What is a Live Casino?
When playing at a live casino you are taking part in games that are run in real time with an actual dealer. The games are streamed from studios or land-based casinos to your computer screen and you can interact with the dealer using a chat function. You can also see the table, chips and bets on your screen as well as other players playing at that same time. You can play as many rounds as you want and your bankroll will change depending on how much you win or lose.
The games vary between online casinos and providers but there are a few common elements. All live games use a video feed from a studio or land-based venue that is linked to the gaming software that runs at the online casino. Players are able to use buttons on their screens to communicate with the dealer what they would like to do in a particular game such as hitting, splitting or doubling down in blackjack or placing roulette bets on a virtual roulette table. The results of these actions are then decided by real casino equipment such as a dealer drawing cards or spinning a wheel.
While some casinos have a separate live casino section of their website others simply include these games as part of the main casino offering. This way they can offer a more immersive experience without the need for extra hardware or software. This also allows them to cater to more casual gamers who don’t feel comfortable making a large financial commitment.
Typically the games in a live casino will be based on the classic table games available at most land-based casinos. This includes the golden trio of blackjack, roulette and baccarat. In addition, there are often side bets such as suited or unsuited blackjack, and even a version of the game where you can play against other players.
Other popular live casino games are croupier-hosted baccarat and poker tables. Some sites also have special game shows such as Dream Catcher or Football Studio hosted by bubbly hosts, bringing the fun of TV gameshows to the digital world.
Most of the live casino games you can play are designed with your playing experience in mind and are created by specialist companies who have worked closely with the casinos they work for to make sure they play smoothly on a wide range of devices. These games tend to be a bit slower than the standard software-based casino games but they are still quick to load and play on most devices.
Players can register for a live casino account at most online casinos. After completing the registration process with their personal details, they will need to create a password and agree to the terms and conditions before they can begin playing. Some live casino websites may also ask players to upload documents in order to comply with regulatory KYC requirements before they can start playing. Once they have completed this step, they can then deposit funds into their account and begin playing the live dealer games.