Live Online Casinos
Live casinos in the USA opened not so long ago, but they have already become an attractive pastime for gamblers. Now, they provide the opportunity to experience the most realistic sensations. All the entertainments are present: tables, cards, and roulette, communication with other participants, chips, a real-money game. At an online casino with a real dealer, you do everything the same as at a real casino.
U.S. States Where I Can Play Live Dealer Casino Games
The main problem of legalizing live dealer games in the United States is that according to federal laws, a studio equipped for live streams must be physically located in the same state where online live casinos are officially allowed and legalized. And in New Jersey, it is important that the studio is not located anywhere but equipped at one of Atlantic City’s land-based casinos.
Live games with a real dealer are officially allowed in three states:
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Michigan
Live games in these states were first launched in 2021.
Online casinos are also licensed to operate in West Virginia and Delaware. An online casino is expected to open in Connecticut by 2022. But none of these states have live stream studios with live dealers yet; so, for now, the game is limited to the three states listed above.
How Does a Live Dealer Casino Operate
Playing with a live dealer maximizes the atmosphere that a player experiences when visiting a land-based casino. Without exception, all Live Casino Dealers try to recreate for the player the real experience due to video stream. In addition, a social element is included in the Live Dealer game process.
Dealer game scheme
You open this or that game and “sit” at the table with a real dealer and other participants. A broadcast video opens on your screen. Thanks to live-streaming rather than computer graphics, the attributes of a land-based casino are exactly reproduced. The only artificially created element is your chips, which are digitally overlaid on the video.
The dealer is in front of the camera; several more cameras show in detail and from different angles what is happening at the table: the rotation of the roulette wheel, the distribution of cards, all the movements of the dealer. All this you see on the screen of your device. You can also see and hear the dealer.
All cards in-game decks are chipped. With the help of microchips and the software to which they are connected, all card activities are displayed correctly on your screen.
The dealer communicates with you via video. During this process you place a bet, collect winnings, perform other actions using interactive controls that appear on the screen at the right time, and just have to select the required option in the app interface (stop, double, etc.).
Live Casino Bonuses
Some online casino bonuses can be used to play with a live dealer without any problems. Usually, bonuses are easier to use in online slots; however, some terms and conditions allow you to wager bonuses at a live dealer casino just as well. For playing for bonuses, wagering rules always apply, and for each type of game, the percentage of winnings that can be maximized in case of victory is specified in advance. Before using live dealer promotions, you should familiarize yourself with the full list of conditions so that later, during the game, they will not be associated with unpleasant surprises for you.
Types of live casino bonuses:
- Every online casino welcomes users with no deposit or deposit bonus. These are always generous offers that help you win large sums as soon as you start the game. The welcome bonus can be credited immediately. The second option is a bonus for the first deposit.
- Loyalty program bonuses. The more you play, the more points you get. Then, they can be exchanged for various prizes, including real money, live game bonuses, etc. Bonuses increase your bankroll.
- The reload bonus works in much the same way as the welcome bonus. Usually, a deposit is required to receive it.
- Cashback is a return to the bonus account of a certain percentage of the lost bet. In this way, some losses are covered, and the experience of interacting with the system becomes more pleasant.
- Prizes and awards. To get them, you need to complete quests and tasks that the online casino has prepared for you.
- Tournaments are a non-standard way to win prizes. A tournament is held according to the specified types of games. Play each match so that you can climb as high as possible in this table and win your share of the total prize pool.
Live Dealer Game Selection
The peculiarity of any game with a live dealer is that the dealer is in a studio specially equipped for this, and players watch the process of the game in real-time and place bets and control the process using an interactive menu on a desktop or any mobile device. The choice of a live casino game depends on the offerings of each online casino, and it is limited to those offered by software providers that cooperate with a particular platform.
Live Blackjack
Live Blackjack is present at almost every online casino. For a high-quality game, the capture of images of cards by cameras is used to accurately transfer the image to the user’s screen. Otherwise, the rules and strategies of the game are the same as when playing blackjack at a real casino: 8 decks, payout 3: 2; it is permissible to split pairs and double bets on any two cards. Some sites have implemented the Bet Behind option, which becomes available when the table is full.
Live Baccarat
Baccarat is a popular table game, a type of blackjack, where players place a bet on whether their cards or cards in the dealer’s hands will be as close as possible to 9. Interaction with other users is crucial here; so, be careful, keep not only cards under control but also chat.
The most popular provider of live dealer baccarat games is Evolution Gaming. Its arsenal includes dozens of different types of Live Baccarat: multi-baccarat, mini-baccarat, Squeeze, Speed, Lighting Baccarat, and others. Baccarat rules may differ slightly in each case, and the functionality may depend on the specific type of game. But you will tickle your nerves and bring your emotions to their peak. Be ready.
