As mobile is now surpassing desktop traffic and Android makes up for over 80% of the mobile OS market, it would be sheer madness for an online casino not to be optimised for this operating system. And sure enough every single UK-licensed virtual casino that I’ve tested has a well-functioning Android web app but which is the best and why? Well, the answer to the ‘which’ is in the table below while we tackle the ‘why’ in the rest of the article.
In all honesty, I knew that Leo Vegas would end up at the top of this ranking even before I started doing the research for this article. After all, they are famous for their versatile mobile platform and for the fact that they offer significantly more mobile games than their competitors. For the rest of the ranking though, I had no idea how it would look. I just took my smartphone, borrowed a friend’s Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro, and started testing the mobile versions of the most renowned UK casinos. Before sharing more details about the results of my research I want to make sure everybody knows the specifications of the phone and the tablet so that they can have an approximate idea as to whether the apps will work on their devices. Another important detail is that the mobile OS of both devices is Android KitKat which, as you can see below, is the most widely used version of the operating system.
Overview of the Select Android Casinos
When preparing the rating of the top UK casinos which are compatible with Android devices, I took into account not only the number and the quality of the mobile games they offer, but also their bonus offers, the availability of the games in free-play mode and if there are live casino mobile games. In order to further explain why I ranked these casinos the way I did I’ve prepared short summaries for all 10 of them. You can check them out below and should you like to test them yourself, you can simply scan the QR codes.
Real-Money Casino Apps – Problems and Solutions
One of the reasons why not so many online casinos offer downloadable Android apps is that Google Play doesn’t allow any type of gambling applications on their platform. From there a problem with the downloadable apps emerges: usually the default Android device settings impede the installation of apps that are not on Google Play. Thankfully, there’s a quick and easy fix to this problem, which is to turn on the option ‘Unknown Sources’ in the security settings of your mobile device as demonstrated below:
Another minor thing that might cause you some trouble is that most casino games are available only in landscape or only in portrait mode. Therefore, if you don’t have the auto-rotate option activated on your phone, you won’t be able to access the games optimised for landscape mode. If you wish to turn on this option you have to go to your display settings and click on ‘Auto-rotate Screen’.
Developers of Gambling Apps for Android
There are quite a few casino software provides out there but not all of them were smart enough to jump into the field of mobile gambling soon after it exploded. This is why there are some operators that have a lead in this regard while others were left behind. Below I’ll present you the software houses which made the cut and entered this new era of how we play casino games for real money stronger than ever.
NetEnt Android-Friendly Casino SoftwareWhen it comes to Android casinos there’s no doubt that NetEnt is the top software provider in terms of quality. The graphics of their many exciting games like the mobile slot Gonzo’s Quest, Aliens, Subtopia and so one, are truly unmatched by anyone else. On top of that they feature quite a lot of options which will help you customise the games according to your preferences: quick spin, auto-play, ‘stop if free spin is won’ option. On top of that NetEnt’s casino software allows you to follow the game history as longs as you play for real money.
Playtech – Developer of Casino Software for AndroidWithout a shadow of a doubt, Playtech is the most popular casino software among online casinos. Half of the real-money games sites nowadays seem to use this software provider and from there comes an issue: there are too many online casinos that offer absolutely the same Playtech games. On the other hand, when you play at a casino using this software provider you can be more than sure that every hand or spin is honest. Furthermore, you can play for huge jackpots exactly because the network of Playtech sites is so huge.
Live-Casino Android-Compatible Apps by Evolution GamingFor those of you who don’t know, Evolution Gaming is a casino software development company which is solely focused on live gaming. And being focused on only one thing has really paid off for them because today everybody unanimously names them the best live casino software provider. Same is true for their mobile platform: you won’t believe the smoothness of the video stream and the quality of the interface when playing live casino games from your mobile phone. It almost looks too good to be true.
Android-Optimised Casinos Powered by MicrogamingSome years ago Microgaming were on top of the world and every other casino was using their software just like it is today with Playtech. Unfortunately, lately they really missed the mark with their desktop software but what pushed them back into the game is their collection of mobile games. It’s true that the overall quality of their mobile games is not quite the same as the one of NetEnt Touch, but their latest big titles like Game of Thrones and The Dark Knight Rises truly amazed me and gave me hope that they aren’t quite done yet.
IGT-Powered Android Casino AppsAs opposed to Playtech and Microgaming which provide whole gaming platforms, IGT is focused on offering separate games to online casinos. Some of their most famous titles are Cleopatra, Da Vinci Diamonds, Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly Dream Life which are available not only to desktop users but to players that prefer to play from their Android smartphone or tablet. The one thing I don’t like with these games though is that they miss some essential features like quick spin and autoplay.
