Our Top Rated Live Dealer Casinos
- Reputation
- A site’s reputation reflects the relationship it has with its players. That’s why we speak with gamblers and industry experts to uncover every detail in our reviews.
- Safety and Security
- It takes trust to deposit your real money online and we want you to know, if we trust a partner, so can you. This is why all sites must be legitimately licensed and regulated, as well as keeping your data safe with the best encryption technology.
- Banking and Payments
- A necessity of all online gambling sites is a range of secure banking options. From there, it’s imperative all sites provide high payout percentages with fast withdrawals and a fair RTP.
- Bonuses & Promotions
- All our sites are expected to provide new players with a welcome bonus, as well as rewarding loyal players with bankroll boosting promotions. We also check for any unfair T&Cs, meaning you can bet with confidence.
- Customer Support
- Top sites will offer extensive customer support, which is why we review this rigorously. While we always encourage our users to get in touch, we understand the importance of having your questions answered efficiently and by a real person.
- Compatibility
- Whether you're playing online from your computer or mobile device or tablet, our top recommendations can match your lifestyle. A top online casino needs to be compatible with multiple devices, so you have the freedom to play wherever and however you want.
- Online Experience
- Whether through the range of games or sports to bet on, the option to play for free or even choosing between software providers, players must be provided with options when gambling online. Aside from this, we require all partners to meet a high standard with the graphics of their games and localization to accommodate for players from around the world.
How Does a Live Dealer Casino Work?
A live dealer casino works by a professional dealer broadcasting in real-time to players around the world. The dealer, who is filmed by either a single camera or multiple, will manage the game as usual. While the player(s) will experience similar graphics and prompts as most online casino games but won't have to action a deal or spin.
The dealer will be set in a studio which resembles a land-based casino, or better yet will actually be live in a casino. Speaking to the camera, they will build an atmosphere as close to being there as possible, interacting with the players and moving play along by dealing the cards, placing the chips or spinning the wheel.
All bets made, even live bets on games like roulette or craps, will be displayed to the dealer on a virtual monitor. In many of the top live dealer casinos there is also the opportunity for the players to live chat with the dealer via a messaging system.
Of course, the main difference between live dealer casino games and standard online casino experiences is the absence of a Random Number Generator (RNG). This also removes any doubt of rigging, as the camera is fixed on the table at all times and the shuffling takes place in front of your eyes. Remember to always choose one of our recommended and trusted casinos when playing live dealer casino games.
Live Dealer Casino Games
While you can play most of the top games with a live dealer, there is much less variety than standard online casino games. That said, here are four of the best live dealer games you can play online.
Live Dealer blackjack is a favorite option among players as it brings you face to face with the dealer. While trying to beat their hand, you can test your skill and judgement while chatting with the dealer as well as fellow players.
Live dealer Baccarat brings to life one of the oldest and fastest paced casino games in history. With a low housed edge, easy to learn rules and the addition of a live dealer, this game is hugely popular with online gamblers.
Live dealer roulette is best enjoyed in the live dealer format, where you can watch an experienced croupier spinning the wheel to determine your fate. Online roulette has looked better than in live streaming HD video, and you can play just as easily on your laptop or mobile device.
Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker variant around, so it's no surprise that live dealer hold'em is also a massive favorite. See the dealer lay the flop, turn and river through a live stream, read out your bets and bring the game together by interacting with all players.
How to Play Live Casino Games
With live dealer casinos only available for real money players, the sign-up process is very similar to playing at a regular online real money casino. See the simple steps below:
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1
Sign up to one of our trusted online casinos
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2
Make a deposit and receive your bonus
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3
Choose your live dealer casino game
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4
Follow the on-screen prompts and dealer instructions to begin playing
What to Expect From the Best Live Dealer Casinos
For us to recommend the best live dealer casinos on the internet, we have to make sure they live up to our high standards. While our experts will be reviewing the best online casinos for live dealer games using the below criteria, we also encourage you to look for these features when playing online.
For the most immersive experience, live dealer games are best enjoyed on a desktop. You'll be able to separate your screen with the chat, game video and live feed. However, especially in modern times, it's not practical to always play on your computer. Every casino you visit for live dealer games should offer a high-quality, optimised mobile experience, so you can play at any time. Most of the top casinos will offer a no-download mobile site, while others may ask you to download an app to play.
One of the main appeals of live casino games is the virtual attachment to a land-based casino. For the most authentic experience, the dealer should be streaming from a real casino, but at very least they should be in a casino themed studio. As a general rule of thumb, the better live dealer sites will display from a more professional environment.
It would be easy for live casinos to compromise on the interface and graphics of their games because of the addition of the live stream. This should never be the case, and for the top-rated casinos, you will find quality, crisp graphics which match the top games available without a live stream.
Providing your internet connection isn't the problem, it's essential that a live casino can stream their feed without any buffering or dropouts. No player wants to place a bet on the roulette table and then miss the spin or bet on the flop and then be timed-out of the hand. Ensure you have the best connection you can and then visit the top sites to experience a seamless live casino game online.
Being able to navigate an online casino in your native language is expected these days. Every live casino will host in English, while the very best will also use dealers who can host in German, Spanish, Italian and French.
Being able to chat with other players and the dealer is a huge social benefit of live dealer games. A slick, easy to use and non-intrusive chat service may seem like a basic feature but is something many sites get wrong. We've tested the chat function on our recommended sites, and you can be sure to enjoy in-game rapport with other users without any hitches.
Live dealer games attract players with both small and large budgets. High rollers often look to emulate their VIP casino experience from home, while beginners will test the waters before visiting a land-based casino. Look for live casinos which have flexible table limits so you can enjoy playing online without extra worry about your bankroll or profits.
While there are restrictions with playing live dealer games online, such as the lack of a free live games or live slots, it's important to have choices as a player. Seek out casinos which will have a variety of table games and variants of these, like European and American roulette.
Live Casino Software Providers
Most of the above features which make live dealer games so great are only possible through the innovation and dedication from its software provider. These providers play a huge part in bringing a live casino to life and are dedicated to creating the smoothest and most enjoyable experience online. Here are the top 5 software providers for live casinos.
FAQs
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What are live dealer games?
Live dealer games are online casino table games with actual human dealers spinning roulette wheels or dealing cards through a live webcam feed.
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How do they work?
The online casino hires an experienced dealer and puts him or her in a room with a table. There is a video camera that streams a feed to the online casino players who have joined the table. The dealer spins the roulette wheel or deals cards that are large enough for the players to see on video. The players then use the online casino software to place their bets.
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Are they available for US players?
There is a limited amount of online casinos that offer live dealer games. Out of all the online casinos that offer live dealer games, some of them accept US players. So to answer this question, yes, live dealer games are available for US players.
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How do they compare with the standard online variations?
Live dealer games come with many different benefits compared to regular online variations, including (but not limited to):
- More human interaction
- The feeling of being at an actual brick-and-mortar casino
- Slower play which means possibly losing your money slower
It comes with some disadvantages, including:
- No hyper or turbo options
- No small bets
- A fast internet connection is required because of the video streaming.
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Are they time restricted?
Yes and no. The time you spend at a live dealer table is unlimited. You can choose to stay at the table all day if you wish. However, live dealer games are not available 24/7 as the humans operating the tables need a break. An online casino will let you know when a live dealer game is available during the day or night.
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Are they rigged?
No. Live dealer games are definitely not rigged. The casinos that offer live dealer games are audited regularly by a third party because they want to prove that their games are fair and above board. Check the casino's website for their latest auditing results.