Mobile technology has made life easier for pretty much all of us, and whether it’s messaging loved ones, putting together shopping lists, or simply being used to “doom scroll”, they have fundemtnally changed the way we live – and the way the world works.
Unsurprisingly, mobile tech has also had a massive impact on the online gambling industry, and it now means that players can enjoy their favourite games no matter where they are in the world.
Today, I’m going to walk you through some of the “must knows” of mobile gambling, covering everything from the main benefits, a history of mobile casinos in NZ, and tips for making the shift, if you still rely primarily on a desktop device for gambling online!
Mobile casinos appeared in the mid-2000, and this coincided with the growth of the mobile phone industry in general. However, when mobile-first online casinos first launched, they were incredibly basic: they offered just a few games, and very limited features: things like customer support and deposits and withdrawals were rarely available without logging onto the desktop version of the site.
However, as mobile technology improved, so did mobile casinos, and by 2010, many online casinos had developed their own dedicated platforms, available, first, through Flash technology. This is when software providers like Microgaming and NetEnt started to focus their efforts on mobile-first game design, and it was actually NetEnt that released the first mobile-focused slots: OneTouch.
After Flash was phased out a few years ago, software providers and casinos pivoted to HTML5, and this is the exact same technology you’ll see today if you gamble online. HTML5 offers much faster loading times, and doesn’t require you to download the games to your device, in a “cache” format, as was previously the case. Today, we’re seeing the crypto industry innovate even more, and as mobile tech continues to improve, so does the games you can play at online casinos!
In the last few years, the number of mobile gamblers has continued to grow, rapidly – following trends from the beginning of the decade. In fact, by 2029, the online gambling market is expected to grow to 281.3m users, and even in the US – one of the most tightly-regulated markets on planet earth – mobile gaming revenue is already worth $21 billion, giving you a pretty clear picture at just how important mobile casinos are to the online gambling market as a whole.
According to a survey, 74% of U.K. punters bet using mobile devices, making it the most popular gambling method in the country, and in 2022, mobile casino operators earned a staggering $8 billion worldwide. With the trends we’ve seen so far, this will almost certainly continue to rise, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it doubled by the end of the decade!
New Zealand also keeps up with the trend: since 2022, the mobile gambling market reached 140.5$ billion, and it is predicted to surpass the 173.4$ billion mark by 2026 – all impressive figures, and yet even more proof of which so many online gambling websites are focusing on their mobile side of their operations.
The technology behind mobile casinos is perhaps one of the most important reasons behind their success – and it’s this exact technology that actually allows for the smooth gameplay you get to experience when you play at a mobile casino today.
Now, in the past, as mentioned above, it used to be Flash-based technology that powered online casinos and online casino games. This, however, changed a few days ago when Flash was phased out. Now, HTML5 is used, and this newer technology ensures that games will be compatible across various mobile operating systems. Some of the bigger casinos also develop their own native apps – for iOS and Android – although these still use HTML5 when it comes to the actual games.
Of course, RTMP and cloud gaming technology are also used for things like live streaming in live dealer games, and we’re also seeing even newer technology, primarily on the Blockchain, that allows for things like Provably Fair gaming.
There are several reasons why billions of gamblers prefer mobile casinos, as well as why top NZ casino platforms have adapted their games to smaller iOS and Android phone screens, including:
This is, argubaly, one of the biggest questions that players have when it comes to playing at mobile casinos. Thankfully, today, there is simply no difference in quality; in fact, many software providers and game studios design games primarily around mobile players – so in some cases, it’s actually possible to enjoy a better expereince on mobile devices!
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Yes, sure; there can be small differences between desktop and mobile sites; the way you interact with the games (whether you use touch controls or click with your mouse, for example.) On the whole, however, the quality remains the same, and it’s the freedom and accessibility of mobile gaming that helps to make them so popular among players.
The stats don’t like: Kiwi players increasingly prefer playing pokies on their iOS and Android devices rather than on laptops and computers, and this just all comes down to the convenience offered. Not all pokies are created equal, however – and there are some games that are far more popular than others.
The first one is Sweet Bonanza. This is one of Pragmatic Play’s most successful releases to date, and it’s colourful, fast-paced, and fun! With a solid 96,49% RTP and a huge maximum win potential of 21,175x, it’s actually pretty easy to see why this has become such a popular hit among Kiwi players!
Another is, of course, Mega Moolah – Microgaming’s iconic progressive jackpot slot. Here, you’ll enjoy progressive jackpot bonuses, a Safari theme – and this game also holds the World Record for the biggest online progressive jackpot win in history!
Finally, Wolf Gold pokie brought Pragmatic Play developer the Best Slot Game at the Malta Gaming Awards title in 2018. The slot has been on players’ must-play list since 2017, and while it’s actually quite basic (by today’s standards), you’ll still find it offered at virtually every online casino in New Zealand – often under the “Recommended,” “Hot,” or “Popular” tabs, too! The game helped to popularise the Hold and Win mechanic that’s seen in so many pokies today, and it boasts a free spins feature, too!
Mobile casinos in New Zealand are nothing new, and today, more and more players than ever before are turning to mobile-only gambling. Yes, it’s not perfect; the screen size is smaller, and some games are just more enjoyable played on a desktop.
The reality however, is undeniable; there are, today, more mobile casinos and pokies than ever before, and with virtually every online gambling website now dedicating themselves to prioritising their mobile version of their site, it’s also becoming much easier, as a player, to find a reliable, suitable, and generous online casino that offers a solid mobile gaming experience!
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