Up until recently, online casinos were notorious for providing poor-quality services and a relatively small range of games, which were among the reasons why many players avoided playing online. In addition, instances where the final outcome of a game was questionable occurred regularly, and people didn’t feel safe enough to entrust their sensitive information to them. However, nowadays, thanks to the advanced technologies and cutting-edge systems that online casinos use, they have improved their gaming services immensely, and all these worries are largely forgotten.
One clear indicator of this advancement is that most of them feature live casinos in which players can enjoy their favourite games virtually at any time and place they choose. Live casinos provide an extremely authentic experience because the games are played in real time with live dealers. It is now possible for players to witness the gaming process from beginning to end, interact with other participants, and enjoy a wide range of popular games, all from the comfort of their own home.
Live Casino Technology
The advent of live casinos changed the way online gaming was perceived, as this solution allows players to play a range of games not only online but also in real time. Their main feature is a dealer who operates in the same manner as one in a land-based casino. The reason why live casinos have grown so popular lies in the cutting-edge technologies that were specially developed for gaming operators and provide players with the most authentic experience possible from a particular game.
In order to provide a second-to-none experience, many well-established live casinos use live-streaming technology. All it takes to enjoy a favourite table game from a comfortable location is to click on the live-streaming link on the casino’s website. Although the systems and technologies in use are extremely advanced, they have been developed to be as user-friendly as possible. As already mentioned, it has never been so effortless and accessible for players to enjoy a wide range of casino games online, with every title now just one click away.
The actions taken by the dealer during live streams are converted into data processed by optical character recognition (OCR) software. Using specialised cameras, the OCR system tracks all card symbols, suits, wheel numbers and dice combinations in the game. The collected data is then cross-referenced with a database lookup table, and the results are displayed on the screen. This enables players to immerse themselves in the game and quickly base their actions on the information they see.
OCR is the technology that makes Live Casino games truly interactive, rather than simply broadcasting them. Based on data collected by OCR, the winners and losers of each round can be announced in no time. As a result, live-dealer games are very dynamic and fast-paced.
Live-streaming technology is such a huge achievement in the gaming world because it allows players to enjoy their favourite games with dealers in real time while remaining in the comfort of their homes. In this way, they can eliminate additional distractions and make sure they can play in peace. At brick-and-mortar casinos, such measures cannot be taken and players often find it hard to concentrate and fully enjoy the game.
Brick-and-Mortar Casinos and Studio Streaming
Most live casinos feature a number of table games that can be streamed either from the brick-and-mortar version of a particular casino or from private casino studios specifically designed for this purpose. Either way, players can be sure that they will receive a high level of entertainment and excitement, which may even surpass their previous experience at some casinos. Moreover, they can rest assured that their sensitive information is well protected, as security systems have also been greatly improved.
Live Casino Technology Explained
Advantages and Disadvantages
Popular Live Casino Games
Live Blackjack
Live Roulette
The most authentic feeling that players can get when enjoying their favourite table game online is achieved when the game is streamed from a land-based casino. In this way, they experience much of the brick-and-mortar casino atmosphere while playing virtually from a completely different location. Thanks to advanced technologies and the Internet, it is now possible to save not only time but also effort by simply playing at home instead of travelling all the way to the local casino. Land-based streaming is suitable for players who love the casino setting and want the closest possible authentic experience, as if they were there.
In most cases, live games are streamed from studios specifically designed for this purpose, and this is another very efficient way for players to spend their time online. To provide an even better experience to their customers, some live casinos offer special promotions and deals that players can take advantage of. In larger live casinos, they can also find tables that they can customise according to their personal preferences and specifications.
Live Casino Studios Equipment
To deliver a top-notch final product to virtual players, software companies often choose to stream from high-tech Live Casino studios. The high-quality streams are achieved thanks to several elements that combine to create a smoother, more realistic and enjoyable gaming experience.
