Live dealer games offer the most authentic gambling experience around. If you can't get to a real life casino - then you can play with friendly and fun real dealers in seconds.
What makes the experience so genuine is that these games are filmed live from a studio, allowing you to enjoy a more intimate experience. You also have the chance to converse with the dealer - something you don't get in other gambling games!
The most popular live games are roulette, blackjack, baccarat and big spinning wheel games like Dream Catcher.
There are hundreds of sites out there offering live dealer casino games. It has become a must have offering if you are to open a casino - players simply expect it these days. To help you land the best possible casino, we have some simple points you should look out for. Here's what you should look out for in a potential site:
1. Game Range
A good live dealer casino should have several important qualities. Firstly, it should offer a wide range of games, with options such as live roulette, live blackjack, and live baccarat. This variety ensures that you can find something that you enjoy and are comfortable with.
2. Friendly Dealers
A good live dealer casino should also have professional and friendly dealers who can create a welcoming and enjoyable environment for players. They should be knowledgeable about the games they are hosting and should provide assistance and guidance if needed.
3. Technical Requirements
Technical aspects are also crucial. A good live dealer casino should have high-quality video streaming to ensure that you can see the games clearly and in real-time. The casino should also use reliable software to ensure that games are fair and that your personal information and funds are kept secure.
4. User Experience
The user experience is paramount. A good live dealer casino should have a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for players to navigate and find the games they want to play. The casino should also offer a range of payment options and have responsive customer support available in case any issues arise.
5. Security
Regulated and licensed casinos should have strong security measures by default. It's a simple necessity for any license holder. That means any site should use SSL encryption to secure your data. They should also have their servers fortified using firewalls. You can check what kind of security a site is using by checking their privacy or security policy. You can also get in touch with a live chat adviser.
6. Regulation
Always play at regulated online casinos so you know that games have been tested to be fair. You also have some kind of protection in the event of any problems with the site.
7. Other Factors
These include the availability of mobile gaming, the ability to play with multiple players, and the option for players to communicate with each other and the dealer via chat. These features can enhance the social and interactive aspects of the live dealer casino experience.
Top 10 Live Dealer Sites
Stake.com
Pots of Gold Casino
Grosvenor Casino
Mr. Green Casino
32Red Casino
Soho Casino
Betwinner Casino
Mayfair Casino
Ladbrokes Casino
bet365 Casino
Live Dealer Casino Software
One of the most important considerations for a live dealer casino is the kinds of software available. The availability of certain software vendors makes a big difference when it comes to live games. The top providers have the best studios and the top streaming technology.
Here are the most popular live dealer casino software providers.
Evolution Gaming
Playtech
NetEnt
Pragmatic Play
Evolution Gaming: Evolution is the leading name in real dealer entertainment. This software supplier films from four studio locations depending on your geographic location. Games are streamed from Latvia, Malta, Canada or North America.
They use premium studio designs to create a rich and immersive gaming atmosphere. They are an award winning supplier - with several revolutionary games in their back catalogue. This includes Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher and their new Monopoly Dream Catcher.
Playtech: The second biggest live casino provider. Playtech films real gamblers from five worldwide locations. Their biggest studio is the one based in Latvia - but they also stream from locations in the Philippines, Romania, Spain and Belgium.
They offer a range of blackjack, roulette and baccarat games - alongside some native language speaking tables. Last year, they released several RNG live dealer games including Quantum Roulette and Quantum Blackjack.
NetEnt: While more widely known for online slots, NetEnt also offers a diverse live casino portfolio. Their games are filmed from a studio location based in Malta.
Unlike other vendors which traditionally built studios from scratch - NetEnt pioneered with green screen technology. This meant they could show different backgrounds while streaming a real dealer. Last year, they launched a state of the art automatic roulette studio.
Pragmatic Play: A recent newcomer to the live dealer market - Pragmatic has a studio based in Romania which opened in April 2019. They offer over 40 gambling tables and intend to expand later on.
One of their most notable additions is their native language speaking roulette games. German, Russian and Italian speaking players can join a table and be free to converse in their language. Over 30 languages are also supported in the software settings.
Live Dealer Casinos Bonus
Want to give yourself more cash to play? There's plenty of chances to claim a casino bonus and play live dealer games. Here are the most popular bonuses you will find:
Match bonus - Any cash you deposit will be matched with a percentage of bonus money. The most popular is a 100% match bonus - but you can also find matches of up to 200%. Wagering on these bonuses tends to be lower than on other similar offers.
No deposit bonus - It is very rare to find a no deposit bonus for live dealer games. The problem is that it is easier to win on table games. And that means you have better chances of meeting bonus requirements. If you can find one, there's no need to deposit any money with these bonuses. All you need to do is register to claim.
