Monetising the mobile market

This year, the era of real-money iPhone and Android gaming apps has really hit home. Of course, the ability to wager via mobile browsers using web apps is nothing new, and mobile gaming has enjoyed a ‘holy grail’ status that never quite achieved its billing, to put it mildly. Some key developments have changed this.

First, the immense popu­larity and marketability of the iPhone app store and its captive audience, alongside the mimicked app model now being applied to the incredible growth in market share enjoyed by the less restrictive and developer-friendly Android platform. Critically, real-money Android apps are not even subject to formal approval. These have proven to be successful models with direct access to a user market where mobile-internet penetration is yet to peak.

Second, rapid confluence and stand­ardisation of mobile technology behind modern handsets offers so much more to users. Stable(r)networks, stronger processing power and memory, deliv­ery via web or robust downloadable apps and a richer graphic experience through larger, high-resolution screens. Not only is the product more attrac­tive to the end-user, multitasking and touch-screen functionality make mobile gaming an interactive, flexible and therefore potentially far more entertaining prospect.

Mobile table games and slots (the backbone of any casino) can now mature beyond the clunky formats and limited usability associated with tradi­tional web delivery. Game UI can now scale accordingly (for mobile tablet usage, for example) and payment and navigation features benefit from a more seamless look and feel that reflect the traditional online experience and game branding.

In our industry, it’s rare to say that these are truly early days, yet the mobile play is still wide open and that’s even before taking into account ongo­ing advances in mobile advertising and social media, which will offer up new deployment strategies and revenue streams.