Best Real Money Poker Apps for iPad
If you've ever held a tablet computer in your hand you will know that they are the ideal platform for mobile gaming. Devices like the iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy Tab or Microsoft Lumia 2520 come equipped with large high-definition touch-screens that look incredible and make gameplay both fun and easy.
Since Apple produced the first and still the best tablet computer, it's hardly surprising that there is a greater selection of both real-money and play-for-fun poker apps available for the iPad that for any other tablet. While United States poker players won't be able to download poker apps from the official Apple App Store, they will be able to play through the web browser of any iOS device. Below you will find recommendations for the best mobile poker software for playing poker variants like Texas Hold'em and Omaha, high-speed poker and tournaments. We've also pinpointed sites with weak players for anyone looking to make a killing. All the sites featured have excellent reputations for security and fairness so you know your money is safe. Bitcoin poker sites are also now available for iPad gamers.
Since Apple produced the first and still the best tablet computer, it's hardly surprising that there is a greater selection of both real-money and play-for-fun poker apps available for the iPad that for any other tablet. While United States poker players won't be able to download poker apps from the official Apple App Store, they will be able to play through the web browser of any iOS device. Below you will find recommendations for the best mobile poker software for playing poker variants like Texas Hold'em and Omaha, high-speed poker and tournaments. We've also pinpointed sites with weak players for anyone looking to make a killing. All the sites featured have excellent reputations for security and fairness so you know your money is safe. Bitcoin poker sites are also now available for iPad gamers.
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Just as Apple caused a stir with the release of the iPhone, they sent further shock-waves around the mobile computer world in 2010 with the release of the iPad. Industry experts were a little unenthusiastic about the launch, claiming uptake in what was essentially an over-sized iPhone would be poor. Boy, were they wrong.
For the next few years the iPad ruled the tablet roost, but was eventually swamped by the range of Android-powered tablets that became available. Fast forwards to 2015 and tablet sales were already beginning to wane, brought about by the new range of smart-phones with their enhanced processing power and larger screens.
Mobile poker on the iPad If there is one thing that the iPad is perfectly suited to, it's mobile poker. The display for a mobile poker room needs to be a pleasant size, and up until around 2012 smart-phone screens were simply too small to make 'poker on the go' a decent experience. A full, nine-seated table with everyone betting and calling created a very cramped screen on a smart-phone, whereas the larger dimensions of the iPad screen made this much less of an issue.
All the top poker rooms soon tried to issue iPad apps for mobile play, but were challenged by Apple's reluctance to allow gambling apps that used real money on iTunes. All this changed in August 2013 when Apple had a change of heart and permitted such apps to be downloadable from the App store, as long as “Apps that offer real money gaming (e.g. sports betting, poker, casino games, horse racing) must have necessary licensing and permissions in the locations where the App is used, must be restricted to those locations, and must be free on the App Store.”
For the next few years the iPad ruled the tablet roost, but was eventually swamped by the range of Android-powered tablets that became available. Fast forwards to 2015 and tablet sales were already beginning to wane, brought about by the new range of smart-phones with their enhanced processing power and larger screens.
Mobile poker on the iPad If there is one thing that the iPad is perfectly suited to, it's mobile poker. The display for a mobile poker room needs to be a pleasant size, and up until around 2012 smart-phone screens were simply too small to make 'poker on the go' a decent experience. A full, nine-seated table with everyone betting and calling created a very cramped screen on a smart-phone, whereas the larger dimensions of the iPad screen made this much less of an issue.
All the top poker rooms soon tried to issue iPad apps for mobile play, but were challenged by Apple's reluctance to allow gambling apps that used real money on iTunes. All this changed in August 2013 when Apple had a change of heart and permitted such apps to be downloadable from the App store, as long as “Apps that offer real money gaming (e.g. sports betting, poker, casino games, horse racing) must have necessary licensing and permissions in the locations where the App is used, must be restricted to those locations, and must be free on the App Store.”
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
If you have an iPad but have never played mobile poker and you're thinking of giving it a try, you might have a few questions. You can usually get answers by contacting a poker room direct via their support functions, but perhaps to save you a little time, here are a few FAQs that just might be able to help.
Q. What's the difference between poker apps for iPhones, and poker apps for iPads?
A. In some cases, none. If a poker room offers a “no download” app this usually means the app is in fact a special, iOS-optimised version of a web-site, usually written in HTML5 (Flash-based apps, as offered by some poker rooms, do not work on iOS-based systems without workarounds). Such sites will make no differential between and iPhone and an iPad, so screens that have been specifically designed for the iPhone may look more than a little odd on the iPad.
It's always best to see if you can find a poker room that has a specific app designed for the iPad, as that way your playing experience will be as decent as it can get.
Q. I am based in the US. What are my chances of finding a decent iPad mobile poker app that will accept me as a player?
A. We have to be honest and say 'not good'. Despite ginger steps being made to embrace online poker playing in the States, the mobile poker party remains one to which US-based players are still waiting to receive an invitation. Your best bet is to head over to Carbon Poker or Bovada Poker, as these two sites accept US-based players, and have mobile versions of their poker client. If you're lucky enough to live in a jurisdiction where regulated, online poker is permitted (such as New Jersey) then 888poker has an iPad app you can download and install.
