Online casinos in the US now live in six states. In three of these states live casino games stream via HD webcams to residents via land-based studios. They offer a personalized table gaming experience with non-computer-generated results and an atmosphere that gives you a land-based gambling experience without having to set foot inside a casino.
The best live online casinos USA guide presented here shows a number of casino establishments that host a lobby that connects to live casino games from Evolution – a live dealer brand renowned for providing high-quality webcam streaming to live casino table games and game shows. These games also come complete with pitch-perfect microphones so you can hear the cards shuffle, that famous sound of the roulette ball clunking on the wheel, and the dealer making game announcements. You can also converse with dealers and croupiers via live chat while using sophisticated betting tech to place your virtual chips directly on the felts.
This combination of ingenious technology, smooth gameplay, and dealer/croupier interaction brings land-based gaming directly to your living room or while on the move via responsive mobile apps. However, there are still some live casino players that feel live casino games can still offer even more personal human interaction.
What is the attraction to live casino gaming?
Live casino games do not use random number generators (RNGs) to produce the outcome, and instead, all results are 100% natural, or in other words, they are not computer-generated. This is because the webcam is streaming real-life dealers and croupiers to casino members’ devices in real-time. That means when you play live blackjack, for instance, there are real-life tables, cards, and dealers just as you would get in a land-based casino. The only difference is that you bet using virtual chips.
- All results are 100% natural in live casino games
- Real-life dealers deal with the cards on the tables in real-time
- Croupiers control the action in the roulette wheels and for every dice roll
Can the current real-time & real-life personalized touch live gaming offers improve?
There are two key opportunities live casino games can evolve in order to offer more human interaction to add to the engaging live casino gameplay already on offer.
- The webcams: With virtual reality (VR) evolving and regular news reports in tech publications continually mention the Metaverse is the next big technological game-changer on the horizon. Right now, when you play a live dealer game, the images may be 3D, but when we compare the experience to VR, it is downgraded to 2D. Once VR live gaming comes into play, we’ll be able to sit at live tables and see the entire live casino studio and take a look at what’s above, below, to the left and right of us.
- Dealer/Croupier Interaction: Currently, the only way to converse with dealers and croupiers is via a live chat interface. Although we can hear the dealers/croupiers, and they respond to live chat comments, it is still not the same as physically visiting a land-based casino and conversing. Two things can change this. Firstly, VR because players will be sitting at the table in the virtual world created. There is also a European brand, called CreedRoomz that recently announced it will enable full voice chat for its high roller players on VIP tables. This new way to play then eliminates live chat.
For the time being VR is still a little way off. However, Evolution does have a live game show currently available to European players that are testing the waters with VR in live casinos. While offering full voice chat is already possible, the live casinos will need to employ some kind of monitoring to ensure all voice chat is above board, especially between players, which is perhaps why they do not offer this feature at this time.
What have live casino game developers already incorporated to offer player engagement?
It has to be said, live dealer games in their current form offer plenty of human interaction. Here are some of the features on offer that have not already been mentioned.
- Virtual Chips in the Felts: Most live dealer games give you the ability to place your virtual chips directly on the felts in the same way as you would if you were physically sat at a land-based casino table.
- VR Game Shows: Evolution is currently testing the water with VR via its live game show – Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt. It is a treasure hunt title with an Aztec theme and a VR headset. You can zoom into this adventure game’s virtual world and play the game with the animated Gonzo character and alongside the presenter.
- Land-based casino games: Players can connect to roulette or baccarat tables situated on the casino floor of land-based casinos. The table has a webcam rig so you can bet using virtual chips alongside casino customers betting physical chips.
- Unlimited Seats Tech: These live casino games can accommodate an unlimited number of players, so there’s never any need to queue.
- Mobile Gameplay: Live dealer games are also available on mobile devices thanks to responsive HTML5 tech.
In Europe, the popular Bitcoin cryptocurrency is also popular on Evolution and Ezugi live casino game titles. However, the US iGaming market is unlikely to adopt cryptos soon, but if it does become available, the tech is already in place to roll it out.
Which live casino brands are available in & in which states?
State gaming laws require that live casino games operate within state borders. That means for a live dealer brand to offer its services in New Jersey, it must have a live casino studio and license in the state. Currently, the US has three of the best live casino brands operating across three states, and each one holds a license to offer B2B services to online casinos also operating under state iGaming laws.
- New Jersey: Ezugi, Playtech, and Evolution each have a live casino studio in the Garden state. Evolution and Ezugi are the most popular, while Playtech has only just entered the market. Each software provider operates as a Casino Service Industry Enterprise (CSIE) under the regulatory framework set out by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE).
- Michigan: Evolution and Playtech both operate almost equal market shares in the Wolverine State. They both have independent studios under a Provisional License – Supplier – Manufacturer Registration issued by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).
- Pennsylvania: Currently Evolution has 100% of the market share in the Keystone State. The studio operates within state borders under the Interactive Gaming Manufacturer License issued by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
Each of these studios is responsible for any upgrades to their live dealer games. For the time being, the best way to create more human interaction with dealers and croupiers is via interactive two-way voice chat. However, this feature would probably only work for desktop users and not smartphone players using Apple smartphones or Android devices while on the move mostly because they cannot control background noise. As for adding a more authentic land-based experience, live dealer games will inevitably move with new technology, and the most likely to have a major impact on this iGaming vertical is virtual reality.
