Mobile casino apps are now one of the most popular ways to win real money online. While almost all online casinos can be played via mobile phones and tablets via the web browser on those devices, there are alternatives to these instant play casinos. Many of the best real money mobile casinos also dish out apps to their members, and these can offer a more streamlined approach to gaming on the go.
What to Look for When Choosing a Mobile Casino App
Choosing to play via a mobile casino app shouldn’t be any more troublesome than joining an instant play casino. Players will want to look for the same types of perks and criteria when choosing an app, as they would when signing up at a browser-based domain. Of course, every mobile player has their own idea concerning what they want to see in a top mobile casino app. However, some things are of critical importance, and these include the following:
Licensing and Reputation
Any decent mobile casino app will be well-licensed out of a reputable licensing jurisdiction. On top of that, they will also display certification that they carry fair games, use random number generators, and are both regulated and audited. The longer a casino has been around, the more likely they are to have built up a reputation as a reliable place to play your favorite mobile games.
Game Access
Before you wager your hard-earned cash on a slot or table game, you’re going to want to know how it is played. It is an advantage if your chosen mobile casino app offers access to free play games as well as real money ones. On top of that, the best mobile casino apps will also deliver a variety of different titles spanning many genres, including slots, instant win games, table games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps, plus video poker. Some of the best ones will also carry live dealer games.
Usability
The downside to instant-play mobile gaming is that the casino may not reconfigure itself to your portable gaming device’s web browser. Good mobile casino apps will have a user-friendly interface, nice big buttons to jab with your fingers and thumbs, and be tailor-made to fit snuggly within the screen size of your phone or tablet.
Mobile Banking
Believe it or not, not all mobile casino apps permit banking. Any mobile casino app which doesn’t allow players to deposit, wager and withdraw on the go is arguably not worth your time. Many top apps now permit players to deposit using their phone bill.
Account Management
Mobile casino apps seldom come with as many features as instant play domains. However, there are some which are essential. The best mobile casino apps will at least allow you to edit your personal account details, and perhaps even more, such as view gaming and banking logs.
App-Based Support
Players who rely solely on their phone or tablet to bet online will want to be able to access customer support from their app. The leading mobile apps for gambling will offer access to a toll-free telephone line (which is handy when you play from your phone), but also live chat. Some may even provide WhatsApp or Skype assistance.
Good Mobile Casino Bonuses
A plethora of promos and bonuses isn’t a good thing if they tie you down with hefty playthrough rates. Respectable mobile casinos will provide players with decent promos, and they won’t bog you down under too many terms and conditions and wagering requirements. Some will even offer mobile-specific bonuses and promos.
Security and Privacy
Lastly, any top mobile casino app must be secure and respect your privacy. Aside from having fair terms and conditions regarding bonuses and promos, the app should also tell players who process their payments (you’ll want an established provider here), as well as if the app offers SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption and other security features. One good way to ensure that you get the whole package only to choose mobile casinos which are recommended by us.
Mobile Casinos by Platform
With several different platforms of mobile phones and tablets around and some more popular than others in various parts of the world, portable casino players have choices. Most of the big operators provide Android and iOS (Apple) friendly apps. Some even go beyond that, offering Windows Phone and Kindle Mobile apps, too. It is worth pointing out that Windows Phone casino apps are in decline, though.
Platform-specific apps will only run on their respective operating system. In some cases, you will need to have a modern version of the operating system on your device, too. Apps can be downloaded by your specific iPad, iPhone, smartphone or tablet via several means. The Google Play, Apple App, Kindle, and Windows Store generally house such apps, or they can be downloaded from the website of the casino in question. On top of that, QR codes are also frequently used to install a casino app.
iPhone Casinos
With the popularity of mobile devices growing year on year, with more and more people owning a smartphone device, online casinos have had to adapt accordingly.
Indeed Ofcom in 2015 produced a report that the sales of mobile devices have overtaken those of laptops for the first time.
The Apple iPhone has proven to be one of the most popular smartphones and as such all of the reviewed casinos here on bestfromthebets.com are available to play with an iPhone.
