How Do Live Dealer Casino Games Work?
Live dealer casino games offer a unique gaming experience, using professional dealers and real casino equipment to simulate a real-world casino environment. As such, live casino games operate significantly differently from traditional casino games and require significant expertise and complex technology to run smoothly.
What makes live dealer games so complicated?
Live dealer games are completely unlike traditional casino games in the way they're run, providing a unique challenge for game providers. These games use real dealers and authentic casino equipment, so game providers must translate real-world events into interactive games that can be played on PC or mobile.
Players need to be able to see what's happening in real time, have all relevant information clearly displayed, and be able to interact with the game with as little delay as possible when making bets or other decisions.
Providing this type of game environment requires a significant amount of technology and robust systems in place to ensure it doesn't fail – if a player can't place a bet or make a decision, it's highly likely that they'll never play that game again.
Compare this to a traditional casino game; all the actions are coded into an animated game, allowing players to easily follow along and make all actions immediately.
Steps required to run a live dealer casino game
Unlike traditional casino games that are fully programmed in one environment, live casino games require multiple steps to get up and running. To give you an insight into how software developers create these games, we've detailed each step below.
Sourcing casino equipment
Before the game can be run, providers must source authentic casino equipment, such as blackjack tables, roulette wheels, and playing cards. These playing cards will typically have microchips in them, making it easier for the Gaming Control Unit to identify each card as it is put into play.
On top of sourcing casino equipment, the game runners must find a suitable location for the game to be played. Many companies rent out studios that make it easy to stream, but some use real brick-and-mortar casinos to increase the authenticity.
Employing live dealers
Once the equipment and location have been sourced, the game providers must find professional dealers to host and run the games. These dealers need to be highly experienced to ensure the game runs as smoothly as possible, but they also need to be skilled as hosts.
Player interaction is one of the selling points of live dealer games, so developers look for outgoing dealers with good people skills that will help retain players.
Creating live stream
Now that all the components of the game are together and ready to begin, the next step is to create a live streaming service that allows the players to follow the action in real time. Developers spend thousands on HD streaming equipment that provides a crystal-clear picture of the action that players can watch at home.
The quality of these live streams is of utmost importance as part of the appeal of these games is being able to clearly see what is happening at all times. If the quality of the stream degrades, players may become suspicious of what's happening and will leave the game.
Encode actions
To ensure that live casino games can live up to the "game" part of their title, developers must encode the actions that take place on the table and make them available to the gaming platform. To do this, developers use a Gaming Control Unit (GCU) that records everything that takes place on the table, including each card dealt and every position the roulette ball lands.
This information is encoded and sent at high speeds to the gaming platform. The speed of this data is of paramount importance, as it's required to allow players to participate in the game.
Allowing player input
Having an HD quality live stream of the game is just one part of the equation; players also need to interact with the game in real time. Game developers use a gaming platform that allows the gaming area to become interactive; players can click on specific areas of the table to make bets, and once the betting round starts, they can interact further as more information is provided.
During the course of the game, the gaming platform receives the information sent by the GCU, translates it, and creates an interactive display that sits in front of the live stream video feed. This display shows the action that's taking place on the table, such as the player's cards and the dealer's cards, and provides options that allow players to participate in the game.
Playing a live dealer casino game
Despite the complexity involved in running live dealer games, playing real money live casino games is incredibly easy! If you want to play your very first live dealer game, follow our helpful walkthrough:
- Choose one of our recommended real money live dealer casino sites.
- Create an account by filling out the forms with your personal info.
- Make a real money deposit by selecting one of the available banking options.
- Select a live casino game from the list of options and click on the icon.
- Wait for the next round of betting to begin.
- Click on the chips icon to select your bet size.
- Make a bet by clicking on the interactive game board.
- Complete any actions required by clicking on the buttons as they appear.
Varieties of live dealer games
Live dealer games come in a variety of shapes and sizes, providing players with significant options when playing at real money live dealer casinos. To give you an idea of what's available, we've listed the most popular varieties of live dealer casino games:
- Classic casino games – Live casino games allow players to enjoy classic games such as live blackjack, live baccarat, live roulette, live poker, and more in a simulated casino environment. The mechanics of the game are identical to the traditional versions but have the added benefit of being run by a professional dealer using real equipment.
- Game shows – A modern addition to the live casino genre, these games have a greater focus on player engagement, as the host takes a more active role as a "hype person" who excites the crowd during big moments. The gameplay of these titles, such as Crazy Time, Deal or No Deal, and Dream Catcher is more akin to a daytime game show (hence the name) than a classic casino game, appealing to players who may not be familiar with traditional options.
- Modern casino games – Over the years, traditional casino games have evolved, using the familiar gameplay as a springboard to implement exciting features that appeal to a wider range of players. Some of these variants have made the transition to live dealer games, including titles such as Lightning Roulette and Blackjack Switch.
Are live casino games available for free?
While many game developers allow players to try their animated casino games for free, it's close to impossible to find a free-to-play version of a live dealer game. This is due to the significant cost required to set up and run a live dealer casino game.
However, players are able to watch the action for free, without needing to place a bet. This allows beginners the chance to get up to speed with how the game is played, making it easier to make the jump into real money gaming.
Summary
We've learned that significant resources are required for a live dealer game to run, from HD streaming equipment to professional casino dealers to a gaming control unit. However, playing these games is just as easy as playing traditional casino games, and with just a few taps, you can enjoy your favourite games at one of our recommended live dealer casinos.
