What is live casino?

Live casino is a type of online gaming that blends the benefits of live casino play with the convenience of online play. Players can literally see inside a live casino and bet on the action, all from the comfort of their homes. Live casino has become increasingly popular in recent years as players continue to seek a more authentic experience, and our ever-improving technology has made this possible.

How do they work??

There are two main ways that live casinos work. The first is via a recording studio, with the appearance of a real life casino. The second is actually streamed live from the casino, which is my preference. Cameras focus on the actual dealers in a certain casino, and players watch the live stream but bet on the action just as they would with a standard table game. This gives you the best of both worlds - all of the live action you would get if you were physically in the casino, but all of the convenience of online betting.

I, like many others, have often wondered why a casino would risk letting anonymous gamers view their casinos from home. At first it seemed to me like they were asking for trouble as even the slightest delay could mean people rigging the system from home. However, the technology now is so good that there is no delay with the casino's streams, and in any instance the main risk here is for the casino - not us.

Random Numbers?

Whether your game is slots, roulette, blackjack or even real life poker, you've no doubt come across a fair range of doubters. Internet forums are awash with disgruntled players crying out that the system is rigged and that casinos fix the games illegally. Of course, most of these claims are nothing but hot air, but there is some merit to some of the arguments. Some argue that there is no such thing as a truly random number generator, despite the casino's best efforts, and this is enough to put many players off of online play altogether.

When streaming live dealer tables from a real life casino, this is no longer an issue. Players can rest assured comfortable in the knowledge that everything they are seeing is truly random. It is the exact same experience you would receive if you were physically stood in the actual casino itself.

What games do live casinos have??

If you've seen it in a real casino, chances are the game probably exists online. Live online casinos are designed to give the impression of exactly that; a live experience. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat and many more games are available at a whole bunch of casinos which offer live online play. There are some classy software providers at work too - think Microgaming and Playtech.

Talk to the dealers?

One of the biggest differences between playing live and online is human interaction. There is a massive difference between sitting at a blackjack table and having banter with the dealer and fellow players, versus the faceless and automated online tables. Live dealer tables change all of this.

Players can type into the chat box and not only interact with their fellow players, but also the dealer. The dealer will be able to read the messages players send on a monitor in the casino, and will reply out loud by talking to the camera. This is a great way to clarify anything about the rules, bet sizes, or even just to have a bit of a natter with the dealer.

It's also worth noting that many casinos list a series of live tables with the only difference being the dealer in question. So, if one doesn't look trustworthy - or if one catches your eye - you can head to their table specifically.

Live games on mobile?

Mobile casinos are becoming more and more prominent, as casual players especially want to have a cheeky spin or a quick hand of blackjack on the go, and the casinos are more than happy to accommodate them. My personal preference is to play on desktop - I like to make it more of a planned casino session than a spontaneous hand here and there, although I do dabble in mobile play.

However, when it comes to live casino games, I have noticed one thing that really makes a difference (for me at least). When I play on my desktop computer I usually use the mouse to put chips on the table. When I play on mobile, the vast majority of the time I have the option of dragging and dropping the chips using my finger. This brings the experience of being in a live casino one step closer. Another top tip I use is to shuffle some of your own chips as you play. All the little aspects add up to make a really genuine casino experience.