When brick and mortar casinos moved onto the Internet scene, they made quite a revolution to the way people gamble. But nowadays, online casino gambling is nothing new. Even though it exists for some time, its popularity is still increasing and it is one of the biggest online industries in the world. However, with the huge demand of smart phones and other mobile devices in the past couple of years, the online casino market is changing and is striving to adapt to support various wireless devices. Apple's products like the iPhone and iPad and Google's launch of the open source Android that supports thousands of mobile devices have changed the way casino fans play games and they have provided a convenient and suitable medium for playing casino games. As a result, it is no surprise that Internet casino operators are aiming toward providing solutions and games that can work well on various mobile devices. Mobile smart phones, tablets and other computer-like devices have become very popular access points for casino gamblers.
This also triggered the creation and development of many mobile compatible casino games. Existing online games are being adapted for mobile play and mobile-exclusive casino games are also being created. They are quite easy to access via mobile casinos that often work well on iOS and Android devices, but also on older handsets. The gaming choice on the go is pretty vast and includes games like various types of slots, video poker, table and card games, progressives, arcade games and so on.
Market Trends and Growth
To give you a solid proof of the growth of the mobile casino gaming market, let's take a look at the research conducted by Morgan Stanley. Based on the figures, the number of mobile device users is growing and will be larger in the coming years than the number of regular desktop users. In other words, in the past five years, the number of mobile users has exceeded the number of desktop users and it is expected to further increase. This also means that the demand of mobile casino games will also grow further. Therefore, it is very important for online casino operators to migrate from the online casino business to mobile. Even though it is still new, the mobile gambling market is estimated to be worth about $20 billion. Moreover, the massive growth of tablet and smart phones has already had a huge impact on the increased development of mobile gambling apps and this appears to be just the beginning.
Furthermore, another research by the analyst firm Eilers reveals that mobile takes up 46% of all social casino game revenues, pointing out that the growth of social media has also contributed to the growth of social casino games. Compared to the numbers from the previous quarter, in this first quarter mobile grew 13.8% and this bodies well for films that have already taken a leading place in the mobile market.
With a look toward the future, Juniper Research reveals that playing casino-style games via mobile devices is expected to reach $62 billion globally by 2018, which is a huge increase. Leading driver for this will be the legalization of some forms of online gambling in certain US states.
From the various researches we can conclude that mobile casino gaming is the way forward and that we should expected new ideas and innovations in mobile gambling. With all this said the rest of the article looks at the types of mobile casino games and who creates them.
On This Page
In this article about mobile casino games we cover the following:
- Differences between playing casino games on various mobile devices (Android vs. Apple and tablet vs. smart phone);
- A close look at real money mobile games vs. free play;
- Top five most popular mobile casino games (short reviews of Mega Fortune, Aliens, Tomb Rider 2, Mega Moolah and the Incredible Hulk);
- The five best mobile slots of 2015 (short reviews of Starburst, Thunderstruck II, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Spamalot and Mega Moolah);
- Mobile video poker (categorized by software provider and type of video poker variants);
- Top three mobile blackjack games (short reviews of Live Blackjack, Blackjack Touch and European Blackjack);
- More about mobile roulette (including reviews of Roulette Touch, Classic Roulette and European Roulette).
Device Differences – Android vs. Apple – Tablet vs. Smart Phone
Playing mobile casino games on Android and Apple devices is definitely different. First and foremost, there is difference in game functionality and graphics between Android mobile devices. For example, if you play games on a HTC or Xperia, the functionality will be slightly different because these are two different smart phone models. However, even though we cannot tell you for sure that every Android mobile device will work well with every Android casino we recommend, many mobile casinos are working hard to make their games compatible with most devices. So the best advice we can give you is to try out the Android mobile casino games for free and see how well they will work on your Android device.
If the mobile device is flash-based like Nexus tablets, you should be able to play all online casino games on it. But many Android mobiles will be restricted just like iPads and iPhones.
