By and large, most quality online casino games are electronic online casino games. However, modern technology has given rise to a new type of amusement: online live dealer casino games. Live dealer online casino games are the closest you can get to playing remotely in real physical gaming venues.
When you sit at the virtual table, you're looking at a real-time feed of an actual dealer or croupier via streaming video and audio. Your dealer shuffles the cards, deals you in, spins the wheel, drops the ball, and more, exactly like in real life. Today, live casino options come with multiple player benefits, including greater trust, increased immersion, and a chat feature you can't get with any other online gambling activity.
Most Trusted Live Dealer Casino
Bovada LV is our highest-rated legit online casino offering live dealer games. Founded in 2011, the site caters exclusively to US players and has never missed a single payout. Bovada Casino offers a full-service online casino, live dealer casino, online sportsbook, and online poker room, giving members a trustworthy one-stop shop for all their gambling needs.
New members who join today can claim up to $3,000 in Bovada bonuses, which is boosted to a max of $3750 for those using Bovada Bitcoin/crypto deposit methods. Note, however, that these promos do not count toward any live dealer casino games at the site.
Most Trusted And Reputable
Live Dealer Casinos For 2024
| Casino/Rating | Bonus | USA Friendly | Visit/Review | |
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Benefits Of Playing Live Dealer Games
Before getting into the types of games you can find in your site's live dealer casino section, here are just a few of the benefits of this popular online gambling game format:
- It is a more confidence-inspiring atmosphere for many players since you're dealing with a person and not a "program"
- A more familiar gambling experience for those used to playing table games at real brick-and-mortar casinos
- The excitement of real in-person casino gambling available via your smartphone, tablet, desktop, or laptop computer
- A great visual experience with HD streaming, professional hosts, and the sights and sounds of Vegas
- Multiple different table stakes options perfect for beginners and high-rollers alike
- A solid choice of classic games: blackjack, roulette, baccarat, mini-bac, etc.
- A slower, more true-to-life gaming pace with plenty of time to strategize your next move
- Live chat so you can talk with your dealer and other players at your table
- Free spectator mode so you can watch the action before risking real money
- Unlimited bet-behinds in case the live dealer online casino tables are full during rush hour
Types Of Live Dealer Casino Games
Online Live Blackjack
Live dealer online blackjack doesn't do anything different than classic online blackjack per se; the house rules (dealer hits on 16 or less, stands on 17 or more) are the same as with RNG electronic blackjack games. Of course, there are major gameplay differences, too. For example, you get to see the dealer on the screen and see the cards dealt to fellow players at your online blackjack table, and the game is broadcast to you in real-time. Here, you're playing with a real dealer who really shuffles the cards and keeps a realistic pace of play going all around.
Online Live Roulette
At any legit online casino, there are two types of live dealer roulette games to choose from: American roulette and European roulette. We recommend the single-0 European game for beginners and the double-0 American game for veterans.
Regardless of game type, roulette gives you a potential major edge that electronic online roulette games don't: You get to watch a real croupier's wheel-spinning and ball-dropping habits, which can help inform your next round of wagers.
Online Live Baccarat
While long considered a niche rich person's casino game, online baccarat has opened the classic amusement up to a whole new class of players. Baccarat is the only true gambling game on the live online casino game list, as neither the player nor the dealer actually has any performative impact on the outcome.
Baccarat is essentially a lottery, and you simply place your bets on the baccarat table and await the outcome dictated by the cards dealt. The fun, of course, is in picking and choosing which of the dozens of baccarat bets to place before each round.
Onlie Live Super 6 (Mini-Baccarat)
Super 6 is a popular variation of baccarat commonly found in online live dealer portals. Also called Punto 2000 or mini-baccarat (mini-bac), Super 6 is compelling because of its faster pace of play – and slightly more favorable odds – than standard baccarat.
Super 6 is to classic baccarat what "zone poker" is to regular poker. Live dealer Super 6 rules vary from site to site, but there are always minor variations in standard Baccarat rules, which are more universal.
Live Dealer Poker
Standard hands of poker require multiple participants to play against each other at the same table. The game isn't conducive to live dealers, and streaming options have only recently popped up. We've seen a few varieties of live Texas Hold'em that allow for wagering on the hand that wins. Bets can be made after each round of cards are dealt.
Live Wheel Of Fortune
These are some of the more highly produced streams. They have a game-show-like feel, with a host who spins a brightly colored wheel. The biggest money can be won by correctly selecting where the wheel will land, but there are further options for number ranges, colors, and any other breakdown the casino can think of.
