Gambling is an activity that has survived centuries of wars, unfavorable laws, repressions, and prohibitions, yet to this day it still exists and flourishes in ways that make it way more accessible than in the past.
Gambling made history in 1994 when Antigua and Barbuda first started issuing licenses for online casinos, and since then casinos started to dramatically shift online, while also retaining land-based casinos. It is not clear when the first live dealer game was streamed, but it likely happened around 2006 when Microgaming and Evolution launched their live dealer platforms.
Since then live dealer casinos were steadily gaining popularity. Now we see companies set up huge special studios with professional dealers and high-end cameras working different angles, equipped with OCR tech and other advances, staff working like Hollywood filmmakers, and streaming games daily.
Live dealer casinos are the next evolutionary step of online gambling, and we can truly say that there was never a more convenient time to gamble than now when you can just sit in front of your smart device and deal with live people, have conversations, and also make some money on the way. Just wait until you see what happens with live dealer casinos in 5 years. We’re taking high-tech and gambling to a whole new level, incorporating virtual reality and offering experiences that will enrich your gameplay and turn it into something magical and ethereal. But until that happens, we suggest you get ready and try out some of the best existing live dealer casinos on the market.
888 Live Casino
888 has over 25 million accounts, a number that barely any casino can match. This casino is owned by Cassava Enterprise Limited, a company based in Gibraltar, which is a subsidiary of 888 Holdings, probably the biggest online casino operator and one of the few casino operators that are listed on the London Stock Exchange. 888 Casino remains one of the longest-running online casinos in the world.
The games on offer here are live dealer roulette, baccarat, and blackjack, all dealt by professional dealers who understand the varying pace certain games must be played according to a player’s understanding and wishes. Regarding roulette services, choose between French and European configurations or Venezia roulette, which has a European wheel and an Italian-speaking dealer. The VIP services offered across all the games allow for considerably larger bet sizes. There is a healthy variety of games, a diverse range of different dealers and bet limits, a highly efficient streaming service, and all the assistance and support you would expect from a top-class online bookmaker. 24/7 support can be reached via instant chat, email, and telephone with helpful support staff available for any issues that arise.
William Hill Live Casino
Most operators provide live games, but the game selections can vary significantly in terms of both quality and quantity. One of the things that William Hill stands out is its game supply. With games from Playtech and Evolution Gaming, players get access to some of the best live dealer games available on the market. The collection includes roulette, blackjack, baccarat, Casino Hold’em, and Three Card Poker. To make things even better, the casino offers a huge selection of tables for these games. Blackjack has the largest number of tables – there are more than 35 to choose from, with various betting limits, as well as some interesting variations, like Blackjack Party.
There are also lots of interesting variations for roulette – Auto Slingshot Roulette, Sports Roulette, and Immersive Roulette. Whether you opt for the games from Playtech, or those from Evolution Gaming, you will find the dealers to be professional, friendly, and very welcoming. All of the dealers speak really good English and have lots of experience in operating casino games. Evolution Gaming also provides some specialized games in other languages with native speakers from the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Russia.
Bet365
Bet365 Live Casino is up there with the best of them, providing their loyal customers with the opportunity to play their favorite games from the comfort of their homes but still feel like in a real casino. There are numerous tables with different rules and table limits that offer great betting opportunities, while ongoing player promotions can be a steady source of free cash. Bet365 has studios in Europe and Asia, and it’s up to gamblers to customize their gaming experience and play their favorite games while chatting with dealers and fellow gamers. Most of the dealers are attractive women.
While English and Mandarin are the two main languages for playing, some of the tables also come with Italian, Russian, and Spanish-speaking dealers. Bet365 Live Casino houses a total of eight games, with each of the two studios containing four live dealer titles. The European studio, streamed live from Riga, Latvia, offers Live Casino Hold Em in addition to live versions of roulette, blackjack, and baccarat. The Asian studio is streamed from Manila, Philippines, and features Asian versions of the three table games plus Live Sic Bo.
Leo Vegas Casino
Considered one of the best live dealer casinos on the market, LeoVegas Live Casino is a great destination for both low and high-rollers who enjoy numerous games and attractive dealers. The platform is available on desktops and mobile devices and provides HD streaming and 24/7 authentic casino action. LeoVegas has been successfully working since 2012 and features one of the best live dealer platforms on the market.
