New real-money gambling app market launched

Newcomer Betcade aims to fill the gap created by Google Store refusing to permit real-money gambling apps, says founder David Chang in giving the publication VentureBeat an advanced peek at the app this week.

Developed in California on the Android platform, the new app will provide online casino operators with a unified, branded destination for gambling apps. Its first target territory will be the U.K., which has more lenient rules on gambling than the United States.

Chang told VentureBeat that Betcade will cater to players by positioning itself as a trusted source for gambling-app discovery. It will address the complex issues of distribution, discovery, payment, management, and security, and plans to launch the app store more fully on Android in July 2016, but only in jurisdictions where it is legally permitted.

Players will be able to browse categories or search for apps, view a consistent set of information and reviews for every app, and install apps on their devices. The store will also feature in-app deposits (often required in online gambling) to reduce consumer friction and provide a better user experience.

Chang is the former chief marketing officer and head of industry relations at Gamblit Gaming, a software development company focused on new technology for land-based and mobile gaming experiences.

“We’ve spent the past few months road testing the concept and checking the temperature of the industry and been really pleased with the results,” said Chang, in a statement.

“The creation of the early-access program is a direct result from the demand we are experiencing from the industry. We want to create the best possible product for the gaming industry and are fortunate that online operators want to work with us to make the store a success.”

While Google does not allow the distribution of real-money gambling apps, Apple does on its iStore; however, Apple doesn’t provide rankings for the apps it offers or promote them.

Betcade will differ in that it intends to market the apps it carries and provide users with a good user experience through rankings, promotions, curation, and payment processing