A few years ago, online casino players could only dream about playing against other players in a live casino studio. But that’s now a reality as the online gambling industry is awash with live games playable on mobile or desktops.
But curious players would want to know a thing or six about the technology behind live studio games and how they work. This article uncovers the mystery.
Live dealer games may seem like a brand-new idea to many. But this idea was first conceived in 1998. Unfortunately, the internet and computer technologies were far behind back then, making it impossible to stream live games. Consider this; 3G internet was launched in May 2001. And even with that, many 3G phones were out of reach, and the internet was slow.
But the launch of iPhone and Android phones in 2007 and 2008 changed the landscape. In addition, 4G was launched in 2009, giving more mobile phone users access to the internet. Coincidentally, it was during this period that the first live casino games were launched. Now that smartphones are must-have devices, accessing casino games is just a screen tap away.
So, how do live casinos work? It’s simple! Players access the games on their mobile phones or computers in real-time. These games are streamed in HD (High Definition) video, although some studios such as Playtech support 4K streaming.
That said, live casino studios use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to translate all actions in the room into readable data. This data is then streamed to the players and the dealers, giving you a realistic gaming experience. Players can even communicate with the croupier through live chat.
It’s also worth noting that live casino studios have up to three rooms. The first room is where the dealer and gamers play the game. The second room is the software section, where everything runs. And finally, the casino managers and analysts sit in the third room to ensure nobody cheats.
For a live casino studio to work smoothly, it needs more than just OCR software. Below are some critical components of top live casinos:
For most players, the live game hosts and dealers are just beautiful lasses with basic casino training. But you’ll be surprised that live studios employ the best professionals in the game. These casinos retrain their employees to ensure they offer the players a friendly and knowledgeable experience.
Live casino studio operators install omnidirectional cameras to give players and the dealers an eagle-eye view across the room. These cameras are usually small and powerful to capture every game moment. For instance, one camera can view the table while the other zooms at the shots. The other camera can stream the whole studio.
Game Control Unit (GCU) is like the CPU of the live studio. This technology ensures the games are streamed in real-time without any glitches. It’s a shoebox-sized device installed on each table to encode video data streamed from the table. Put simply, it ensures a seamless gaming experience.
Live casino games are trendy these days due to the transparency factor. Apart from omnidirectional cameras and well-trained croupiers, these studios are also licensed in their respective countries. For example, Evolution currently has multiple licensed studios in Europe, the USA, and South America. Some studios even to install news-streaming TV screens in the background.
Some players quickly point a blaming finger at the casino in case of game failures. But there are some technical requirements that these players don’t fulfill. First, your internet connection should be fast and reliable. You don’t expect to enjoy a seamless live gaming experience with a 3G phone, do you? At the bare minimum, use 4G, although 5G or Wi-Fi will be best.
That’s not all; your computer or mobile phone should have ‘average’ specs. For example, iOS 9 or Android 5 or newer is the best live casino streaming. Also, the minimum screen resolution should be 1024 x 768p. But the good news is that most modern phones and PCs should easily handle online gaming activities.
Evolution Gaming is currently the largest live studio operator. This live content aggregator has up to 11 studios spread across multiple countries, including the fast-growing US market. Just in July last year, the company launched its eleventh studio in Michigan. The company also has other state-of-the-art studios in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
But Evolution isn’t the only live studio operator in the iGaming scene. Other companies such as Pragmatic Play, Authentic Gaming, Betsoft, Playtech, Microgaming, and Vivo Gaming have since joined the fray. But as it stands, Evolution is still far ahead regarding technology and game library.
