Mobile casinos seem to be all the rage today and, by many reports, are more popular than their counterpart, the desktop casino. The true popularity of each remains to be seen, as
online gambling is a global market, yet is still regulated at a local level. Moreover, there are hundreds, if not thousands of individual casinos and game developers, each with their own
statistics and reporting. So, naturally, when reports surfaced in late 2013 that mobile gaming had taken the lion’s share of business, slipping in at 51-percent of the online market, that, too, was biased. Most reports failed to indicate that the new stats only involved the UK market and, at that, were only referencing the popularity of sports betting. Moreover, all indications are that the study was paid for by one of the leaders in online sports book.
Diversity in Gaming
The trouble with determining which is more popular is that it varies in each region. In the UK, sports betting is the most popular gambling venture. Some reports show it makes up for about 44 percent of the total market. Very little data is available about US online gambling, as laws have changed so much that long-term data isn’t available. In addition, there are only a few states that permit online gambling, some of which report poker to be the most popular, while others lean towards slots. However, it stands to reason that mobile devices are generally used for quick interactions or immediate results. This could easily explain the popularity of sports betting, as gamblers log on just long enough to place a bet and then direct their attention back to the big game. Bingo, slots and other games require longer attention spans and are often better played on a larger device.
The Mobile Experience
Even so, many companies beyond sportsbook have delved into the development of mobile games. Previously, casino games were largely Flash-based or required download. This meant that they couldn’t be played on tablets or smartphones at all. With the advent of HLML5, many of the software developers now have a tool to develop games that will play on mobile devices.
The experience these games provide varies greatly depending on the software developer. Some game creators simply took their most-played varieties and adjusted the code so it would play on mobile devices. The games often lost features and delivered mediocre gameplay, with limited functionality, at best. Other companies seized this new technology and hired experts to create entirely new games that were optimized for tablets and smartphones. Casinos and developers also began designing apps, for easier play, some of which allow for the betting of real money and others that are considered social and don’t involve hard cash.
To provide a hint of their popularity, traditional casino games netted about 212.1-million dollars and social games brought in 104.4-million dollars in August 2014, according to a report from Super Data Research.
Popularity
Again, the popularity of mobile gambling varies by region. Among mobile sports betting venues, Bet365 seems to be the most popular. It also consistently holds a top spot in traditional online bets as well. The US tends to lean more towards social gaming. Some of the most popular games are Goldfish, which reportedly brought in 1-million dollars in August 2014 and House of Fun, which netted a cool 3-million dollars.
Mobile Slots
One name that regularly makes the list of top apps is Big Win Slots. They have a fairly good reputation in regard to quality and payouts. Otherwise, there are a handful of individual games that can be found either by themselves or within online casino apps.
Some of the most popular mobile slots from around the net include:
Table Games
Though mobile isn’t typically a favored venue for table games, a few software developers have worked hard to create mobile versions of their popular games. Some of the better ones include:
As of now, there are no clear winners in the world of mobile gambling and whether it’s more popular than desktop gambling remains to be proven. It’s likely that mobile gaming will overtake traditional, if it hasn’t already. This is simply because of the amount of time people spend with their devices. We’re also likely to see the development of more high-quality, mobile-optimized games that will tip the scale further. There’s also social gambling, which is a relatively new trend, which will continue to pull mobile gaming up. While developers continue to strengthen their designs and casinos try to grab new players by offering freebies, it seem the only clear winner is the player.
online gambling is a global market, yet is still regulated at a local level. Moreover, there are hundreds, if not thousands of individual casinos and game developers, each with their own
statistics and reporting. So, naturally, when reports surfaced in late 2013 that mobile gaming had taken the lion’s share of business, slipping in at 51-percent of the online market, that, too, was biased. Most reports failed to indicate that the new stats only involved the UK market and, at that, were only referencing the popularity of sports betting. Moreover, all indications are that the study was paid for by one of the leaders in online sports book.
Diversity in Gaming
The trouble with determining which is more popular is that it varies in each region. In the UK, sports betting is the most popular gambling venture. Some reports show it makes up for about 44 percent of the total market. Very little data is available about US online gambling, as laws have changed so much that long-term data isn’t available. In addition, there are only a few states that permit online gambling, some of which report poker to be the most popular, while others lean towards slots. However, it stands to reason that mobile devices are generally used for quick interactions or immediate results. This could easily explain the popularity of sports betting, as gamblers log on just long enough to place a bet and then direct their attention back to the big game. Bingo, slots and other games require longer attention spans and are often better played on a larger device.
The Mobile Experience
Even so, many companies beyond sportsbook have delved into the development of mobile games. Previously, casino games were largely Flash-based or required download. This meant that they couldn’t be played on tablets or smartphones at all. With the advent of HLML5, many of the software developers now have a tool to develop games that will play on mobile devices.
The experience these games provide varies greatly depending on the software developer. Some game creators simply took their most-played varieties and adjusted the code so it would play on mobile devices. The games often lost features and delivered mediocre gameplay, with limited functionality, at best. Other companies seized this new technology and hired experts to create entirely new games that were optimized for tablets and smartphones. Casinos and developers also began designing apps, for easier play, some of which allow for the betting of real money and others that are considered social and don’t involve hard cash.
To provide a hint of their popularity, traditional casino games netted about 212.1-million dollars and social games brought in 104.4-million dollars in August 2014, according to a report from Super Data Research.
Popularity
Again, the popularity of mobile gambling varies by region. Among mobile sports betting venues, Bet365 seems to be the most popular. It also consistently holds a top spot in traditional online bets as well. The US tends to lean more towards social gaming. Some of the most popular games are Goldfish, which reportedly brought in 1-million dollars in August 2014 and House of Fun, which netted a cool 3-million dollars.
Mobile Slots
One name that regularly makes the list of top apps is Big Win Slots. They have a fairly good reputation in regard to quality and payouts. Otherwise, there are a handful of individual games that can be found either by themselves or within online casino apps.
Some of the most popular mobile slots from around the net include:
- Aliens
- Disco Spins
- Fisticuffs
- Frankenstein
- Fruit Shop
- Gonzos Quest
- Gold Rush
- Jack Hammer 2
- Major Millions
- Mega Moolah
- Mermaids Millions
- Mythic Maiden
- Twin Spin
- South Park
- Subtopia
- Sweet Treats
- Tomb Raider
- Thunderstruck
Table Games
Though mobile isn’t typically a favored venue for table games, a few software developers have worked hard to create mobile versions of their popular games. Some of the better ones include:
- Blackjack 1-40 (Look for the version put out by NetEnt)
- Blackjack 2-80 (The Microgaming version seems to be the best here)
- Roulette (Microgaming is tops again)
- Zynga Poker (Free to play)
As of now, there are no clear winners in the world of mobile gambling and whether it’s more popular than desktop gambling remains to be proven. It’s likely that mobile gaming will overtake traditional, if it hasn’t already. This is simply because of the amount of time people spend with their devices. We’re also likely to see the development of more high-quality, mobile-optimized games that will tip the scale further. There’s also social gambling, which is a relatively new trend, which will continue to pull mobile gaming up. While developers continue to strengthen their designs and casinos try to grab new players by offering freebies, it seem the only clear winner is the player.
