It is fair to say that one of the biggest innovations to hit the online casino industry in recent years has undoubtedly been live games.
The days where players were forced to visit a brick-and-mortar casino to play live are now a thing of the past, with technology facilitating a huge change in the sector.
It is now feasible for people to play live online casino games 24/7, effectively bringing the thrills of Las Vegas to the masses.
We take a closer look at live casino games and assess some of the main benefits they offer to players in comparison to land-based play.
Introducing Live Online Casinos
Online casinos have come a long way since the earliest incarnations first hit the internet, with the top sites offering an immersive digital gameplay experience.
However, one aspect that was missing from online play was the live element, which left some players feeling a little underwhelmed.
Technology has provided the perfect solution by allowing operators to replicate the experience of visiting a real-life casino in an online environment.
It is now estimated that live games account for around half of the annual revenue generated by many of the leading online operators.
How Live Online Casinos Work
Live online casinos use the latest video technology to mimic the experience of playing games such as roulette and blackjack in a real-life casino.
Operators use a studio-based setup to stage different variants of popular games, each of which are managed by professional croupiers or dealers.
Several cameras are utilized to film the action, and this is streamed in real-time back to the player’s desktop or mobile device.
The player can communicate with the game host via instant messaging software, thus closely mimicking the experience they could enjoy in a brick-and-mortar venue.
Why Live Online Casino Games are Popular
Human interaction was traditionally an important part of casino games, and the earliest online sites struggled to replicate this to any great effect.
While the digital variants of games provide plenty of excitement, the fact they are powered by random number generators removes some of the skill element.
Playing live games brings skill back into the equation, allowing players to go head-to-head with the croupier or dealer in an epic battle of wills.
Convenience is another reason why live online games have become popular, with players able to play at a time and place that suits their individual needs.
Visiting a land-based venue can be an extremely costly affair, but live online casinos can be accessed in just a few clicks on desktop or mobile.
On that basis, live online casino games are fully expected to become even more prevalent over the coming years.