Online poker tournaments can be very entertaining and financially rewarding, so it should come as no surprise that more and more poker enthusiasts from all over the world are also becoming interested in this style of play on their smartphone and tablets.
Unfortunately, finding the right app to play poker tournaments on the go can be fairly hard, as most software packages released for Android (Motorola, Samsung Galaxy, HTC etc.) and iOS devices simply offer no support for large MTTs. In fact, some of the major network poker sites won’t allow you to play even the most basic Sit & Go’s. Thankfully, there are quite a few exceptions to this rule. Below, you will find a short list of quality mobile poker sites that give you a chance to test your skills when it comes to tournament play.

Most US-based poker players have been waiting anxiously for the launch of the first regulated, intrastate poker sites in New Jersey and Nevada, but unfortunately most of those projects proved to be over-hyped and simply failed to meet the expectations of politicians and players alike. While it’s still too early to call the push for regulated online poker in the United States a complete fiasco, you should definitely take a look at our list of rather serious issues that plague regulated US poker rooms before you decide to transfer from your favorite offshore site.

US-based poker enthusiasts have been often led to believe that playing online poker is completely illegal with the exception of states that have already regulated internet gambling, but this isn’t true. The Federal Wire Act of 1961 is frequently cited as the federal regulation that prohibits international and interstate betting with the use of an internet connection, but in 2011 the Justice Department made it clear that this law applies exclusively to sports betting. This announcement was later confirmed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which means that there are no federal regulations that would prevent you from playing on a real money poker site right now.

UPDATE:  Carbon Poker no longer accept players from the United States.  If you want to play real money poker in the U.S. then we recommend the BetOnline poker app. Following the withdrawal of PokerStars and Full Tilt from the U.S. poker market in the wake of Black Friday, Carbon became the best online poker room still open to US players.  They further cemented their reputation earlier this year by releasing a real-money poker app that worked on any type of phone or tablet, including Samsung Galaxy, Nokia Lumia and Apple iPhone.  While the app originally only offered Texas Hold’em ring games, they’ve now updated their software to also include Sit & Go tournaments.

Bitcoin is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing payments forms for a series of online poker rooms. Bitcoin works by essentially being its own electronic currency without the need to include a bank to issue funds into your poker account. There are a number of wallets which you simply buy Bitcoins from before then transferring these coins into your poker client.

What’s been interesting to see is that a lot of the poker rooms (such as BetCoin and Nitrogen Sports Poker) offering this Bitcoin service do so solely through the electronic currency with very few actually offering ‘real money’ money as well. This has its advantages and disadvantages, but the main positive that comes out of all this is a way for US based players to legally, essentially play poker for real money.

888poker has released an update to its Android application, allowing players to enjoy the complete multi-table tournament functionality aside from the Sit & Go’s and ring games, which were available in the previous version. Unlike the iOS version of the app, the new Android software is available for players all over the world – as long as they’re allowed to register with the site. Additionally, the new app sports a brand new user interface, which has been designed to provide the players with a smoother and more friendly gaming environment. As a result, 888 customers can now access the desired games within seconds from launching the app, which makes it a perfect choice if you’re planning to play on the go regardless of whether you’re using a tablet or a smartphone.

As some of the more experienced players undoubtedly already know, table selection is an important part of playing online poker with earning money in mind. What even fewer people realize is that finding a fishy poker room is potentially even more lucrative than looking for a particularly weak table – after all, the game will end at one point or another and you’ll have to waste time looking for more easy prey. This statement is even more true if you’re looking to play online poker on your Android mobile device, as only a select few apps allow you to observe numerous tables without taking part in the action yourself.

Android Market used to be a paradise when it comes to gambling apps, as Google had no qualms about accepting all kinds of real money software, whether it was related to poker, casino games, sports betting or bingo. Unfortunately, as the United States government cracked down on online gambling with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and other countries followed suit, the company decided to block all gambling and adult material oriented apps, which in the end happened in January 2012. Fortunately, unlike Apple’s iOS, Android is an open platform – so the removal of those apps from the Android Market didn’t result in an immediate apocalypse in the world of Android based mobile poker. 

Choosing the right Android poker client might be a daunting task – trust me, I’ve been there. The number of apps is simply staggering and while most of them perform extremely well, each of them has a few advantages that most of the competition lacks. This doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to compare those apps when you know what you’re looking for and thus, I have created this list to help you in making the right pick when you know what your area of focus is. I will compare the most competitive sites in each category and provide you with some tips on which to choose.