The company is based in Malta and holds two reputable gaming licenses: one by the Malta Gaming Authority and another by the UK Gambling Commission. LeoVegas has games provided by companies like Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Portomaso and Extreme. There is a total of 37 table games on offer, including interesting variations of roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker.
New members at LeoVegas Live Casino are generously welcomed with a package of up to €1,500 in cash bonuses and 250 free spins. Aside from the majority of English tables, there’s one dedicated to London players exclusively one table for Germans, and another for Swedes. The operator provides excellent customer support service around the clock via e-mail, phone, and live chat.
32Red Casino
32Red offers branded Playboy tables, impeccable video streams, and high betting limits. The casino also provides its customers with a perfect setting for live dealer games, while premium banking methods and a customer support team are in place to ensure the players can fully focus on their gaming. The company decided to bring back the live dealer games in 2012 after dropping them back in 2009, and they have since built a professional live casino powered by Microgaming. Playboy-branded tables and girls wearing bunny ears are major attractions, so they don’t even need to offer huge bonuses or promotions to attract new players. However, they have still decided to offer their customers several exciting offers, with up to $160 in free casino chips awarded to all first-time depositors.
The dealers are friendly and always ready to chat with players, but male gamers will probably prefer the bunny dealers conducting play in the Playboy casino. English is the language spoken on the casino floor, while the customer support team is available 24/7 and can be reached via instant chat, email, toll-free phone, Skype, or regular mail. By the way, if you don’t believe the Playboy part, we suggest checking the video below and seeing it for yourself.
Jetbull
Jetbull offers a wide selection of live casino games, including variations of roulette, blackjack, and baccarat with the benefit of private and VIP tables. Live games are fully available in browser play. It is also fully accessible through mobile devices and you can browse the site or launch live casino through Jetbull mobile. It is licensed by Malta Gaming Authority and powered by Vivo, LuckyStreak, Ezugi, Evolution, NetEnt, Authentic, and Xpro Gaming. Jetbull is one of those platforms that is equally concerned with providing quality entertainment and ensuring their users’ safety.
There are around 30 versions of both blackjack and roulette and over 10 baccarat versions available with different bet ranges and live dealer chat service. Jetbull combines three major elements that make a casino reputable and trustworthy:
- high-quality entertainment by renounced developers
- safety measures ensuring users’ full protection
- gameplay fairness confirmed by independent audits.
The staff is quick to react and help you the registration process is smooth and easy and the list of restricted countries is rather short.
Mr. Green
Mr. Green has a fantastic selection of live games, including the classics as well as interesting options such as Three Card Poker, Double Ball Roulette, or Dream Catcher. There are more than 40 tables to choose from, with a wide range of betting limits across the board. The vast majority of the games can also be played on mobile phones and tablets. By using four streaming providers in the live suites, there is a unique mix for players to choose from, and the quality of all games is superb. This setup is extremely comfortable if you want to immerse yourself in the games and have a truly authentic experience.
The games are supplied by three providers – Evolution Gaming, Extreme Live Gaming, and NetEnt. That means you get a choice of high-quality streamed games with many different tables and some interesting variants. Most of the live games are provided by Evolution Gaming. The live collection is complemented by an assortment of roulette, blackjack, and casino poker tables from NetEnt. This provider is renowned for the high quality of its games, and the close attention to detail in creating a truly authentic real playing experience.
Extreme Live Gaming completes the trio with a selection of excellent games – namely, tons of exciting roulette and blackjack variants. Like most live dealer casinos, Mr. Green has a great staff that speaks multiple languages and has a great sense of humor. The video below shows how a Mr. Green dealer named Janis interacts with players and constantly makes jokes.
Conclusion
Live dealer casino provider Evolution Gaming has reported a 30% increase in revenue to €51.6 million for the first quarter of 2018. The company adds that the demand for live casino games was generally high, with the number of bet spots increasing by 55 percent to 3.1 billion. The increase in profit shows that live dealer casinos are a serious sub-industry that can’t be ignored, and no wonder seasoned brick-and-mortar casinos raise eyebrows and slowly shift towards live dealing too.
These live dealer casinos have the rare ability to recreate that realistic experience of playing with a dealer as if you’re right there in front of him at the roulette, blackjack, or baccarat table with other players beside you. With steady growth in popularity and new casinos constantly opening up, it’s only a matter of time before casino operators will go further to offer even more exciting gambling experiences.