Apple compatible mobile casino games, on the other hand, are restricted only to iPhones and iPads or to Apple products that work on iOS mobile operating system. If a games works well on the iPhone it will surely work well on the iPad. Thanks to the superior graphics and quality of the devices, playing casino games on them is superb and fun.
Lastly, casino games on the go work differently on tablets and smart phones. This is mainly because tablets have wider viewing area and bigger screen resolutions, but the game play, display features and functionality are basically the same. The biggest difference lies in the type of mobile handset used.
To sum things up, nowadays there is no difference between the games offered on Android and those on iOS. They are the same for both mobile platforms and most casinos that offer Android games also offer the same type of games on iOS mobile devices.
Real Money Mobile Games vs. Free Play
There are two ways to play mobile games - for real money and for free. Free play mode is suitable for players that want to try out the games and see how they work on their mobile device. It is also good for new players that don't know how to play the games and want to familiarize more with a mobile casino. Free play basically means that you play with free chips on the house and don't risk any of your money. But it also means that you won't win any real cash.
Real money mobile casino play, on the other hand, requires a real casino deposit which can be done directly on the mobile device via a suitable deposit option. This type of play can win you real cash if lucky, but you can lose your money as well, so pay attention what and how you play.
Top 5 Most Popular Mobile Games
The following are the most popular casino games compatible with many mobile devices:
Mega Fortune - This popular progressive jackpot slot from NetEnt software has 5 reels and 25 pay-lines and comes with an ever increasing progressive jackpot and two local jackpots. Players can win one of the jackpots in the bonus game which is activated by the bonus wheel symbol. Besides this, the game also comes with free spins and 5x multiplier. One of the biggest mobile wins on this game is a whopping €2.5 million jackpot.
Aliens - This is another well-known NetEnt video slot with an Alien theme that has 5 reels and 15 pay-lines. The slot is pretty action packed with features among which are free spins and various multipliers and has three levels- the base game, the Encounter and the Hive. At the end, if you succeed in killing the Alien Queen, you will get an extra bonus of 240x your bet plus everything else you have gathered in between.
Tomb Raider 2 - Tomb Raider: the Secret of the Sword is the newest Lara Croft themed slot from Microgaming that gives players amazing 7,500 coin jackpot if they get 5 wild Lara Croft symbols. They can also help Lara find the hidden mysterious relics and get a nice payout. The game also comes with Super mode feature, free spins bonus round with rolling reels and a Global Adventure special feature.
Mega Moolah - A popular safari themed progressive jackpot slot from Microgaming, Mega Moolah comes with four progressive jackpots and a 225,000 fixed coin jackpot. The game comes with wild and scatter symbol; the later activates the free spins bonus round where you get 15 free spins. To be able to win any of the huge jackpots, always bet the maximum when you play this game. This way you will have more chances of winning. Mega Moolah paid out one of the highest jackpot won on mobile at £3.7 million.
The Incredible Hulk - This popular Marvel Series progressive video slot from Playtech has 5 reels and 25 pay-lines and features a nice Marvel four-tier progressive jackpot. The slot comes with a wild symbol, expanding wilds, scatter icon, free spins, various win multipliers, Smash bonus and a jackpot game.
Mobile Slots
The most numerous casino games on the go are the mobile slots. All mobile casino operators create them and they can be found in abundance at some mobile casinos. Mobile slots are categorized into classic, video, progressive and 3D slots. The first type of mobile slots has 3 reels and just a few special features. The second type has 5 reels and many pay-lines as well as many special features the most common being wild and scatter symbol, free spins, bonus games and win multipliers. The progressive jackpot slots can be either classic or video but with an attached progressive jackpot to them. The jackpot pool can stand alone or it can be wide area progressive offering pretty life-changing amounts. Lastly, the mobile 3D slots are basically video slots but with enhanced graphics. The software provider that focuses most on creating this type of slots is Betsoft Gaming.
Mobile slots work and are played the same as online slots. To play them you have to select the size of your bet and tap with your fingers on the Spin button. Winning combinations are paid according to the size of your bet and win combination. Furthermore, just like online slots, mobile slot games use random number generator that creates strings of random digits that determine the result of a spin. The outcome is automatically generated and completely random; it cannot be affected. To ensure mobile slots create fair results, third party auditing companies like TST and eCOGRA regularly test the games and their RNG.