High roller bonus - A matched bonus with a much higher deposit threshold. You can deposit thousands and receive the same value back as a matching bonus,
As you can see, there are lots of bonuses that apply to live casinos. However, a live dealer casino bonus is treated differently from an online slot bonus. This is due to the lower house edge on games, meaning you are more likely to win.
There are two main aspects of live casino bonuses you want to pay special attention to.
Game contributions
Due to their high RTP, most play on slots contributes 100% toward a bonus wagering requirement. However, table games have a much lower house edge. This means that many casinos reduce the wagering contribution for these games.
For example, playing roulette at a casino may mean that only 50%of your wagers counts towards the wagering requirement. All casinos have a different attitude when it comes to game contributions. The vast majority of sites keep contributions between 10% and 50%. However, some sites accept zero contributions from table games. It is easy to find this information in the terms and conditions of the bonus - or under the general terms.
Wagering requirements
Live casino bonuses tend to have larger wagering requirements. This is due to the game contributions mentioned above. On average, you should expect 40x wagering from a bonus for live dealer. Anything below will offer better value and the chance to keep your winnings.
Live Roulette
Live Roulette is is a popular choice for real dealer entertainment. And the software suppliers have responded by creating some innovative experiences over the years. There are three main types of roulette available to play with a real dealer:
European Roulette
Also known as single zero roulette. This game offers a house edge of 2.70% and is popular in the UK and European countries. The game does have a presence in America - but it's shadowed by its Atlantic cousin.
American Roulette
A game that features a single zero pocket and an additional double zero. The addition of the extra zero pocket increases the house edge to 5.26%, almost double that of single zero roulette. In Europe, the game is offered sparingly.
French Roulette
A single zero roulette game with two additional rules. However, only the La Partage is usually in play for live dealer games. It's rare to find a game that also features the sibling rule En Prison.
Over the years, an increasing amount of developers have tried to come up with new spins on these classic games. Some of which have gone on to be a game changer in the market.
Lightning Roulette
One of the most popular live roulette games. This Evolution powered table innovated with an RNG multiplier mechanic and a new style of live dealer. Before each game round, up to five numbers are chosen to receive a multiplier up to 500x. If your ball lands in a multiplier pocket - your bet is multiplied. As for the dealer, instead of sitting down like in most dealer games - the host takes on a more active role, engaging with live chat and commenting on results in real time.
Top 5 Live Roulette Sites
Grosvenor Casino (UK)
Mansion Casino
Stake.com
Mayfair Casino (UK)
Bc.Game
Live Blackjack
With the chance to reduce the house edge to under 1%, live blackjack is one of the most popular games for live casino. Most games follow the standard blackjack rules - but there are some unique games available.
Perfect Blackjack: In 2019, NetEnt launched its most innovative card game yet. In Perfect Blackjack, each hand is executed using the optimal playing strategies. There's no need to hit or miss as the dealer does everything for you. The only minor downside is that by removing your choice, you can't try the occasional risky hit.
Speed Blackjack: Evolution created the world's first Speed Blackjack game in yet another market first. All players are dealt their first two cards. In a traditional game, the dealer would go around the table checking what each player would like to do. But in Speed Blackjack, whoever decides first receives their next card.
Top 5 Live Blackjack Sites
All British Casino
bet365 Casino
Betfred Casino
Party Casino
Pots of Gold Casino
Live Baccarat
Live Baccarat is a popular card game for live dealer play thanks to a low house edge and easy game mechanics. Software providers like Evolution once again have created some unique experiences over the years.
Baccarat Squeeze: The Squeeze is the act of teasing the final card by bending and twisting it to gradually reveal the final card. It's a popular moment in the game - and one which has been fully revealed in this version. With close up HD cameras, it's impossible not to feel the full immersion of this moment.
Speed Baccarat: Baccarat is not considered to be a slow game. But this version further amps up the pace of game rounds. In a traditional betting round - game rounds can last up to 48 seconds. But Speed Baccarat shaves them down to an impressive 27 seconds - meaning more betting opportunities for you.
Top 5 Live Baccarat Sites
Mr. Play Casino
Paddy Power Casino
Mayfair Casino
Genting Casino
Genesis Casino
Dreamcatcher Live Dealer
Launched in 2017, Dreamcatcher takes the Vegas flair of big spinning wheel games and brings them to the live casino arena. With a game show style host dealer - members can bet on up to 6 wheel segments, each offering different odds.
The real fun begins when a wheel spin lands on a multiplier segment - meaning the next win could receive a significant boost.