Live Roulette
Players call Roulette a game of chance. In the case of a live dealer game, you bet digitally by choosing the options available on the screen. Then, you just watch what is happening in real-time with the only difference being that the croupier is in a specially equipped studio and spins the roulette wheel, and you are at home.
Live Roulette divides into subspecies, just like in a desktop or online casino. The most popular are European Roulette and American Roulette. The online roulette game is faster. The minimum bet in most cases starts at $1; so, anyone can start the game whenever they want. Payouts of winnings are instantly sent to your online casino balance. But the most important advantage of playing live roulette is that here, the player has the opportunity to observe the rotation of the wheel from different angles since the image is transmitted from several cameras at the same time.
Live Sic Bo
Gamers call Sic Bo a Hi-Lo game at some online casinos. The name Big and Small appears on several sites. Live Sic Bo is a casino version of the popular Dai Siu game in China using dice. The rules of the game are simple: in a live Super Sic Bo, you need to guess the results that will appear on the 3-dice toss. You can make different types of bets: on even or odd numbers, on a small or large sum of numbers on three dice, on the sum of the total numbers, and other types of bets, depending on the intended variety of this game.
Live Hold Em
In Live Hold Em, the player fights the dealer, trying to collect the best five-card hand. The game uses a standard 52-deck. After the best hand wins the pot, a bonus bet is placed, during which, players and the dealer receive 2 additional hole cards each and then the flop — tree common card combination. The most popular and dynamic form of this type of poker is considered Texas Hold’em, which has been offered to players from the very beginning of the history of online gambling. Live Hold’em is available to players 24/7; they can play with huge payout odds. The main thing is to adhere to the rules of the game and your strategy.
Live Casino on Mobile
Players often wonder if they will be able to play smoothly from their mobile, or if they need to run the game on a desktop. In most cases, new live casinos can be launched without any problems from any mobile device based on Android or iOS, and you do not need to download the live casino app for this — you can use any convenient browser: Opera, Google Chrome, Safari.
Any live casino game can be played from a mobile, using a browser, or in a live casino app. All mobile casino solutions are built into modern browsers that support HTML5 format. The main thing you need to play is a stable Internet connection. Players can download online casino apps to their mobile for free.
Live Casino Games on Android
Lots of apps are available for your Android device. Some require the latest OS from the live casino player. Apps automatically adapt to landscape or portrait format and the desired screen size. You can play with a live dealer on Android on your phone or tablet at home or on the road. It is very convenient to play using the touch screen:
- You are not limited in movement.
- You can choose a light or dark theme.
- The performance of Android devices is such that the game takes place without interruptions or freezes of the program.
Management on your mobile device can be even more convenient than on desktop since apps are ergonomic and neat. It is convenient for gamblers to play live blackjack, roulette, and baccarat on Android.
Live Casino Games on iOS
Live casino games run perfectly on Apple devices: iPhone, iPad. Both the latest version of the operating system (iOS 12) and earlier versions are suitable. If a casino doesn’t offer a separate app, you can access live games using the Safari mobile browser.
Here are some reasons to download the live game app to your iPhone:
- Live play will be possible wherever you have Internet.
- HD live-streaming will be stable and uninterrupted.
- All apps are tested. They display beautifully and load smoothly in real-time.
On iPhone, you can play for real money in any live game that the online casino is ready to offer.
Live Online Casino Software Providers
All live casino games at an online casino are based on one or another software. The ability to play in real-time is provided thanks to the technology of streaming video, which gives the live casino player the impression that one is at a real land-based casino. The add-on in the form of a chat with the dealer and other players gives an element of easy communication. Such giants of the industry as Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution, Ezugi, Playtech, etc. are recognized as the most popular software providers of live casino online games.
These live casino games providers are distinguished by a continuous desire for the implementation of new technologies, the introduction of interesting opportunities, and the discovery of more and more new horizons for players.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming is the best real-time game software provider. In addition to classic live games, Evolution offers players a full range of table games with a real dealer. Among them are modern games like Deal or No Deal, baccarat, stud poker, and other types of live games that are only in the range of this developer.
Evolution Gaming has long been the leader in the live gaming category. At the moment, it has:
- a multiple selection of tables
- more than 3,000 dealers cooperating with it
- implemented flawless support for B2B games with real-life dealers
- all popular languages of the world supported (including French, Italian, Russian, Danish, Turkish, etc.)
