I just saw this press release from Juniper Research... Mobile Betting to Hit $3.6bn in 2009, Beating Global Recession.

Well, it took long enough, but it looks like mobile betting is finally going to happen.

All I can say is, "It's about goddamned time!"

Having been in the sports gambling industry now for well over a decade, I can not tell you how many times I have been told that I need to prepare for the mobile betting boom.

In fact, we here at Covers have probably introduced at least five different mobile platforms and products over the years, and not one of them has really been a hit.

Even as I write this, it is still possible for you to download Covers Mobile, which I happen to think is a nifty little application for phones. It's been out there for about a year and probably needs a bit of polish but it works great on my Blackberry. I am probably the only person in the universe who uses it regularly, but it has also come in handy on many occasions.

But while that was a nice plug, it is not the reason for this post.

No, my point is that Juniper Research seems to think that mobile betting might actually be about to take off.

The question is: Why now?

Frankly, I didn't feel like dropping £1750 on the report, because with Canada's current political crisis that would probably shortly be equivalent to the cost of my house.

But I don't think I need to read the report to know that the boom in iPhones and other mobile browsing devices is going to make it very easy for people to gamble in the coming years.

Maybe I need to start preparing for the mobile betting boom.