Some such casinos even have their own dedicated casino apps in the Apple Store, which players can download to their iPhone and use to access and play at the casino.
There is no denying though, that the market share of Apple alone with their iPhone will ensure that all the best online casinos will and do cater for these devices.
iPad Casinos
The iPad from Apple has revolutionized how people connect to the internet and this is no different when it comes to online casinos.
As a result here on this page, you will find our recommended iPad Casinos, all of which are fully optimized to be used on your Apple iPad Tablet.
Like our resource for iPhone Casinos, our best casinos for Apple iPads also allow you to download individual casino apps to install on your iPad.
So you are able to download and install dedicated online casino apps if you so wish. However, you are also able to access these casinos direct, straight from your web browser. Whether it be Safari or any other such as Chrome or Firefox.
You will also find that the online slot games play fine on your iPad when signed into the casino. So you are able to play the likes of Age of the Gods or Thunderstruck whilst on the move. It certainly helps brighten up a slow long-distance train commute!
The benefit of using an iPad to play at an online casino over a mobile phone is quite obvious. The larger screen enjoyed by an iPad ( even an iPad Mini ) is superior to that of a mobile phone handset. Thus allowing you to enjoy the same clarity of graphics as enjoyed on a laptop or desktop.
Also if you have a larger-sized iPad you will notice that sites that are mobile-friendly won’t serve you by default the mobile layout, or the accelerated mobile pages. Which in our view is a big plus. As the mobile themes and layouts of sites are not as good as those designed for a desktop. With Desktop displays being able to be rendered fine of the larger sized iPads.
Plus by using an iPad to gamble online, you get the benefit of the Apple Store whereby you can download and install dedicated casino apps as mentioned above.
Below you will find our best five iPads casinos. As with playing on a desktop or laptop, when signing up to a casino account on your iPad you still are eligible for the new player bonuses listed on the offer.
Android Mobile Casino Apps
Rivaling Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices for popularity for handheld devices is Android. With the likes of Samsung carving out a considerable niche and market share in the handheld smart tech arena, it’s no surprise that demand for Android casinos has increased dramatically over the past few years.
Indeed some would argue that the range of mobile phone and tablet devices developed by Samsung are technically superior to their Apple rivals.
Whilst in my household, we are Apple converts, those that use and prefer Android devices continue to rise.
How to Play Real Money Casino Games on an Android Casino App
In short, all of the online casinos which are reviewed and recommended here on bestfromthebets.com can be enjoyed with an Android device.
However, we have gone one further and drawn up a shortlist below of in our view the best five Android Casinos that you can play on your android device.
You will also find that if you are currently viewing bestfromthebets.com with an Android device, you are also able to play all the free-play slot games which we feature on the site. This is definitely one up on those viewing the site on an Apple iOs device!
Furthermore, those of you Android fans will also find that the casinos games reviewed here on CR are also available to play on your handset or tablet.
What is very clear is that online casino operators have adapted to the current shift towards mobile gaming devices. To this extent, most are now developed with the mobile internet market very much in mind.
As is the case with the likes of the search engine google giving credence and weighting to those sites which are mobile-friendly and also supporting AMP ( Accelerated Mobile Pages ).
Mobile gaming is certainly here to stay and the benefits of playing at those Android Casinos ( Casinos that support Android handheld devices ) means you can access your favorite online casino games on the move.
All of the best 5 Android Casinos listed below also allow you to receive the same account benefits and bonuses that you would be afforded if you opened an account on a desktop or laptop.
Typical Mobile Casino Deposit Options and Withdrawal Times
When playing at mobile casino sites via apps, players should expect the same deposit and withdrawal times as their online counterparts would receive. However, mobile casino players can sometimes prosper from added perks, such as the ability to pay via their phone bill. Withdrawals are usually processed in the same manner as those found at an online casino.
Deposit times tend to be instantaneous for almost all mobile casino app deposit methods. Withdrawals typically range from 24-48 hours for e-wallets, 2-4 days for bank transfers, and much longer for other methods. Players should also check to ensure that the banking options provided by a mobile casino app are free from charges.
