Live Dealer Casinos: Play Live Casino Online

Key Live Dealer Casino Features

Some of the most prominent features of top live dealer casinos include:

• A broad range of live casino games sourced from leading developers, 
• Excellent bonuses with low wagering requirements
• A wide variety of unique versions of popular games like Lightning Blackjack or Speed Roulette
• Diverse payment methods with low or zero processing fees. 

Traditional casinos often offer a few live dealer games while “dedicated” live casinos have upwards of 100+ tables, all live-streamed with HD-quality cameras from multiple angles. 

Moreover, you’ll find more flexible table betting limits at live casinos and far more frequent live dealer tournaments. 

Popular Live Dealer Games

Some of the best live casino online sites offer the quality and variety of live dealer games. They cover numerous all-popular live gaming categories, such as blackjack, roulette, game shows, and dice games while offering both traditional and more modern (often modified) versions of classic card and dice titles. 

In this section, we’ll list some of the most popular types of live dealer games and guide you through the best versions. 

Blackjack

In a simple game where luck, strategy, and knowledge are almost equally impactful, blackjack pits the player (or multiple players) against a real dealer, and whoever gets closer to the number 21 wins. 

Major cards count as 10 while Aces can serve as 1 or 11; the luckiest hands can bring you an instant win, often with increased earnings, but at the same time, going over 21 will always lose you the round. 

These “classic” blackjack rules apply to virtually all games in this category, but there are a few special versions with an expanded rule set. For instance, Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack features cards that may come with inbuilt multipliers ranging from 2x to 25x of your bet. 

Roulette

Roulette is one of the unique live dealer games where multiple different wagers placed simultaneously can win. The highest payouts lie in “straight” wagers placed on individual numbers, but you can also place bets on black/red, odd/even, halves, thirds, and many other fields.

The two most popular versions are the American Roulette and Europan Roulette. The European version features a single “zero” while the American has two. 

More experienced bettors prefer Playtech’s Mega Fire Blaze Roulette. Apart from the usual features, this live dealer roulette game rocks a special feature that marks several pockets as bonus fields. Winning a wager on these pockets leads to the bonus “Hold and Spin” round where you can collect multipliers or one of the four jackpots. 

Evolution’s Lightning Roulette strikes the same vein with its “Lucky Numbers” feature, but it also boasts the unique benefit of supporting unlimited players per match. 

Baccarat

Live Baccarat is immensely popular among both beginner and experienced card gamers. Similar to blackjack, you’ll compete against a real dealer by drawing cards, and whoever is closer to 9 wins. 

If you draw over 9, the first digit doesn’t count, meaning you’re still in play but with a lower number. There are a few special rules, such as that the croupier has to hit if their sum is at or below 5 when you stand. 

Although Baccarat games tend to conclude quickly, there’s a faster version called “Speed Baccarat” by Evolution Gaming where rounds end in less than half a minute. 

Poker

From classic Texas Hold’em to branded Casino Hold’em variants, 2-hand Hold’em, Three-card Pokers, Caribbean Stud Poker, and jackpot pokers, the world of live poker betting is far more diverse than its tabletop counterpart. 

To emulate an authentic poker-playing experience, live dealers will shuffle the decks in front of HD-quality streaming cameras,  deal cards to each participating player, and announce the results. 

Game Shows

These games draw inspiration from actual TV shows, such as Deal or No Deal and The Price Is Right, adding a gambling element. Each game show follows a different set of rules, which are usually carbon copies of rules from the real show the game is modelled after. 

For example, you’ll see the same suitcases with prizes in “The Price is Right” by IGT, and the dealer will receive calls from the “banker”, asking you whether you want to accept the deal or proceed, just like in the real show. 

One of the few exceptions is Evolution’s Monopoly. Although it brandishes Monopoly-branded content, such as a large figurine of Mr. Monopoly, and branded dollar bills, the game plays more like roulette. Players bet on numbers and bonus games (Chance, 4 Rolls, etc.) instead of playing a tycoon simulator. 

Live Craps

Craps is a fairly complex game that four experts in land-based casinos usually oversee. If you were dissuaded by huge crowds cramping close to tall craps tables in such venues, you might want to give live craps a shot. 

Live craps is almost identical to its traditional counterpart minus one key element – you won’t be physically throwing dice, but everything else is the same. Real stickmen will announce the developments in every round, and the pace of the game is more fluent since bets are placed and wins are awarded instantly. 

