Live casino is a type of online gambling that allows players to play with a real dealer in real time. This is a great way to enjoy your favorite casino games without leaving the comfort of your home. It’s also a more social experience than playing at traditional online casinos, since you can chat with other players in real time.
Unlike regular online casino games, which are played against computer RNG software, live dealer games allow you to play with real dealers and have the ability to chat with them as you would at a brick-and-mortar casino. This makes the experience more exciting and enjoyable, and can be a great way to make new friends who share your interests.
When choosing a live casino, it’s important to check that the site is legitimate and has a good reputation. Most reputable live casinos will have a license and be regulated by a governing body. It’s also a good idea to read the terms and conditions before making your first bet.
The Most Common Game Features
The most popular live casino games are blackjack, roulette and baccarat. These are all played with a dealer and are available on desktop and mobile devices. The games are streamed from live studios or land-based casinos to the player’s device. The casino will usually have a live chat window and betting controls to help you navigate the game.
Cameras are used to capture the game from various angles, so that you can see the dealer and the table clearly in HD. Typically, a studio will have one wide-angle camera that takes in the whole room and table, and another that focuses on the dealer and the game.
There are also cameras that are set up at a very close distance to capture the action on the wheel and the cards. These cameras use Optical Camera Recognition (OCR) technology to record every detail and translate them into data that the casino software can interpret and display on the screen for players. This helps ensure that the software can track the card, number and symbol of each game and announce the winners as soon as they occur.
Live games are more expensive to run than their non-live counterparts, so most operators choose to offer just a few of these games. This enables them to provide the best possible service to their customers, while still meeting the costs of running their businesses.
Besides the cost of setting up live casinos, there are also some other factors to consider. The most significant of these is the Game Control Unit (GCU). This is a small device that encodes the video that is broadcast to the dealers and other players at the table.
This device is a critical component of live casinos and it’s essential for ensuring the quality of the games. It is designed to keep the dealer safe, to detect and deduct bets that have been placed incorrectly, and to recognise winnings and award them.