The Pros and Cons of Mobile Gambling
Before we look into what factors to consider when choosing a mobile-friendly casino, let’s first take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of mobile gambling.
The Benefits of a Mobile-Friendly Casino
The first and most obvious benefit of a mobile-friendly casino is convenience. You can gamble whenever and wherever you want. As long as you have internet access and a good connection, you can play whatever game you enjoy.
A truly mobile-oriented casino will go out of their way to make the experience as seamless as possible. So, you’ll be able to play easily, regardless of what else you’re doing.
Another advantage is rapid access. With a mobile, you don’t have to wait for your computer to boot up, nor do you have to wait to actually get onto your computer if you share it with a partner, for example. You can just open the app or access the browser and you’re good to go.
Some mobile casinos will also provide players with special bonuses for playing on their phones. Free money that could give you more chances to win some nice prizes is always a nice perk.
The Drawbacks of Mobile Gambling
Like with anything, mobile gambling does have some drawbacks. First of all, too much of a good thing can have a detrimental effect. With constant and easy access to your favorite casino, you might find yourself spending a little too much time playing.
Another issue you might have with mobile gambling is that you don’t have access to quite as many games as you do on your computer. While more and more games are becoming available, the list is still not quite as expansive as online.
Luckily, though, the most popular games are available, as well as all the newer ones since they are developed using HTML5, which is supported by all browsers.
You might also find that the size of the screen is an issue. Mobile devices have far smaller screens than laptops or desktops. For some players, this can really cause problems, especially if you have problems with your eyesight.
Furthermore, graphics quality might also be a consideration. While mobile graphics have advanced by leaps and bounds, there are still limitations. Thus, you might find that your games don’t look quite as good on a mobile as they do on a laptop.
Finally, gambling on your mobile could get data intensive, which means it could get expensive if you don’t have access to WiFi.
Generally speaking, the actual gameplay doesn’t require a lot of data. For example, many say that it only takes about 1kB of data for a round of roulette or blackjack, though this is only an approximate figure.
However, what does require a lot of data is loading the game before you start playing, along with the casino’s website, which could add up.
If you have a limited data plan but want to play during your commute, for example, consider loading the game while you still have access to a WiFi network. That should save you quite a bit of data expenditure.
How to Choose a Mobile-Friendly Casino
The process for choosing the right mobile gambling site is, essentially, the same as the one for choosing a “normal” online casino. However, there are a few additional factors you need to take into account that are specifically related to mobile friendliness.
Types of Mobile Casinos
Casinos offers two main types of access to their games. One is via your browser, while the other is via an app.
Browser-based mobile casinos can generally be access from any mobile device that has an internet browser. Simply type in the URL, log in, and choose the game you want to play.
Mobile casino apps, on the other hand, need to be downloaded and installed first, making the process slightly more complicated. However, once the app is installed, the process is easier because you don’t have to go to a specific site. You simply tap the app and you can start playing right away.
While browser-based casinos are great, apps are an indicator that the casino in question has gone that extra mile to provide a great user experience. They’ve instead in developing an app specifically for mobile use, which is why you’ll often find it’s a far better experience.
Is It a Real Casino?
If you aren’t downloading the app of a casino you already know, you need to be careful because not all apps are provided by licensed casinos. These types of apps only allow you to play with virtual currency. While it might be a bit of fun, you will never be able to cash out because you aren’t playing with real money.
Technical Considerations
Though nowadays you can find almost everything you need, regardless of the type of phone you own, you still need to do a little research in advance. It’s not unusual for the offering to differ based on the type of operating system.
If you own an Android-based phone or an iOS iPhone device, you shouldn’t really have an issue as they are the most popular and everyone develops for these operating systems.
Windows Phone devices and Blackberry phones aren’t quite as popular, so don’t assume that you’ll have access to all the same games.
However, keep in mind that this only applies to downloadable casino apps. Browser-based casinos can be access off any mobile device, regardless of the device because it’s the browser that matters, not the operating system.
Special Bonuses and Perks
Some casinos offer all sorts of bonuses and perks that specifically target mobile users. This is generally another good indicator that the casino in question is dedicated to offering a great mobile experience.
Now, the lack of bonuses for mobile users shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but when they are available, it’s far more likely that your overall experience will be outstanding.
How to Get Started with Mobile-Friendly Casinos
Getting started is quite simple once you’ve chosen the casino you want to gamble with. It won’t take longer than a few minutes for you to get set up and start playing.
With an instant casino, simply navigate to their website. With a casino app, download and install the software, which you can do either through the casino’s website or through the app store of your mobile.
If you don’t have an account, you’ll have to sign up. You might find it easier to create your account on your desktop or laptop simply because it’s easier to type on a full keyboard. However, it isn’t necessary because you can easily sign up on your mobile device.
At this point, you’ll probably want to make a deposit, though some mobile casinos will allow you to play for free.
Keep in mind that any winnings you make while playing for free cannot be transferred to real cash. Furthermore, the special bonuses are usually tied to a deposit, so if you don’t make one, you might not be eligible for the bonus.
If you already have an account with the online version of the casino, all you have to do is log in. Now, choose the game you want to play and have fun.