Bricks and mortar casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Macau, and Monte Carlo are festooned with an exciting array of hosted casino games. Nattily-clad croupiers stand ready to take bets and pay winnings. This exhilarating style of casino play is inherently attractive to players. When online casinos burst onto the scene in the 1990s, the live dealer experience was missing. Casino game outcomes were wholly determined by computerized programs known as RNGs. Random number generators mimic chance-based outcomes.
At the time, players simply didn't trust computer programs generating roulette results, blackjack cards, craps dice rolls, or other gambling-game outcomes. The new-age technology was misunderstood, and skeptics abounded. Players assumed that after they placed their bets, unregulated casinos could theoretically tamper with outcomes and generate unfavorable results for players.
Over time, watchdog authorities emerged on the scene to guard against the manipulation of results. These include eCOGRA Safe & Fair, TST (Technical Systems Testing), Gaming Labs, among others. These companies ensure that the statistical outcomes generated by RNGs meet industry standards. This assures players that game outcomes are truly fair. Yet, despite statistical testing of RNGs players wanted a more authentic online casino experience. That’s when the idea of live games was hatched!
Enter the Live Games Arena
Casino game software developers burned the candle at both ends in search of the ultimate immersive experience. The objective was clear: create an engaging casino game with no need for RNGs. Trust and fairness of results were paramount. Given the surging popularity of land-based casino games with real dealers, the seed was planted. Broadband high-speed Internet, Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, and later 5G technology rapidly evolved. These technological advancements facilitated a paradigm shift in the casino scene.
Players were thrust into a peripheral zone between real-life gaming and online gaming. The result is live games. These casino-style games stream live from an authentic casino studio direct to a player’s screen anywhere in a regulated gambling destination. All registered players at licensed online casinos can access their live games in real-time. The professionally-trained dealers are identical to those you would find in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Macau, or Monte Carlo. The dealers have extensive experience across multiple disciplines, including Live Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, and Game Shows.
Live games offer so much more than an in-person experience at a brick-and-mortar casino. For starters, live games allow for a virtually unlimited number of players to be seated at a table at any given time. Players can select their choice of live games from a wide range of options. Selection criteria depend upon the live casino in question but are generally similar across the board. For example, you can choose live games according to your budget, your favorite dealer, your preferred table color, or your preferred camera angle. You can toggle your preferences between games, for a fully customized experience.
Initially, live games featured a limited number of selections. These options were restricted to traditional online casino games such as Live Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat. Today, there is an ever-growing list of live streamed Casino Games, Game Shows, TV Games, Slots, Craps, and other attractions. It is worth pointing out that every live casino game provider has its interface. The interface is what you see on your screen when you play a live casino game. Various features can be integrated into the interface to maximize immersion and entertainment value.
Unlike traditional online casino games, live games allow communication between players and dealers. For privacy reasons, dealers cannot see players. But, players can see everything that dealers are doing in real-time. This builds trust and credibility. Since automatic card shuffling machines are used for card games, and the luck of the draw is evident with roulette, craps, wheel spins, and other chance-based outcomes – there's no need to ever doubt computer-generated outcomes.
It's just like being in a land-based casino, but you don't have to be there in person. It’s possible to play live casino games on PC, Mac, or mobile. The software has been tweaked to perfection to ensure uninterrupted streaming with HD-quality entertainment. Premier casino providers may offer Android apps at the Google Play Store, or iOS apps at the App Store. Usually, these are unnecessary – you can simply navigate to the casino’s URL from your smartphone and enjoy a feature-rich experience.
In recent years, the blockchain boom has revolutionized fintech and the online casino scene too. Blockchain casinos all feature provably fair games. This means an algorithm verifies an online casino’s fairness to its players. There are 3 variables used to ensure the provably fair nature of blockchain/crypto casinos, notably:
- The Server Seed
- The Client Seed
- The Cryptographic Nonce
Who are the Top Providers of Live Games?
Live casino games are the next evolution in gambling entertainment. They bridge the divide between the virtual world and the real world. It's not virtual reality, and it's not augmented reality – it's simply a juxtaposition. Leading from the front are the following live games providers:
- Evolution Gaming
- Net Entertainment Live
- Ezugi Live Games
- Authentic Gaming
- Portomaso Gaming/Wirex
- Microgaming Live
- Vivo Live Games
- Playtech Live
- Betgames. TV
- Extreme Live Gaming
- Pragmatic Play Live
- Xpro Gaming
- Opus Gaming
- XPG Live Games
- Media Live Casino
- Visionary iGaming
The list of live casino games providers is continually being updated to reflect changes in the industry. The rapid pace of development guarantees that new operators will enter the scene along with their range of offerings for players. Given this large number of live game providers, it comes as no surprise that there are scores of Live Card Games, Instant Lottery Games, TV Games, Live Game Shows, Fortune Wheels, Roulette Games, and Backgammon Games to enjoy. Take a look at the next section for examples of live games that you can play.