Popular mobile casino software providers that create mobile slots are Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and Betsoft Gaming. Some well-known titles from Microgaming that can be played on the go are Mega Moolah, Mermaids Millions, Thunderstruck, Tomb Rider, The Dark Knight, Fruit Fiesta, Treasure Nile etc. Playtech is famous for creating exclusive Marvel hero slots among others and some titles include Gold Rally, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Pink Panther, The Avengers, Beach Life, Gladiator Jackpot, The Incredible Hulk and Spiderman. On the NetEnt Touch platform players on the go can play Jack Hammer 1 and 2, Mega Fortune, South Park, Gonzo's Quest, Starburst, Frankenstein, Aliens and many others. Lastly, popular 3D mobile slot titles on Betsoft To Go are Good Girl Bad Girl, Safari Jam, At the Copa, Under the Bed, Mad Scientists and the Slotfather.
Top 5 Mobile Slots of 2015
The following mobile slots can be played on many smart phones and tablets:
Starburst - Win up to 400,000 coin jackpot on this sparking NetEnt video slot with 5 reels and 10 pay-lines. The slot is based entirely on Starburst wilds that appear only on the third reel and expand to give you up to 3 re-spins. The graphics of the game are simply impeccable and jump from the screen when you play the game on various mobile devices.
Thunderstruck II - This improved sequel of the popular Thunderstruck II slot game by Microgaming has 5 reels and 243 Ways to Win and it is action-packed with many special features designed to boost your bankroll. Some of them include wild and scatter symbol, the multi-level Great Hall of Spins feature activated by 3 or more Bonus Hammer symbols, expanding wilds and Wildstorm feature.
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Feature wise, this is the most action-packed slot from Betsoft Gaming that has 5 reels and 30 pay-lines. The maximum win of the slot is 24,000 coins and some of the in-game bonus features include wilds, Potion Picking Bonus, Frenzy Bonus, various free spins, different win multipliers and so on.
Spamalot - Playtech has done an incredible job creating this progressive slot with 5 reels and 20 pay-lines and a progressive starting at 50,000. Based on the Monty Python musical, the slot comes with wild and bonus symbol, Storm the Castle bonus, None Shall Pass, The Knights Who Say Ni, The Killer Rabbit Bonus as well as scatters and free spins.
Mega Moolah - The most popular progressive jackpot slot from Microgaming with a shared jackpot pool, the game has made many players millionaires over the years. The best features about the game are the four-tier progressive jackpot and the 225,000 coin jackpot. Wilds, scatters and free spins await you to boost your riches.
Mobile Video Poker
There aren't many options when it comes to mobile video poker. Microgaming software has the most and they can be played on various smart phones and tablets. Video poker combines slots and poker; hands are automatically generated on the screen and players decide which of the five dealt cards to hold and which ones to discard. Based on poker hand rankings, players quality for a certain payout amount or not. For example, in the most popular video poker variant Jacks or Better, to quality and get a payout you need a hand comprised of a pair of Jacks or higher. In most video poker games the highest ranked hand is royal flush and depending on the variant it pays out various amounts.
To be able to win at video poker, you should learn some basic video poker strategy, or a playing strategy based on a particular video poker game, and cross your fingers. Luck is important but so are skills, so we advise you to practice playing video poker in free mode first before you decide to risk your own money.
The following are the mobile video poker games by software provider:
Playtech: - Jacks or Better.
Microgaming: - Aces and Eights Video Poker, Aces and Faces Video Poker, Jacks or Better Video Poker, Deuces Wild Video Poker, Aces and Faces Poker, Bonus Deuces Wild Poker and Double Double Bonus Poker.
Top 3 Mobile Video Poker Games of 2015
Jacks or Better (Microgaming) - To play this popular video poker game, you tap on the pay table to select your bet and then choose which card(s) to discard. To win a payout you need a jack or better. Higher ranking hands are two pairs, three of a kind, straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, straight flush and royal flash. With maximum coins played, royal flush pays out 4,000 coins.
