With the online gambling industry now making the transition from desktop-to-mobile, it comes as no surprise to learn that there is now a vast number of top casino apps available to download. These differ slightly to conventional mobile browser-based gaming, insofar that the technology is built specifically for your Android or iOS device.

As a result, we at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk often find that the mobile gaming experience is further enhanced when playing games through a specialist native app, rather than using your standard web browser.

If you’re interested to find out what a casino application is, how they actually work, and whether or not you should download one, be sure to read our informative guide.

What is a casino app?

If you’ve ever played at an online casino via your smartphone device, then it is likely that you accessed the platform via your mobile web browser. For those using Android, this is likely to be via Google Chrome, and Safari for those on an iPhone.

The reality is that whether you are playing traditional table games like blackjack or roulette, casino slots, or one of thousands of other casino app games available online, the gaming mobile browser-based gaming experience is still really good. However, the innovative world of online gambling has decided to take things to the next level through a native top casino app.

Now, before we go any further, it is important to note that in the vast majority of cases, native casino applications are only available on Android or iOS operating devices. Once again, this means that those of you holding a Windows or Blackberry smartphone will likely need to stick with your traditional web browser if you want to gamble online.

So what exactly is a casino application. Well, in the same way that you can download popular mobile apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, or SnapChat, you can also download app directly from online casinos.

Whether or not the casino in question offers a native mobile app will depend on the platform themselves. However, if they do, you can access your casino game, as well as your account portal, at the click of a button through the casino application.

This makes it super easy to gamble on the move, as you don’t need to go through your mobile browser. Instead, all you need to do is click on your casino application, enter your PIN number (if you’ve set this up), and you’re good to go!

What to consider before downloading a casino app.

As noted above, the first thing that you need to consider is whether or not your specific mobile device is supported. If the casino does launch a mobile app, then it’s likely you will be able to download it straight from the Google Play Store or Apple Store.

Regardless of which platform you download the casino games app from, you also need to make sure that your particular model is compatible. Although somewhat rare, if you have an older version of the Android/iOS operating model, then there is always the chance that your phone won’t be able to handle the casino application. However, you would need to have a considerably old phone for this to be the case.

Before you do download the app, it is imperative to note that you should never download the casino application from a third-party website. In doing so, you run the serious risk of downloading a malicious application that could result in the bad actor obtaining your casino login credentials.

The safest way to ensure that you are only downloading the official application is to go through the casino’s website via your mobile web browser. You should be able to find a button that says something along the lines of ‘Download Casino Apps’. Once you do you will have the option of choosing your operating device, and then you will be swiftly taken to the corresponding Google Play/Apple App Store page to make the download.

On top of ensuring that you are downloading the official app, you also need to make sure that you have sufficient space on your mobile phone. You’ll likely need in the region of 5mb to 30mb, although it can be more if you are using a highly comprehensive platform.

Finally, we at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk also suggest that you should wait until you have a WiFi connection before you download the app. There is no point wasting your pre-paid data on an application that can be downloaded for free once you are connected to WiFi!

The best casino apps are usually only available via Android or iOS phones. Blackberry and Windows users will likely need to use their web browser. Need sufficient storage space on the phone, and use your WIFI connection when downloading the casino app.

So now that we’ve looked at what you need to consider before downloading a casino application, in the next section of our guide we are going to explore how much data you’ll likely consume.

How much data do casino applications use

We BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk often receive concerns from our readers regarding data usage when gambling online. As the costs of 4g seem to be growing year-on-year, this is a legitimate concern that our in-house experts sought to explore further.

First and foremost, it is important to note that is no 'hard-and-fast-rule' as to how much data your online gambling endeavours will utilise, as this can depend on a number of factors. For example, high-end video games slots with 3D graphics are likely to consume significantly more than a classic game video poker.

Moreover, if you're constantly changing games, the initial loading period will consume more data in comparison to sticking with a single game. Nevertheless, to give you a round-around idea, leading software developers NetEnt claim that the average game of online slots will consume just 1kb of data per spin. This is great, as it means you could literally play slot machines for days on end before getting anywhere close to a single gigabyte of data!

