Android Poker Sites
Which online poker sites are available for Android phones?
Android-powered mobile devices came from practically nowhere to a dominant market position in just a few short years. Part of the reason for the explosive growth is the open nature of the platform, an open nature that also played a major role in encouraging online poker rooms to develop apps for Android phones and tablets.
Finding those rooms - and separating the good from the bad - can be a bit challenging for Android owners, however. That's why we have constructed this short guide to the best online poker apps for Android mobile users which will quickly compare our top three picks for players looking to bet, raise and sometimes maybe even fold on their Android device.
Android Well Ahead of Apple for Online Poker
The ongoing battle between Android and Apple devices is an interesting one playing out across thousands of individual fronts. One front where Android has secured a tentative advantage: Apps for online poker. The basic approach for online poker rooms seems to be to develop the Android app first, and then to eventually roll out an Apple version. This may have something to with the increased development cost and more restrictive app store policies that accompany apps for the iPhone and iPad; whatever the motivation, however, the fact remains the same: Android users have more options for playing mobile online poker and are likely to see new products earlier than their Apple-owning peers.
Top Three Online Poker Apps for Android
While there are hundreds, if not thousands, of poker-related apps available for Android mobile devices, there are actually only a handful that support real-money play at a reputable online poker room. Any online poker player should be able to find what they're looking for in at least one of the Android poker applications below.
Android App for 888 Poker: 888 waited even longer than PokerStars to throw their hat into the mobile ring, but the response to their long-awaited Android app has been quite positive. While 888 doesn't have a fast-fold client to speed up their mobile poker room, they do provide features that make the pace of play relatively quick regardless - certainly more than fast enough for the typical online poker player. 888 is also working to tie in the social aspects of their poker room with the Android client, so expect innovative updates on that front from the room in the months ahead.
bwin Android Poker App: It was by most accounts the first full-featured mobile poker room from a major operator available for Android, and it still ranks among the best. Somewhat curiously, bwin does not have a fast-fold client deployed yet, so you'll be playing typical poker via the Android app, but the experience - having the benefit of years of testing and development that other clients lack - is arguably the smoothest overall among the online poker options available for Android devices. For casual players looking to cram in a few hands between appointments or while waiting for an activity to start, bwin is possibly the most elegant, stable and secure option of the group.
PokerStars Android App: The room was relatively late to the mobile poker scene, but arrived with a bang when it finally entered. Aided by Zoom Poker, PokerStars' Android app allows players a quick-paced, smooth mobile poker experience with many of the features and choices you'd find in the full version of the online poker giant. Plus, expect PokerStars to continue to aggressively roll out new features now that they've finally committed to a solution for their mobile poker needs, and to offer generous promotions related to mobile poker play as competition for the market heats up.
