Online Gambling Apps
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.
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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.
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 US 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 casino 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 casino 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?
Gambling Apps For Real Money
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.
Online 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.
Are casino apps safe and legit?
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.
In 1994 a little-known company in South Africa called Microgaming developed what they claim to be the first online casino software in the world. Later, Microgaming released the first ever online casino, from which the online gambling industry was born. Since its humble beginnings, the industry has grown exponentially, and online casino technology has evolved with it.
The dawn of an industry
While other companies besides Microgaming might claim to have been the first to create an online casino game, none of them would have been able to without the Free Trade and Processing Act, which allowed licensing for online gambling sites. The bill was passed in Antigua and Barbuda in 1994, and later that same year The Gaming Club was released — the first true online gambling website (if you believe Microgaming was indeed first). Microgaming had the first foot in the door, but InterCasino were quick to follow with a website of their own, which launched in 1996.
By 1998 the online casino industry had already started becoming quite crowded, and online casino game developers around the world were releasing new content at a frenzied rate. Microgaming stepped it up again, leaving their competitors behind, and hit on another industry first – the progressive jackpot. Maybe they knew, maybe they didn’t, but the release of their online slot game Cash Splash, would change the new-found industry forever.
Their progressive jackpot meant that a portion of every spin would be pooled together to form the jackpot, which would grow as more spins were played on the online slot game. The jackpot could only be triggered if a specific combination of symbols was scored on the game. Having started the industry all those years ago, Microgaming is still one of the biggest companies in online casino software development.
While there were many online games being developed at this time, development of new online casino sites was slow because of the relatively simple nature of the internet in the 90s. Back then, it was still uncommon to have the internet in your home.
Still, some companies recognized the potential growth and popularity of online gambling and couldn’t wait to get on the bandwagon. Intertops was one of the earliest to strike – as a sports betting company that had taken bets over the phone since 1983, they were now poised to adapt to the fast-growing phenomenon that was the internet.
While online casino games like slots were the first form of real money gambling, the game that would properly bring the online gambling industry to the masses, was online poker.
Poker puts the spotlight on online gambling
By 1998 online casinos were starting to gain more popularity, and the industry was blown open by yet another newcomer to the scene – a little online poker site called Planet Poker.
For almost a year after Planet Poker went up, it was the only game in town. But their success and exclusivity were short-lived, as they had only spurred on all of their competition. By 1999 other poker sites like Party Poker, Paradise Poker and PokerStars started cropping up, all aiming to cash in on Planet Poker’s innovation. Party Poker would go on to become one of the most popular online gambling sites in the world.
By the turn of the century the popularity of online gambling sites had skyrocketed. As the internet became a staple in people’s households, more players were joining the world-wide community of online gamblers.
In 2005, the USA became acutely aware of the popularity of online casinos and sought to prohibit US citizens from playing on gambling sites from abroad. The law was not successfully passed, but the attempt at localizing their citizen’s online gambling did leave an impression on foreign casino owners, who began to close their sites to American players – this scare soon passed.
Modern Online Gambling
In the years following the initial boom in the popularity of online casinos, massive numbers of new online casinos and games were released. As online casino game developers refined their designs and brought out more and more exciting games, technology moved forward at an alarming rate.
There were now hundreds of online casinos with new, beautifully designed games on offer. Whether you wanted to play online poker, blackjack, slots, or even baccarat, you were sure to find what you wanted.
As their popularity grew, the classic casino games were evolving and being retrofitted for this new online environment. Free spins, bonus games, and many more enhancements were made possible by the progress in technology and the developer’s ability to implement it.
These days 3D and video slots have all but sidelined their classic ancestors, and the introduction of virtual and augmented reality to online poker and blackjack have done the same. New games and software are being released constantly, and big gambling software companies are always trying to outdo each other.
The online gambling industry is constantly evolving and transforming to remain as relevant as possible – to the point of fitting in players’ pockets.
Online goes mobile
By the early 2000’s, new innovations such as smartphones and tablets were starting to change the way we lived our lives and, indeed, the way we wanted to play our online casino games. Mobile gaming had entered the scene, and the online gambling industry was about to realize its true potential.
The United Kingdom took the lead in the adoption of mobile gaming into the gambling industry, when in 2003 having a 3G connection enabled you to use “The Betting Site”. Right from your phone, you could place bets with your choice of five different bookmakers. This meant that you could now indulge in your favorite online pastime while you were on the go. After the release of the iPhone in 2007, and the App Store in July of 2008, there was no looking back – the way forward was mobile casino games apps.
During the first year of the App Store’s release, Texas Hold’em was on the list of the most downloaded iPhone apps. These online casino apps took to their new mobile environment even more naturally that they did to computers or laptops. Poker, slots, sportsbooks, anything you wanted to play or bet on could now be carried with you everywhere you went. Public Wi-Fi was not so prevalent yet, but the possibility existed and, as we now know, it caught on.
Online Gambling Apps Real Money
Technology never waits
With the increasing popularity and availability of virtual and augmented reality, as well as other developments in gaming technology and software, online casinos are not done changing yet. You can already experience live casino games, VR poker, and VR blackjack at certain online casinos, and augmented reality games are already widely available on mobile platforms.
As technological advancements continue to shape the world around us, it will continue to shape the world of online gambling too. The most significant of the changes over the lifetime of the industry revolve around the choices available to players. More platforms, more games, more developers, and more players means more change and more development in online casinos and the games they provide.
Try your luck with BetMGM
Technology may change, but our commitment to offering you the best online gambling experience won’t. At BetMGM we feature some of the most cutting-edge and popular online casino games available. From Live poker and blackjack to hundreds of great online slots games, BetMGM delivers one of the best online gambling experiences available. Sign up with us today to put our technology to the test.