Live Dealer Casinos | Update 2019

Live Dealer Casinos, in case you do not already know, are online casinos that conduct live games. To do this, they actually have real casino tables, cards, dice, and live dealers who go through all of the motions in your game.

Note that this is all happening in real time, as you play. The dealer waits for you to make a decision and you are generally free to chat with him or her during the game. Your screen has a portion dedicated to the video stream, where you can see your game unfold, but it also has a layout similar to what you’d expect in any generic online casino. This part is where you make your bets and handle your bankroll.

Online legal casinos with live dealers are relatively new. They are a direct result of advancing technology both, in terms of software and modern internet connections. At first, the only online casinos that offered this kind of service were those that catered to European players.

Because of some restrictive US legislation, most of these online casinos refused to serve casino players from the United States; these players basically did not have access to live casino games.

Now, however, as more and more casinos are making live gaming available, the options for players in the United States are growing quickly. In fact, you probably already know a bit about some of the best US-friendly providers of live dealer casino games. Here are a few of the online casinos that we think you will like the most.

Live Dealer Blackjack

 Potentially, the most played live casino game is Blackjack.

Although there is often also options for live dealer Baccarat, Roulette and Poker, Blackjack is much more common. If a casino has a live dealer, it will almost definitely have a Blackjack game in it’s library.

It is, of course, a great way to play Blackjack, as you get a similar sensation to a real-life casino when you play it, with the same sounds and sights, as well as that human factor that virtual Blackjack games lack.

The thing to consider though is that Live Dealer Blackjack will likely be slower gameplay than the virtual version, precisely due to the latter of those reasons that make it so good. This is because with up to 7 players playing each round, you have to wait for them to make their decisions and if someone is just slow at making move or has a bad connection, it can get even worse.

This is just one negative though and in essence, is no different to what you may expect from at a real-life Blackjack table anyway.

Most Live Dealer Blackjack games will have around a $5 buy-in, which is more than most virtual Blackjack games, but it works both ways, as the payouts will also be higher.

The real benefit of Live Dealer Blackjack online, is that you will get the same fast-paced action you have to come to expect if you play in real-life casinos and that feeling is absolutely golden!

Decks are regularly shuffled and as you can communicate with a real-life dealer through the Live Dealer Chat service, it means that you know that the game-play is as fair and legit as can be.

Ultimately, if you love Blackjack and the feeling of bricks and mortar casino’s, then Live Dealer Blackjack is definitely the route for you to take to play your favourite game!

Where Can I play Legal Live Dealer Online USA Casino

In the US, the online gambling rules are very ambiguous and many states still maintain that it is illegal.

Although many states have no specific laws that focus on online gaming because the industry as a whole is such a new one, it was until recently, seen overwhelmingly in a negative light.

However, as online gambling has become increasingly popular worldwide, slowly but surely, more and more states are considering legalising the practice.

This is great for all you players out there who love to wager on the go or from the comfort of your own home via the internet. As soon, you may all be able to play your favourite games whenever you feel like it!

For now, it still remains restricted in most states. However, there are already four different states that allow online gambling in some shape or form to be played online within their borders.

These states are Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Although it is legal in all of these states, it varies in the ways you can play and not everything is legal in any of these places, just yet!

Here you can find out what exactly is legal in these states and so, if you are from these states, you will be able to get ahead of the game and be playing online legally today!

Learn about the US Regulations. Credit: thisweekingambling.com

Online Gambling Laws in Delaware

Despite being the second smallest state in the U.S. and having a population of less than 10 million, Delaware has been leading the way for online gaming. They were the first to legalise online gambling and provide full-service betting for residents of the state.

This means online slot machine games, Roulette, Blackjack, Poker and loads more, are all viable to be played at online casinos that are eligible in this state.

Back in 2013, the state legalised Online Gambling for all residents of Delaware. However, for the respective casino to be eligible, it has to controlled and operated by the state. The organisation that has the duty to maintain the online casino industry and thus, the governing body of their online casino industry is the state lottery.

However, the state lottery is not the only organisation who can provide online casino games and there are currently three other casinos that offer online games for their players. These organisations use the software designed by the state lottery and thus, are still in keeping with the regulations of the state of Delaware, but are independently owned.

While Online Gambling is legal in Delaware, the players at these sites must be within the state border if they wish to play. If they venture outside of the state, then they are not permitted to play on the sites that are operated within Delaware.  However, Delaware residents can also use any online casinos that are operated offshore, if they are regulated by an independent third party.

However, a cool thing about online poker in Delaware, is that due to an agreement between them and the state of Nevada, who have also legalised online poker, it means that their players can enter poker rooms and play against players in Nevada too.

