Foxmint

We no longer recommend the Ladbrokes poker app due to known issues that they have failed to address over the past few years. The best global mobile poker app (USA included) is from BetOnline Poker. You can play cash games, MTT's or SNG's.

In years gone by Ladbrokes was one of the leading companies in the online poker industry. Whilst the company is arguably better known for sports betting, ‘back in the day’ Ladbrokes had a booming poker room and their affiliation with Microgaming seemed like a match made in heaven, for Euro players at least. Since then the poker industry has changed a lot and Ladbrokes have probably been hit as hard as anyone. But they are now making a solid return with the introduction of mobile poker for Android users. This review will look at how well their mobile platform performs on the mobile device.

The download process for Android devices is actually very simple. As you’ll likely be aware the Android store doesn’t actually accept apps that promote real money gambling, so you will have to enter the Ladbrokes mobile poker page for your download. You’ll be greeted with a QR code that you can scan on your phone and then it’s simply a case of following the instructions to your download. It will download as an app to your Android home screen of which you can access once you’ve made the initial download.
The welcome bonus is actually a 200% match on your first deposit of up to £1,200. It’s one of the biggest in the industry and not all that tough to clear. You will simply need to make a deposit of £10 or more to qualify and then you get 90 days in which to clear the full amount. Your bonus will hit your account in £5 increments and these will be released every time you hit 240 Status points that are earned as you play.

It’s worth noting that the Ladbrokes mobile poker interface is reactive, which basically means that whatever Android screen you are using, the app will adjust itself and in a good resolution too. You’ll notice that right from the off the app has that certain something about it and looks a step up above the majority of mobile poker apps that we have tested. Obviously, don’t judge a book by its cover, but we must say that first impressions are excellent!
The first thing that might strike you, as it did us, is the limited options in terms of games that are on offer. You’ll see that you can play cash tables and speed games, but the lack of tournaments or sit and go’s are really a big miss on the app. The majority of their competitors are all offering these types of games along side both speed and cash games and the fact that Ladbrokes had failed to include these were a bit of an issue. Dig a little bit deeper and you’ll find that only Texas Hold’em is on offer with no Omaha or mixed games added at all. Again, not a huge issue as Texas Hold’em will be number one choice for most, but in terms of variety of games, the app does feel as though it’s lacking somewhat.
The home screen will allow you to access your profile and also be able to get in touch with Ladbrokes should you have any issues. You can do this by clicking the menu button in the top left corner to show the drop down menu for your options.
The rest of the lobby is made up of simply being able to select your game type. This will include headings such as game type, bet type, currency, stakes and table size. The ability to play in both EUR and GBP is a nice feature and you will find that stakes range from 1¢/2¢ up to €2/€4 games.
The number of players at the tables at any one time is probably Ladbrokes’ biggest selling point. The lower stakes games are packed full of players and there will likely never be a time where you can’t get a game. As you move up through the stakes the games do filter out a little, but still, you should be able to grab a game of some sort around the clock. Ladbrokes also include heads up, 6 max and full ring tables, giving you a decent choice of games.

The tables look really smart and they are possibly some of the best we have seen. The design means they fit in well on the Android screen but you can be left struggling with some of the 9 max games on the smaller devices as they do look a little cramped. In terms of aesthetics though they work wonderfully well, but a small gripe that we did have is to turn avatars off whilst at the table as sometimes it can look a little bit much and our personal eye would rather a cleaner finish.
The standard at Ladbrokes is actually pretty soft on the whole, which is mainly due to the influx in Scandinavian and Euro players over the years. The lower stakes will be the standard minefield games but we found that even as you progress through the stakes you should be able to find pretty juicy games. One of the best things about the app is it allows you to view tables before you sit down, so if you are heavy into table selection, then this now becomes a viable option at Ladbrokes.

Overall Ladbrokes have one of the best mobile poker options for Android users. The design has to be the standout feature for us and we found that the tables were just a joy to play at. The standard, as discussed is favourable to those of you who are competent players, but even beginners wont get blown away at the lower stakes.
The downside of the app has to be in the lack of tournament games. They are pretty much a given with most major mobile poker rooms these games and their lack of inclusion is felt. That’s pretty much all there is to be glum about though and we can highly recommend what’s been one of the best apps we have reviewed this year!

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