One of the best things about modern gambling sites is that they often cater to all kinds of players. Whether you’re interested in sports betting, spinning the slots, going for a bingo jackpot, playing table games, or competing in poker tournaments, there are plenty of online options.
However, one of the most impressive improvements in recent years is the live casino section of gambling sites. These days, the best online casinos can provide live dealer casino experiences for people at home on their computers, and even for those on-the-go due to smartphone and tablet advances.
Nevertheless, not all online casinos provide the immersive experience you’d expect from a live casino, so there are a few things to consider before you register for an account somewhere.
How We Compare Live Casinos
When it comes to live casinos, there are a few things we expect to see from the best sites around. Firstly, top casino sites will offer a range of live games to play such as roulette and jackpot, but also variations of both and other exciting games.
However, the overall experience you’ll receive from a live casino will come down to several other features:
• Popular deposit methods
• No deposit or withdrawal fees
• Valid casino license
• Mobile friendly and/or a dedicated app
• Variety of live dealer casino games
• Reputable software providers
• Customer support
• New and existing customer bonuses
Online live roulette has improved massively in recent years. Previously, online roulette was held back by uninspiring flash games and live incarnations that couldn’t live up to the experience of a brick-built casino.
These days, live dealer casinos have become more immersive as the market has continued to grow, but also due to technological advances in devices and internet connections. You can now log on at home or on-the-go and experience an exciting live roulette experience online. Live cameras, greenscreen, and fast internet connections have paved the way for dealers to interact with players from an impressive casino backdrop, and live chat functions allow players and dealers alike to chat while they play.
Live Blackjack
The best online live casinos also provide an exciting blackjack experience. Players can once again interact with a live dealer surrounded by traditional casino décor as they play hands of blackjack. Players can also interact with each other via chat boxes, and there is an option to play a variety of different formats of blackjack with different stake levels and side bets.
Other Live Games
As live casino games have become increasingly popular over time, casinos have looked to provide as many exciting live dealer casino games as possible. If you’re visiting one of the best online casinos, you’ll likely find some of the following live games:
• Poker
• Sic Bo
• Hi-Lo
• Baccarat
• Money Wheel
The modern live casino has the benefit of more advanced software at the casino end and devices at the player end. This has paved the way for an experience that is much closer to the kind you’d find in a brick-built casino than previous incarnations of live casinos could offer.
Banking
Finding the best live dealer casino doesn’t just come down to the games on offer. Before you can play, you’ll need to find a way to deposit money, and the best online casinos will provide a variety of popular options, including:
• Debit card
• Bank transfer
• PayPal and other eWallets
• Credit cards
Some live casinos are even starting to allow cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as a deposit method, further improving player accessibility.
Live dealer casino games are brought to you by software providers. There are several software providers out there that deal with live casino games, but the following are a few of the most renowned:
• NetEnt
• Evolution
• Playtech
When you play games at a live dealer casino, your experience is driven by software providers that push through HD camera feeds with a variety of angles, immersive casino backdrops, numerous games hosted by a range of live dealers, and 24/7 access.
Bonuses
As with most gambling sites, live dealer casinos will often welcome new players through their doors and keep existing players entertained by providing a range of bonuses:
• Welcome bonus
• Free play
• Deposit bonus
• No deposit bonus
These bonuses provide a great incentive to get involved because they allow the player to experience live casino games with free money. For example, a live casino may offer players the chance to be rewarded with a 100% matched bonus on their next deposit up to a certain amount.
As with all bonuses, it’s worth reading the terms and conditions before you get involved so you’re aware of any wagering requirements, betting limits, and so on.
New Sites
The rise in popularity of online live casinos has led to new businesses appearing in the market regularly. The advantage of playing at a new casino is that they will often provide access to newer game variations, bonuses, and more immersive experiences.
However, a new site should still match the features of more experienced online casinos to be worth your time:
• Popular deposit methods
• No deposit or withdrawal fees
• Valid casino license
• Mobile friendly and/or a dedicated app
• Variety of live dealer casino games
• Reputable software providers
• Customer support
• New and existing customer bonuses