It may come as something of a surprise to many, but the very first live dealer casino was launched way back in 2003. A lot has changed since then in the world of technology and the internet, and live dealer casinos today are flourishing like never before, allowing players to experience the atmosphere of live games from the comfort of home. As more people benefit from improved internet access and speed, these live games have proved to be immensely popular with the casino gaming community, and more games are coming on line all the time.
How Live Dealer Casinos Work
Since the mid-1990s online casinos have used virtual animated casino games powered by random number generators. While these games are still hugely popular, for many players there is an element of distrust towards the software that randomizes the outcome of these games. That is one reason why live dealer casinos have become so popular, as players can watch a real-life professional croupier spinning the roulette wheel and dealing the cards. Using optical character recognition (OCR) technology the cards turned by the dealer are transformed into data that resembles that used in virtual games, meaning that players at home can place bets and play just as they would with the animated version of the games. There you have it: the perfect combination of real casino action and software based gaming.
Live Dealer Software Providers
There are many companies involved in bringing the latest live dealer software to your favourite casinos. Playtech is still one of the biggest names in the business, with Microgaming, Net Entertainment and Evolution some of the other big players in the world of live dealer casinos. Online casinos will purchase the software from the producers, meaning that many different casinos will end up using the same live dealer games. So for example you will find the same NetEnt live dealer games on offer at casinos as varied as Mr Green, BetVictor, Unibet, Leo Vegas and Betsson. There are now many, many live dealer providers out there, with companies such as Ezugi, Visionary iGaming and Extreme Live Gaming just a few of the other operators on the market.
Live Dealer Games
Any online casino with a live dealer section will offer blackjack and roulette at a minimum, and live dealer baccarat is exceptionally common as well. As player demand for live games increases, casinos are looking for alternative games to offer their players and game providers are increasing the range of games on offer. Now players can expect to see games like Casino Hold ‘Em, Caribbean Poker and 3 Card Poker available at a number of sites, as poker games are always a popular option at any casino. Vivo Gaming now also offers Sic Bo, Craps and Dragon Tiger to its players, while Playtech have added Hi-Lo to their portfolio of games.
Overview
Although live dealer games are many times more expensive than animated games for the online casinos to offer, their enormous popularity means that there are more and more live dealer casinos out there. Some casinos offer live games from a combination of different producers to enhance the variety of games available, while a few of the larger betting sites have their own custom live dealer games available. Fans of live casino games have never been better served, and as technological advances continue there is no doubt that live dealer games will become even more immersive and realistic over time.
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