It’s only been a few years since the ban on online sports betting was overturned in the US, but since then there has been a mad rush for massive casinos and global betting apps to launch new products for the US market.
But instead of just competing generally for a place at the top of the sports betting industry, US based organizations like Caesars, MGM, as well as global brands like bet365 are pushing to provide the best sports betting apps for their mobile audience first. Not only do we see additional features on these betting apps, some sportsbooks have opted to ignore a desktop platform altogether.
So why is this?
This prioritization of mobile platforms is a bit odd in the US as well, given that there is still roughly an even split in the overall web traffic between desktop and mobile devices according to Kinsta.com. That being said, the scalability of apps is an enticing back end factor to rolling out a good mobile app, but we think there are a few other obvious contributing factors, and we’re going to speculate on them.
Phone Technology is Better Than Ever
Possibly one of the most obvious statements you’ll read today, but the fact that mobile phones are constantly being upgraded and pumped full of new software and hardware ensures that they can handle just about any online work we throw at them. A bit cliche, but even a decade ago when smartphones really started to be everywhere we kept hearing how one modern telephone is more than enough to get man to the moon. So of course phones are well equipped to place a simple wager on a betting app.
Convenience in Your Pocket
The second, but probably most important reason we think this mobile first approach makes sense is the convenience of having everything on your phone.
Even if you’re not familiar with how big the sports betting industry has become, it’s almost impossible to avoid the bombardment of ads on TV and the internet for some new betting app. But what we see is dozens of different sportsbooks, all offering a slightly different product, odds, and ways to win. So if you’ve become an avid bettor, there is a good chance you’ve downloaded a few different apps, and having them all right at your fingertips isn’t so bad.
A second factor to the convenience argument is actually the personal feel you can have with an app. For betting apps this usually includes rewards, favorite sports, etc., but you can also receive notifications a lot quicker with an app, and this might be important if you want to bet on a big game.
Laws and State Lines
Without getting into the nitty gritty of online sports betting laws in the US, our third reason is based on crossing state lines when sports betting isn’t always allowed.
Basically, pulling out your phone to place a bet while waiting in the airport or crossing over into a state that allows sports betting is a heck of a lot easier than booting up your laptop, finding wifi, or connecting to a hotspot. Plus, the geolocation for most of these betting apps is more accurate on a mobile device, which helps if you’re near a state border.
Of course we can’t tell you with absolute certainty why sportsbooks are prioritizing mobile traffic with apps, but the general trend towards mobile web traffic over the years is a big factor, as well as the fact these platforms want you to bet so they make money – and this is absolutely easier on a phone! Even if the push to mobile betting is a profit driven decision (no surprise there), mobile apps are probably still the preferred method to wager on sports for most punters, so having higher quality options is good. And it’s not just a sports betting trend either, most companies with desktop sites are starting to get on the app bandwagon, both as computer apps and specifically designed mobile apps, in order to increase customer outreach, loyalty, and their bottom line.