TechTalk #18: Bye Flutter, Hello Future - Why We're Moving LiveLinq to PWA for CardOpz Player Network

Hi Everyone,

A few weeks back, I touched on how Progressive Web Apps could transform player engagement. Today, I'm pulling back the curtain on a major decision we made for the CardOpz Player Network: completely transitioning away from our Flutter-based LiveLinq mobile app in favor of going all-in on PWAs.

This wasn't a small decision. LiveLinq has been our mobile solution for cardrooms for nearly two years, representing significant investment and development. But after continuous struggles with app store submissions, maintenance overhead, and white-labeling limitations, we knew we needed a fundamental change. Here's why we made the switch and what it means for cardrooms planning to adopt our platform.

The LiveLinq Journey: What We've Learned Since 2023

When we launched LiveLinq built on Flutter in 2023, it seemed like the perfect solution:

• Cross-platform development for iOS and Android from a single codebase

• Firebase for authentication, real-time database, and analytics

• Clean, native-feeling UI for player engagement

• Core features for waitlist management, tournament information, and loyalty tracking

For the past two years, LiveLinq has served many of our clients admirably. But as we've grown and worked with more cardrooms, we've continuously run into limitations that have prevented us from leapfrogging the competition:

Three Critical Limitations We Couldn't Overcome

1. App Store Submission Bottlenecks

The reality of the App Store submission process has been our biggest headache:

• Every time a new cardroom wanted to offer LiveLinq to their players, we had to submit a new app variant through Apple's review process

• Each submission faced intense scrutiny due to gambling-related content (Section 4.7 of Apple's guidelines), despite being just a player portal with no actual gambling

• Review timelines of 2-4 weeks became the norm, with rejections and resubmissions adding more delays

• Every update, even for critical bugs, required going through the same process for each cardroom's variant

This created an unsustainable situation where we were constantly managing dozens of app submissions and updates rather than focusing on building new features.

2. White-Labeling Complexity

As a platform provider, our goal is to offer each cardroom a branded experience that feels like their own:

• With LiveLinq, each cardroom required a separate app submission with unique branding

• Managing 20+ versions of essentially the same app in the App Store became a logistical nightmare

• Each cardroom's app had to be maintained and updated separately

• Code divergence between versions became increasingly difficult to manage

One of our team members was spending nearly full-time just managing app versions and submissions, rather than building new features or supporting clients.

3. Firebase Scalability Concerns

Our initial backend architecture choice created long-term challenges:

• Firebase costs scaling unpredictably with user activity became a concern for larger cardrooms (15+ tables with 2,000+ active players)

• Real-time features like waitlist updates generated hundreds of thousands of database reads/writes daily

• Calculating exact costs became nearly impossible for operators running large tournament series, where sudden spikes in usage dramatically affected monthly bills

• White-labeling multiple cardrooms within a single Firebase instance created security and data segregation challenges

As LiveLinq gained adoption, these limitations increasingly prevented us from delivering the experience our cardrooms deserved.

The PWA Solution: Breaking Free of Constraints

In early 2025, we made the difficult decision to transition LiveLinq to a PWA architecture. This shift enables us to launch the CardOpz Player Network with none of the limitations that have held us back:

1. Instant Deployment for Every Cardroom

Our PWA architecture completely eliminates app store bottlenecks:

• New cardroom onboarding in hours instead of weeks

• No app store reviews or rejections

• Updates and fixes deployed instantly to all properties

• Complete control over release timing and feature rollouts

A California operator running a 20-table room with weekend tournaments put it this way: "Being able to see updates instantly when you're running a Saturday tournament series is worth its weight in gold. We can't wait days for critical fixes to clear app store review."

2. True White-Labeling Without the Overhead

The PWA approach transforms our white-labeling capabilities:

• Each cardroom gets their own branded experience from a single codebase

• Custom domains, logos, colors, and content without separate submissions

• Updates and new features roll out simultaneously to all properties

• No code divergence or version management headaches

For our small team, this means we can focus on building great features instead of managing app submissions. For cardrooms, it means getting a truly custom-branded experience without the wait.

3. Backend Flexibility and Predictable Costs

Our new backend architecture gives operators the control they need:

• Node.js and PostgreSQL backend offers more predictable hosting costs

• Options for on-premises deployment within the cardroom's secure environment

• Compatibility with any cloud provider the operator already trusts

• Proper multi-tenant architecture with strong data segregation between properties

This approach creates a more sustainable cost structure while addressing the regulatory compliance needs unique to cardrooms.