Live Lottery Balls
These games operate similarly to the lottery in your state, but the odds of winning are much higher. Watch as a host selects the winning balls from a vacuum chamber and get paid if you risked money on a correct outcome. The largest jackpots are offered for perfect guesses, but there are often numerous outcomes to gamble on. There are 5, 6, and 7 ball game types.
Live Dice
Since craps requires you to roll the dice, live gambling online is not likely until virtual reality casinos become more common. There are some live dice games available, though. Streams are offered with a human rolling dice into a walled-off surface, and you can gamble on several different results. The only variation we've found is the number of dice used, but these games can be kind of fun, and we've had success.
Live Dealer War
This is a very simple game where one card is dealt to you face up while the dealer's card is dealt face down. Bets can then be made on which card is higher. Aces are high, and a two is the lowest card that can be dealt. If there is a tie, all bets are losers. The best part about War is the fast turnaround, with new games starting roughly every minute.
Live Sports Gambling
This is a strange variety of live gambling that allows bets on players competing against each other in soccer or basketball over a video feed. The soccer games involve two players kicking into a goal with small holes, and the videos seem randomly generated. The basketball games appear to be real-time feeds of two men or two women shooting jump shots. For both sports, there are differing betting types offered, including winners and props for performance.
Online Live Dealer Casino Software
In the modern live online casino market, most sites feature suites from one of two primary software developers: Visionary iGaming (ViG) and Fresh Deck Studios. Every legitimate online casino recommended here features live dealer games from ViG, while Fresh Deck live casino games are available at a more limited selection of sites.
In general, ViG games offer more variety than Fresh Deck games. That is, you'll usually get more tables to choose from, so you'll usually be able to find empty seats at the felts even during the busiest times. Fresh Deck, however, has higher betting limits than ViG. This makes Fresh Deck Studios the best choice for high rollers and seasoned gambling veterans.
Regardless of the brand you choose, these casino software developers and service hosts are USA-friendly and reputable gambling operators.
Note: RNG developers like Realtime Gaming, Microgaming, BetSoft, Playtech, and others make their live dealer casino suites, though these are not commonly used by legit online gambling sites that serve the United States.
Live Dealer Casino Bonuses And Promotions
Unfortunately, most of the standard promotions found at the best online casinos exclude live dealer games from counting toward any promotion rollover/playthrough requirements.
Occasionally, they will contribute to your wagering requirements, but even then, they typically do so at a rate of only 1% (compared to 100% for online slots and 20%+ for most table games). If you primarily intend to play live dealer online gambling games instead of electronic software-based casino games at these trusted gaming sites, you should probably forego any offered gambling bonuses or casino promos.
That said, we think most players still spend most of their time playing RNG casino titles, so we generally recommend accepting any available betting bonuses whenever making new deposits.
Mobile Live Dealer Casino Apps
Live online casinos got their start in the late 2010s, so the mobile revolution was already upon us. Thus, most live dealer online casino sites were already thinking about the mobile aspect when putting together these services.
Of course, given the quick pace of technological advancement, legit mobile casino apps (or, more accurately, mobile casino web apps) have come a long way. Now, with ubiquitous iPhone casino, iPad casino, and Android casino capabilities – along with 5G Internet speeds – live online casino games can be delivered to your device in full HD, no matter where you are.
There are no casino apps to download or update, and there are no geofencing/GPS restrictions. You can literally pull up a seat in front of a real casino dealer anytime, anywhere. As long as you have a modern mobile device, an up-to-date mobile web browser, and an Internet connection, you can go all in.
Online Live Dealer Games Vs. In-Person Casinos
Live online casino games exist to bring you an immersive and true-to-life gambling product that mimics the in-person brick-and-mortar table game experience. And they do this exceptionally well.
These games are the closest you can get to playing in a real gambling house through a combination of streaming video and audio and an interactive live chat feed for every table.
One day, online live dealer casino games will likely be served up in full VR, at which point those games will be almost totally indistinguishable from the in-person game. But we’re not quite there yet.
For now, these are the primary benefits you’ll get playing live online instead of at your local gaming hotspot:
- All the same classic casino table games you expect
- More seats and more tables than any retail venue
- 24/7 access from anywhere in the United States
- Unlimited bet-behinds when the tables are full
- Free spectator mode – Take a break and watch
- Multiple table stakes for all games/tables
- Chat in real-time with dealers/fellow players
- Access RNG casino minigames to play during live sessions
- Quickly move from one table/game to another
- Follow your favorite dealer(s) to play on their schedule
- 100% anonymity – Leave your poker face at home
Pro-Tip: As with live in-person casino games, typical gambling decorum is generally expected. Be sure to abide by all house rules regarding interactive chat, and make sure you tip your dealer when you win. Remember, these are real casino dealers working real casino jobs.