Top live casinos partnered with Evolution and Betsoft usually offer at least several unique versions of craps, such as the Crapless Craps, High Point Craps, or Low Limit Craps. 

Live Sic Bo

A dice game presumed to be thousands of years old, Sic Bo revolves around placing bets on various possible outcomes of three dice thrown each round. The betting table resembles a roulette table, featuring Low & High segments, individual numbers, doubles, triples, and numerous other combinations. 

While in regular casinos, the computer rolls the dice, real dealers do it in live Sic Bo games. More importantly, the camera films the dealer shaking the dice to showcase that each throw is fair. 

Among the sea of live Sic Bo variants that are only visually different, Evolution’s Super Sic Bo stands out with an innovative feature that may add random multipliers of up to 1,000x on random betting positions. 

Live Dice Games

Dozens of other dice games are featured in live casinos across the globe, but the two most popular categories include Bac Bo and Hi-Lo:

Crazy Time by Evolution Gaming

Aptly named “Crazy Time”, this game can best be described as a collection of multiple live minigames, including Spin the Wheel, Cash Hunt, Coin Flip, Pachinko, and Crazy Time. You’re betting on which minigame will be played, which is decided by the 2-reel slot machine located at the top of the main wheel. 

The role of the live dealer in Evolution Gaming’s Crazy Time changes depending on the minigame. 

In the main game, dealers will keep rotating the wheel until the slot begins spinning the reels; in Cash Hunt, they’ll briefly announce the available multipliers; in Coin Flip, dealers place the puck on the Flip-o-Matic machine; in Pachinko, they drop the Puck on the Plinko board, and in Crazy Time, they’ll move to a different room to spin a much bigger wheel with different prizes. 

Since this is one of the more complex live casino games you can play, live dealers also announce each game’s rules before proceeding. Let me briefly explain your betting options in Crazy Time:

Live Casino Software Providers

High-quality live casino games rely on advanced programs and algorithms to ensure fair odds and smooth gameplay. Although dozens of studios are making live casino programs globally, we’ve pinpointed the best live casino software providers, so let’s briefly talk about each. 

Evolution Gaming

The leading manufacturer of live casino games in Europe, Evolution was founded in 2006 and specializes in live blackjack, live roulette, live craps, live baccarat, live Sic Bo, live Dragon Tiger, live poker, and especially live game shows. 

Evolution is renowned as a pioneer of game shows. In 2017, they released the first game of this kind, “Dream Catcher.” Since then, they’ve expanded their offering with a range of new titles, such as Funky Time, Crazy Pachinko, Balloon Race, Monopoly Live, and many others. 

Pragmatic Play Live

Pragmatic Play is a relatively young but rapidly growing iGaming studio headquartered in Gibraltar. In terms of quality and diversity of live casino games, Pragmatic rivals Evolution with a broad spectrum of innovative live blackjack, roulette, poker, and game show titles. 

The entire Pragmatic Play Live catalogue features unique visuals, fully RNG-tested games, and innovative core mechanics. Our favourite games from this provider include PowerUP Roulette, Vegas Ball Bonanza, and the all-popular Snakes and Ladders Live. 

NetEnt

NetEnt is among the longest-running companies in the European iGaming industry. Established in 1996 in Stockholm, Sweden, it currently offers over 200+ exciting casino-style games. 

Roughly one-quarter of their catalogue comprises live casino games, such as live roulette, live blackjack, and live poker. Evolution acquired NetEnt in 2020, meaning that you’ll usually see games from both brands in your favourite NZ casinos. 

Playtech

Playtech is another well-established name in the live casino industry. They’ve been operating from Douglas, Isle of Man since 1999 and have made over a thousand unique games in the past 25+ years. 

Their portfolio encompasses over 200+ live blackjack, roulette, poker, and game show titles with a huge focus on branded game shows, such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Jumanji, Deal or No Deal, and Money Drop.

Microgaming

Like Playtech, Microgaming is a live casino veteran company hailing from the Isle of Man. Established in 1994, this company has designed over 800+ slots, table games, and live casino titles in nearly three decades. 

They cover all the bases with numerous live roulette, Sic Bo, poker, blackjack, and baccarat games.

Innovations in Live Casino Software

Developers specializing in live casino games continuously search for new technologies to implement and make gaming more entertaining. Below is a summary of some of the most impactful innovations that have reshaped the live iGaming space since its conception. 

