Mobile Casinos
Analysts expect that the size of the online gambling industry to reach 94.4 billion dollars in 2024, and more than half of this will belong to casino mobile sites. Mobile gambling just keeps getting bigger and bigger: even the most pessimistic projections think that the size of the market will reach 53.75 billion dollars by the end of 2025. Europe has a 57.20% share of this market, and the Asia-Pacific region comes next.
Check our 2020 list of the best mobile casinos and start to play on your phone. Use an app or a website to play: Our recommended mobile casino sites offer both options.
Mobile Casinos: Gambling on the Go
In short, we like to gamble on our phones and player habits are changing. The industry is also keeping up with this change: new casino sites are constantly being launched, and they give players the chance to choose from a wide range of options. But there is one bad thing about having a lot of options: They all claim to be the best.
If you are a beginner, this can be quite confusing – choosing the best mobile casinos requires expertise. We have this expertise and much more: If you want to step into the world of mobile gambling, read this guide, we have prepared for you first.
The Definition of Mobile Casino: What Is It, Really?
We all use “smart” phones nowadays, and all of them have a browser to visit websites. We can also install applications on these devices, for almost anything: an app for calorie counting; an app for making a reservation at your favourite restaurant; and, of course, an application for gambling with real money.
But you really don’t need to use an app to do all of the above. You can use the browser on your phone to visit the website of your favourite restaurant and make a reservation too. But using an app is much more convenient, so we do that as long as it is possible.
So far, so good, right? Well, we already explained the definition of the mobile casino: it is an online casino website, which you can access by using your hand-held device’s browser or an application. In other words, there is no “exclusive and mobile-only” casino site out there as mobile casinos are part of regular online casinos. Therefore, you can expect to see everything you are used to seeing at these websites: you can play all kinds of games (mobile casino slots, card and table games, etc.), reach customer support, or make a deposit/withdrawal.
Basically, there is no difference between desktop and mobile casino sites in regards to features. Instead of a PC or laptop, you just use your phone to gamble. And you can use an application or a website to do this, just like any other service.
App vs Website: Which One Is the Better Mobile Casino?
When it comes to mobile gaming, you have two options, no matter what kind of operating system you are using. These options are using an app or using a website. Both will allow you to play on your phone, but they will also offer different experiences. BGO casino, for example, offers a native casino and gambling apps for iOS and Android, but it also allows you to use the mobile version of its website, so you have two options to gamble at this website. Just like BGO, new mobile casino sites support both options and leave the choice to you. Before making a decision, let’s consider these options separately and list their advantages and disadvantages.
Gambling with an App. This means downloading a native application from the App Store or Play Store, depending on which one your device uses. Simply put, mobile casino sites develop an application, put it on the official store, and let you download & install it. It is like downloading and using any other app: once it is installed, you will use the app to play games and access other gambling services. There will be no need to use your browser to visit the website of the casino. This method has three important advantages:
- All the games will work. You don’t need to worry about whether a specific game will work on your phone or not. All the games in the app will work seamlessly.
- It will be a practical experience. Just open the app and start playing hundreds of games: this is the fastest and most practical method of mobile gambling.
- You will never miss out on important things. You will be informed about all the latest bonuses & games via push notifications.
However, gambling with an application also has an important disadvantage: Availability. This means if gambling is considered illegal in your country, you won’t be able to see real money gambling apps in the official store. These stores must comply with local laws and won’t let you download applications that “break” the law. Simply put, the official stores will be useless if gambling is considered illegal in your country.
Using Pay by Mobile Casino Sites to Gamble: The Other Option
Not all mobile casinos offer an application – some of them only have a website that works on hand-held devices. For example, Kaboo Casino does not have a native application, but its website is compatible with all operating systems.
And even if there is an app, using it is not mandatory, as mentioned above. You can always choose to use the official website of a casino. And doing this is pretty simple: just launch your trusty browser and type the address of the casino. That’s it – the mobile version of the site will load automatically, and after that, it is like using any other website. Just like using an app, the website option has lots of advantages:
- You already know what to do. This is really like using any other website: you see a mobile version of the desktop site and all features are there. We can say that it will even be more practical than using an app.
- You will always use the latest version. Unlike apps, you don’t need to “update” websites as you will always have access to the latest version.
- There will be no legal problems. Websites are open to everybody: even if gambling is restricted in your country, you can at least browse them. In this context, these websites can cover a much larger part of the player base.
The main disadvantage with mobile websites is that you don’t get push notifications and/or bonus offers exclusive to app users. So, which one is the better option? Should you use an app or website for mobile gambling?
- If gambling is legal in your country, and if your favourite casino offers this option, we recommend using an application. For example, gambling is legal in the United Kingdom, and it is very easy to find mobile casino UK apps.