However, overall, Delaware has one of the laxest systems when it comes to online gambling and it is possible to play online without prosecution as long as they abide the regulations.

Online Gambling Laws in Nevada

As it is the home of Las Vegas, you would think that the state and gambling would go hand in hand. Although they were the second state to legalise a form of online gaming back in 2013, they only legalised online Poker, while the rest of the gambling spectrum is still restricted.

It is possible to play Poker legally online in the state of Nevada and the gaming control board have allowed two brick and mortar casinos to launch their own online sites. There is also the option for other online casinos to launch, however, they must offer Poker if they are to be permitted.

As mentioned above, the players who get involved in online Poker rooms can also play against those playing in Delaware online too, if they connect to the same site and enter the same room.

It is highly likely that online casino games of all sorts will soon be allowed in the state and there would be no need to form a new law, as the poker rule already covers it. It, therefore, remains up to lawmaker who would simply need to alter the bill in place to make it legit for all casino to throw their hat into the online casino ring.

The main issue that the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee are keen to avoid “cannibalizing” the existing land-based casinos. If it wasn’t for this, then they would have a thriving online casino industry.

As well as Poker, you are also permitted to bet on Sporting events that are showcased by a Nevada based online Sportsbook, as long as you bet on these sportsbooks within the state of Nevada’s border.

Online Gambling Laws in New Jersey

2013 was also the year in which New Jersey legalised Online Gambling, making them the third US state to do so. The new law meant that all residents of New Jersey can gamble online at a website licensed in New Jersey, as long as the player is over 21 and is physically in the state of New Jersey. Sports betting fans can now also legally wager online in New Jersey. The legal online New Jersey casino industry is the biggest and best in the US, with multiple companies and the widest selection of games in 2019.

As well as this, as long as you are present in New Jersey, you do not need to be a resident of the state to play. This means tourists an also come inside the state’s border and play on online sites legally. All you need to do is prove you are within the state via a GPS.

Players worldwide can even create and fund an account outside the state but aren’t permitted to actually gamble on the sites based within New Jersey, unless they enter the state’s border. They can now and have always been allowed to play on sites outside the country, in locations like Canada and Panama as well.

In New Jersey, you can take part in all variations of casino games, which means Poker, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Video Poker and Slots can all be played in the state. However, Sports betting remains illegal online and is not permitted, despite attempts made by numerous people within New Jersey.

To operate within New Jersey, iGaming operators need to pay a $100,000 initial deposit to fund the application process. If their application is approved this money goes towards the $400,000 cost of an actual gaming license.

Following this, all casino must pay a $250,000 license renewal fee and $250,000 annual fee to continue to operate legally within the state.

There are currently around 30 sites that operate in New Jersey legally and you can access and play on from within the state.

Online Gambling Laws in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania became the fourth state to legalise online gambling in 2017.

Pennsylvania has already had very lax gambling laws anyway and so this was to be expected. There is a large population of Pennsylvania residents who already play on casino sites offshore that are unregulated, so this move is done with the hope to safeguard its casino players.

This move by the state permits Online lottery, Satellite Casino, and Daily Fantasy Sports. This means that Slots, Poker, and Tables games can be accessed by the residents of the state. It is also highly likely, that they would join the interstate compacts for online poker, thus allowing for its residents to play against other residents of the legalised gambling states.

As well as this, it also aims to permit Sports Betting too, which has so far not been managed by the two of the three other states who have already legalised the online practice.

Technically, there has never been a law in Pennsylvania that forbade you from you playing online and generally, it has always been allowed. However, in this latest move, the idea is to make access to online casinos easier in general.

For now, there are no existing online casinos that are based and operated in Pennsylvania, but you can play at online sites right now that are based elsewhere.

Exact laws that surround the Pennsylvania laws are not set in stone yet and a full out is rolled out in 2018. However, for now, residents can safely and legally play online.

Future States to Legalise Gambling

There are tons of other states that are in the process of attempting to legalise online gambling within their states, they are as follows:

Illinois

llinois has attempted to legalise both online casino gaming and daily fantasy sports. Land-based sports betting is now love after it was passed by the Senate and next year we expect legal online sports betting and Illinois online casino in 2021.

Michigan

In Michigan, there are active bills to legalize online gambling in both the Senate and the House and so, the likelihood of Online Gambling being passed in Michigan looks very promising.  They are looking to adopt a Delaware approach to legalised gambling, which bodes well for Michigan residents.

