Concerns about mobile casino gaming are quashed if you look at the facts. Where do you stand on the future of the format?
Online gaming sites are turning to mobile casino software as a way of reaching out to customers increasingly on the move. Just like how devices such as the iPhone and BlackBerry have revolutionised the way we manage our lives, casinos are hoping mobile gaming applications can change the way we play.
Games such as Rainbow Riches and Cleopatra can be played using an iPhone or iPod touch, with the latter even being available through Apple's App Store, but there is some dispute as to the validity of making online slots universally available.
This week, Australian senator Nick Xenaphone called for a ban on all mobile casino games. His argument is that they are built to specifically target young people, and as such promote underage gambling:
"There needs to be a parliamentary inquiry into online gambling laws because otherwise we will see a new wave of problem gamblers as soon as these kids turn eighteen."
The way forward for online gambling
Although Mr Xenaphone raises an interesting point, a few important issues don't seem to have received any coverage whatsoever:
- BlackBerry phones and iPhones are not aimed at kids. If children have access to the models which play mobile casino titles, then it would suggest the problem doesn't lie with the games themselves, but elsewhere...
- At Kerching, all of our games carry prominent notices letting people know that it is against the law to gamble under the age of 18.
- The reasoning behind introducing and promoting mobile casino games is to keep up with a changing world. People are turning to the mobile internet, and online casinos are simply adapting to suit their needs.
Australia's laws regarding online gambling, similar to a number of other countries, are strict to begin with. In fact, the UK has perhaps the most liberal online gambling laws in the world.
Where do you stand on the mobile casino debate? Does the format offer an easy route into gaming or is it just an innovative new way to enjoy your favourite online casino games? Tweet us on Twitter with your views and we'll publish the best.