Out of the many factors behind the massive growth the online gambling sector has experienced in recent months and years, there are arguably few that have had as big an impact that the rise of mobile gaming has.
According to a recent study, over 60% of the entire gaming market is now dominated by mobile gaming. Out of a total market size of $222bn, $136bn of this is generated by mobile gaming.
While revenue figures are at an all-time high — with these expected to climb even higher in years to come — so too are the numbers of players. In fact, it is estimated that by the end of 2022, there will be a total of 3 billion global active mobile gamers.
These are truly staggering figures, and it is clear that more players than ever are turning towards mobile devices as their gaming platform of choice. Perhaps not all that surprisingly, this trend is similarly present in the iGaming and online gambling space, where an increasing number of operators are focusing their efforts on mobile iGaming.
The surge in demand for mobile casino gaming has been driven by a combination of factors, including the availability of high-speed mobile internet, the falling cost of powerful mobile devices and the emergence of a generation of players that prioritize convenience and mobility. This has coincided with a turn away from the more traditional in-person gambling experiences, towards virtual ones.
As a result of these trends, the face of gambling has been changed forever. For many players, their first port of call when they are looking to indulge in their favourite pastime is their mobile phone.
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Why do Canadians like mobile casino apps?
For many Canadian casino fans choosing mobile apps over their desktop counterparts, mobile casinos have an obvious appeal. In particular, the portability is a major selling point, which allows them to access their online casino account on the go.
While convenience is the main factor in their decision, there are other benefits to mobile casino apps which work in their favour. This includes getting access to exclusive promotions and rewards offered to mobile casino players.
Another benefit to mobile casino apps is that the user interface is often streamlined when compared to the desktop playing experience. Mobile casino developers work hard to make the games perform well in a mobile environment, which often makes them more intuitive to play.
Accessing mobile casino apps in Canada
For those of you looking to try out a mobile casino app for the first time, you will be pleased to know that getting started is a relatively easy process!
In short, there are two main types of mobile casinos offered in Canada. Firstly, mobile casinos with a dedicated, standalone app, and secondly, online casinos you can access from any device without the need to download a dedicated app.
For the first option, you will have to download a standalone app to your mobile device of choice, before logging in with your account details. Mobile casino apps can usually be downloaded directly through the app store for your device of choice — such as the Android or iOS app store.
Instead of searching for your preferred casino in the app store, you can also usually download the app directly from the casino’s website. This can usually be accessed via the homepage of whatever online casino you are hoping to create an account with.
For the second option, there is no need to go through this process. Instead, users simply navigate to their preferred casino through their mobile device’s browser. The website will automatically scale to whatever device being used, without the need to install a dedicated app.
In terms of which option is better, both have their benefits and drawbacks. The second option is a good choice for those of you who want to avoid loading up their phone with memory hogging apps!
However, dedicated mobile apps do have their advantages! From a performance perspective, for example, mobile apps tend to provide a much smoother playing experience that is less likely to suffer from slowdowns, stuttering or framerate loss. This is because the app is installed directly on the device and can take advantage of the hardware it is being played on.
Another benefit of standalone apps is that you do not have to go through the sign-in process each time just to access them. From clicking on the home screen shortcut to loading up your first game, the process can take a matter of seconds!
With these factors in mind, if you prioritise performance and usability, mobile apps could be the best option for you.
What to look for in a mobile casino app
If you have read all the above and have come to the decision that you want to download your first mobile casino app, here are some things to look out for:
- Navigation and user interface: How easy is the app to use? Does it provide a streamlined gaming experience that takes full advantage of the mobile device?
- Performance: There can be a quite noticeable difference in terms of performance between the various mobile apps out there. Choose a mobile app that is smooth, stable and slow-down free.
- Customer support: Does the casino app have decent customer support available if something goes wrong with your account?
- Gaming experience: Does the mobile casino app provide a full-featured gaming experience, or is it reduced compared to the desktop version? Is the level of entertainment on offer the same as the desktop version?