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Written By Jeremy Olson |
Updated on 03 December, 2024
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Live dealer online casinos strike the perfect balance between a social gaming experience and convenience. You’ll enjoy live blackjack, roulette, and more with no driving, flying, or sitting next to grumpy gamblers who blame dealers for everything.
Now here’s the key – where do you play? Start with our handpicked list of the best live dealer casinos below.
Welcome Bonus up to $5,000 + 125 Spins
250% Casino Bonus
250% Bonus Up To $2,500 + 50 Free Spins
Welcome Bonus Package Up To $3,000
300% Match Bonus up to $6,000
150% deposit bonus up to $2,000
100% Welcome Bonus Up To $3,000
200% Instant Bonus up to 10ETH
200 % up to 10,000 USDT + 10% Cashback
$6,000 Welcome Bonus + 50 Free Spins Code: 200GOBIG
We’d like to go further than the list above and offer you live casino reviews on our favorite operators. These sites stand out in multiple ways, but they could improve in certain areas too.
Pros
Cons
Wild Casino tops our list of the best live casinos due to its game selection, reasonable betting limits, and many banking options. It has 24 unique live games and 70 tables overall. You can also make wagers as low as $1 and $5 on baccarat and blackjack, respectively.
As with most casinos, Wild prohibits live gaming from meeting bonus rollover. We can look past this, though, given everything else the Wild live casino offers.
Pros
Cons
Bovada is best known for its slots jackpots, but this US-focused gambling site is working on its live dealer casino. It recently added over a dozen games, giving it 22 unique live casino offerings. Other benefits include a large welcome bonus and high crypto withdrawal limits.
We’d like seeing the two live casino lobbies combined into one. This is just a small complaint, though, for what’s otherwise one of the best live casinos.
Pros
Cons
This sports betting hub also knows plenty about live gaming. It features over two dozen live dealer casino games spread across 68 tables. You also don’t have to go through KYC until you’ve made three withdrawals or hit $2k in cashouts.
BetWhale could stand to raise its $2.5k withdrawal limits and offer more promotions. Even with these drawbacks, we view BetWhale as one of the best live online casinos.
Pros
Cons
Out of our five live casino reviews, Black Lotus is the only one that offers live dealer promotions. It provides 5% cashback on live gaming losses from Monday through Friday and pays $500 hand bonuses for outstanding blackjack hands. This casino also has an attractive welcome bonus and a unique crypto loyalty program.
The main drawback is that Black Lotus only has five live games and 11 tables overall. It’s still a worthwhile option, especially if you’re looking for live casino promotions.
Pros
Cons
CoinPoker is the place to play if you want fast payouts, with live casino winnings sometimes arriving in 60 minutes or less. You can also play here through an app, which isn’t common at other top live casinos. Pragmatic Play live games look really good on the CoinPoker app thanks to their well-polished studio setups.
Don’t expect many promotions when playing live or in the regular online casino. If you can get past the limited promos, CoinPoker is definitely a good choice for live gaming.
The following table gives you a quick snapshot of how the best live casino sites compare in several important categories.
Live Casino | Welcome Bonus | Wagering Requirements | Types of Live Dealer Games |
Wild Casino | 250% up to $1,000 | 40x (b+d) | Baccarat, blackjack, dice, lottery, roulette, sports-themed |
Bovada | 75% up to $750 | 30x (b+d) | Baccarat, blackjack, roulette, Super 6 |
BetWhale | 250% up to $1,000 | 30x (b+d) | Baccarat, blackjack, dice, roulette, sports-themed, war |
Black Lotus | 200% up to $7,000 + 30 free spins | 60x (b) | Baccarat, blackjack, roulette |
CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 (poker) | 2x the poker rake | Andar Bahar, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, sic bo |
Lucky Creek | 200% up to $7,500 + 30 free spins | 50x (b) | Baccarat, blackjack, roulette |
Lucky Red Casino | 400% up to $4,000 + $75 free chip | 50x (b+d) | Baccarat, blackjack, roulette |
Ignition Casino | 150% up to $3,000 ($1.5k for poker) | 25x (b+d) | Baccarat, blackjack, roulette, poker, sports-themed, Super 6 |
TG.Casino | 200% up to 10 ETH | 6x for every 10% of the bonus | Baccarat, blackjack, craps, game show, roulette, slots, sports-themed |
BetUS | 200% up to $2,750 (150% up to $1,500 sports) | 30x (release & cashout) | Baccarat, blackjack, casino hold’em, Super 6 |
You probably know the basics of live casino sites—they stream games from land-based casino studios to your phone, tablet or computer. This is good base knowledge, but how do live dealer online casinos actually work?
