Mobile Poker

It becomes more and more apparent that playing online poker from your laptop at home is only one way to make money whereas other mobile solution symbolize a growing market. While the influence may not be significant yet for poker, casino games and sports betting have already become more or less standard.

But why is this not yet the case for poker? Well, maybe because you make less money with it. The below collection is a summary of most but not all current online gaming solutions for online poker with regards to their mobile client compatibility on Android, mobile phones and tablets.

Last update: May 2014 

PokerStars / Full Tilt

Not really surprising but the market leader is also one of the most innovative brands and on the PokerStars .com/.fr and .eu client you can play pretty much each game. The client is poker only including regular tables, MTT's and Zoom Poker.

Former competitor and now part of the Rational Group, Full Tilt Poker, only provides the fast fold poker tables thus far (May 2014) with its Rush Poker app for mobile phones and tablets.

Winamax

A close second in terms of functionality is French online poker giant Winamax. You can play multiple tables without any problem whatsoever on their tablet version. All game types are included and everything runs pretty smooth.

Unibet

In February 2014, Unibet left the Microgaming Network to form their own stand alone poker site and it didn't take long for them to roll out the tablet client. So far you can only play at all cash game tables (regular and speed version) and SNG's but an MTT implementation is considered to be on the road map later on. Downside at the moment: You can only play one table at the same time.

Instadeal / Revolution Gaming Network

InstaDeal started as fast fold poker only client with such skins as Terminal Poker and Buzz Poker. The brands also launched a white label skin on the Revolution Gaming Network as well while keeping their own separate cashier. The mobile app includes fast fold cash game tables (NLHE and PLO as well as InstaDeal tournaments), sports betting and casino games.

In early May 2014, Win Cake on Revolution also launched its own tablet app based on a rebranded version of the InstaDeal mobile software. Upon launch, only the NLHE cash tables and casino games were available. Whether or not other skins such as Intertops or Juicy Stakes (US friendly), who ring fence there cash game traffic, will join remains unknown at this time.

888poker

The 888poker online poker mobile client offers players the opportunity to sit at NLHE 6-max and 9-max cash game tables as well as Heads-Up, 6-max and 9-max SNG tables. There is no choice yet for Omaha and MTT's cannot be accessed either as of May 2014.

Ongame

Ongame skin EuroPoker boasts on his website that Android users can already use their mobile poker client on the phone and tablets. A version for iPhones and iPads is in the works but no release date can be found on the website yet.

PokerHeaven, who recently joined Ongame after leaving the soon to be closed IPN / Boss Media network, is one step further and provides its iPhone / iPad client in the following countries:  Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Lithuania, United Kingdom.  So far you can play pot, fixed or no limit Hold'em cash games and the strobe (fast fold) tables. Android users are served as well, though I cannot make a statement about all available options.

Microgaming

Some online gaming sites such as Betsson run their poker client through Ongame and Microgaming. They also offer a mobile client for sports betting, casino, scratch and poker as well. However, the current functionality is rather limited to one cash game table only.

Party / bwin

So far, bwin only used to offer a sports betting app for the mobile phones and tablets. An online poker app for the iPhone and iPad has been launched recently and you can play regular NLHE cash game. However, upon trying to join the fast forward pool, the access was denied.

The Hive

On the up and already as far as 12th in traffic according to PokerScout in early May 2014 is "The Hive" with skins such as Planet Win 365 and Yachting Poker. The iPad app for online poker is not available yet but in the works, a casino solution is already in place. 

US friendly solutions:

Merge Gaming network

Some skins on Merge such as Carbon Poker and Oddsmaker provide a tablet version where you can play for cash and in SNG's, though no MTT's are included. The app also has a direct link to the Sportsbook and Casino.

Bovada

Bovada has gone all anonymous and I cannot verify whether or not they also offer online poker on their tablet app since Germans have been banned on Bodog (and Bodog88). What I do know is that you can play casino games and do your sports betting from the mobile and tablet, ironically they also make most of their money with that as well.

Equity Poker Network

Full Flush Poker and Poker Host, who recently left Merge to join EPN, offer mobile clients. However, the network itself doesn't like "aggressive players" or in other words ... they tend to ban players who consistently make profit. Your choice if you want to possibly deal with such a headache.

Avoid Chico Poker Network and Lock at all costs!

They might have very promising bonuses but both networks / sites have an outstanding bad track record of not paying out withdrawals. So even if they come up with a mobile client at any point, it cannot be recommended to play there at all.

Who is missing completely?

The iPoker network is the biggest online poker network these days (May 2014), however Playtech doesn't seem to be capable to develop a mobile client for online poker. Same is also the case for the Winning Poker Network, one of the few remaining reliable options for US poker players.

Missing in the report are the legal and regulated online poker sites in Nevada and New Jersey, though it is likely that WSOP can easily get an online gaming client from 888.