How to Play Live Casino Games

Live Casino Games

Live casino games are a feature of most UK casino sites and help to bring the atmosphere of the land-based casino online. They generally consist of a live stream to a real life dealer at an actual table. The dealer can see your bets and even interacts with you as you play.

Find out more about the different games you can play in the live casino at your favourite online gaming site, who produces the games and how you can take part in this fun aspect of the casino market.

Live Casino Games Background

Online casinos were an instant sensation when they hit the market. Within years of the launch of the first fully functioning casino site, The Gaming Club from Microgaming in 1994, half of all casino play took place online. At first there were just slots and virtual table games, the ancestors of the popular titles we love today. However, some punters wanted more. They wanted to experience the feel of a live casino in the comfort of their home.

In 2003, Playtech launched the world’s first live dealer casinos. They were a revolution in the industry. Suddenly you could pit your wits against humans, rather than trying to second guess the artificial intelligence of the virtual dealers.

How Live Casino Games Have Developed

At first these were grainy streams that dropped out more often than you would like. There was generally only one table for one game and that was usually blackjack. But today it’s very different. The advancement of technology and availability of superfast broadband, make connecting to a live dealer easy.  The selection of games is unending, from roulette to sic bo to all kinds of poker. The visuals are stunning and the sound is perfect, striking that perfect casino atmosphere.

Playtech recently opened the world’s biggest live casino studio in Riga, Latvia. All of the company’s European live casino traffic runs through those tables. In addition, there is a hub in Manila, Philippines for the firm’s Asian clientele.

How to Play Live Casino Games

You play live casino games in the same way you play any casino table game. Head to the live casino section of a site such as LeoVegas. Choose a vacant place at a table and place your bets. After that, the usual rules of the game which you are playing apply.

What is it Like to Play at a Live Casino?

You can play at live tables at UK casino sites 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The choice is amazing and there is always something going on, no matter what the time.

Whereas once the backgrounds were drab and the dealers stilted, now a lot of money is spent on making it look right. Expect fancy sets that are more like TV game show locations than casinos! Dealers are fun and welcoming and many people prefer to play at live casinos because they can keep a track of everything the dealers do.

Live Casino Games - Live Dealer

Although all legitimate UK casino sites have to work under tough regulations to ensure they offer a fair service, some players still don’t believe everything is above board. This is a common reaction, especially when money is involved. They don’t trust the randomness of virtual table games, so they appreciate a live dealer who couldn’t hide any dodgy dealings even if they really tried.

When you take your seat at the table, you are instantly hit by the real life casino sounds. The murmur of chat, clinking of chips and the flicking of the cards and the dealer distributes them, for instance. You can chat with your fellow players around the table as the game progresses through messenger. There’s also the chance for a bit of banter with the live dealer, who is generally wearing a microphone. Everything feels closer to the real casino experience than the virtual tables we are used to.

Live Casino Games

If a game is played at a land based casino, there’s usually an online live casino version too. All of the major games developers have stretched their wings and entered the live arena. Most notably, NetEnt runs a series of casino favourites from its Malta studios. Playtech’s operation from Riga is popular with new casino sites and those that are well established too. Microgaming even employs croupiers who dress up as Playboy bunnies, if that’s your kind of thing.

Here are the most popular live casino games:

Live Roulette

There are all sorts of versions of live roulette on the market. The general aim of the game, whichever variant you play, is to predict where a ball will land when spun around a segmented wheel. The more specific you are with your guess, the bigger the potential prize.

Find out more on the How to Play Live Roulette page.

Live Blackjack

Once again, there are a number of different live dealer strains of blackjack. All games companies provide at least one, though. You must attempt to build up a hand of cards with a value as close as possible to 21 without going over. If you are closer to 21 than the dealer, you win.

Find out more on the How to Play Live Blackjack page.

Live Baccarat

You take on the dealer at this card game where the aim is to get as close to nine as possible. Unlike blackjack, it is impossible to bust in baccarat, as when your combined total goes into double figures, you reduce the value of your hand by ten.

Find out more on the How to Play Live Baccarat page.

Different Sorts of Live Casino Games

Manufacturers like Evolution Gaming are creating special live casino games with a twist. The firm runs a variant of roulette with massive multipliers and flashy graphics, called Lightning Roulette. There is a also a money wheel based live casino game called Dream Catcher.

You can play both of these exciting live dealer games right now at Sloty Casino.