Software Companies
We estimate there to be around 80 casino software providers at the moment. This number is made up of a mix of specialized platform developers like Microgaming and Netent, niched game developers like Betsoft and NYX Interactive Gaming, and large manufacturers of land-based slots, gaming machines, and online games like IGT. Competition is fierce and the real differentiator is innovation. They are constantly challenged to come up with new themes, hot new features, and new ways of winning.
Here we feature some of the leaders in the field of building mobile casino games that make their game available to UK punters through a network of reliable and trustworthy operators.
NetEnt Touch – Our Pick
40+ First-class Games
In our view, NetEnt currently offers the most complete and advanced mobile gaming platform. It is a very polished product. Their mobile platform is called Netent Touch ™ and came to market in 2011. NetEnt claims that they rebuild each of their games for mobile so that is completely optimized to run on a variety of devices and the results are clearly superior. There are only around 40 games to choose from, but that should not stop you from picking a Netent casino.
Microgaming – The Biggest Innovator
85+ mobile games
Microgaming was one of the early movers in the mobile gaming space when they launched their Spin3 platform in 2009. Since then it has grown into an industry leader with over 85 titles. making it the most complete platform our there today and some very big brands run their mobile casinos on it. This interface is fantastic and the gameplay is crisp and smooth. Most of our recommended Microgaming casinos operate their game downloads through cloud infrastructure making the download time from the UK really fast.
Playtech – Familiar Game Titles
65+ mobile games
Playtech was a little late to market and partnered with a company called Mobenga to redevelop their games for mobile devices. In 2012 the first casinos went live. Playtech’s built their platform using HTML5 from the outset so compatibility has never been an issue. The company is pouring a lot of money into its mobile offering, and the results are showing. We love the Marvel Comic Hero licensed games, and other favorites, of course, include their big progressives like Beach life.
RealTime Gaming – Solid slots and video poker Games
30+ mobile games
RealTime Gaming has been around for a long time and only introduced its mobile platform in 2014. They currently offer a good range of slots. Some of their games remain as popular as ever and some players feel that they capture that real casino feels very well indeed.
Niche Casino Game Developers
These companies deserve a mention because they are responsible for delivering some amazing games over the last few years. We particularly like the games from Betsoft, PlaynGo, and Nextgen Gaming.
Mobile Casino FAQ
Understandably, you may have lingering questions about playing real money games via a mobile casino app. Here are the answers to some of the more commonly asked ones.
Is it safe to play mobile games?
Provided the mobile casino is licensed and regulated, then yes. Mobile games are no riskier than playing online casino games in your web browser.
Can I use bonuses to play mobile casino games?
Casino promos are valid on almost all games unless expressly stated. Internet casino bonuses can be used to play mobile casino games. However, some mobile casinos also have exclusive promos and bonuses which are only available for mobile users, and these are certainly worth checking out.
Can I play mobile games with an online casino account?
Again, this is almost certainly the case. Most mobile casino apps require players to use log-in details to sign in to the app. Those details will be the same ones you use to sign in to the online casino via your web browser.
What happens if I lose my connection when playing a mobile casino game?
This process would be the same if you lost your connection when playing at an instant play domain. Generally, the mobile casino game will maintain the balance you had immediately before your connection was lost. If you were involved in a bonus round (such as a free spin bonus), the outcome might vary, though. Sometimes, slot developers produce their games with a feature that enables players to return to the point where they lost their connection, but this isn’t true with all providers. The result may vary from game to game, as well as from casino to casino. Reading the terms and conditions of any app should clear this issue up.
Can I play progressive jackpot slots on my phone or tablet?
Yes. Most of the newest slot games are designed with mobile users in mind. Top progressive jackpot slots can frequently be played via apps on smartphones and tablets. Many of the biggest progressive jackpot slot wins have been won by players who were playing via a portable gaming device at the time, even if it wasn’t necessarily via an app.