Is PlayBook a “Game Changer” for Mobile Casinos, Too?

RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie recently called his company's upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook device a "game changer." But is it for mobile casino players?

Blackberry PlayBook

In announcing new details about the BlackBerry PlayBook recently, Research In Motion (RIM) co-CEO Jim Balsillie declared that the PlayBook “is a game changer.” But will it be literally so for online casino players?

The PlayBook is clearly a response to the iPad, so RIM is slightly in the hole already – and this hole is only threatening to deepen underneath the tech company.

The Apple iPad got blackjack games released for free back in July of this year; and the All Slots mobile casino now available to Apple iPad users can’t be making RIM marketers wishing to scoop up the online gaming crowd happy – After all, All Slots is typically cutting-edge on this stuff, implying that casinos powered by Microgaming and others will soon be designing iPad-specific casino software.

A big plus for PlayBook’s prospects among BlackBerry users at least is that, at first, the PlayBook will access cellular networks only by linking to a BlackBerry phone – this allows users free access.

The big difference of the PlayBook, however, is that online casinos may not even need to create a new format for the device: While Apple does not support Flash on its mobile devices, PlayBook will, meaning that no-download casinos will look picture-perfect on its screen.

The RIM PlayBook is due to be available to consumers in early 2011.

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13 years ago

I totally agree that All Slots and the Jackpot Factory will be coming out with iPad specific casino software. But before that, I imaging it will be Microgaming’s mobile software partner, Spin3 Technologies. I have to say I agree with Balsillie – the PlayBook does indeed look like a game changer. The free access via Blackberry is nice, but I agree that the big difference is compatibility with no-download, Flash online casinos. Will the PlayBook win over operators to cease from developing iPad compatible software? Probably not – I recently read at onlinecasinosuite that Rank Interactive has one in the works: http://onlinecasinosuite.com/casino-blog/rank-interactives-blue-square-developing-ipad-online-sportsbook-with-mkodo/1773/ Considering all the Blackberry users out there, PlayBook will fill that void left by AT&T and I think you will see most online casinos, poker rooms, sports books, even bingo and skill gaming sites developing apps for both.