When I say “live casino”, I’m not referring to the actual brick-and-mortar casino that has existed for as long as gambling has been around. Such a distinction in that case would be entirely redundant. A live casino in this instance refers to the sections of an online casino that are dedicated to providing live entertainment, complete with real dealers and real machines. Ever since online casinos began to proliferate in the late 1990s, a certain segment of the gambler base still preferred live, in-person entertainment as opposed to anything else offered by online casinos. It’s not hard to see why, as online live casino sites offer the human element that is missing from regular online casino games.
Online live casino sites are preferred by so many people on account of the fact that they can be played and enjoyed straight from the comfort of your own home. But what live casinos offer is a perfect intermediary, in effect offering a compromise between going to a casino in-person and staying at home and playing casino games online. For all the things that online casinos do right, no amount of flashy graphics and promotions can replace interacting with another human being.
The first live casino online games were, shall we say, unpolished. The bandwidth requirements necessary to recreate a proper in-house experience are considerably higher than what is required to host simple slot games on a website – live casinos have to be streamed at all hours of the day in high-quality video. This meant that early live casinos paled in comparison to the real thing. But within a matter of years, live casinos quickly embraced all the newest technology that came out, meaning that live casino games and entertainment now stands as a respectable component of any online casino.
Up close and personal
Whenever you type in your search bar something like “live dealer casino”, “live casino online”, or “live casino uk”, you’ll usually get directed to a page that is set to constantly stream various games accompanied by a human dealer. All games take place in real time – there are no animated setups in use. Everything that is happening is directed towards your field of vision, and the interface itself is very basic. This is intended to simulate sitting at a real casino – you can see every deck shuffled, every dice rolled, and every wheel spun. Online live casinos also give you the option of talking to your dealer, truly offering an immersive experience that is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Fresh array of choice
Despite the fact that online live casinos have been around for some time, you generally won’t see a lot of options as to what to play. This is not due to laziness on the live casino’s part, but rather due to the fact that the technology required to stream and host live casino games is complex and very expensive. For this reason you’ll often see online casino license the use of existing live casino games and dealers rather than create their own.
Live casinos typically feature the core trifecta of table games in the form of blackjack, roulette and poker – these offerings are ubiquitous and are offered nearly everywhere. Sometimes you’ll see other variants of these games offered, and more specialised live casinos will offer games like baccarat and Sic Bo as well. Much like online casinos in general, plenty of live casinos exist that cater to every desire and type of player out there. If you can name a table game, there’s a live casino somewhere that offers it. If you are having trouble finding a live casino that works for you, don’t be afraid to search your online casino portal of choice – you’ll no doubt find plenty of useful information there.
Loaded with rewards
Live casinos almost sell themselves – the very act of playing in a live setting is enough to convince players to give them a try, as the human element missing from online casinos is the reason why a lot of gamblers didn’t take them up initially. Live casinos do away with complicated interfaces, constantly changing rule sets, and the feeling of being alone to give you an experience that almost perfectly matches what you could get in a real-world casino, without having to ever leave your home. The lack of pre-programmed outcomes also grants the player a sense of urgency and control that is missing from conventional casino games.
Mainstream presence
Of course, with the adoption of computers in the casino world has also brought the suspicion of rigging outcomes. Fixing the outcome of a game is nothing new, although that was something you were always a lot more likely to find at a carnival than a reputable casino. But while bitter players who have lost have levied numerous accusation of fraud at live casinos, these accusations don’t have any basis in fact or truth. In reality, the only reason they even make those claims to begin with is because they lost. Winners never accuse games of being rigged in their favour.
Just remember that all games naturally come with a house edge – a built-in advantage that ensures that the casino always come out ahead in the long run. Casinos would not exist of they were losing money, so this is just an immutable fact about gambling. In no way does it constitute the rigging or fixing of outcomes, and there is no evidence that casinos have ever manipulated their games behind the scenes. Every gamble you make carries an element of risk, and sometimes that risk doesn’t pay off. But of course, the chance that it does is part of the excitement.
Finding common ground
Live casinos have both seen an explosion of growth over the past decade as the technology required to make the experience authentic has rapidly emerged. But while the experience itself matches the real thing, always make sure that the casino isn’t just for show. Do your research and check to see if the casino in question has ever undergone a third-party audit, or if it follows modern security protocols and software to protect your sensitive financial information. Furthermore, stick to reputable companies that have a proven track record – Microgaming and Playtech are two excellent examples. As exciting as the prospect of playing in a live casino can be, don’t allow that anticipation to cloud your judgment, as you could wind up seriously regretting it later.
A glimpse into the future
As the live casino platform continues to be adopted by casinos all around the world, their game selection and offerings continue to row by the minute. The odds that you’ll find that one specific game you are looking for in a live casino are considerably better than they were five years ago, and the constant development live casinos are undergoing ensures that they will continue to remain at the forefront of online gaming for years to come. While the experience isn’t exactly like what you would find in a real casino, it’s pretty close to say the very least. Give live casinos a try – you’ll quickly come to see why they are becoming increasingly popular.
