There can be no doubt that many that love online gaming have taken live casino play to their hearts. The combination of live streaming a real croupier dealing real cards and the interactive element has made live play a go to for many an online player. Every live session is well attended, with many opting to play live blackjack online or one of the other casino classic card games.
So what is live play all about? Let’s find out.
Life Before Live Casino Play
Prior to live play games were a highly digital affair. Dice rolls, where a roulette ball lands, and the turn of a card were dictated by a random number generator (RNG). Although there are approved standards when it comes to RNGs there was and is an element of doubt among players that this could be rigged.
Although the idea of live play was floated in the 1990s the technology wasn’t advanced enough to support it. HD streaming was still a distant dream and computing power wasn’t up to the job either. This is why the graphical play was adopted together with the RNG to simulate casino play.
If this wasn’t enough, internet speeds were simply not good enough to facilitate streaming.
When smartphones hit the market in the mid-2000s things started to get more interesting. This allowed players to play anywhere they had an internet connection so having a few spins before work, a little blackjack at lunchtime and a dabble in roulette on the way home from work were possible.
This coincided with text and voice chat in online casinos making the games more real. As streaming services such as Netflix were developed, it was only a matter of time before live casino play became reality.
Casinos have pushed the boundaries of online technology for years, and many ideas we take for granted online were pioneered by casinos and online play.
What is Live Casino Play?
Live casinos are where you have a real croupier dealing real cards, rolling real dice, and spinning a real roulette wheel. This is streamed in HD to players around the world. The croupier announces the plays just like a real casino and players make calls over voice chat. This is as real as it gets in terms of online play.
The experience is leagues ahead of the old graphic based online play although it still has its place. Some do prefer it but there can be no denying that whereas live play was an optional extra it is now the main event. It has eclipsed its online cousin.
Live play has greater costs and as such bonuses and jackpots are not always as good as online play. That said, this is slowly changing as new online casino audiences are attracted. Once they were put off by the RNG and graphical play, now they are attracted by the real.
Live Casino Play Tips
To get the most out of live online play, consider these tips:
- Play at Licensed Casinos Only – Always ensure you play in a live casino that is licensed. Normally, on the homepage, they’ll be a link to the regulatory body. Do not be surprised if it takes you to a Maltese regulator as many companies base their online casinos in Malta due to more favorable tax and regulatory advantages.
Playing in an unlicensed casino carries risks. The gameplay element will be fine but you may find withdrawing winnings won’t be an easy process and you run the risk of getting scammed.
- Reviews and Reputation – Check that the casino has favorable reviews and has a good reputation among players. Any review that is extremely positive or negative is probably fake, so use your instincts to determine authentic reviews.
As well as reviews use social media to gauge whether the player experience is a good one. Is the casino highly thought of or is there indifference? Pay attention to the customer service experience as sooner or later you’ll need this service to resolve an issue.
- Terms and Conditions – Always review the terms and conditions so you know where you stand when it comes to aspects such as withdrawing cash, and check which payment platforms it supports. You may want to investigate using cryptocurrency to play as this might be a straightforward wallet to wallet transfer process both ways.
- Choose Casino Promotions With Care – Casino bonuses and promotions are casino specific and not all should be utilized. Some are great and are effectively free money and you should always leverage these, but some come with too many rules.
As such, pick these out with care and use the ones that give you a distinct advantage.
Playing in a live casino is the ultimate way to have a casino experience without leaving your home. You may want to try it in the near future. Once you do, you’ll never want to have a casino experience any other way.