Favourite Android Casino Games for Money
The topic of which are the best casino games for Android devices is highly subjective and depends a lot of the player’s personal preferences and sometimes even on their mood. This is why in the paragraphs below I will share the most exciting android casino games from my perspective, but I’m sure that once you start playing at an online casino you will quickly find your own favourites which won’t necessarily coincide with the ones mentioned below.
Action-Packed Android Slots
Being the hands-down most popular casino game, slots have also the most variations, especially online. Usually, an online casino would offer at least 100 classic and modern variants of this simple but exciting game and around 40-50 of these slots are usually also available on their mobile platforms. They differ in number of reels and paylines, but also in graphics, animations, bonus rounds, symbols, scatters and multipliers. Considering all these factors and taking into consideration the preferences of my circle of fellow casino players, I’ve prepared this shortlist of the most exciting slot games for Android devices:
The reason why I chose Aliens by NetEnt Touch as the most exciting Android-compatible slot is that in all my years of playing casino games, I’ve never seen such an action-packed and exciting slot with such bonus rounds. It’s really hard to explain it in words so I’ve captured a video showing the most exciting features of the game.
Table and Video Poker Games
Slots are definitely the focus of all online casinos, especially for their mobile platforms so it’s sometimes frustrating how few table and video poker games the operators offer to their Android users. Still, you have enough options to keeps you satisfied, especially if you choose the right casino. Below you can find information about where you can play video poker and table games from your Android phone.
ROULETTE – While there are some casinos that have 3-4 different Android-friendly versions of roulette, usually online operators only offer European Roulette to their mobile users. There was not one French Roulette game offered by all the Android casinos I’ve tested, except in their live-dealer app. So, if you want a little more diversity when playing roulette one your mobile device, I would suggest you try the mobile version of William Hill’s live-casino which is powered by Evolution Gaming. There you’ll be able to play both European and French Roulette with different bet limits, starting from £0.50 per spin up to the mind-blowing £500,000. There you can also try Evolution Gaming’s most exciting game Immersive Roulette, which features many camera angles and slow-motion capturing of the ball falling into the numbered slots.
VIDEO POKER – While usually online casinos offer at least one Android-friendly version of video poker, it’s quite surprising how many online operators skip this type of games altogether when it comes to their mobile platforms. Given the fact that this is one of the most popular and beloved casino games both at online and land-based casinos, this decision is really strange. One operator that didn’t underestimate the popularity of this classic casino games is Leo Vegas and this is why I would recommend them to any video poker fan that has an Android device. Here you will find 6 different video poker variations as well as many other games. Check out our very detailed Leo Vegas review to learn about all the advantages that this casino can offer you.
BLACKJACK – On most desktop versions of online casinos you’ll find at least 12 to 14 different blackjack variations. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the mobile-friendly casinos. In most cases these casino offer only one variant of this classic game which is a shame since there are more than enough blackjack variations that truly deserve your attention. From all the casinos that I’ve reviewed, I can say that only Leo Vegas have actually made an effort to introduce different blackjack games. As of now, they have 6 variations of the game. On the other hand, when it comes to live-dealer blackjack for Android devices, I would definitely recommend you try 888 Casino. Their live platform is powered by Evolution Gaming and thus offers live-dealer games, including blackjack, which are running perfectly not only on Android tablets but also on smartphones. On top of that they offer many great bonus opportunities, including promotions that are dedicated exclusively to blackjack games.
Live-Dealer Casino Games Compatible with Android
One of the most exciting experiences online gambling can offer you is playing live-dealer casino games. These games take you as close to the brick-and-mortar casino experience as possible without you actually having to set a foot in one. Nowadays it’s even possible to play these games from your smartphone, thanks to the ever developing video-streaming technology. Take a look at the best live-casino games on Android in the slider below:
Game Selections on Tablets and Smartphones
While most of the time the web and the download casino apps for Android smartphones and Android Tablets are absolutely the same, in some cases you might notice a difference in the number of games available depending on the device you’re using. An example of such a casino is Mr Green. If you enter their site on your smartphone, then you’ll get to choose between 123 slots, 3 roulette games, 2 blackjack variations and 5 video pokers. If you, on the other hand, access the casino from your tablet, you will have the opportunity to play 7 additional slot games. Other than that, I didn’t notice any significant differences between the tablet and smartphone versions of the Android Casino Apps that I tested.