Online Casinos on Your Mobile Device

American online casinos may still be in the “to be determined” phase, but online casinos for US players abound, and you can use them legally in the United States. The reason that a number of online casinos turned their backs on US customers starting in late 2006 had to do with a law that was passed by a Congress anxious to adjourn before midterm elections that prohibited transactions from US banks or similar institutions to online gambling sites illegal.

There are now many alternative methods of US players transferring money to these sites that are legal, and many online casinos the world over welcome players from the US. And, as you might expect, they are expanding their offerings to the world of mobile technology, allowing players to participate on their iPhones, Android phones, and other types of mobile devices. Here is a brief snapshot of today’s mobile online gaming.

Online casinos know that playing on a mobile phone or other handheld device has great advantages. You don’t need a computer, and you can play from anywhere you can get a mobile data connection. Whether you use your mobile device for online gambling by going to the mobile versions of the websites or whether you use special apps for your device depends on the casino, the device, and where in the world you are located.

With the iPhone, it’s still mostly a matter of going to the mobile versions of the sites and using them. Betfair, a big UK online gambling operation, did get Apple to approve an iPhone app for their games, but it’s for use in the UK and Ireland only at this time. Many were surprised that the app was even approved, due to Apple’s strict rules about family friendly apps, but Betfair was able to do it. Shortly afterward, Paddy Power added an app for its UK and Ireland users, and both companies have seen quite a bit of success with their iPhone apps.

Some recent model cell phones that are not smart phones still allow you to play casino games with JavaScript platform software. To use these, you sign up for the mobile casinos as you would using your computer. The software can be scaled to fit your screen and add and remove functionality based on your particular phone model. You do not get the great graphics and playability you do with your computer, but it’s still pretty amazing what you can do with mobile gambling. In general, mobile roulette, blackjack, video poker, and slots are the most phone-friendly games.

Android phones may be the next big thing when it comes to online casinos. Paddy Power was the first online gambling site to produce a mobile casino app for Android phones everywhere. The app gives players total access to Paddy Power’s website services. Players can open new accounts, make deposits and withdrawals, and place bets. It also includes a full history function so users can view all previous transactions. The app has received a great response in Europe so far.

With the explosion in worldwide adoption of handheld mobile devices, it stands to reason that this sector of the internet casino market is set for major expansion in 2011 and beyond. gas slot