Since the young online casino industry’s launch, things have been moving pretty fast, all thanks to technological advancements. Most online casinos are currently experimenting with virtual, reality technology, cryptocurrencies, and 4D gambling experiences.
These technologies have gone a long way in augmenting the live casino gaming experience. While the live dealers have relied on relatively basic technologies in the past, things are about to get pretty interesting.
The idea of an online live casino offering was born to make the whole online casino experience as thrilling, exciting, and immersive as a land-based casino floor experience. This article explains everything you need to know about live casino gaming.
The Basics of Live Casino Gaming
For beginners with absolutely no prior information on the working of live casinos, it is good that we start with the basics. A live casino is essentially an online casino experience where you can play games such as roulette, poker, and blackjack with a live dealer fand not RNG software.
A handful of live streaming technologies are required to run a live casino. This gives you a chance to engage with actual dealers, real cards, and real wheels. Live casino gaming delivers a more realistic online gambling experience in real-time.
Some players consider live dealer games more trustworthy than other casino video format games. However, the truth is that the win rates are identical for virtual and live casino offerings.
The Key Components of Live Online Casino
For online casinos to effectively and efficiently offer live casino games, they must invest in several technologies. Below are the major components required for a seamless live casino online streaming experience:
Cameras
It goes without saying that the casino cannot stream a live game without high-quality cameras put in place. Fortunately, technological breakthroughs have seen the production of smaller but highly powerful cameras capable of streaming live feeds.
A live roulette game, for instance, will have three separate cameras installed on the table for an overview of the wheel, shots of the table, and one for a picture-in-picture display.
Game Control Unit
Often abbreviated as GCU, the Game Control Unit is a vital component for live casino offerings. Each casino table has a GCU installed on it.
A GCU is a device, the size of a shoebox, installed to encode the video being broadcast to the online casino platform. This technology helps the dealer in running and monitoring the live dealer games.
In a nutshell, the online casino cannot offer live dealer games without installing Game Control Units on the tables in the brick-and-mortar casino establishment.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Ever encountered a speed camera monitoring your car? If your answer was in the affirmative, then you have already had an interactive experience with one of the central technologies used in live casinos.
An OCR is essentially embedded into the casino’s live stream and tasked with digitally recognizing all characters on the cards dealt. This way, the operator can tell whether you have been dealt at blackjack or a Royal Flush.
Optical Character Recognition is already being used in live roulette games but to a small extent. Most live roulette games employ the use of sensors installed in the roulette wheel. The sensor is tasked with monitoring the ball’s landing number and feeding that data back to the server.
With these technologies, players get to enjoy 100% accuracy and automated payouts in real-time. Data collected using the OCR is then fed to the GCU for digitizing, helping bridge the gap between the physical and digital.
The Wheel
The live casino room could have a wheel depending on the casino game in question. Casino operators partner with leading casino configuration manufacturers for high-grade casino software interfaces, and each wheel comes with a built-in sensor.
The Live Dealer
We have already established that the live online casino room cannot run without a live dealer. The dealer is responsible for handling the games and dealing cards so that the player gets the same experience as that of a real casino floor.
Online casinos only deal with professional dealers who understand all the rules of the different games. No reputable operator would hire a dealer who is not conversant with all rules, and when they do, they first sponsor them for training.
Technology has made it possible to track every live dealer’s action using a smart card.
High-Tech Monitors
Monitors are installed for players to see what is going on in the live casino room. You can also choose to appear on the monitor feed or not. Most cameras have what we call a blind spot, which you can take advantage of when you do not want to appear on the screen.
The presence of a monitor is also important for the dealer because it urges them to take appropriate action when necessary. It also helps them keep track of possible bets and those that need closure.
In addition, a monitor allows the dealer to see players participating in the game in real-time. The player and the dealer can also engage in a live chat for an enhanced gambling experience.
Security and Payouts
Live casino gaming also entails top-level e-payment security, just like in a typical online casino. The idea is to guarantee players’ peace of mind by assuring them that their personal and financial data is safe.
You should understand that most reputable online payment methods are highly encrypted to prevent security breaches. In addition, there are other authentication protocols put in place to prevent fraud.
The live game stream itself also needs to be well protected with encryption. This ensures that no unauthorized third parties can get access to the game. Leading online casino operators tend to take security seriously because they understand that it is one way to attract and retain players.
Conclusion
Online casinos are making milestones by embracing technological innovations for an augmented online gambling experience. The live online casino offerings offer players an experience close to that of a land-based casino floor.
While how live casino rooms develop over the next couple of years remains a mystery, what’s certain is that this entertainment sector is always eager to embrace new technologies.
