Without question, slots rule the digital gambling landscape. However, their main competitor, live dealer casinos games, is steadily gaining traction with each passing year. That is partly due to technological advancements and more players getting familiar with this gaming genre, many of which found it previously inaccessible.
As a rule of thumb, casino operators favor automated games over ones featuring croupiers because they can be played at faster speeds, they incur lower operating costs, and most people find them less intimidating. Yet, the live dealer genre is changing some of these rules, many thought to be set in stone. It has disrupted the online casino sector, quietly assuming the role as one of its chief revenue drivers.
Covered Topics
The Technology Used By Live Casinos
It is important to note that live dealer games are not an invention of the 2010s, even though they were widely established during this decade. Playtech, the famous UK gaming software developer, created the first live casino in 2003, soft-launching it for the Asian market. In the three years that followed, Evolution Gaming got birthed, and Microgaming joined the live games race. At that time, internet speeds were not what they are today. Therefore, many players faced lag issues, and live games were impractical to offer and play from most. Thanks to increased internet penetration, 4G and 5G networks, and the rise of WebRTC solutions, lag is no longer a common problem, and table action can get streamed in HD resolution to everyone.
Most live studios implement multiple camera setups, allowing players to change angles, one of which is virtually always an overhead shot, which allows for maximum transparency. When discussing game fairness, it is noteworthy to mention independent auditing agencies such as TST and iTech Labs that ensure these streaming games are 100% random. They check roulette wheels and RNG algorithms of non-traditional options that utilize them. Card games implement optical readers, whereas a dealer has to scan each card in play through a scanning device, which registers it onto the game interface. That way, everyone is clear on what has transpired on the table. Live games like blackjack and baccarat also use automatic card shufflers from companies like IGT and Shuffle Master to guarantee that all the cards dealt have gotten arranged in the combos they have formed incidentally.
Why Are Most Live Studios In Smaller Countries?
There are two reasons why most game providers build their live dealer studios in smaller European countries and run their gambling products from these locations. The first motive is to offer their games globally, which requires that operators have a gaming license that allows them to cater to players from multiple regions. In Europe, Malta is the Old Continent’s interactive gaming haven, and its regulator, the MGA, provides approval to companies based in Malta to offer their gaming service internationally. So, due to its lax gambling laws, providers seek to make a home in this country. The same goes for Latvia and Romania, which also play host to multiple live dealer studios.
The second reason these territories act as bases for streaming providers is that they have cheap labor. Plus, a young English-speaking workforce. Consequently, gambling operators do not have to break the bank when setting up shop in these regions.
That said, not every country on the planet has similar gambling laws. For example, in the US, if someone wants to offer games of chance over the internet to residents of a specific state, they cannot do so from a foreign country. They must have their studio and offices in that particular territory, which is why Playtech launched live studios in Michigan and New Jersey in late-2021.
What Are the Top Live Dealer Providers
Founded in 2006, Evolution is undoubtedly the most vital live provider on the planet. It is a company that has offices in the US, Canada, Malta, Holland, Lithuania, Belarus, Romania, Spain, Belgium, Latvia, Sweden, and the UK. Evolution supplies streaming game products to thousands of casinos worldwide. It engulfed NetEnt’s live division and has acquired multiple competitors such as Ezugi. Playtech and Pragmatic Play dramatically trail behind Evolution in this sphere, with other noteworthy live brands including LuckyStreak, BetGames.TV, and Asia Gaming.
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