_Sport betting, casino and poker apps have become wildly popular over the past couple of years.  Almost every week now a new sportsbook, Texas Holdem app or casino game is released for the iPhone and iPad.  If you ask any mobile gambler what the single greatest benefit these betting apps are, they will invariably tell you that it is their convenience and portability.

Thanks to betting apps for iPhones, Androids and BlackBerrys, you can now place a sports bet, play a few hands of Omaha poker or enjoy a game of Blackjack, whenever or wherever you are.  As a result, betting apps for iPhones have become indispensable for those who travel a lot.  For this reason we’ve put together a few tips for using betting applications while on the move.

NATIVE Vs WEB
Iphone betting apps that are downloaded from the App Store are called Native betting apps.  Native betting apps work great for all types of mobile gambling and are generally free to download and use on your iPhone.  The downside is Apple sometimes restrict the use of these type gambling apps to certain Countries and jurisdictions.  If an iPhone sportsbook app is licensed in the United Kingdom, then it will work perfectly in London but it will fail to activate when you arrive in New York.

Web apps look and function in the same way as Native apps, except that you access them via the iPhone’s Safari browser rather than the app store.  These are no restrictions on where these apps can be used. 

If you are someone who travels a lot, we would recommend you sign-up with mobile betting companies who offer web apps rather than native apps because they will work anywhere in the world.

USE FREE WiFi
Many airlines and train companies now offer free or subsidised WiFi to their customers.  Playing mobile casino or poker games on an iPhone does require a pretty solid connection.  Losing your 3G connection when you’ve got a dream hand would be a catastrophe.  It is always worth enquiring if free Wifi is provided regardless of where you are.

PRESERVE YOUR BATTERY
One of the great things about the iPhone is the great battery life.  When you run out of juice it usually pretty easy to find a charger that you can borrow.  If you do find yourself on a long journey and your battery is running a bit low, there are a couple of things that you can do to prevent it going dead. 

• Turn Off Wifi - If you are not using WiFi you should turn it off in Settings as your iPhone is continually searching for a WiFi connection otherwise, which is a drain on your battery.
  
  
• Switch Off Geo-location.  If you are using an application like Google Latitude that tracks your location, you should also temporarily disable this feature to preserve your battery life.
  
  
• Lower Brightness Levels – Everyone who owns a smartphone knows that watching videos or playing games can eat your battery.  If you are playing a lot of poker and casino games while travelling, it is a good idea to lower the brightness level on your iPhone to extend the battery life.
  

BUY A DATA PACKAGE
Data roaming charges can add up pretty quickly and sometimes it’s just not possible to find a free WiFi connection when you need to place a mobile bet in a hurry. If you want to use your sportsbook or poker apps while travelling abroad, you should first purchase a data package from your mobile carrier.  For a few dollars or euros you can usually buy a data package that give you peace of mind and let you use your favourite mobile betting apps as much as you like.

_Mobile casino games have become wildly popular over the past couple of years.  This is largely due to the popularity of the iPhone, which sparked the smartphone revolution.  The launch of the first iPhone way back in 2007 heralded a revolution in mobile gaming.  Online casino players now had the option of playing blackjack, roulette, keno, poker or any other casino game, whenever or wherever they liked.

The impact of the iPhone’s revolutionary touchscreen should also not be underestimated.  With this cutting edge technology, mobile casino players could now interact with casino games in a very natural and intuitive way.  Gone were the days when gamers had to access complicated menus on their phones in order to play a few games of slots or baccarat.  Thanks to the iPhone’s touchscreen, the mobile casino experience now closely resembles how casino games are played in the real world.

So what are iPhone Casino Games?

iPhone casino games are just another version of online casinos.  To play at a next generation mobile casino, all you need is a smartphone like an iPhone or a HTC Droid or Samsung Galaxy.  You can also play mobile casino games using tablet computers such as an iPad or Amazon Kindle Fire.  Once you can connect to the internet via 3G or WiFi you can begin playing at any mobile casino.

How do I play casino games on the iPhone?

There are two main types of mobile casino games that can be played on the iPhone.  The first is the no download version.  These casino games are played by visiting any online casino website and logging in.  Most iPhone casinos offer web based casino applications that do not require the user to download or install any software on their iPhone.  Since Apple are pretty restrictive when it comes to real money gambling apps, this is the most popular form of casino game if you plan to play for cash.

If you just want to play casino games for free, without risking any of your hard earned cash, then there are plently of free casino apps that can be downloaded right from the iTunes App Store.

Why should I play casino games on the iPhone?

If you enjoy playing roulette, slots or blackjack online, then you are going to love playing casino games on the iPhone for the following reason:

• High-definition Graphics:  The iPhone’s screen may be smaller than your desktops but the display is much clearer.
  
• Enjoyment:  The beauty of playing casino games on the iPhone is that you don’t need to use a mouse.  If you want to select a card you just touch it with your finger, which makes for a much more enjoyable gaming experience.
• Accessibility: With iPhone casino apps you can now play whenever you feel like.  No more boring commutes to work or long journeys.  If you fancy playing a few hands of video poker or chancing your luck on the slots, just whip out your iPhone and indulge your passion.
• Bonuses:  iPhone casinos offer some of the best welcome bonuses for new players.  They’ll basically give you thousands of dollars free to gamble with just for joining their mobile casino, so what are you waiting for.
  

Why Are There No Real Money iPhone Casino Apps In The Apple App Store?

Up until the end of 2010 Apple did not allow any real money gambling apps into their App Store because mobile betting is still illegal in many jurisdictions.  This strict anti-gambling policy was relaxed somewhat with the introduction of the geolocation feature in iOS4 that can restrict the usage of certain apps, such as sports betting and online poker apps, to countries where mobile betting is permitted.

Apple have so far only allowed a handful of sports betting apps into the App Store from online betting giants like Betfair and Ladbrokes.  Bwin are currently the only poker room to get a real money native poker app approved by Apple, although it is only available in Austria and the UK at present.  So far Apple have approved a limited number of gambling apps in the Republic Of Ireland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Finland, Norway and Greece.

Apple have so far refused to approve real money casino apps for the iPhone although it is only a matter of time before these cash casino games begin to appear in the App Store.

Can I Play Real Money Casino Games On My iPhone Or iPad?

Despite the lack of real money casino apps in the App Store, you can still play casino games such as roulette, blackjack, slots, video poker and roulette via the iPhones Safari brower.  These browser based apps are called “web apps”, while App Store apps are generally referred to as “Native App”.

A number of online casinos have developed web app casino games that do not require any software to be downloaded or installed.  To begin playing real money casino games all you need to do is visit the mobile casinos listed here – iPhone Casino Apps.