The 2x and 7x multipliers also stack together - further increasing chances for a big win.
The host keeps the entertainment high with a string of jokes and chat banter for the ultimate prize wheel experience.
Monopoly Live Dealer
In 2019, Evolution further expanded on the Dream Catcher formula with a live game based on the iconic board game franchise: Monopoly Live Dealer. In execution, this game plays out much like a Dream Catcher game - the wheel has various segments for you to bet on. The difference is in the bonus round, where you play an actual game of Monopoly.
The two additional segments are 2 Rolls and 4 Rolls - landing on either will activate the 3D bonus game.
Big multipliers are up for the taking as you go around the classic board collecting prizes.
Iconic locations such as Mayfair, Pall Mall and other board game elements like Hotels and Utilities are all here.
Live Dealer Table Limits
With a huge variety of tables to choose from, players have flexibility when it comes to how much they want to bet. There are two main categories of live dealer tables offered.
Low limits: These games have a low staking requirement and a small upper betting limit. You could call them the budget gambling tables. Bankrolls can last a long time in these games due to the reduced stake limits. Keep in mind that wins are proportionate - meaning winning chances are reduced.
High Roller: Table games are usually associated with high stakes gambling. And you will find a diverse collection available at live dealer sites. In a high roller room, the entry betting limits are sizable - but the upper limits stretch into the thousands. In most cases, the high limits games will be labelled as VIP games. There are also sites out there that will require some progress in the VIP program to make these high limit tables accessible.
Which table should you choose? Ultimately, your budget should tell you which category of table will be more suitable to play. On a high limits table, you stand to have your bankroll zapped away faster. While playing low limits, you will struggle to land meaningful wins - unless you play the riskier bets.
Live Casino Mobile Apps
Mobile devices have made it even easier for us to access live dealer games on the go. Using a smartphone or tablet device, you can see the casino action streamed in HD - regardless of your location.
An app comes with several benefits over the PC version. Games are easier to play thanks to a more streamlined UI. And you may be eligible for special mobile only promotions. Despite the smaller screen, there are no issues with games being streamed.
Live casino mobile apps come in two different types - both of which are available for iOS and Android:
Web App: By using the web app, you don't need to download any additional software. All you have to do is visit the site in your mobile web browser. This will lead you into the instant play version of the casino.
Native App: This is an application you will need to download onto your device. You can find native apps on the various app stores - or you can download the software directly if you're running Android. As with the web app, you will need to have an internet connection to access the games.
Which one should you pick? In terms of functionality, the web app and native app should be identical. The main difference will be how you launch them. Using a native app, you can get to the action a little faster. But not by a notable difference, you can expect to shave a few seconds off.
Live Dealer Casinos - FAQs
What is the best live dealer casino game?
The best live dealer casino game in terms of house edge is Blackjack. If you can execute perfect strategy, it's entirely possible to play with a minus 1% house edge. This ensures that you will receive the best returns of any live casino game. We recommend using a strategy chart where possible to make sure you execute the optimal playing strategies.
Are live dealer casino games rigged?
These games can't be rigged - as the casinos and software providers would instantly lose their license. As part of their regulatory responsibilities, casinos and the providers have to regularly test their games to satisfy license conditions. This gives you full transparency as to how these games are performing and if they are producing fair and random results.
What is the best live dealer casino bonus?
The best live dealer casino bonus will have lower wagering requirements and a fair attitude towards game contributions. Ideally, the bonus would have no game contributions at all. However, this is an unlikely stipulation to find as most casinos impose these restrictions. For more information, you can check the bonuses respective terms and conditions.
What is a live dealer casino?
A live dealer casino is an online casino that offers table games with real dealers. It's rare to find a casino that does not offer these games as they are now a market standard offering.
What is the best live casino strategy?
The best live casino strategy is to stick to games that have the lowest house edge. This means blackjack presents the best option for a flawless live casino strategy - but you can try roulette too. Another solid strategy is to avoid table games with side bets or jackpots. These games tend to make you play an increased bet for a small chance of winning. This extra bet will eventually eat up your balance.
What kind of internet do I need to play live dealer?
You can use either a broadband internet connection or a mobile web connection. The video stream from a live dealer game isn't too intensive compared to other video streaming services. However, you can control the quality of the stream to have a smoother playing experience. If your video starts to stutter or reduces in quality, then you can adjust the settings.
What is the best way to win live dealer games?
The best way to win live dealer games is to play bets that have a good chance of winning. For example, in a roulette game, you want to be playing the outside bets. In blackjack, you want to be consulting a blackjack strategy guide for optimal odds.
