When online casinos first started to appear two decades ago, they were pretty primitive and distinctly two dimensional. Since then, operators have striven to make their virtual experience as close as possible to the reality of playing in a bricks and mortar casino. The latest innovation is live casino, where players interact with real dealers and croupiers as they place their bets on an actual table.
There are several things that distinguish a live casino from a regular online casino, the most obvious of which is the use of real cards and chips. In addition, the games are streamed in high definition, which adds to the sense of realism. Players are able to chat with the dealer and other players, which enhances the social element of the game.
While this does increase the cost of running a live casino, it also increases the level of interaction and authenticity of the gameplay. It means that players can get to know the croupiers they are dealing with and can build a rapport, making the games much more enjoyable.
At Unibet, we are proud to offer a range of live casino games at our eleven online casinos. These include a variety of blackjack and poker variations, along with Speed Baccarat and American Roulette. With a wide variety of games available to suit any player, it’s easy to find a table that suits you.
The technology behind the live casino games is based on an Optical Character Recognition system, which translates visual information from the video feed into data that can be recognised by the software that runs the game. This then allows the casino to instantly recognise which bets have won or lost, and deduct or award winnings accordingly.
In terms of the game play itself, it is much the same as in a regular online casino, with players staking money on a virtual table and placing bets using the digital interface. The outcome of the bets, however, is decided by real casino equipment such as a dealer drawing cards or spinning an authentic roulette wheel.
There are a number of different ways to participate in a live casino, with players usually logging on to their chosen online casino and browsing the selection of live tables, just as they would scope out a table on a real casino floor. Once a suitable table is found, players can click on it to be whisked away to the table and watch the action unfold via the video link. It’s a simple process that can take just minutes. The only caveat is that players must be above the legal age for gambling in their state, which ranges from 18 to 21. Those that are not yet legally allowed to gamble can still enjoy the plethora of other games on offer, which includes everything from online sports betting to virtual card and board games. If this is something you’d like to try out, you can register with any of our online casinos and start playing in minutes.