- If gambling is looked down in your country (or your casino does not have an app) stick with the website.
Android or iOS Mobile Phone Casino: Is There a Difference?
In regards to game variety and features, there is no difference between these two operating systems. Think of them as “gateways” to casino sites: no matter which one you pick, the games you can play and the services you can use will be determined by the casino operator itself, not the operating system.
However, Android has a big advantage over iOS: it supports third-party applications. Any mobile casino can develop an application for Android and offer it from its own website. Using the Play Store is not mandatory as Android users can download APK files from anywhere and install them to their phones manually. And such an option is not available on iOS. So, even if the Play Store has no real money gambling apps, Android users can download them from the official websites of their operators. A detailed guide about casino apps for Android, with a selection of top gambling apps and download links.
How to Join Casino Mobile?
Joining a pay by mobile casino is easy and fast: you can complete the whole process in a maximum of 10 minutes. Here is what you need to do, step-by-step:
- Pick a casino. To save time, just pick one of our recommended mobile casinos: SlotsMagic or Rizk, for example, will be good options for beginners.
- The next step is becoming a member. Visit the website of the casino from your phone (or, simply install its app, if available) and look for a button that says “sign up”, “register”, etc.
- Click that button and fill out the membership form.
- You will receive an activation mail. Click the link in it to activate your account.
- Return back the casino website (or app) and log in with your credentials.
That’s it! Now, you can make a deposit and start playing any game (slot, blackjack, roulette, poker, etc.) you like. Once again, you can use the website or the app, the choice is yours. No matter which one you pick, no download will be needed – all games will be launched instantly.
Bonuses at Mobile Online Casinos
We mentioned that there is no difference between mobile casino and desktop casino sites when it comes to features. Well, this affects bonuses too: most of the platforms also have promotions for new and current members.
You can expect to see the following bonuses at mobile online casinos:
- No Deposit Bonus: You get free spins or a small amount of cash upon registration, no deposit is needed. For example, you can get 20 free spins or 5 EUR/USD to use on any game.
- Welcome Bonus: Your first deposit will be matched by a certain percentage. For example, Dunder Casino matches it by 100% and up to 600 EUR/USD. Plus, it offers 200 mobile casino free spins.
- Reload Bonus: Every time you make a deposit, it will be matched by the casino operator. Unlike the welcome bonus, this promotion can be used infinitely.
- Cashback Bonus: A certain percentage of your losses (i.e. 10%) will be refunded weekly/monthly.
In addition to this, there may be exclusive bonus offers for mobile players. Casino operators prefer players on-the-go and offer special bonuses to encourage them. Propawin casino, for example, has a native Android app and offers a 77% match bonus only to the users of that app.
Picking the Best Mobile Casino: What to Look for
- A native app is always a plus. You can always use the website too, but if the operator also offers an application, you will have more options. LeoVegas and Casumo, for example, offer native apps for mobile platforms – check them first. Both apps have won multiple rewards.
- Stick with local options. If you are from the United Kingdom, look for the best mobile casino UK sites first. Local services will support your own currency and offer customer support in your language.
- Check legality & fairness. Make sure the mobile casino is licensed and legal. New mobile casino UK sites, for example, must be licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. And look for a fairness certificate provided by an independent third-party, such as eCOGRA or iTechLabs.
Mobile Casino Real Money Payment Methods
You can make deposits and withdrawals at mobile casinos too; there is no need to switch to another device. All payment methods can be used at casino sites too – for example, you can even use bank transfers as a casino top up by mobile method. However, some mobile top-up casino methods are more practical to use than others. In this context, we recommend using these methods:
- Mobile casino pay with phone credit: Your carrier makes the payment, and you pay it back with your phone bill, in instalments. This is a very fast and secure payment method, but it can only be used for deposits.
- E-wallets: Neteller, Skrill, PayPal, ECO Payz – take your pick. All of these services have native apps, and you can use them to make deposits/withdrawals.
- Prepaid cards: It is the most practical method of making a quick deposit. You can use Paysafe or Astropay cards. However, just like the pay by phone method, they are for deposits only.
Simply put, we recommend using e-wallets for all kinds of mobile casino transactions.
Check Our Mobile Casino List and Pick One Today!
You are now ready to start gambling on your phone. The only thing left is picking a mobile casino from our lists and registering for an account. Oh, and don’t forget to claim your bonus too. Mobile casinos offer the chance to gamble at anywhere and anytime you want, and this is an experience all players must try at least once.
And you can visit us from time to time, as we constantly update our content and lists. No matter where you live and what kind of device you are using, we can find the best mobile casino for you: Good luck!