Nevada and New Jersey companies begin to build mobile gaming apps

For example, in Nevada, it’s possible to view the entire William Hill US sports book wagering menu on a mobile device and place bets from the palm of your hand, or qualify for the World Series of Poker by playing online poker using the WSOP app.

Other properties, such as the Eldorado Hotel Casino, offer user-friendly, non-gaming apps that allow you to book rooms, dining reservations, buy show tickets and access other services.

Moreover, social-gaming apps - where no real-money bets are placed- are growing in popularity, and at least one local casino property has found a way to connect its social-gaming app to the possibility of winning real cash.

The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa launched Atlantis Reels in June 2013, and the property’s executives say they hope to be ahead of the curve when it comes to app-based gaming.

“To my knowledge, we’re the only casino in the country that has a mobile contest app,” said David Farahi, COO of Monarch Casino & Resort, which operates the Atlantis. “It’s totally free to play, and you can win prizes, but it’s not gambling -there’s no way to wager a dollar.”

Atlantis Reels features slot games that can be played on an iPhone or Android device, as well as online from a computer. What sets Atlantis Reels apart from other social-gaming apps is the contest component — qualified players can win entry into real-money slot tournaments that take place on-site at the Atlantis.

“I think we’re the only ones to have ever done this, and we’ve taken it to the next level with our current contest,” Farahi said. “People can play our slot contest app Atlantis Reels totally free, and they can win an entry into our us$ 50,000 March Mania slot tournament.”