This is great news for American poker players, with Carbon allowing the app to be used by players in 44 of the 50 United States. The six exceptions, along with a seventh in the District of Columbia, are Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York and Washington. All seven of these jurisdictions are already blocked by the network, denying access to its traditional internet-based platform.
The mobile app is somewhat limited at this early stage, with games limited to no-limit and fixed-limit hold'em cash games micro stakes, with Omaha and other games still to be introduced, along with tournament and SNG play. Some accessibility issues still to be resolved for Android users. At the present time, the app is also designed to be used in conjunction with a traditional Merge Network / Carbon Poker account, for which players must register separately using a standard Web-connected computer. Once an account is created and funded, players may then access and play in the games via the new app.
A Carbon Poker representative posting on various discussion forums announced the app had gone live for real money this week, as well as dropping the address for existing real-money Carbon players to download the app: http://m.carbonpoker.ag. Early users reported Google Chrome accessibility working properly on mobile devices, but some problems were occurring in conjunction with Firefox.
For those 44 states where players are able to play on the Merge Network, this week's official rollout marks the first time US-based players are able to play real-money poker via mobile device, a capability that's been enjoyed in other parts of the world for two or three years. Given the historic significance, Carbon's rollout is understated if anything. Carbon's parent Merge remains in a three-way battle for US-facing market supremacy, with Bodog and the Winning Poker Network, and the introduction of a mobile app has the potential to be a big moneymaker for the Aussie-based site and network.
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