IGT’s Decision Comes Hot on the Heels of Zynga’s Announcement to Move into Online Gambling

IGT’s decision to make the most of the opportunities in the area of mobile gambling came after one of the leading companies in the industry, Zynga, announced its plans to enter the online gambling world. Zynga is not the only competitor for IGT. Among others are units from some of the top land-based casino operators like MGM and Caesar’s Entertainment. Another factor that pushed the company to move into the mobile gambling market was the Department of Justice’s statement that players could place bets on online games as long as it is done intrastate.

Real Money Wagering on Social Games to Soon become Reality

Patti Hart, IGT CEO, stated that real money wagering on social games will become a reality soon. Throwing light on this, she mentioned that if Zynga was to launch a poker offering, it will become a huge hit, as it will allow players to win money and land jackpots.

In case US states allow game makers to provide real money gambling with social games, the companies will be able to tap into a global business that will exceed $30 billion in the coming year. Part of it, nearly $4.5 billion, will come from the US, stated H2 Gambling Capital.

IGT’s Games to be Available on iPhone and iPad

IGT will ensure that the hundreds of games it has developed will be available for players to use on iPad and iPhone. According to Hart, IGT will strive to provide games in all countries where players wager on chance based games.

Patti Hart stated that Zynga might find it difficult to integrate real money options with its current game offerings, as the regulatory scene in the US has not yet eased up. The company may face problems in meeting regulatory requirements if it introduces changes to its current game formulas.

According to the head of the mobile gambling business of bwin.poker, Berthold Kao, with the new app, bwin.poker customers will get unlimited access to their real money accounts, which now come in 1,024 by 768 pixels.

Using the New iPad App

bwin poker players interested in using the iPad app, have to download it from the iTunes store. On doing so, they can access the app both on their iPhones and iPads. The app can be downloaded for free from bwin’s website or from iTunes.

The area of mobile gambling is growing steadily and gambling firms are making efforts to improve their mobile offerings with new launches. One such example is bwin.party’s latest offering for the iPad.

Kao stated that that the iPad poker app from bwin will enhance the company’s hold on the mobile entertainment industry. Quite a few other apps developed by the bwin.poker mobile development team, have gained huge popularity.

bwin’s Best Known Brands

Two of the most well-known brands of bwin.party are Party Poker and bwin, the sports betting division of the company. bwin.party was formed as a result of a merger that took place a year ago between PartyGaming Plc and bwin Interactive Entertainment AG. bwin.party is presently the largest online gambling firm, as listed on the stock market. Apart from poker, mobile gambling customers of bwin.party can also access online casino and sports betting products.

bwin.party will soon open its doors to mobile gamblers in the US as the company has applied for a license to operate in Nevada. In case the license application is approved, bwin.party is expected to start offering its products from the middle of this year. A few months ago, bwin joined hands with the Las Vegas based Boyd Gaming and MGM Resorts International. The partnership will help bwin to get affiliations in land-based gambling firms, once the company starts operating in the legalized environment in the US.

The Snake Charmer – Symbols and Features

The App Store version of the Snake Charmer consists of 25 paylines and 5 reels. The original game, which has the same name, is based on a movie theme and comes with excellent graphics and audio features. NextGen mini game features such as expanding wilds are found in the Snake Charmer.

Video of the Snake Charmer Game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zCMDjOOmGQ

The key symbols in the game are those of a snake which becomes the wild and a man, which stands in for the scatter symbol. The wild is capable of acting as a substitute symbol for any other icon to make a combination that qualifies for a win. The scatter symbol can appear anywhere on reels during a game.

Apart from the wild and the scatter, the other symbols in the game include elephants, flutes and snake charmers. 10 free spins are triggered with three snake charmers appearing on reels.

Wagering Options

Wagering options on the Snake Charmer in terms coin denominations are between 0.01 and 4.00 credits on each line. Only one coin can be wagered per line. A player can activate any number of paylines, according to his preference.

Gamble Game

A gamble game features in the Snake Charmer which allows players to win double or quadruple the amount of their regular wins. Except the jackpot, all games can be tried during the gamble round to receive bigger wins.

To activate the gamble game, players have to click on the ‘gamble’ option, every time they make a win. On activating the game, a face down card appears. Players have to predict the suit or the color of the card correctly, which allows them to receive double wins.

Eric Schmidt from Google commented that mobile gambling is the buzz word today. Quite a few sectors are coming up to help sort out how users can access games and place bets through their mobile phones.

Betfair Experiences Growth Due to Rise of Smartphone Users

Phil Dixon, the development director of Betfair, which has an online betting platform, stated that considering the proliferation of mobile phone bettors, online bookies like Betfair will always be on demand. The company’s revenue from the mobile gambling sector doubled in the last half of 2011. The firm is expecting a lot more participation from customers in the Cheltenham Festival.

According to the 3-month financial results of the company at the end of January 31^st 2012, Betfair’s mobile revenue increased to £5.8m. The number of bets placed increased by 127%, to about 11 million.

New Mobile Casino Games Released by Betfair

Recently, Betfair released its first selection of mobile casino games, some of which are roulette, blackjack, video poker and an online slots game called Gold Rally. The release of casino games is expected to increase the customer base of Betfair, according to Carter. The games will be available in more than 15 languages.

Betfair already runs an iPhone betting app which won quite a few awards. In addition, a ‘Cash Out’ tool was recently introduced which can be accessed by iPhone and other smartphone users. Ben Carter, the head of Betfair’s online marketing stated that the company constantly makes efforts to improve its products.

