You probably already know that online casinos are a reality in the global entertainment industry.
Still, you may not have any idea of just how much these platforms have evolved over the years.
If all players had in the past were results generated by computers, technology now makes it possible to recreate the atmosphere of a physical casino, with real dealers on the other side of the screen conducting different types of live games.
This combination of digital convenience and the human touch gave rise to the concept of casino live, which is now one of the public’s favorite formats.
In today’s article, we will talk about what makes this format so special and how it works behind the scenes.
The key elements of a live casino
The humanization of the process through the dealer is undoubtedly one of the main pillars defining a live casino. However, there are other essential features behind the operation of these platforms.
Atmosphere
Without a well-planned atmosphere, the experience of an online casino becomes much more distant from what can be found in a physical establishment. After all, we are talking about a factor that brings together several different elements.
There’s a lot riding on the small stuff. Lighting, table setup, what the dealers wear, the music playing in the background, even the sound of cards being dealt. All of this shapes how real the experience feels.
Get these details right, and players stop feeling like they’re watching a screen and start feeling like they’re actually at the table.
Streaming
Streaming is responsible for creating the real-time connection between the studio and the player’s screen. In other words, there is no room for mistakes here. Otherwise, not only does the experience lose its fluidity, but the casino’s reliability may also be questioned.
That is why major technology providers invest heavily in state-of-the-art infrastructure to equip their studios. High-definition cameras positioned at different angles, capturing not only the entire table but even the dealer’s smallest movements, are common in these environments.
But infrastructure only covers half the equation. No matter how much a provider invests in cameras and studio setup, an unstable connection on the player’s end can still freeze the stream mid-round. Sometimes the issue is even more basic, a DNS resolution failure blocking the casino page from loading altogether.
Interactivity
In an online live casino, players can often do more than simply wait for the results of each round.
Depending on the game, they may be able to communicate with other users who are sitting at the table or even those who are simply watching the broadcast.
In less common cases, the dealer becomes a differentiator once again. This happens when players can send messages directly to the dealer and receive a verbal response from them on the other side of the screen.
The role of developers
The vast majority of live casinos do not develop their own live gaming technology. These platforms usually license content from providers specializing in this type of gaming.
These companies are responsible for developing, operating, and providing real time gaming solutions, including the pillars mentioned above.
Among the biggest names in the market are Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play Live, and Playtech, which are present in a large number of renowned casinos around the world. That is why it is normal to find very similar games across different platforms.
The games you can expect to find
Since the human dealer is one of the main elements of a live casino, this type of platform tends to focus on games where they play a fundamental role. Blackjack, baccarat, and roulette are common options. Poker, meanwhile, even though some betting sites use a random system to deal the cards, is also a common presence on many of these platforms.
Alternative live casino experiences
Of course, the variety can be even greater depending on the platform. Game shows, for example, have been gaining more and more space in live casinos. With a format that is closer to an entertainment program and the added feature of having live hosts interacting with the audience, they almost emerge as a B-side of betting sites, with little resemblance to traditional games.
Sic Bo and live bingo can also appear as good options. While dice are the main elements in the former, with each round conducted by a dealer, the latter generally features a host conducting the number draw in real time.
The trust factor behind live casinos
Although many online casinos have licenses from major regulatory bodies, such as the UKGC and MGA, and their platforms are audited by major testing laboratories, such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs, nothing builds more trust among users than being able to see with their own eyes what is happening inside a game.
This is the great advantage that live casinos provide through their dealers. Whether they are shuffling or dealing cards, spinning the wheel, or throwing the ball, they conduct the games in real time, making any attempt at fraud or cheating by the betting site much more difficult.