One issue that a service like this is going to run into relates to security. The fact that this application needs to be secure from local tampering and unauthor

One issue that a service like this is going to run into relates to security. The fact that this application needs to be secure from local tampering and unauthorized betting is obvious -- what may not be as obvious to some readers is the location-based access control that needs to be built into legal gambling applications. Several casinos in the United States (Nevada, from what I've seen) have already built and released apps to allow, for example, poker or sports betting from within the associated casino. Some of these also allow betting from wireless connections within the state of Nevada. This is where the idea starts to get really sticky. If you're allowed to gamble from certain geographic locations, but not entire regions, how do you enforce access control? GeoIP is somewhat reliable, but border towns can fall on either side of the coin. Wireless networking is generally not super long-range, but the DEFCON wireless shootout proved that it's possible to sustain a wireless signal from hundreds of miles away, given the correct (in this case, desert) conditions. And that's not even mentioning transport layer issues. Could I set up a VPN in England to use this Big Fish app and gamble pseudo-legally from my phone in the States? If I do so, who's liable? What about simple SOCKS proxies? Dedicated/colocated boxes in the "allowed" region? I think that this is really cool technology, and I'm excited to see it succeed. That said, as a security guy, I can't help but wonder who would be liable in these edge cases. And, as I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I'd love to know exactly what security precautions are in place to prevent unauthorized bets and tampering. For example, let's say you're using this phone in a Starbucks. Will an SSL error (I can only hope they're using SSL) prevent the connection occurring at all? Will it give the user a chance to accept the change? Can I just submit a spoofed request to transfer me money, or is there some sort of "two factor" key on the phone itself? It's an interesting problem, and I'm sure Big Fish has come up with interesting solutions.