However, and perhaps most importantly, did you know that mobile casino applications actually consume less data than that of a conventional web browser?

Without getting too technical, we at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk found out that this is because mobile applications  collect data requests directly from the platform's server, as much of the required information has already been stored offline. On the contrary, a web browser requires significantly more resources on a continuous basis.

All-in-all, you shouldn’t notice much data usage when using a casino application.

On the other hand, if you are in a position where you don’t have much data left, or worse, you are accessing data from your pre-paid credit balance (this is charged at a much higher rate), then there is a simple solution that you can implement to ensure you don’t run out mid-game.

When you load up your casino application, and enter your chosen game, look around for a button that says something like ‘Quality’. Much like in the case of watching an online YouTube video, most casino online apps allows you to choose the quality of the in-game feed. If you’re low on data, turn the stream quality down to the minimum to save on data!

So now that we’ve covered data usage, in the next section of our guide we are going to look at some of the key differences between casino applications and standard browser-based gaming.

Casino app vs mobile browser

We at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk have listed four key benefits of using a casino application to gamble online, as opposed to using your mobile web browser!

Enhanced gaming experience

We find that the overarching benefit of playing your favourite games via a casino application is that the overall gaming experience is more enhanced in comparison to using your web browser. As the games as designed specifically for your native operating system, you’ll quickly notice a vast improvement in quality.

More convenient

No longer do you need to load up the main webpage of your chosen casino, no do you need to go through the rigmarole of entering your login credentials. Instead, you simple click on the casino application and you’re good to go!

Better security

Convenience doesn't come at the expense of security when using a casino application. While you have the option of logging straight into your casino account as soon as you click on the app, you can also set-up a PIN number. You don’t necessarily need this if you have already installed a screen lock safeguard on your device, so the option is yours.

Less data consumption

As we noted earlier, although browser-based gambling consumes little data anyway, it is well worth remembering that top gambling apps consume even less data. The main reason for this that most of the information required by the platform’s server is stored on your phone offline, meaning it doesn’t need to constantly request new data feeds.

What games can you play on a casino app?

When it comes to the real money games available on your chosen casino application, you should be able to find all of the very same games that you would normally access on the main desktop platform.

As such, you’ll have access to a full suite of table games like roulette, blackjack and baccarat, as well as thousands of individual slot titles. You’ll also be able to access video poker, virtual games, bingo, and everything else!

In fact, most operators now allow you to play live casino games via your app. The game will have been fully optimized for smaller screens, meaning that the end-to-end gaming experience isn’t in any way hindered.

Casino app bonuses

Any bonus that you find here at the BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk platform can be used either on your desktop/laptop device, mobile web browser, or through your casino application. However, you’ll be pleased to know that some mobile casinos will give you an additional bonus if you download their native application.

We at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk find that this is for two main reasons. Firstly, if the app casino is trying to market their newly launched app, then they will offer you an additional bonus as an incentive to make the download.

Secondly, as online casinos know that you will always have your mobile phone with you throughout the day, they are keen for you to download the app so that you have the opportunity to gamble at any given time!

FAQs

Do software developers build casino applications?
Although a lot of people think that it is the software developers themselves that design and launch casino applications, this isn’t the case at all. On the contrary, casino sites are responsible for launching their own apps.

Are apps casino platforms free?
We at BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk have never come across a casino application that you need to pay for, as they are always free. If you find a casino application that asks you to pay a download fee, avoid it at all costs.

Are there any casino applications available on Windows or Blackberry?
As the vast majority of the mobile smartphone industry is dominated by Android and Apple, you likely won’t find a reliable casino application on Windows or Blackberry. However, you still play your favourite games via your mobile web browser.

What is the best casino app for Android?
There are heaps of leading Android-based casino applications available to download, each with their own pros and cons. As such, we would advise you to read some of the in-depth reviews we have listed on the BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk website.

Can I still get a match bonus when I sign up via an app.casino?
You certainly can. All of the welcome package bonuses you see on the BestRatedSlotSites.co.uk website are fully eligible for casino application registrations.