Betcade app store to close
Real-money gambling app store for Android, used by William Hill, PokerStars and Betfred, to cease operations
The first dedicated real-money gambling app store for Android is set to close its doors and cease trading at the end of the month, EGR Technology has learned.
Betcade, which is currently in the process of closing business operations, was founded in 2015 by CEO David Chang as the first gambling-focused ecosystem for the world’s most popular mobile OS.
The firm, which has offices in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and London, launched a beta version of its new store last year, with William Hill, PokerStars, LeoVegas and Betfred among the operators to have made apps available to download through the store.
However, the app store never fully opened after originally citing a launch date of July 2016.
In a statement, Chang told EGR Technology: “Betcade was founded to create a better mobile user experience for the gambling industry. Through our discussions and partnerships in the industry, I think we have been a positive influence to-date and hopefully will see the online gambling industry shift to a ‘mobile-first’ focus this year.
“Unfortunately, Betcade will not be able to directly contribute to this shift as we are in the process of closing business operations. Start-ups seek to positively influence the industry which they are in however this comes with considerable risk as a business.
“After evaluating our options, it was determined that the best course of action for the company was to close the business in an orderly manner and look after our people the best we can.
“I’d like to personally thank all of the wonderful people in the gambling and payment industry that believed in our vision and partnered with us to help provide a better gambling mobile experience for everyone. I’d also like to thank the press for their interest and coverage of us as we sought to bring a revolutionary product market.
“I remain excited about the future the gambling industry and believe that it will continue to grow as operators integrate new consumer technologies that are becoming mainstream in other entertainment industries.”
Last month the company launched Betcade Pay, claiming to be the first mobile payment solution built specifically for the egaming industry.