Live Casino Games, Live Games, and TV Games You Can Play Online
The world is your oyster when it comes to live games. Thanks to all of these software providers, there is no shortage of attractions to choose from. Consider the following options:
- Live Roulette – Progressive Jackpot Roulette, En Prison Roulette, La Partage Roulette, Slingshot Roulette, European Live Roulette, American Live Roulette, French Live Roulette, Live Double Ball Roulette, Dual Play Roulette, Side Bets Roulette, HD Live Roulette, Live Speed Roulette, Native Language Roulette, and many others.
- Live Blackjack - VIP Blackjack Live, VIP Blackjack, Blackjack Party Live, Live Blackjack, Speed Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, Lightning Blackjack, Salon Prive, Power Blackjack, Dedicated Blackjack, Side Bets Blackjack, Bet Behind Blackjack, and many others.
- Live Baccarat - Multi-Camera Baccarat, Live Baccarat Squeeze, Live Baccarat Control Squeeze, Baccarat, Salon Prive, Lightning Baccarat, No Commission Baccarat, Baccarat Multiplayer, Red Envelope Baccarat, Dual Play Baccarat, Multi-Camera Baccarat, Knockout Baccarat, Baccarat Super 6, and others.
- Live Poker – Casino Hold'em Poker, Casino Hold'em with Jumbo 7 Jackpot, Live Casino Stud Poker, Live Texas Hold'em Poker, 2 Hand Casino Hold’em, Heads Up Hold’em Poker, Live Casino Hold'em Poker, Live Caribbean Stud Poker, and others.
- Live Game Shows - Crazy Time (including Crazy Time Bonus Game, Pachinko Bonus Game, Coin Flip Bonus Game, Main Game, Cash Hunt Bonus Game), Deal or No Deal Live, Mega Ball, Spin 2 Wheels, Wheel Bet, Dream Catcher, Cash or Crash, Monopoly Live, Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt, Money Drop Live, Buffalo Blitz Live, Adventures Beyond Wonderland, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Live Football Studio, Bet on Numbers, Keno, Lightning Dice, Mega Ball Evolution, and others.
How to Play TV Games Online?
TV Games are a unique category of live games available to players at online casinos. TV Games run around the clock, and players can participate live in the TV game shows by placing bets. It's very different from traditional live casino games where there is a dealer interacting one-on-one with each player directly through the screen. It's just like watching TV and interacting with the action on screen. A growing number of software providers now offer access to TV Games in real-time. Introduced in 2005, this industry flew under the radar until recently. Now, this unique niche has found a loyal following among a growing base of fans.
TV betting is an exciting industry that offers lots of variation for players who are bored with traditional online casino games or live casino games. TV games include dice games, roulette games, baccarat, keno, poker, and the like. These games can easily be found by clicking on the TV Games category at online casinos. What's great about these games is that TV games run 24/7. You can opt into these games by placing a bet, much like you do at a traditional live dealer Casino.
An exciting selection of Classic Lottery TV games, modern Lottery TV games, Wheel of Fortune games, and others are readily available. These TV Games are broadcast in real-time, continuously, and include many popular card games like War of Bets, Poker, and Baccarat. Live Dice games are hugely popular, with games lasting no more than 2 minutes. One of the most popular providers of TV Games is BetGames.TV, which also happens to be a multi-award-winning operator, and a leading provider of gambling games on TV in Europe.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Playing Live Games vs Standard Online Games
Advantages
- Live games allow players to interact with real dealers
- Live games are played with real dealers, or croupiers, in real-time.
- Live games allow for maximum immersion, realism, and customization.
- Live games bring the real-deal appeal of an impressive casino experience to your screen, anywhere.
- Live games don't rely on random number generators – it's the luck of the draw on every card dealt, every spin of the roulette wheel, every roll of dice, or every game show outcome.
- Live games have popularized many online casino games that lost favor with players over the years such as baccarat.
- Live games allow players to ask dealers questions about the rules of the game, betting options, and payout possibilities.
- Live games feature a real dealer/croupier instead of a computer-generated outcome – RNG.
Disadvantages
- Live games are usually only available in real money mode.
- Live games are typically more expensive than traditional online casino games.
- Live games are not as abundant as traditional online casino games since actual dealers and studios are required, as opposed to software.
- Live games take place at a slower pace than online casino games because multiple players need to complete their betting before a new game begins.
- Live games can experience technical glitches which can detract from the overall experience.
Trusted Guide to Finding Reputable Live Games Casinos
Live games casinos are incredibly popular with players. Fortunately, you don't have to search too hard to find them. Follow these steps to find trusted live games casinos:
- Pick a licensed online casino from our list of vetted operators
- Register an account and make a deposit
- Navigate to the Live Games category
- Choose your preferred live game and enjoy!