Bill Passes Unanimously

In spite of concerns voiced by several members of the Assembly, the bill was passed unanimously by the Gaming Committee and the Assembly Regulatory Oversight. The bill was presented by Assembly members Ruben Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson) and John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) and is supported by online casino officials.

According to Burzichelli, Atlantic City should try to maintain its competitive streak by adopting the latest trends and innovations in the online gambling industry. New Jersey is facing competition from Nevada, which has provided mobile gambling options for the last 7 years.

Apprehensions Regarding Regulations

Although the bill is moving forward in the Assembly, apprehensions have been voiced about the regulations for playing casino games on hand-held gadgets. The issue of minors using this gambling service has also been raised by members of the Assembly.

According to Ralph Caputo, Assemblyman (D-Essex), the aspect of mobile gambling is too vague at the moment as there are no clear-cut guidelines regarding its zoning restrictions. The Assemblyman was extremely skeptical and declared that the bill will not get his vote when it is presented in front of the entire Assembly.

Commissions to Address Operation Policy

The Casino Control Commission and the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement will decide where and how the hand-held devices will be used. Online casino players will be able to use the mobile gambling facility only within the perimeter of hotels which will include the outdoor leisure areas and the swimming pool.

Caputo announced that mobile gambling must be legalized only if adequate regulation is provided for it and that it should be the focus for the gaming commissions at this time. No mention has been made as to when the bill will be presented in the Assembly for a vote.

How to Qualify

Bettor can qualify for the promotion by making a wager of at least ₤1 per race. In case a bettor wants to wager on multiples, he will have to place a stake of ₤1 per unit. Bettors can then move on to a selection of the race they want to watch through their mobile device. Only devices with either Wi-Fi or 3G will be capable of running the streams. To view live videos from the Racing UK category, bettors will have to use the iPhone.

Live streaming for an event will commence five minutes before it is advertised to start. It will continue for twenty minutes after the end of the race. According to Ladbrokes, in case a race does not start within 20 minutes of the advertised time, bettors may not get to view it on their mobiles.

Free Match Bet Worth ₤50

The second promotion at the online sportsbook is Free/Match Bet. Those who register for Ladbrokes’ mobile app for the first time will get ₤50 (maximum) as bonus. Bettors will have to insert a promo code to avail the bonus. Then, they will have to make one wager worth ₤5 or higher. Ladbrokes allows bettors to choose the sport they bet on. After the wager has been placed, the online sportsbook will match the bonus amount with up to ₤50 as free bets.

To make the most of the offer, bettors will have to use them within a week. Ladbrokes has a few criteria which have to be fulfilled to avail the promotion. For instance, the qualifying wager should be worth ₤5 or higher. In case an each way bet is made with the bonus, only the part that wins will qualify. The free bet will be added to bettors’ sportsbetting accounts only once the qualifying bet has been settled. The winning bet can be redeemed over the mobile.

Microgaming has released this version following an extended planning and designing period. This new software at the mobile casino will include attractive games, comprehensive payment services and personalization features.

The HTML5 Gambling Experience

This software is the sophisticated version of the basic Hyper Text Markup Language which is the building block of most websites. Mobile casino players can expect a variety of benefits with this latest software. A streamlined operation will result in decreased processing requirements and increased battery power. This will allow players to indulge in mobile gambling for an extended period of time.

Players will not have to wait for long for the game to download as this advanced software is a web application. It will allow them to play the games instantly. Players will also have a huge selection of games to choose from as Microgaming has allocated an extensive portfolio of games to their mobile casinos which will use HTML5.

New Games Added by Microgaming to its Portfolio

With HTML5, Microgaming will be able to offer new games in a few categories. Two of them are video slots and video poker. The video slots include Tomb Raider, Mermaids Millions and Thunderstruck. Jacks or Better, Double Double Bonus, Deuces Wild, Bonus Deuces Wild, Aces and Faces and Aces and Eights Poker are some of the video poker games. There are also two table card games which are European Gold Blackjack and European Gold Roulette.

Comprehensive Payment Options with HTL5

Comprehensive payment options will be available to players with the latest HTML software. Players can use Click and Buy, uKash, Click2Pay, NETELLER, debit cards and credit cards to deposit their money. Those who do not want to play with real money can use the practice play mode.

PokerStars Mobile First Launched in 2011

PokerStars mobile was first launched in 2011 for the Italian market. However, the service allowed poker enthusiasts to access games only in the free-play mode. Through the new poker app, gamers can play a wide variety of tournaments and ring games in the Omaha and Texas Hold’em variants. Mobile gamblers can compete with the professional players on PokerStars’ team. They will also be offered Frequent Player Points (FPP) based on their scores.

PokerStars Mobile App can be Accessed Through iPhone and Android

The new mobile app from PokerStars can be used on iPads, iPhones and other Android tablets and phones. PokerStars also mentioned that the app has been designed specifically for an iPhone or iPad screen. Easy to use features like multi tabling and quick seating have been provided. In addition, all special features offered by PokerStars’ market-leading software can be accessed through the app. Another unique feature has been added by the poker room called the 1- Touch multi-table. This will allow gamers to play at more than a single table simultaneously from just one tab.

The quick seating feature allows players to select the games they want to play. They are taken to the game page on clicking the ‘Play Now’ option.

Exclusive Omaha and Hold’em tables are provided by the new app. These games can be played in various formats like Fixed Limit, Pot Limit, No Limit and Hi/Lo.

Research Option Provided

A unique research option is provided by the mobile app. Through this feature, players can gather information about their opponents. Players can also find information about the events and tournaments they are interested in playing. Tutorials and game guides can also be accessed through the new app.