Walking the red carpet into a real-life casino, soaking up the atmosphere, with lights shining from every corner and the sound of coins, slot machines, and people murmuring is an irreplaceable feeling. Adrenalin-pumping anxiety and the uncertainty followed by hope of winning that jackpot was something you could experience only in traditional casinos – up until now.
Online gambling sites have come a long way since they first emerged more than two decades ago. Two-dimensional slot machines with basic graphics and generic-looking playing tables weren’t able to fill the gap between the online and real-life experiences. In recent years, developers coupled with online casino management developed technologies that can replicate the environment of the land-based casinos including introducing real, live dealers. Playing with croupiers that are real people closed the gap between online gambling and going into the real casino. It changed online gambling forever making them equal to real-life casinos.
How does it work?
Online casinos have every game available, poker, roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. At the previously agreed upon time you can join the table where the live dealer will be waiting. As soon as there are enough players at the table the game can start. As far as turning on mics and web cameras casinos have different rules. Some might ask of you to turn the camera on or you wouldn’t be able to play, while others don’t mind you staying hidden without even turning on your mic. Try out various options to see what works best for you. Generally, many people like seeing other players, and with the introduction of virtual reality, they will be able to interact just like they would in the traditional establishment.
What do you need to join the game?
For maximum enjoyment, you’ll need a few things. First, high-speed internet connection. If your network is unstable and keeps breaking up, you will most likely be kicked out of the game. Further, if the casino requires a mic and camera make sure you tested them before joining the table so that everything works perfectly. Lastly, make sure you’re comfortably sitting without distractions. Placing bets is time-limited so keep in mind that you won’t be able to take a bathroom break or grab something from the fridge. Again, you’ll be eliminated from further betting. Many players like to use noise-canceling headphones to be sure that no one and nothing will interfere while they’re playing.
For beginners, it’s advisable to play regular online games to get used to the rules and the time available for betting. It will give them a feeling of how the stuff works, so once they join the live dealer table, they are already familiar with the order of play.
One more important detail – live dealer tables are available at certain times of the day, so you’ll have to work around your daily schedule if you want to join the game. The dealers change every half an hour, so there are many time slots available to adjust to different schedules.
Are online casinos trustworthy?
It’s a lucrative business that makes billions of dollars in profits every year. So, they must be doing something right. Still, the reputation of the online casinos has been smudged before and, for some, the stain is still there. The biggest issue was about paying out earned prizes, bonuses, and promotions. Deposits took forever and the customer service wasn’t exactly stellar either. Casinos were almost impossible to reach over the phone, and even when you do chances are that your problem wouldn’t be resolved successfully with customers getting some pre-rehearsed generic answers from the customer service agents. Getting someone to respond to your email was even worse. As you can see, trust was broken for a good reason.
Online casinos soon realized that in order to get their business going trust has to be built between the management and players. Some government officials of where the casinos were located realized that gambling sites are not going to go away, so they decided to regulate them, which in return gave players some confidence that they will be treated fairly and respectfully. Some, not all. There are still many unregulated online gambling sites that give a bad name to the whole industry.
Promotions and bonuses
Every reputable online casino is running loads of promotions, bonuses, giveaways, loyalty programs, and prizes. While casinos are competing among themselves in a dog-eat-dog world of gambling, the players are cashing in. It’s a tough business and casinos are offering an abundance of promotions to attract prospective players. Sign-up bonuses have become a standard in the casino industry in order to draw in crowds and hopefully gain some returning customers. Loyalty program is a special kind of bait – the more you play, the bigger the prizes once you win. That’s why many players, once they choose the casino that fits their needs and their schedule, stick to them.
Live casino games
Just like in a real casino, the online ones offer blackjack, roulette, which are the most popular, poker and baccarat to play against a live dealer. Websites with large numbers of players have many tables available at once while smaller casinos tend to have just a few. The games are the same, it’s just your personal preference where you like to play. You can see the dealer, but you can’t see other players, nor they can see you.
Are live dealer casinos the future of gambling?
Quite possibly, but not in any foreseeable future. Brick-and-mortar still account for the majority of the profits from gambling, and online casino is yet to find their place in the business. People are wary of betting big in an online casino due to their shady business in the past. Neither one is going to go out of business anytime soon. Some people are excited at the prospect of playing against a live dealer from the comfort of their homes, while others still prefer going into the traditional casinos. To find more information about online casinos goes to bestonlinecasinos.nz.