Let’s start with the interface. A live casino overlays software elements to give you more options while playing. You’ll see chip denominations, hand actions, your bankroll balance, and a menu that may include audio controls, a zoom option, and game rules.
You’ll also notice a text box where you can message the dealer. As long as you keep it clean and respectful, you can chat with the dealer about pretty much anything.
This brings us to one final element: the technology that helps studios recreate the land-based casino feeling.
Live gaming sites use optical character recognition (OCR) tech to capture what happens during games, such as cards being dealt or gameshow wheels spinning. OCR immediately transmits this info to you, making it seem like everything is happening right in front of you.
Live dealer casinos have a backup plan in case of service interruptions, software malfunctions, or other problems. They can use AI to simulate a live casino game with realistic table action and fair odds.
Live dealer online casinos don’t completely replace the brick-and-mortar experience. After all, there’s nothing like holding cards in your hand and gloating to the dealer first hand when you’re running hot.
But live casino sites do have certain advantages that make them worthwhile, including the following:
There’s a reason why live dealer games have become more and more popular since debuting two decades ago—they’re authentic.
Every card dealt, every wheel spin, every hand won or loss is physically happening. Contrast this to regular online casino games, where a random number generator (RNG) determines results.
Live casino games are also the real deal in terms of atmosphere. Providers like Fresh Deck and Pragmatic Live do their best to create genuine casino setups, from the background to the tables.
Many online casino table games look similar to what you’d see in a land-based establishment. But even with 3D graphics, they’re just slightly off a true casino experience.
Live Casino Pros | Live Casino Cons | Regular Casino Pros | Regular Casino Cons |
✅Authentic casino atmosphere | ❌Time limit on actions | ✅No time limit on decisions | ❌Software-generated atmosphere |
✅Strong social element | ❌Often excluded from bonuses | ✅Usually contribute to bonuses | ❌No social aspect |
✅Revolutionary games | ❌Blackjack can have a $10 min. bet | ✅Lower stakes | ❌Not much innovation over the last 5-10 years |
Once a small part of online gaming, the live dealer casino niche now features hundreds of games. Let’s discuss what you can expect in different game categories.
Blackjack is generally the most popular game at live dealer online casinos. It comes in plenty of live variations, such as Early Payout, Free Bet, Infinite, Party, and Speed Blackjack.
Many variants feature over 99% RTP with the correct strategy. For example, Infinite and Early Payout offer 99.55% and 99.5% payback, respectively.
Roulette runs a close second to blackjack regarding live casino popularity. It too has many variants, like Double Ball, French (La Partage), Immersive, Lightning, PowerUp, and Quantum Roulette.
The French version offers the best payback at 98.65% RTP for even-money bets (e.g. red/black). Some variations have large win multipliers, such as Quantum Roulette multipliers going up to 499x.
The best live online casinos have found ways to reinvent baccarat. Some live dealer baccarat games are Golden Wealth, Mega, No Commission, Speed, and Super 8.
The banker bet (98.94% RTP) gives you the best chance to win under traditional strategy. But live dealer baccarat variations can differ, like how the Golden Wealth player bet (98.85% RTP) theoretically pays better than this game’s banker wager (98.69%).
Plenty of poker games are available at live dealer online casinos. Examples include Caribbean stud, casino hold’em, Texas Hold’em Bonus, and three-card poker.