HD Quality Live Streaming

Many attempts were made to establish live casinos throughout the 1990s. Although having a real croupier streamed by a camera was groundbreaking at that time, severe limitations of contemporary technology bogged all progress. 

It all changed with HD quality cameras and faster internet packages becoming more accessible to both businesses and consumers. Nowadays, most live casino games are streamed from multiple angles in exceptionally high resolution. 

Interactive Video Technology

Live casino gaming would be impossible without interactive features that allow players to place wagers and croupiers to respond to them in real time. All premier brands harness this technology, as can be seen in the UI of modern games like Lightning Blackjack or Mega Fire Blaze Roulette. 

Moreover, live chat features have changed how live casino participants interact with each other and the dealer, bridging the gap between brick-and-mortar and live casinos. 

Augmented & Virtual Reality

Since live casino games occupy a virtual space, many developers saw an opportunity to make such experiences even more exhilarating and fun. By blending aspects of AR and VR with live-streaming technologies, live casino studios were able to create stunning visuals and augment the authenticity of their interactive features. 

A prime example of AR being used in a popular live casino game is Evolution Gaming’s Crazy Time. Namely, when the main feature (Crazy Time) is triggered, the dealer enters a room where almost magical animations create a unique atmosphere. 

Artificial Intelligence Technologies

AI tech is rapidly progressing, and it’s steadily entering the iGaming space where operators harness its power to automate a variety of processes, from registration and verification to round the clock support via chatbots. 

Some underdog studios like Live Solutions are working on deploying AI-powered presenters and croupiers in casino-style games, although such technologies are still in early development. 

How Live Casinos Work

Live casinos source games from live casino software developers to host games like blackjack, roulette, and poker with real croupiers. 

Dealers use genuine physical equipment, such as decks of cards, roulette wheels, dice, and appropriate tables. Every action dealers make is broadcast live with HD cameras and based on players’ interactions with the game. 

Playing Live Dealer Games

The first step to playing live dealer games is registering an account at a live casino. After verifying your profile and funding your account, you’ll be able to choose from the list of available games. 

The next step revolves around betting. Each live casino game offers a unique set of applicable stakes, such as colours and odd/even in roulette or high/low in Sic Bo, so we recommend learning the rules first. 

Most live casinos feature multiple unique variations of popular games, such as Speed Baccarat or Lightning Blackjack. These often have the same rules as their traditional counterparts but also have additional mechanisms such as random multipliers or time limits. 

After placing a bet, wait for the round to conclude and follow the croupier’s instructions to proceed. Some games are played in multiple rounds, such as Evolution’s Crazy Time, so for example, if the wheel lands on “Double”, you may continue playing with the same stake. 

Strategies to Improve Chances of Winning

• Demo live casino games if you can. Although you may be familiar with standard blackjack, roulette, and poker, live casino versions play a bit differently. 
• Read the rules on the game provider’s site or by tapping “Settings” in-game. 
• Follow all instructions by the croupier. They will announce all important events, such as when betting is opened/closed, and often provide guidance to new players. 
• Play games that allow you to stay in control when using bonus money. Live blackjack and poker, for example, are based on skill and clever anticipation whereas games like roulette are more based on chance. 
• Establish a clear bankroll before starting your gaming sessions. Use responsible gaming tools to impose definitive spending limits if you’re struggling to follow through. 

Choosing the Best Live Casino in NZ

Not all live dealer casinos are made equal. Some offer bigger bonuses or a huge selection of games while others may feature better gaming variety or more dependable support channels. Our experts weigh the quality of live casinos in NZ based on the following criteria. 

User Interaction in Live Casino Games

The most popular live casinos offer games with a live chat function, which allows players to talk to other players and the croupier. 

Chat tools are embedded in the game’s main screen, where you can type your message to the dealer or other participants, as well as see their responses in the feed. Dealers can see messages from players as they have multiple monitors in front of them, and they’ll verbally respond when they’re able. 

Dealers may not respond all the time, especially if the lobby is overcrowded, but support teams typically monitor the chat and will convey crucial messages.

Are there any Customisation and Personalisation Options?

Live casinos are often offered a barrage of customization options when they start a partnership with a software developer, but players can’t alter any physical aspect of the stream. 

Customisation options are available for virtual components of some games, allowing you to change the design of the icons of your (digital) blackjack cards or Craps dice. 

