In a world overrun with technology, mobile phones have without a doubt become the advancement of the century in terms of their multi-purpose abilities. 30 years ago, you would have been considered a bit of a VIP if you owned one. Whereas these days, people face ridicule if they do not own a mobile phone or at least a smart device. Decades later, mobile gaming apps change the way we gamble.

Everything you can achieve on a desktop or laptop you can now do on practically any mobile phone made in the last 10 years. Surfing the internet, keeping track of your heart rate, and accessing your entire office workload. There’s an app for that! The scope of what these devices can do is uncanny. It’s no different when it comes to playing all of your favorite online games for real money too!

The early years of mobile gaming

The earliest form of gaming on mobile phones was a variation of Tetris, which was released for the Hagenuk MT-2000 back in 1994. Nokia introduced its ‘Snake’ mobile game soon after in 1997. Snake takes the title for the most played, world-wide mobile game to ever exist. Even in the current day, Snake is still played by users all over. But it’s played in many different variants, with much more up-to-date graphics, sounds, and better functionality.

In 2003, Japan was standing at the forefront as one of the biggest mass producers of mobile games. At the time, these consisted of puzzles, virtual pet simulations, and old arcade-style games. Many even utilized the device’s camera. They continued to develop this kind of game over the years. A decade later, mobile gaming generated $5.1 billion in revenue for the Japanese economy, overtaking traditional console games. China soon overtook Japan as the world’s largest mobile gaming manufacturer. Up until 2015, consoles were banned throughout the nation. This in turn led to natural growth and influx of mobile game users.

As the world became more and more engrossed at the prospect of mobile gaming apps, Apple launched its official App store in 2008. Apple restricted its users to purchase products and gaming services from their store directly at first. But gaming publishers benefited greatly when the tech giant came on board. This gave the overall gaming market a considerable boost financially. And it opened up more opportunities to work with different brands and developers.

Online gambling meets virtual reality

Towards the end of 2017, virtual reality came onto the scene as one of the new innovative ways of experiencing games as if you were actually there. VR manufacturers such as Oculus, HTC and Sony became the core providers of this breakthrough technology. Soon, Google and Samsung produced their own unique headsets. These sensory stimulating devices work best with the kind of games which contain high-resolution graphics and intense soundscapes. Such as horror games, city-building games, shooting games, and racing games.

When it comes to VR and casinos, it’s a topic just gaining traction. However, integrating virtual reality into gambling could have some incredible benefits, particularly for those with actual gambling addictions. It enables therapists to gain valuable insight into how an addict would react when placed in a situation where there was an opportunity to gamble. It also allows them to keep track of the individual’s progress and treatment.

Some sites and mobile gaming apps are already dabbling in the idea of users being able to play Slots and Video Poker in a VR environment. But it’s also been brought to light that these operators haven’t quite mastered the technology yet. Players hilariously stated how many of the avatars they played with on the trials didn’t even have a body most of the time! Regardless, Virtual Reality could well be the future for online gambling and bring about an entirely unique experience once it becomes common practice.

Gambling on a mobile device for free and for real money

Land-based casinos are unlikely to ever die out. But there is an increasing number of players taking to the internet to play their favorite games – especially when it comes to gambling through their mobile phones. Many online casinos offer the chance to access and play games for real money AND for free. You can use mobile gaming apps practically any time of day or night and anywhere with a basic internet connection. This adds a huge convenience factor for gambling enthusiasts and largely influences why many choose to play in this format.

Playing for free is a great starting point for many gamblers. That’s because it gives them a chance to get to grips with the gaming dynamics before they play for real money. Practically all online casinos have this as an option. And there are tons of free mobile applications and individual developer websites which offer this too. However; actual mobile gaming apps which aren’t tied into a casino or licensed operator will not allow you to play for real money.

Take sports betting apps for example. Many will allow you to download free sports picks, and probably try to make money off you. But these are rarely valid applications as you cannot win money without physically placing a wager. So our advice is to utilize these types of apps for the free play. But if you want to play for hard cash – it’s better to stick to either an online, mobile optimized casino or a brick-and-mortar establishment.

Conclusion

Mobile technology has certainly come a long way in the last 20-30 years. It’s got to the point where eventually desktops could become completely obsolete if mobiles advance any more than they already have. It’s nice to be able to play blackjack on the big screen every once in a while for sure! But with the portable convenience of being able to win big jackpot rewards just as easy through a mobile device – it should come as no surprise more and more players are choosing mobile gaming apps to gamble.