Q. Can I play Sit & Go's or tournaments at an iPad poker app, or just ring games?
A. That depends upon the poker room that you choose. Most of the best poker rooms have iPad poker apps that will allow you to play in Sit & Go's, or join in with their scheduled tournaments, although some dinosaur apps still offer ring games only. Check to see what your chosen poker room offers if playing Sit & Go's and scheduled tournaments is important to you.
Q. How should a iPad poker app cost?
A. That's easy … nothing! It's a rule at Apple that a poker room cannot offer an iPad (or any iOS) mobile poker app if they charge you to download and install it. If you find a poker app that does expect you to pay for the privilege of downloading and installing it, then it's an iPad poker app that you should definitely steer well clear of.
Q. Do I need a separate account to play via an iPad as I do via my home computer at the same poker room?
A. You shouldn't need to. In fact, most poker rooms would consider it a violation of their terms of service if you have two separate accounts, even if you intend to use one account for mobile play, and the other for desktop-based play. If you're unsure, it's always best to sign up for an account via a desktop site, and then use your login when you're logging in from your iPad.
This will also ensure that any promotions that you are eligible for as a new player at a poker room will still be coming your way. You may also find that poker rooms will run special bonus promotions for players who make deposits via their iPad app.
Q. The poker room I am thinking of using say they have a Flash-based poker client that requires no downloading. Will that client work on my iPad?
A. Not natively. You will have to go to extra lengths to get a Flash-based poker client to work on an iPad, and it's not really worth the effort. Stick to a poker room that offers a dedicated, downloadable poker client or a HTML5-based site that you can load into a browser.
***
That's really all you need to know about mobile poker on your iPad. If you do own an iPad, then there is very little that stands in your way of joining the mobile poker revolution. Good luck at the tables!
If you have an iPad but have never played mobile poker and you're thinking of giving it a try, you might have a few questions. You can usually get answers by contacting a poker room direct via their support functions, but perhaps to save you a little time, here are a few FAQs that just might be able to help.
Q. What's the difference between poker apps for iPhones, and poker apps for iPads?
A. In some cases, none. If a poker room offers a “no download” app this usually means the app is in fact a special, iOS-optimised version of a web-site, usually written in HTML5 (Flash-based apps, as offered by some poker rooms, do not work on iOS-based systems without workarounds). Such sites will make no differential between and iPhone and an iPad, so screens that have been specifically designed for the iPhone may look more than a little odd on the iPad.
It's always best to see if you can find a poker room that has a specific app designed for the iPad, as that way your playing experience will be as decent as it can get.
Q. I am based in the US. What are my chances of finding a decent iPad mobile poker app that will accept me as a player?
A. We have to be honest and say 'not good'. Despite ginger steps being made to embrace online poker playing in the States, the mobile poker party remains one to which US-based players are still waiting to receive an invitation. Your best bet is to head over to Carbon Poker or Bovada Poker, as these two sites accept US-based players, and have mobile versions of their poker client. If you're lucky enough to live in a jurisdiction where regulated, online poker is permitted (such as New Jersey) then 888poker has an iPad app you can download and install.
Q. Can I play Sit & Go's or tournaments at an iPad poker app, or just ring games?
A. That depends upon the poker room that you choose. Most of the best poker rooms have iPad poker apps that will allow you to play in Sit & Go's, or join in with their scheduled tournaments, although some dinosaur apps still offer ring games only. Check to see what your chosen poker room offers if playing Sit & Go's and scheduled tournaments is important to you.
Q. How should a iPad poker app cost?
A. That's easy … nothing! It's a rule at Apple that a poker room cannot offer an iPad (or any iOS) mobile poker app if they charge you to download and install it. If you find a poker app that does expect you to pay for the privilege of downloading and installing it, then it's an iPad poker app that you should definitely steer well clear of.
Q. Do I need a separate account to play via an iPad as I do via my home computer at the same poker room?
A. You shouldn't need to. In fact, most poker rooms would consider it a violation of their terms of service if you have two separate accounts, even if you intend to use one account for mobile play, and the other for desktop-based play. If you're unsure, it's always best to sign up for an account via a desktop site, and then use your login when you're logging in from your iPad.
This will also ensure that any promotions that you are eligible for as a new player at a poker room will still be coming your way. You may also find that poker rooms will run special bonus promotions for players who make deposits via their iPad app.
Q. The poker room I am thinking of using say they have a Flash-based poker client that requires no downloading. Will that client work on my iPad?
A. Not natively. You will have to go to extra lengths to get a Flash-based poker client to work on an iPad, and it's not really worth the effort. Stick to a poker room that offers a dedicated, downloadable poker client or a HTML5-based site that you can load into a browser.
***
That's really all you need to know about mobile poker on your iPad. If you do own an iPad, then there is very little that stands in your way of joining the mobile poker revolution. Good luck at the tables!