Live Casino Odds and House Edge

The “house edge” represents the advantage casinos reap from the way popular games are designed, or more specifically, from the probability of dealers winning in casino games over longer periods. 

This advantage can be expressed as fixed in games like American Roulette (5.3%) or Blackjack (0.5%), or as variable like in titles such as Craps (0-17%) or Baccarat (1-16%). 

Live blackjack has the lowest house edge while American versions of live roulette have the highest. Even though casinos don’t set the house edge, they may indirectly (and slightly) influence it by modifying their payout tables. This is rarely if ever done by NZ casinos that work with prominent iGaming developers. 

As for the odds, all live casino games offer almost the same probability as their live casino counterparts. However, it should be noted that live dealer blackjack decks are shuffled by real persons and as such tend to be more fair, whereas computer blackjack relies on RNG mechanics for the same tasks. 

The odds for roulette games are higher for European versions as they feature only one “zero” pocket. If you’re playing European roulette, the house edge is only 2.70%, meaning that the estimated long-term returns are 97.30%; American Roulette’s theoretical RTP is 94.7%, which is slightly lower than what you’ll see in most slots. 

Live Casino Bonuses in New Zealand

Live casino bonuses are typically better-rounded than promos offered by classic casinos; they may not be much larger, but you’ll often see lower wagering requirements and more favourable betting conditions since you’re limited to using them for live casino gaming. 

For example, Sky City offers a 100% first deposit match of up to NZD 240 + 150 CP for its VIP program with only a wagering requirement of just 20x (roughly 1.5x lower than the industry’s average). 

Although not many live casinos offer no-deposit bonuses, most sites frequently include free chips as part of their registration bonuses. Many NZ live casinos also host live casino tournaments and contests where you can compete against other players for colossal prizes. 

Some live casinos offer welcome offers comparable in size to traditional casinos. For instance, LeoVegas offers a massive two-part live casino welcome bonus of up to NZD 3,260 + NZD 50 in Golden Chips, albeit with 40x wagering requirements. 

High Rollers and Betting Limits

One of the best things about live casino games is that these specialists cater to both low and high rollers by offering multiple tables for each iGaming section with different betting limits.

For example, you can bet as low as NZD 0.50 or as much as NZD 75,000 on live roulette at Leo Vegas, or as little as NZD 0.20 and as high as NZD 25,000 on live baccarat at 888 Casino.  

The usual betting limits for the most popular live gaming categories are as follows:

• Blackjack: NZD 5 to NZD 10,000
• Roulette: NZD 0.10 to NZD 20,000
• Baccarat: NZD 1 to NZD 5,000

Payment Methods and Cashing Out at Live Casinos

Most NZ live casinos accept various payment methods, including credit cards like Visa and Mastercard, popular e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill, mobile payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, and online bank transfers. 

Cryptocurrencies are becoming increasingly popular as they offer decentralised security, rapid cashouts, and minimal transaction fees. For example, Justcasino.io supports Bitcoin and Ethereum, Tonybet supports Bitcoin, and LuckyKoala works with Ripple, Bitcoin, and Dogecoin. 

Cashing out at live casinos works the same as with traditional ones. If you have any bonus funds remaining, meet the wagering conditions to make them cashable first, as bonus money is typically lost if you request a withdrawal before doing so. Then, go to Cashier, choose your desired withdrawal method, and submit your request. 

Can I Play Live Casino Games on Mobile?

Virtually all reputable NZ online casinos offer mobile-optimized sites while some even feature native mobile apps. LeoVegas is available in the Apple App Store while BetVictor offers dedicated applications for Android and iOS devices. 

Mobile gaming is superior to traditional gaming in several ways; you can play your favourite live dealers anywhere or organize joining the same lobbies as your friends more easily. However, the one drawback of mobile live casinos is that following the croupiers might be difficult on the smaller screen. 

Game Pace and Experience

The up-beat, lively atmosphere surrounding the virtual lobbies sets live casino games apart from more traditional online games like slots or scratchies. Real-player interactions make the experience more immersive – you’ll see players friendly chatting with each other, cheering after a big win, and sometimes venting frustrations after a few consecutive losses. 

Because a virtual wall separates croupiers from players, games that would often be surrounded by a frantic environment (like Craps or Sic Bo) are much easier to control by dealers, leading to more comfortable and enjoyable experiences. 