Like many other streaming media, Live Casino studios rely on cameras that ensure high-definition graphics and a smarter way to convert the dealers’ actions into information that can then be displayed on the screen.
With the latest innovations in the video-streaming field, cameras have become much smaller yet very powerful. Often, Live Casino studios use several cameras to provide views from different angles, allowing players to follow every step of the game up close.
The Game Control Unit is another element of the Live Casino studio that many describe as the most important component of the entire live-casino streaming process. Each table game has a Game Control Unit attached to it. This device enables the encoding of the video that is being broadcast from the Live Casino studio. It can be said that the Game Control Unit is a major element of Live Casino games, as it allows dealers to conduct each game.
If you are playing a roulette variant, a wheel will also be included in the game. Since wheels have sensors, the position of the ball can always be tracked with ease, allowing players to view the result of the spin.
Monitors are also a big part of the realistic gaming experience that Live Casinos offer players. Thanks to monitors, dealers can keep track of the game, the bets that players are placing, and any messages that they send. This feature allows for smooth communication and a very authentic casino adventure.
Last but not least, we have the dealers, who contribute greatly to the popularity of Live Casinos. Just as in brick-and-mortar casinos, the dealers who run the games at Live Casinos are well-trained professionals. Friendly and charming ladies and gentlemen will help you enjoy a highly entertaining casino experience, no matter which game you prefer. Some software companies have also hired native-speaking dealers who enable players from different countries to revel in a casino experience specifically tailored to their tastes.
Technical Requirements to Play Live Casino Games
Even though Live Casino technology has improved tremendously in the last few years, players who wish to enjoy smooth live-dealer gaming streams should be aware of the technical requirements they need to fulfil.
While a stable and fast Internet connection is very important for the smooth streaming of Live Casino games, you should also pay attention to several system requirements. It should be noted that even if your desktop device does not meet all the technical requirements for the optimal Live Casino experience, you could still enjoy great live-dealer gaming sessions.
The minimum technical requirements to enjoy Live Casino games include:
- 2GHz CPU Dual Core processor or above
- 4GB RAM
- 1024 x 768 Minimum Screen Resolution
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 8500
- Vertex Shader: 4.0
- Pixel Shader: 4.0
- Free Disk Space: 2 GB
- Dedicated Video RAM: 256 MB
- Windows 7 SP1 64-Bit
- PPAPI Flash version
- Android 5.0 or higher and iOS 9 or higher for mobile users
Keeping the above in mind, if you want to enjoy the smoothest Live Casino streams, you should aim for the following system requirements:
- 2.5 GHz CPU Quad Core processor
- 8 GB RAM
- Windows 10 64-Bit
- iOS 12 or later or Android 5.0 or later for mobile devices
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Video Card
- Vertex Shader: 5.0
- Pixel Shader: 5.0
- Free Disk Space of at least 4 GB
- Dedicated Video RAM: 2048 MB
The Important Role of the Live Dealers
Every experienced player knows that the dealer plays a crucial role in many casino games. Just as in every reputable land-based casino, the dealers in live casinos are familiar with the rules and know how to conduct the game properly. Moreover, live-streaming technology gives players the chance to interact with the dealer and the rest of the participants and thereby establish a more personal connection with them, creating a more realistic experience despite playing virtually.
Conclusion
Live casinos are an innovation that allows players to enjoy their favourite table games in the comfort of their homes, in real time with real dealers. Players no longer need to exhaust themselves with hours of travelling just to reach their destination and then find a suitable table. All of this can now be done easily, whenever and wherever they want. What is more, the experience they receive from the game will be just as exciting, maybe even more so.
The advanced technologies in use enable players to witness the whole gaming process, see how the cards are dealt in front of them in games such as Blackjack, or how the wheel is spun when Roulette is played. These actions are performed in real time by professional dealers who have undergone extensive training in order to provide players with the best possible experience. Moreover, not only is an extremely high level of excitement achieved in this way, but any doubts regarding the fairness of the game are also dispelled.