- high-quality, equipped, state-of-the-art studios
For some online casinos, the company has equipped branded studios in several states: for BetMGM — in Michigan, and for DraftKings — in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Playtech
The Playtech company has existed in the online games market since 1999, and such a rich experience allows the developer to subtly feel the expectations of users and embody the most daring ideas. Playtech was the first to launch live games in 2003, and at that time, it had no competitors in this industry.
Since March 2021, Playtech’s first live dealer studio has opened in Michigan, giving the company the right to sell B2B games in the United States.
Microgaming
Microgaming is the largest provider of online casino gaming software. The main part of the company’s offerings are online roulette and video slots, but it also provides some live games, and recently, the developer has begun to occupy an increasing percentage of this niche in the gaming industry. Microgaming has taken live casinos to a whole new level. So, in 2016, a branded virtual reality headset appeared, which gives the most realistic experience of the gameplay.
NetEnt
Net Entertainment, or just NetEnt, provides gaming systems for leading online casinos not only in the United States but around the world. Technologies used in NetEnt products allow providing streaming video without interruptions and freezes in HD quality, impeccably clear sound, well-thought-out UX design of the user cabinet.
When developing live games, the company closely cooperates with real players, collects their wishes, experience, and preferences, thanks to which, NetEnt products compare favorably with competitors. In addition to impeccable graphics, it also offers:
- Support for 22 languages.
- Smooth integration with the ecosystem of each casino thanks to Chroma Key technology.
- Game in portrait or landscape mode, implemented in apps for Android and Apple devices.
The company has won the status of one of the world’s best manufacturers of gaming software for live casino games; so, you should have met (or will meet) blackjack or roulette developed by this particular company.
Choosing the Best Live Casino
The main reason players prefer live dealer casinos is a social element lacking in other games. Clients trust live games more than other online gambling games, considering this type of game to be more honest. It remains only to choose the best casino where the game with a live dealer and great safety is implemented. Experts propose to rely on the most important criteria:
- Variety of games. Before starting the game, go to the site and check the list of offered live games, read the list of rules, and find out if you can start the game for free.
- The best bonuses. Bonuses and promotions can be different: deposit, no deposit, free bets, real money that can be used in the game, and other interesting features. Most often, bonuses are issued for registering on the site or are awarded to the player for the first deposit.
- Several providers of live table games. An online casino doesn’t need to have dozens of game providers. Some online sites operate based on Evolution — and this is quite enough for them.
- Customer support. A good live online casino has 24/7 customer support. Ideally, there should be several ways to contact the platform managers: live chat, phone support, email. Many online casinos do not cope with this point and cannot respond to customers quickly. However, it can be extremely important for users to solve all their problems as quickly as possible. You can find out about the quality of technical support only through real user reviews.
- Availability of a well-adapted mobile version of the site or apps for mobile devices. 75% of customers play via mobile. All high-quality and excellent online casinos are necessarily accessible from any browser or have responsive, well-designed, user-friendly mobile apps.
- Money question. Payouts and withdrawal of funds are very important points. When it comes to withdrawing funds from the system, each player is interested in an online casino giving a choice among convenient payment methods, with a withdrawal taking as little time as possible.
There are hundreds of online casinos offering live dealer games. Most of them cope equally well with all the requirements.
FAQ
Can I play live casino games for free?
Usually, online casino customers do not have the opportunity to play live games for free. As a rule, they only want to place bets with real money. The only way to access free online live dealer games is by using the bonus money that they receive to play at an online casino during registration or as part of regular promotions.
Will I need to download software before playing live dealer games?
If an online casino offers software (usually a mobile app), you can download it for easy live dealer play. Many sites care about the convenience of their customers and offer separate programs for iOS or Android. But it is not always necessary to download separate software. To access most games, any browser is sufficient for playing both on a desktop and a mobile device.
Should I worry about my Internet connection when playing live casino games?
The loss of the Internet connection greatly spoils the experience of the game and the mood of the player. Therefore, before starting the game, it is better to take care of the availability of a stable Internet. But in most cases, players shouldn’t worry about losing their money if the Internet disappears for a while. High-quality and secure online casinos have a protocol that is launched to restore the connection without loss from the client’s side.
Can live dealers see me?
Live dealer doesn’t see you during the game. While you are looking at the dealers, they see only the screen in front of them. On the screen in front of the dealer is information about who made the bets, who else has to place the bet, who is ready to close. Cameras record everything that happens in the studio where the dealer works. The computer automatically analyzes the information that comes from the cameras and transmits the necessary data to players.
Can I talk to live dealers?
Live casino brings players as close as possible to those sensations and emotions that they experience in a real land-based casino. And everyone who visits the live game has the opportunity to chat with the dealer that accompanies the game. It is thanks to the chat that the dealer has the opportunity to greet you when you enter the game.