Live Casino Tournaments

Live dealer tournaments offer an excellent way to competitively engage with other players for the potential of winning huge prizes and making new friendships along the way. Below is a quick guide to getting started with live casino tournaments:

Live Casino Regulations and Fair Play

The national iGaming authority in New Zealand is the New Zealand Gambling Commission (NZGC), although SkyCity is its sole online casino licensee. 

Live casinos we recommend and have referenced throughout the article are legally available in NZ, but they’re regulated by reputable offshore iGaming authorities, such as:

• Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA)
• Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
• Gibraltar Gambling Commission (RGC)
• Curacao Gaming Control Board (CGCB)

To ensure fair play, the sites we recommend source games that have been meticulously tested, both in-house and by third-party companies to ascertain that all outcomes are determined by fair RNG (random number generator) algorithms. 

Moreover, every move croupiers make is monitored and broadcast live, so that you can see them spinning the wheel, shuffling the cards, and throwing the same dice they’ve shown on screen. 

Live Casino Customer Support

Quick access to dependable support channels is more important in live casinos than at classic casino sites. Not only are you playing against strangers, but the modern tech live casinos deployed to bring HD live streams can cause lags, spikes, or temporary shutouts. 

That’s why live casinos offer live chat tools helmed by real customer support experts (instead of chatbots). Moreover, live casinos offer 24-7 assistance via multiple channels, such as email support and ticketing systems. Phone support lines are usually available, but only during workdays. 

Issues and disputes are typically handled the same way as in classic casinos. You should contact the customer support team and explain the problem, although it wouldn’t hurt to have some evidence to back it up, such as a screenshot, although all live streams are recorded so you may not always need one. 

Responsible Gambling

Most live casino games are played relatively quickly, so keeping track of your wins and losses might be difficult. 

Trustworthy NZ live casinos like BetVictor offer a range of responsible gambling tools that can help you limit your spending, time spent at live dealer tables, or access to the entire site via time-out or self-exclusion features. 

• Limiting tools allow you to set deposit, withdrawal, and loss limits on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. 
• Using time-out tools will instruct the casino to temporarily block your access to the site, usually for several days or weeks.
• Self-exclusion has the same but more permanent consequences as time-out, as it typically lasts several months, years, indefinitely, or until the date you selected. 
• Reality checks and time limits will send you notifications as reminders of how much time you’ve been playing. 

Advantages of Live Dealer Games

• Exceptional quality and variety of games with numerous unique versions of traditional card and dice games. 
• Broad betting limits vary from table to table, allowing you to choose how much you can stake per round flexibly. 
• Frequent live casino tournaments and freerolls. 
• Fully immersive gambling environment, where real croupiers interact with physical gambling equipment. Players can also interact with each other or the dealer via live chat. 
• Decent bonuses with lower-than-average wagering requirements, often featuring free live casino chips. 
• Stellar customer support is ready to assist around the clock. 
• Comprehensive responsible gambling tools and in-depth guides to safer gaming. 

Disadvantages of Live Dealer Games

• Limited variety of live dealer-specific bonuses at some sites. 
• Quick gaming pace may lead to overspending if RS tools aren’t used. 
• Though exciting and innovative, new games tend to be less beginner-friendly than standard table games. 

Live Casino Game Releases & Market Trends

One of the most exciting news we recently heard is that Evolution Gaming launched a brand-new game show called Balloon Race on July 3rd, expanding its already rich portfolio. 

On the same day, Pragmatic Play Live released a unique version of Sic Bo called the “Mega Sic Bac” with innovative side betting functions. 

While many live casino suppliers are diligently working on bringing us new, exciting games, we believe it’s equally exhilarating that artificial intelligence-powered technologies are preparing to make a big entrance into the live gaming world. 

Live Casino FAQs

Sources

1. https://www.evolution.com/who-we-are/
2. https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/
3. https://www.netent.com/en/section/contact/
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playtech
5. https://www.microgaming.co.uk/
6. https://vivogaming.com/the-history-of-live-dealer-casinos/
7. https://igamingbusiness.com/tech-innovation/artificial-intelligence/incorporating-ai-into-live-casino/
8. https://www.livedealer.org/live-casino-games/table-bet-limits/
9. https://www.gamblingcommission.govt.nz/
10. https://www.analyticsinsight.net/artificial-intelligence/how-ai-is-revolutionizing-the-live-casino-experience