Live poker variants are straightforward and usually played like they are in land-based casinos. For example, you’ll see the same winning bonus hands in land-based and live Texas Hold’em Bonus.
Live casinos didn’t offer craps until recently because of its nature. After all, how do you have players at home roll the dice?
Evolution Gaming answered this question several years ago by introducing a mechanical arm. Live craps online works similar to the land-based version in almost every way, featuring the same bets, layout, and a stickman. The only difference is that the mechanical arm rolls the dice for you.
Something truly unique about live gaming is game shows, which aren’t available in brick-and-mortar casinos. They typically involve a dealer spinning a prize wheel to determine winning and losing bets.
Popular live dealer game shows include Dream Catcher, Mega Wheel, Sweet Bonanza CandyLand, and Wheel of Fortune.
The best live casino sites offer more beyond the categories covered above. Lottery- and sports-themed games are examples of what’s available in the Other section. For instance, T-Basket sees you wager on how many jump shots basketball players make.
Most of these games have around 95-96% RTP, making them similar to game shows in terms of payout percentages.
Online casinos can vary greatly regarding if they offer live dealer casino bonuses. Let’s discuss what to expect when these promos are available.
The typical welcome bonus sees slots contribute 100% towards wagering requirements and other games offer a smaller percentage. When not excluded, live casino wagers usually contribute 5-10%.
In rare cases, you may find a casino that features an alternative live casino welcome promo. For example, a gaming site might provide a 100% up to $250 live dealer casino bonus.
A reload bonus is usually similar to welcome offers regarding terms and excluded games. Check the terms and conditions to see if live games count towards rollover at your preferred casino.
We don’t see many bonuses specifically for live casino play—but they do exist. Examples include reload deposit bonuses, hand bonuses, free bets, and leaderboard races for live games.
Our Black Lotus review highlights an example of a live casino cashback deal. In this case, you get 5% back on losses occurring between Monday and Friday.
A live dealer casino tournament sees you compete for prizes against fellow players. You’ll earn points when playing live online casino games for real money, with the hope that you rank high enough to win a prize.
Some online casinos include live dealer play in their VIP rewards. You won’t collect as many loyalty points for playing live games as with slots. But getting rewarded with anything for your live play is better than nothing.
We’ve compiled a list of the top live casinos based on our reviewing and playing experiences. Although located offshore, these operators are licensed, safe, and have solid reputations.
You must play at a live online casino for real money—no demo mode allowed. Luckily, you’ll have a variety of ways to fund your account and start playing.
Credit and debit cards let you make instant transactions and begin playing live games immediately. They’re also easy to use since you simply enter your card number and expiration date to deposit.
On the downside, some casinos with live dealers charge fees when using a card. You also won’t be able to withdraw funds from offshore casinos with credit/debit cards.
You can link a credit card or bank account to an eWallet (e.g. PayPal, Neteller), then use your wallet to make casino deposits and accept payments. Besides being convenient for deposits and withdrawals, eWallets are among the most secure live casino banking methods.
Unfortunately, many offshore casinos don’t offer this payment option. Even when eWallets are available, you’ll pay around 3% fees on withdrawals.
The best fast payout casinos rely on cryptocurrency to deliver winnings quickly. You can expect crypto payments to arrive in under an hour after casino processing.
Cryptocurrencies are also available for deposits, although they’re slightly slower than bank cards. A crypto deposit typically arrives in 10-20 minutes—not bad, but not instant either.
Bitcoin casinos are leading the way, offering a perfect mix of speedy crypto transactions and great gaming experiences.
A prepaid card (e.g. Paysafecard) is handy for making instant live casino deposits. You might consider a prepaid card if you don’t have a bank account.
This banking option isn’t common at offshore live dealer gaming sites. You also need to load money onto your card before depositing, which can be slightly inconvenient.
A bank transfer lets you send or receive money when playing at live dealer online casinos. Just enter simple details like your account and routing number to use this method.
Most online banking options we see aren’t instant, meaning withdrawals can be slow. You’ll wait 3-5 days for payments to arrive via bank transfer, which is much slower than crypto.
