Online Gambling Market to See New Players
Big Fish gaming has announced a tie up with Betable Inc. to produce mobile applications for gambling. This application – called Big Fish Casino – is set to be released on all popular platforms including Apple Inc.’s iOS, Google’s Android and Facebook. The setting between Big Fish and Betable requires Betable to process the bets on applications that will be developed by Seattle-based Big Fish Games Inc.
Online gambling has been untapped in almost all markets outside of Europe. Even in Europe it is allowed in countries few and far between. Only the UK has the most relaxed norms for online gambling. As such, most of the companies, including Big Fish, are tying up with UK firms to test their products. Being a seasoned arena for gambling giants, Britain provides an opportunity to compete against the best in the business.
With exponential increases in the sale of smartphones and tablets, this move from Big Fish doesn’t come as all too surprising. The market for online gambling is expected to touch $100 billion in the next five years. Most of the firms are realizing this is the right time to get a foothold in this lucrative market. The opening up of new markets, such as the US, can also prove very beneficial to them
Features in Big Fish Casino
The application is basically a tuned up version of its Card Ace: Casino games, one of the most used social casino applications. The real money option will be available in the games like roulette, blackjack, slots and poker. The games have proven to be highly entertaining as evident from their high usage. The games are all derived from Card Ace but with the real money element built into it, some changes have been featured.
- An incremental bonus on consecutive days of play
- You can create your personalized tables for private playing among friends and contacts
- Chatting while gaming and sending emoticons
- Premium content like power ups, pets.
- New races in slots that can be played on a social gaming basis.
Betable and infrastructure
Betable is going to provide the physical and intellectual infrastructure that can make payments possible and viable. This includes the anti fraud processes, licensing, payment modules and infrastructure for these to work out. This platform is then supplied to the application developers and they can directly imbue it in their software.
Problems in online gambling
The primary problem faced by online gambling companies is the verification of the users’ location and age. You cannot always trust the user to respond truthfully and this can land these firms in trouble with law. The same problem is faced with the location of the user, which is difficult to confirm. To avoid legal hassles, firms have been staying away from online gambling till now.
Betable has offered a solution in the form of a technical officer dedicated to verifying these details. When the location has been verified, Betable transfers the users’ connection to its servers that are located in the UK, where online gambling is legal.
The anti-fraud technology works by conducting an exhaustive review of the customers’ details. Whenever someone tries to have their payments processed through Betable, a complete background check of the user is done. This includes the bank account details, credit information or voting reports. Only after ascertaining the information provided, Betable allows the user to go forward with the payment.
How Betable makes it so easy
Just by plugging into Betable’s interfacing program, any developer can turn his own game into real online gambling. The comprehensive appeal of such a system sets it apart from similar gambling platforms. This can be integrated with any application and make it a money spinner.
The implications of such a system are huge. Betable is now the only company with both the license and technology to operate a full social online game. This has given it an edge over counterparts in similar domain.
Online gambling in the United States
Online gambling has been illegal in the United States since 2006. But the trend is looking to change. Some states like California and New Jersey have relaxed norms for online gambling and it may be legalized in the near future. Zynga, a major player in the social games arena has unveiled its plans to enter the global online gambling market. It has hired the ex-VP of 888 holdings as its COO, which is seen as a move to strengthen its online gambling ambitions. By the first quarter of 2013 we can be looking at a Zynga based online gaming portal.
Big Fish has bolder plans in its kit of surprises. It is contemplating a seamless streaming platform wherein the gaming can be transferred from your mobile devices to your tabs or computer. This is also safe considering the piracy issues faced throughout the world.
