Poker News

The first real money poker app on the iPhone has been launched by gaming giant bwin.

The free Texas Hold'em app is available now in the App Stores in the UK and Austria, where bwin is based, with launches in other countries planned soon.

Listed as 'bwin.com Poker' in the Apple store, the app displays your best hand automatically to help players on the move make decisions quicker.

Hand histories are also displayed at a touch and there is also one-click reseating if you get interrupted by an incoming call or decide to switch app, for example to check on the latest weather forecast.

The app, which is yet to receive any ratings from Apple users, can be used on 3G mobile networks although, as with most complex apps, the developers advise using wifi for greater speeds.

The gold and black display is also strikingly clear - although it is hard to make out some smaller details, such as the rake.

Berthold Kao, Head of Mobile at bwin, said: "Our customers can, for the first time ever, show what they've got in the world's biggest poker network via the popular iPhone platform.

“With the iPhone poker app, we continue to extend our lead in the mobile entertainment sector.

"Together with the bwin live app and Casino for iPhone, we now offer our customers a complete portfolio."

The launch comes just months after it was revealed owners of Android smartphones will be able play poker for real money after a tie-up between Google and Full Tilt Poker.

The search engine, which owns the Android mobile platform, has struck a deal with Full Tilt to enable players to use their existing poker accounts on devices running Android 2.2.

Switch Poker has also launched a real money flash poker client which can be used on mobile devices without the need to install software.

Bwin is to merge with PartyGaming later this year. The move will form a £2billion poker giant that is set dominate the online game for years to come.

* For more details on the bwin real money poker app go to: www.bwin.com/pokerapp