Betmingo: On-Demand App for Table Games

Betmingo is a native iOS and Android mobile app where gambling enthusiasts can find the perfect table game in Las Vegas, and eventually in all casinos nationwide.

Users can view or collect information on 9 table table games: Baccarat, Black Jack, Craps, 3-card poker, Pai-gow Poker, Roulette, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Let it ride, 4 card poker. Available information includes minimum bets, rules, Progressive Jackpot amount and more.

Gabe Punsalan is a busy healthcare professional at the UCI medical center. He had very little time to dedicate to the project, so he needed to hire someone that could execute his vision without much supervision. All he had was an idea. We took his concept and designed and built an app that outgunned his expectations.

• Summary:
  Total Cost: 500 hours | Length: 10 months | Type: Rapid Prototype, Dev | MVP v1: 300 hours, 2 months
• Platform:
  iOS, Android
• Technology Stack:
  jquery, React Native, Firebase, Firebase Crashlytics

Development Work

We assigned a project manager that had previous startup experience. He architected the technology so that it could be scalable to millions of users and narrowed down the features so that we wrote the least amount of custom code possible. We chose to use React Native and Firebase.

We integrated Firebase with Crashlytics from day one of launch. This enabled us to monitor real-time  app performance, app usage, as well as automatically detect bugs. This smoothens the user experience as it allows us to fix any problems well before they become a nightmare. We did this without being asked.

We designed the app with GPS geofencing technology. Users can access real-time information, on-demand, when they are within a 1-mile range from the casino. If a user is outside the 1-mile range, the app will not show the information. This especially beneficial to casinos because it brings people closer to the gaming area, with tremendous potential to increase patronage.

The most challenging part of this project was to create a platform that could be easily scaled to millions of users at short notice as well as protect user information from being stolen by possible hackers. Knowing the nature of users would be persons with possibly abundant disposable income, they are easy prey for identity theft.

To solve this problem, we siloed the app to ensure no user data is stored in our servers. Login credentials and all personal information are hashed and inaccessible by us or anyone else. Firebase handles all the authentication and is protected by layers of encryption and firewalls.

The most challenging part of this project was to create a platform that could be easily scaled to millions of users at short notice as well as protect user information from being stolen by possible hackers. Knowing the nature of users would be persons with possibly abundant disposable income, they are easy prey for identity theft.

Toolset

We used React Native as the framework and elected to use Firebase for user authentication (sign-up, sign-in), as well as user database export via a JSON file.  Firebase is a framework supported by Google that can easily accommodate millions of users without custom coding, and was thus a perfect match for our scalability needs.  

React Native vs Swift: Which to Choose for iOS?

Data Privacy

To resolve the security concerns, we siloed the app to ensure no sensitive user data is stored in our servers. Login credentials and all personal information are hashed and inaccessible by us or anyone else. Firebase handles all the authentication and is protected by layers of encryption and firewalls.  The data is encrypted using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard. Each encryption key is itself encrypted.  The app does not store or require any credit card or banking information to function.

IN THE END…

Gabe was able to save a ton of time and stress on the app development process so he could focus on talking to customers, MGM and other casinos, as well as funders.  We’re now working together to iterate and the product based on early adopter feedback and usage analytics. 

If you’re a busy executive like Gabe and you’re on your third or fourth hire of an app developer you probably realize that time is your most valuable resource. Reach out to our team and we’ll see how we can help.