Double Double Bonus Poker (Microgaming) - An excellent mobile video poker game, this variant pays players handsomely for a hand of four of a kind and it has varying payouts for different win combinations. Standard poker hands determine each payout and the top payout for the highest ranked hand, a royal flush, is 4,000 coins.
Bonus Deuces Wild Poker (Microgaming) - This variant is played just like standard video poker, but with a slight difference- the 2s act as wilds to create winning combinations. Payouts are determined by standard poker hands. The top payout is, of course, for royal flush, and it is 5,000 coins if you bet the maximum. If you bet 4 coins, the payout for royal flash will be only 1,000 coins.
Mobile Blackjack
One of the all-time casino classics, blackjack naturally moved onto the mobile gambling scene as well and nowadays there are many mobile blackjack variants that can be played on the go on iPhones, iPads, Android and other mobile devices. All blackjack games are generally played the same, but they differ slightly in rules. If you want to play the game with real money and earn real cash, make sure you learn everything about that particular blackjack variant, particularly how to play it and a good optimal blackjack playing strategy. After all, blackjack is based on both luck and skill, and with appropriate strategy you can reduce the house edge of the game to a minimum and probably walk away with some nice cash. With suitable strategy moves you will know exactly when is the right time to hit, stand, split and double down which can turn out to be very beneficial.
The following are the mobile blackjack variants by the top software providers:
NetEnt - Blackjack Touch and Classic Blackjack.
Playtech - Classic Blackjack.
Microgaming - Atlantic City Blackjack Gold, Classic Blackjack Gold and European Blackjack Gold.
Top 3 Mobile Blackjack Games of 2015
Live Blackjack (NetEnt) - Live dealer casino games can also be played on the go. Live Blackjack is available for real money play at many NetEnt mobile casinos like Mr Green Casino. This game is played with 6 decks and, according to the rules, the dealer stands on all 17s. Blackjack pays 3 to 2, insurance 2 to 1, while all other wins pay 1 to 1.
Blackjack Touch (NetEnt) - This mobile blackjack variant can be played on iPads, iPhones and Android devices. The game is played with a single deck and the dealer has to hit till 17. He also peeks for blackjack. Players can make insurance bets that pay 2:1. Blackjack pays 3:2.
European Blackjack (Microgaming) - This game is played with 2 decks and blackjack pays 3 to 2. The dealer stands on 17. Players can double down on 9, 10 or 11, place insurance bets and they can spilt Aces. Surrender and re-splitting is not allowed.
Mobile Roulette
Mobile roulette is played the same as online roulette. You place a bet, tap to place chips of various sizes and select the number(s) on which you want to bet. Winning bets are paid according to the size of your bet and bet type. Many people tent to use various roulette betting strategies to increase their chances of winning. Some of them are Martingale, Reverse Martingale, James Bond etc. However, the truth is, these strategies can help you maintain your money balance and probably win something small on the long run. They cannot reduce the house edge of the game nor guarantee a certain win.
Just like most of the popular casino games, mobile roulette also has a couple of different variants and the type also depends on the software provider. NetEnt for instance created Roulette Touch that is available for play on iOS and Android mobile devices. Playetch mobile is famous for its Classic Roulette game, while the casino software pioneer Microgaming is well-known for its roulette variant European Roulette Gold.
Top 3 Mobile Roulette Games of 2015
Roulette Touch (NetEnt) - This roulette game uses European wheel and table layout with 37 numbered pockets. Some of types of best that can be placed are straight bet, split bet, street bet, six line bet, bet on red or black etc. The minimum table limit is €1, while the maximum is €500.
Classic Roulette (Playtech) - This is in fact classic European Roulette with a single zero where you can place various types of bets like split bet, corner bet, even money bet etc.
European Roulette Gold (Microgaming) - This is a European form of roulette with 36 numbers plus a zero. Besides the usual types of bets, in this variant players can place a neighbor bet and a call bet. The Expert function allows players to customize the game according to their taste.