A software developer based in Ireland has released the first real-money poker application for the popular line of Apple mobile computers. SwitchPoker.com, created by game software studio SawadeeSoft, will allow players to play six-seat no-limit Texas Holdem poker on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch with other players on the iPhone network.
However, the games will not be available through Apple’s App Store, as the site’s regulations prohibit selling online gaming applications. Instead, players will visit the site and play through the iPad’s built-in web browser. Players can also access the site through conventional web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.
Conor McCarthy, co-founder of SawadeeSoft, said that his software fills a void in the online poker market that many of the major sites have ignored. “None of the major or minor sites has done a whole lot about it. With the rapid growth in popularity of iPhones and similar mobile devices, we thought it a good time to create a compatible poker site.”
The site will be available to players in Ireland and the UK later today. Players can buy in for as little as €0.20 and up to €1,000. The site is also offering €10 in free chips to the first 250 players to join. However, US-based players will not be allowed to play on the site due to its compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
The site currently only offers cash games, but plans for sit-and-go and multi-table tournaments are in the works. Mr. McCarthy also said they plan to add a pot-limit Omaha game in the near future.
