INTRODUCTION
As you might imagine, software companies have not exactly been losing sleep about creating applications for an operating system with such a tiny market share, leaving Windows Phone users spectacularly short-changed. In terms of poker clients, mobile poker apps for Windows Phones have been rarer than a three ace flop. Now, one online gambling portal has finally made some strides to partially redress this balance by offering a poker app that they say is more or less guaranteed to work on Windows Phones.
Although the Bet365 mobile poker app has been optimised for the iOS operating system, it has been written in HTML5, meaning the app should run on any platform, and in any browser. It is purely a browser-based solution, so no download is necessary. The good news for Windows Phone users is that Bet365 are likely to continue to develop and optimise their browser-based app, as Google Play does not allow gambling apps to be listed at their site (Apple's iTunes has no such problem, despite the restrictions on internet gambling in the US) so Android users will always need a non-Google Play version in order to keep playing at Bet365 while they are out and about.
To use the Bet365 Windows Phone app, all you need to do is visit bet365 Poker via any browser on your phone. The app will “install” within the browser, allowing you to play poker at Bet365 using your device. Currently the app only has ring games and speed poker games – no sit-n-go games or tournaments are available.
Although the Bet365 mobile poker app has been optimised for the iOS operating system, it has been written in HTML5, meaning the app should run on any platform, and in any browser. It is purely a browser-based solution, so no download is necessary. The good news for Windows Phone users is that Bet365 are likely to continue to develop and optimise their browser-based app, as Google Play does not allow gambling apps to be listed at their site (Apple's iTunes has no such problem, despite the restrictions on internet gambling in the US) so Android users will always need a non-Google Play version in order to keep playing at Bet365 while they are out and about.
To use the Bet365 Windows Phone app, all you need to do is visit bet365 Poker via any browser on your phone. The app will “install” within the browser, allowing you to play poker at Bet365 using your device. Currently the app only has ring games and speed poker games – no sit-n-go games or tournaments are available.
AN OVERVIEW OF BET365 MOBILE
The app is presented with the Bet365 branding of green and yellows against blacks and greys, so if you've played at the Bet365 desktop site, you'll feel right at home. Bet365 has always been a brand that places functionality and user experience over eye candy, and thankfully if you approve of the minimal, non-fussy approach you'll be pleased with the mobile app.
The client's menu has obviously been designed with future editions in mind as there are five slots available, although only two are filled – “Cash Tables” and “Speed Games”. You can browse through the available tables by selecting your game type, bet type, preferred currency, stakes and table size. If you're not too fussed by the type of game you want to play, just select the big yellow “Take Seat” and you'll be seated at any table quickly enough. Sit and Go and Scheduled tournament can also be played from your Windows Phone device.
There's usually plenty of games to join in with, and they're presented with all the information you need to make a considered choice – the stakes, the limits, the average pot size and the size of the table plus how many seats are vacant. If you select a table you can see who's currently playing there, so it's easy to find any players who you like to avoid.
The client's menu has obviously been designed with future editions in mind as there are five slots available, although only two are filled – “Cash Tables” and “Speed Games”. You can browse through the available tables by selecting your game type, bet type, preferred currency, stakes and table size. If you're not too fussed by the type of game you want to play, just select the big yellow “Take Seat” and you'll be seated at any table quickly enough. Sit and Go and Scheduled tournament can also be played from your Windows Phone device.
There's usually plenty of games to join in with, and they're presented with all the information you need to make a considered choice – the stakes, the limits, the average pot size and the size of the table plus how many seats are vacant. If you select a table you can see who's currently playing there, so it's easy to find any players who you like to avoid.
THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY
You can access all the usual stuff via the app as you would at Bet365's desktop site, including their promotions and VIP scheme. If you sign up for Bet365 you can grab yourself €5 absolutely free, plus a €1,000 new player bonus. This is a 200 percent welcome bonus, released in increments of €10 for every 1,000 Merit Points you earn, at an approximate rate of 15 points for every $/£/€1 of rake or fees earned or paid. You have 60 days to clear as much of the bonus as you can.
The poker tables are always well populated, meaning you don't have long to wait if you are looking for a game, plus you can fund and withdraw from your account via the app.
Some of Bet365's more lucrative offers, such as freerolls and huge multi-table tournaments with massive guaranteed prizes, are now available via the app. Also, when you're playing via mobile it does take a long time for your opponents to act, due perhaps to the flakiness of mobile signals, and players quite often lose their connection. These factors combine to make the hands last a great deal longer than they should.
The graphics are a little basic too, which, considering this app only came out in 2025, is a little difficult to understand. Some of the text – particular the text underneath each player's current bet, is tiny and makes this game difficult to play on smaller mobiles. Each player is represented by a tiny image, their username and their stack size. Whenever it comes to your call to action, three buttons pop up at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to Fold, Check/Call or Raise. Selecting Raise causes a slider to pop up to select the size of your raise (the default is twice the current amount needed to call). The slider is a bit difficult to use, especially – again – on smaller screens.
The poker tables are always well populated, meaning you don't have long to wait if you are looking for a game, plus you can fund and withdraw from your account via the app.
Some of Bet365's more lucrative offers, such as freerolls and huge multi-table tournaments with massive guaranteed prizes, are now available via the app. Also, when you're playing via mobile it does take a long time for your opponents to act, due perhaps to the flakiness of mobile signals, and players quite often lose their connection. These factors combine to make the hands last a great deal longer than they should.
The graphics are a little basic too, which, considering this app only came out in 2025, is a little difficult to understand. Some of the text – particular the text underneath each player's current bet, is tiny and makes this game difficult to play on smaller mobiles. Each player is represented by a tiny image, their username and their stack size. Whenever it comes to your call to action, three buttons pop up at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to Fold, Check/Call or Raise. Selecting Raise causes a slider to pop up to select the size of your raise (the default is twice the current amount needed to call). The slider is a bit difficult to use, especially – again – on smaller screens.
VERDICT
When to comes to Windows Phones and poker apps the phrase “beggars can't be choosers” does unfortunately spring to mind. The market share of Windows Phones is so slender you can't really blame software companies for concentrating on the huge Android market with considerations being made to the iPhone, so Window Phone users will just have to make do and mend with what they can get.
So, thankfully Bet365 have an HTML5 app that should work on all Windows Phones, including Nokia Lumia's. It may only run cash games and speed games at the moment (the same as most other mobile apps), but at least it does give Windows Phone users a chance to sit down and see a few flops. The Bet365 app does exactly what it is supposed to do, and really quite well at that.
So, thankfully Bet365 have an HTML5 app that should work on all Windows Phones, including Nokia Lumia's. It may only run cash games and speed games at the moment (the same as most other mobile apps), but at least it does give Windows Phone users a chance to sit down and see a few flops. The Bet365 app does exactly what it is supposed to do, and really quite well at that.
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Read our reviews of these other top Windows Phone apps.
