a small screen. You have the extended betting layout and the wheel itself, each of which you want to be able to see clearly. Therefore, perhaps this is better played on an iPad or a tablet, as opposed to a phone.
You will find some versions of the game online but sticking to those versions where the wheel is as big as possible is a good way to go (IGT’s roulette is a good example, where the wheel to the left-hand side of the display is larger than the betting layout).
While being patriotic might be a good thing, in general, it doesn’t pay in roulette. Try to avoid American roulette and play European or French versions of the game instead. The American version features two zeros, which tilt the odds in favor of the casino.
Mobile casino craps apps
Whenever you see a casino on the TV, much of the action will be around a craps game, with the focus usually on the shooter, with a close up of the dice landing (often in slow motion). Due to the expanded betting layout and the small size of the dice in relation, this is another game not ideally suited to a mobile device. Therefore, stick to tablets, in general, if you are a real money craps fan.
It can be challenging to find a craps game online at all at some casinos, and mobile versions of the game are therefore that little bit tougher to come across. However, each year sees more and more games developed for mobile casinos, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a mobile-friendly range of craps games available in the near future.
Mobile casino keno apps
Keno is a fun game, which could be said to have parallels with bingo, roulette, and those large state lotteries. Pick a series of numbers between one and 80 and then match as many as you can, with the prize increasing the more you match. The good thing about keno is that it is ideally suited for mobile devices, as all that is displayed is the large grid of numbers. No, it’s not as visually striking as slots, but the excitement levels are there, especially when you match a series of numbers early on.
Keno isn’t the easiest game to find at a mobile casino; many don’t feature the game at all. However, shop around and you will find games, with notable fast-paced version at Virgin Casino NJ, where you’ll find standard keno alongside Fortune Teller Keno (where the action is presided over by the striking green-eyed fortune teller).
Mobile live dealer casinos
If you want the most authentic casino experience as you can on your mobile device, head to a live dealer casino. In a live dealer casino, you’ll be enjoying the action exactly as you would at the casino, yet it is streaming on your mobile device.
Upon entering a live dealer game, you’ll pick a table and be sat opposite one of the live dealers, precisely as you would be if entering a brick-and-mortar casino. You’ll place your bets in the same way as you would at a virtual casino, however, that is the only virtual action. You’ll now be betting on real playing cards or a real spin of a roulette wheel.
Live dealer casinos add a personal touch to the action. The games tend to be hosted by glamorous and engaging dealers, who are always happy to interact with players, giving the games a social aspect, too.
At live dealer casinos, you can usually enjoy a range of games.
Roulette is one of the most popular games, where unlike many of the virtual games, the action will usually zoom in on the wheel when in motion, so you’ll have a full-screen view of the action. Nothing beats the tension of seeing the wheel slow down, as you are hoping to land that big win.
You’ll also find a range of blackjack tables at the live dealer casino, usually catering for different stake levels. Place your bets and watch the real card action, as you are hoping to hit blackjack or go on that hot run, where you’ll enjoy win after win.
Other games available at the live dealer casino include baccarat and casino hold’em. Look out for added promotions around these live dealer tables, which are quickly becoming one of the most popular and fun ways of enjoying a mobile casino.
Advantages of using a real money casino app
The most significant advantage of using a real money casino app over your desktop/laptop is the sheer accessibility of the gaming. You can play games anywhere.
You might want to add excitement to your daily commute by playing a jackpot slot or sit in the park and take on the challenge of beating the blackjack tables.
In today’s market, many of the games are designed with mobile gaming in mind—that was not the case a few years ago, and many of the casino games are ideally suited to the smaller screens of your phone or tablet.
You can find apps very straightforward to use, too. One click and you’re playing the games immediately. This easy-to-play accessibility is one of the best aspects of mobile casino gaming and could be the reason that many will use these mobile apps in the home, even when they can play on their laptop or desktop.
While not all casino games are available for casino apps right now, you’ll find that the best software developers certainly know the value of mobile gaming in today’s market. This leads to a situation where you might not have the same quantity of games on a mobile device, but the overall quality will be higher.
Is mobile casino gaming safe?
There’s a simple answer to this question: yes. As long as you are playing at a regulated and legal casino, your casino gaming experience will be completely safe. To achieve regulated status, an online casino (and their associated app) have to show that they are entirely secure, both in terms of gameplay and banking. Stick to a state-sanctioned site, and you’ll have no worries at all about security.
Should you have any concerns, read the “Privacy” section of any casino for a full rundown of all the security measures that are in place.
Bonuses and promotions at mobile casinos
One of the most asked questions about online casino apps is the following:
Can I claim bonuses and promotions at a mobile casino?
Once again, the answer is yes.
Many bonuses and promotions are based on a set amount of gameplay at a particular casino, and this will apply whether you are playing the games at a desktop or on your phone or tablet. The new players usually get the biggest promotions, so if you’ve just signed up to a gambling site, ensure to take full advantage of opening offers.
Online casinos know that mobile gambling is the future, so they’ll ensure that all bonuses and promotions are open to mobile casino players. As a mobile player, you can occasionally have the best of both worlds, too, as casinos can offer bonuses for mobile players. Head to the promotions page of the casino to see the full range of offers available.
