Betfair gambling app marks Apple turnaround

BETFAIR has become the first major betting company to offer a downloadable gambling application from Apple’s iPhone App Store, marking a turnaround on gambling ‘apps’ from the US consumer electronics and computer giant.

The downloadable app featuring Betfair’s exchange product marks a change in policy for Apple, which has not offered gambling applications for download from its App Store hitherto, ostensibly due to the US egaming ban.

Betfair head of mobile Charles Palmer (pictured) said: “There were no terms and conditions about gambling. We approached Apple with the proposal and our app, showing it does the normal KYC and age verification.”

However Palmer added that the app, available to customers in the UK and Ireland, uses GPS to ensure bets can only be placed from these territories.

“We have also added the ability to locate where the customer is. It can tell if you are in the UK or Ireland, and if you’re not, it won’t function. We put that in there as an extra precaution – they didn’t request that,” he said.

Palmer continued that he believed the development represented a “unique” first for Betfair, given the technological lead Apple was establishing over its competitors in the smart phone space.

“The iPhone, touch-screen devices, smart phones, have picked up massively, and every manufacturer is desperately trying to catch up with Apple. The iPhone and the associated knock-on effects are fantastic for the gaming industry.”

Palmer said he believed the product would prove a good fit with Betfair punters: “If people are going to bet on Betfair on the mobile, it’s highly likely they are going to have the latest handset, so the demographic is going to sit well with Betfair.”

For more on smartphones, see yesterday’s blog post from Mike Bromilow, UK country manager for Keynote Systems. Or for more on Betfair, see our CEO Interview with Betfair founder Andrew Black.