Our quick guide to the mechanics of live casino games

🇺🇦 Side-Line stands with Ukraine - Show your Support

Live casino games have revolutionised the online gaming industry, combining online play with the tradition of a land-based casino.

This fusion has created a unique game, offering real-time gameplay, professional dealers, and many games that can be played at the Virgin Bet live casino.

This guide explores the mechanics of live casino games, explaining how they work and what makes them distinct from traditional online casino games.

The basics

Live casino games are streamed in real-time from specialised studios or actual casino floors, where professional dealers manage the games.

Players participate through an online interface, placing bets and making decisions using their computer or mobile device.

The game results are determined by real-life actions and as they’re streamed in real-life it ensures transparency.

The technology behind live casino games

The smooth operation of live casino games relies on several key technologies:

High-Definition (HD) streaming: Live games are broadcast in HD video, ensuring clear visuals. Multiple cameras capture different angles, providing a transparent viewing experience. Advanced streaming technology minimises latency, allowing for real-time play.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR): OCR technology is crucial in live casino games as it converts the physical actions of the dealer into data that the software can interpret. When a dealer deals cards or spins the Roulette wheel, OCR captures these actions and translates them into the game’s interface.
Game Control Unit (GCU): Live casino tables are equipped with a GCU – a small device that encodes the video broadcast and ensures smooth real-time videos.

Popular live casino games

Many classic casino games are available in live formats and offer unique features and gameplay mechanics:

Live Roulette: One of the most popular live casino games, live Roulette involves a real dealer spinning a physical Roulette wheel.
Live Blackjack: In live Blackjack, players compete against a live dealer, aiming to achieve a hand value as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it – going ‘bust’.
Live Baccarat: This involves a dealer handling the cards and players betting on the Player, Banker, or a Tie.
Live Poker: Players compete against the dealer, to form the best possible hand.
Live Game Shows: Innovative game shows like Monopoly Live blend traditional casino elements with popular game show formats, providing a unique experience.

How to get started

Getting started with live casino games has a few steps to it, here’s what you can do:

Choose a reputable casino: It’s important to select an online casino that offers a variety of live games, good customer service, and secure transactions, so look for casinos licensed by reputable regulatory bodies.
Create an account: Sign up for an account by providing the required details, which is why it’s important to take the first step to ensure your private information is secure.
Select a game: After you’ve made your account, you can browse the live casino section and choose a game that interests you. Take note of the betting limits to find a table that suits your budget.

Live casino games represent the pinnacle of online gaming innovation, combining cutting-edge technology with traditional casino gaming.

Their unique mechanics and authentic atmosphere make them a great gaming choice, as live casino games offer a unique way to enjoy your favourite games.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff Chief editor

Bernard Van Isacker is the Chief Editor of Side-Line Magazine. With a career spanning more than two decades, Van Isacker has established himself as a respected figure in the darkwave scene.

See Full Bio

Since you’re here …

… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The donations are safely powered by Paypal.