There are hundreds of millions of iPhones in use out there in the world. The iPhone being just one device running on iOS, alongside iPad and iPod touch. With such a huge market, developers work hard to constantly launch successful apps that might bring them a nice profit.
Real money gaming apps, casinos and bookmakers, represent one category of apps that is particularly lucrative and volatile when it comes to iOS. These apps need to constantly be updated to meet the latest developer rules issued by Apple.
Apple is extremely strict when it comes to online gambling. As they should be as these apps can be a liability if they are not licensed and trustworthy. A new guideline issued by Apple in the summer of 2019 has severe implications for existing and new gambling apps.
New Online Casinos Guideline in App Store
At the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple made a huge announcement regarding new casino related software available in the App Store. It was broken down in two main parts:
- Existing and new casinos apps have to be native to iOS. That means they have to be precisely developed for Apple’s operating system. Apps developed on the popular HTML5 framework can no longer provide access to real money gambling.
- The initial deadline for developers to update their apps was September 3, 2019, a nearly impossible three months. This was later pushed back to March 3, 2020, giving developers a much needed breathing room.
To put it in their words, Apple said that “Apps containing or running code that is not embedded in the binary cannot provide access to real money gaming, lotteries, or charitable donations, among other changes.”
It goes further to highlight in their guideline 4.7 that HTML5 based gaming apps are still supported in the App Store as long as they don’t involve real money. While this is not very helpful if you want to play to win money, at least it allows users to enjoy a fun, risk-free gaming experience.
Implications of Native Apps
The award-winning Degree 53 digital agency took an in-depth look at the steps apps need to take in order to meet Apple gambling guidelines. It came to the conclusion that it is a time-consuming and costly task for casino apps to become fully compliant with the new guidelines.
Casino and sportsbooks apps are very complex to begin with. To start an app from scratch, fully featured with all its functionalities compliant requires vast amounts of time, effort and money. Because of this, the initial three month deadline sent shockwaves among online gambling app operators. Fortunately, Apple later announced that it would extend the deadline for an additional 6 months.
Best Gambling Apps Ios
Effects on Online Gaming Market
The main online casinos and bookmakers, those that earn millions in revenue, will not have any big issues to update their apps to comply with the latest guidelines. It is time-consuming but the extended deadline makes it much more manageable.
It is the smaller and new casino app developers that are most affected by the new guideline. They will have to make the tough decision whether or not to develop a native iOS app. They may choose to bypass iOS apps altogether and stick with Android ones. After all, they are a cheaper and faster alternative.
On top of this, Android is by far the leader in the global market share of smartphone operating systems. According to Statista in 2019, Android OS held an 87% of the total market share, compared to 13% for iOS.
With these one-sided figures, it might look like the hassle to develop new online casinos apps native to iOS is simply not worth it. However, when you zoom in on the UK and US, things are much more balanced. Apple’s iOS market share is nearly 50% in both nations.
This is an extremely important figure as the UK and the US are some of the world’s largest gambling countries. While in the UK online gambling has long been permitted, the US is just now starting to allow this industry to expand. Still, with a population of over 300 million people, the US is set to become a leading market in online gambling as restrictions are lifted among different states.
So on a global level, Android is much more popular than iOS. But on a gambling level, both operating systems are gateways to millions of people and millions of potential revenue for its developers. This is what makes the decision so difficult for small and new gambling apps developers.
They may not have the resources or money to invest in developing a native iOS app for their gambling operation. This is especially true for new casino sites and sportsbooks that have limited financial resources.
To make matters twice as difficult, Apple announced a separate operating system for its tablets. Up until last year, iPhones and iPads ran on the same iOS. However, from now on iPads will run on its own iPad OS. Basically, this means that a casino operator would need to develop two separate native apps for Apple: one for its iPhone users, the other for the iPad users.
But down the line, these gambling apps will definitely want to make themselves available into the App Store as it is key to millions of players. There are also numerous advantages of a native app that players enjoy.
Advantages of Native iOS Apps
A native app is one that is developed specifically for Apple’s operating system. The company encourages and now enforces casino apps to be native to its iOS for various reasons. The main advantages of native apps are that they offer:
- Fast and optimum performance
- High degree of reliability and safety
- Apps are more intuitive and interactive providing a better user experience
These advantages combined with its vast market share, makes it easy to see why sports and casino operators are leaning towards developing native iOS apps. Regardless of the time and money effort, the potential is too good to be ignored.
In fact, there are currently over 200 casino-related apps available in the App Store. These are all native iOS apps. They may have been coded and developed originally for iOS. But it’s more likely that most of them were updated and developed from scratch to comply with Apple’s latest gambling apps guidelines.
Apple and Gambling Overview
Apple has long earned a reputation that it is an anti-gambling company. Throughout the years, it has repeatedly removed gambling apps in locations where gambling is tightly regulated or completely banned.
Another important measure taken by Apple concerns the social gaming apps. These apps that offer any simulated gambling activity are restricted to individuals under the age of 17 years old. This applies to any free games apps that do not involve any real money.
Furthermore, Apple’s newly launched Apple Credit Card cannot be used for any physical or digital gambling transactions.
On top of these measures, the latest requirement that all gambling apps are native to the iOS may seem anti-gambling. However, it is not as much that Apple is against online gambling as a whole. It simply wants to distance itself from the industry as a whole.