Betfair leads the way with iPhone betting app

Online gambling group Betfair is claiming something of a coup on the acceptance by the iPhone App Store of its betting exchange product.

The app is among the latest to become available at App Store, which has over a hundred thousand apps in its inventory covering a huge range of interests.

The betting company boasts that the inclusion of its product makes Betfair the first established betting company to release a sports betting App on the platform.

Initially available in the UK and Ireland to Betfair customers, the app brings the Betfair betting experience to iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users, making full use of the popular handset’s functionality.

The App uses GPS technology to locate and verify a customer’s location before they are permitted to bet.

“Betfair’s iPhone App takes advantage of the handsets’ multi-touch interface and high-resolution screen, offering our iPhone customers the same core exchange functionality as the main Betfair site,” said Charles Palmer, head of mobile at Betfair.

“Thanks to Apple’s incredible innovation the iPhone raises the bar in terms of mobile gaming, which allows Betfair to deliver an industry first and demonstrates our ability to adapt to new technologies.”

Palmer said that in building the app, the focus was on the user experience, making the it not only intuitive but easy to use.

“Our registered mobile users increased 40 percent in 2009 and continued investment in the mobile channel has contributed to a 50 percent increase in year-on-year mobile revenues,” he revealed.