Many live dealer casino software providers offer high-quality games, but we’d like to focus on the best studios we’ve come across. Learn about the games, studio setups, and betting options from top-tier providers below.
Launched in 2006, Evolution took advantage of its early mover status and is the world’s top live dealer studio. It features dozens of games, including some of the most innovative game shows. Examples of the latter include Crazy Time, Extra Chilli, Funky Time, and Lightning Storm.
The betting limits accommodate low and high rollers, going from $0.25 (Party Blackjack) to $25,000 (Baccarat Control Squeeze).
Playtech became famous for branded movie slots in the 2000s, and it has applied some of this formula to its live studio. Examples include Deal or No Deal: The Big Draw, Jumanji: The Bonus Level, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
This developer has one of the highest-paying live dealer casino games we’ve ever seen. Blackjack VIP features 99.7% RTP, which is about as good as it gets.
Visionary supplies games to several of the best live dealer casinos, like Bovada, BetUS, and Ignition. It may not have the largest selection, but it does feature interesting games like Super 6 and Blackjack Early Payout. The latter is a high-paying game with 99.5% RTP.
You can play ViG blackjack games for anywhere from $5 (Early Payout) to $5,000 (regular blackjack) per hand. Roulette games feature the cheapest minimum wager at $1.
Fresh Deck offers standard live games for US-friendly online casinos. Its selection includes baccarat, blackjack, and American and European roulette.
Some blackjack tables feature a $5-$10 minimum bet. You can wager as little as $0.50 on certain roulette wheels.
Pragmatic Play has made a smooth transition from developing hit slots to providing live dealer games. It’s every bit as innovative as Evolution, with titles such as Blackjack X, Boom City, Mega Roulette, and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand.
Some of these games offer huge payouts, including Boom City and CandyLand each featuring a 20,000x max win.
Live dealer games aren’t like slots, where you mindlessly spin the reels—most involve some level of strategy. Here are tips to help you win more often at live dealer tables:
Most of our live casino reviews focus on operators with browser-based play. You play live games at these sites using a smartphone/tablet browser like Safari or Chrome. The top live casinos we use play very well through a browser.
CoinPoker and a few other offshore live gaming sites feature an app. You might like this option if you commonly use apps for everything phone-related.
Wild Casino is our top live dealer online casino for multiple reasons. It has obvious benefits like two dozen live games and reasonable minimum bets. Overlooked advantages include withdrawal limits up to $100k and a great mixture of traditional and crypto banking methods.
No matter where you play, you’ll enjoy more anonymity, wide betting ranges, and fast crypto payouts at live gaming sites. If you’re used to playing regular online table games, you may appreciate the social aspect and authentic studios at live casinos.
You’ll also have access to many types of games, ranging from roulette and blackjack to game shows and lotteries. We highly recommend you check out live casinos and everything they have to offer.
Live dealer gaming sites let you play live casino games online. They feature real dealers, tables, cards, and wheels—all while streaming the action to your smartphone or computer. Some of the best real money live casino games include blackjack, Dream Catcher, French roulette, Speed Baccarat, and T-Kick.
Wild Casino is the best live dealer online casino due to its large live game selection, bonuses, and high withdrawal limits. Bovada, BetWhale, Black Lotus, and CoinPoker are also among the best real money live casinos.
Dozens of live casino games are available, including Baccarat Squeeze, Blackjack Early Payout, Mega Roulette, Dream Catcher, Gonzo’s Treasure Map Live, Texas Hold’em Bonus, and many more.
Every live dealer online casino we recommend has licensing in one or more jurisdictions. They follow their licensing authority’s rules and only accept players from countries they’re allowed to serve.
Dealers at live casinos can’t see or hear you, but they can view any chat messages you send them. Croupiers can respond verbally to what you type.
Any bets placed will remain valid after you get disconnected. Therefore, you’ll win or lose your wager like normal, even if you’re not present.
Online casinos differ on whether they allow live dealer games to contribute to bonus wagering requirements. When live games do contribute, it’s usually at a 5-10% rate versus 100% for slots.
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