What This Means for Launch Partners

Here's what our transition to PWAs means for cardrooms planning to adopt the CardOpz Player Network when it launches this week:

• Immediate Availability: No waiting for app store approvals—as soon as you're onboarded, your players can access your portal

• Simple Deployment: A single web address to share with your players, no complex installation instructions

• Complete Data Control: Your player data lives where you want it—on your premises or with your preferred cloud provider

• Faster Feature Delivery: We can respond to your feedback and deploy updates in real-time

• True Brand Customization: Your cardroom's unique identity without the app submission headaches

Real Talk: Why This Is a Game-Changer

I won't sugar-coat it—transitioning away from LiveLinq after two years was a tough decision. We had to acknowledge that despite our best efforts, the app store and white-labeling limitations were preventing us from delivering the experience cardrooms deserve.

The move to PWAs isn't just a technical decision—it's a strategic shift that will enable us to iterate faster, onboard cardrooms more quickly, and deliver a truly competitive player portal experience.

For our small team of just five people, this shift means we can focus our limited resources on building great features instead of managing app store submissions and juggling multiple codebases. It's a force multiplier that will let us compete with much larger companies.

The CardOpz Player Network PWA: What's Launching This Week

Our PWA-based player network launches this week with all the features LiveLinq offered plus several new capabilities:

• Real-Time Waitlists: Players receive instant notifications when their seat is ready

• Tournament Registration: Pre-register and pay for upcoming events

• Player Loyalty Tracking: View points, rewards, and redemption options

• Promotion Notifications: Instant alerts for high hands, bad beats, and special events

• Account Management: Review play history and transaction records

The advertising backend—allowing operators to push targeted promotions to specific player segments—will follow in mid-May 2025.

What's most exciting is what's coming after that. Without the constraints of app store approvals and version management, we have an aggressive roadmap of features that will roll out weekly rather than quarterly.

Potential Challenges with PWAs

In the interest of transparency, there are trade-offs with our PWA approach that operators should be aware of:

• Player Adoption: Players need to bookmark the PWA rather than finding it in app stores, which may require additional education and promotion

• Some Feature Limitations: While PWAs support push notifications and offline functionality, certain advanced device features may have limitations compared to native apps

• Browser Compatibility: Some older browsers may not support all PWA features, though this affects a shrinking percentage of users

We believe these challenges are significantly outweighed by the benefits for cardroom operators, but they're worth noting as you plan your rollout strategy. We've also developed comprehensive player education materials to help with the transition.

The Bottom Line: Better for Cardrooms, Better for Players, Better for Us

Here's what matters most: By transitioning to PWAs, we're delivering a solution that better addresses the unique needs of cardroom operators—with none of the app store constraints, complete branding control, and the ability to roll out new features at a pace that was simply impossible with LiveLinq.

Your players will enjoy a fast, responsive experience that works on any device without downloads, while you maintain complete control over your data and can receive updates the moment they're available.

For our team, this transition means we can finally focus on what we do best—building great cardroom technology—rather than wrestling with app store submissions and maintenance overhead.

Want to see the CardOpz Player Network PWA in action? Email [email protected] to get access to our launch webinar that will cover customizing your portal for launch and use. Limited spots available, so reach out soon to secure your place.

Shoutout to this month's sponsor: CardOpz – The All-In-One Platform for Cardroom Operations.

That's the talk. See you next Monday.

— Caleb

Start learning AI in 2025

Keeping up with AI is hard – we get it!

That’s why over 1M professionals read Superhuman AI to stay ahead.

• Get daily AI news, tools, and tutorials

• Learn new AI skills you can use at work in 3 mins a day

• Become 10X more productive

Sign up and start mastering AI

💬 What technology platform constraints have you had to overcome? Drop a comment and let me know.

Learn more about the CardOpz platform at cardopz.com

Players, operators, or industry folks – know a cardroom that needs a better player engagement solution? Refer them and earn. Details on our website.

Sources

CardOpz Development Roadmap (2024-2025)

LiveLinq App Store Submission Data (2023-2025)

Apple App Store Review Guidelines for Gambling-Related Apps (2025)

PWA Market Adoption Trends, Straits Research (2025)

Global Gaming Business Magazine, "Technology Decisions for Modern Cardrooms" (2025)