Further evidence that the internet is moving away from the desktop comes via researchers Statista, who say 17.4% of 2013’s year-to-date web traffic has come via mobile devices, a significant boost over the 11.1% figure recorded at this same point last year. Asia boasts the highest percentage of mobile web access with 26.6%, up from 18.8% last year. Africa is next with 23.7%, up sharply from 11.3%. Despite its technologically mature market, North American mobile web access was just 15.2%, up from 9.4%, while Europe was even lower at 9.7%, up from 5.9%. Oceania (aka Australia and neighboring nations) scored 14.6%, up from 8%, while South America was the laggard continent at 6.8%, although that was more than double last year’s 3.2%.
All the more reason then, for online gambling companies to keep their mobile channel churning. UK-based gamers PKR recently released an iOS-compatible 3D Blackjack app, available for download to customers in the UK and Ireland. 888 Holdings recently updated its Android and iOS mobile apps to go beyond cash games and SNGs to allow players access to a full range of multi-table tournament play.
GameAccount Network just launched its new SENSE3 mobile gaming suite, featuring HTML5 slot and casino table games plus downloadable native apps for customers in regulated markets. In addition to proprietary product, SENSE3’s slots incorporate titles from Ainsworth, IGT, Incredible Technologies and Scientific Games. Marketing services director Mary Griffin said SENSE3 added “the third sense of touch” to desktop gaming’s sight and sound equation and “incorporates promotional push-messaging and other marketing capabilities which are crucial to extending CRM into the mobile channel effectively.”
UK-facing operator Sky Bet has updated its sportbook app to allow seamless login between Sky Bet and casino offshoot Sky Vegas. Sky Bet’s mobile chief Ben Kamara humble-bragged to eGaming Review that his was the first betting firm to implement “seamless session handling” between its apps and that the seamlessness would soon extend (seamlessly) to its Super 6 and Fantasy Football apps. Once all the apps are on par with Sky Bet and Sky Vegas, Kamara says the plan is to “build on what the customers want,” which has the company “spending much more time researching and gathering the voice of our customers.”
But hey, what good is offering a mobile product if customers can’t fund their accounts? If you’re Swedish, startup PugglePay offers an invoice-based payment solution that allows customers to make online purchases by entering their telephone number followed by an SMS code. Swedish betting outfits Betsson and Mr Green and the Plus-Five white label service provider have already signed up to offer PugglePay as an option.