New Hampshire

Online gambling came back on the table in New Hampshire this year, and it looked promising for a long time, especially for a period back in October. Nothing is for certain yet, however, the state has now legalised online lottery sales in 2017. This is a big step forward for the online gambling in the state and points towards the idea that if they were to legalise all forms of online gambling, it would be operated by the New Hampshire Lottery, the same way Delaware operate their online gaming.

Legal Online Gaming in the U.S.

With 4 states already passing legalised gambling laws and 3 more on the verge of doing so, it will not be long until we see some vast differences in the approach taken by other states to online gaming.

These states are just the tip of the Iceberg and more and more States are sure to follow suit in 2018, as it becomes more and more widely accepted nationwide.

What is a key thing to remember for all states that are considering legalising the practice is that it is such a big money-maker. If you look towards New Jersey, who are making thousands of dollars from allowing online casino sites to operate within the site and then feeding the money back into gambling help programs, it is beneficial for all.

As well as this, it can also be used to protect citizens before problems occur. For example, Pennsylvania, changed their laws to allow themselves to safeguard their citizens from playing at other unregulated online sites. It is hugely beneficial to regulate the gambling and ensures a safer and more enjoyable gambling experience for all.

Technically, you can already play in most states at casino online that aren’t operated in the US, but more and more states are now incorporating online casino rules that permit casinos in their states. This means you will soon have more and more casino tailed for your states need and it is only a matter of time before everyone can enjoy free, easy and legal casino fun.

However, as the states become laxer, you as a player must become more responsible. As such, you need to ensure you are gamble what you can afford to lose, play responsible and remember, when the fun stops, you stop!

Casino Live Dealer: What to Look For?

There is loads of different live dealer casinos online, but some are a whole lot better than others.

As such, it pays to shop around and do your research to find out which ones are best. We are here to help with this and have compiled a list of things that are imperative to getting the most out of your Live Dealer Casino game, whether that is Blackjack Live Dealer or otherwise.

The best thing you can do is make sure you read live dealer reviews before you put any money into any new live casino account. However, if you can’t find one, our short list of things to look for should make it a bit easier to determine whether you are at a good live dealer casino or if the only joker is the guy behind the screen.

Live Dealer Casino Essentials

• Expert Live Casino Dealers

When you are looking for the best live dealer casino’s online, it all depends on the level of skill of the man or woman on screen that will ensure whether you have a fun and efficient gaming or not.

Most Casino’s won’t employ people to be a live dealer online unless they have a wealth of experience dealing either, in a real casino or has previous experience dealing online. This said, some will do, and there is nothing worse than playing at any sort of casino where the dealer is slow or inefficient at getting the cards dealt and thus, money is won slow.

Therefore, you need to make sure that you pay attention to what sort of skills you can notice on the screen. You wouldn’t settle for slow and clumsy dealing in real life, so why do it online?

Make sure that the casino’s live dealers have an impressive background. This is not easy, but you may be able to do this by checking out the live casino dealer hiring procedure that the casino has in place. If they don’t ask for previous experience, then that is a major red flag. Many operators may offer training, but if you are a serious player, you don’t want some amateur handling the deck.

However, even if you can’t find this out before you sign up, maybe you should check whether the casino has a Free Live Dealer option, if it does, then you can test the live dealer service out before you commit.

If worse comes to worse and you can’t find a way to differentiate the skill from the unskilled before you put cash in, then only put a tester sum in and it will soon become clear whether they are a good live dealer or not.

You can also test the dealer’s knowledge via the Live Chat service most live casino dealer tables have. If he has a good knowledge, you can be sure that he is pretty handy with the cards too!

• Live Casino Options

Make sure when you choose a live dealer casino that you choose offers several choices for playing in the live casino section to minimize disappointment at peak times.

You most likely want to partake in a live dealer casino game that has a lot of options for Live Dealer Blackjack. You should look for a minimum of at least 3 tables of Blackjack, as most will only accept 7 players, so if there is just one or two, it is quite easy for them to both be full.

Most of the best live casino tables have upwards of ten, which means you can pretty much play at a live casino table whenever the mood strikes you, with no concerns that it may be too busy to get a seat.

Another thing is to look for casino’s that offer High Roller or High Limit tables. If you like to play a bit harder and faster, then this is imperative, as the buy-in limits and payouts will be a lot higher than the standard tables.

Some may also offer VIP Tables, which are even better, as they provide the best online live dealer casino service you will find out there. These are always nearly always going to have the best and most knowledgeable dealers sitting at the table dealing the cards.

This works both ways and you may want to find a Live Dealer Blackjack casino option with a low limit too. We are not all for putting down big bucks each and every time, especially if you are new to the live dealer casino circuit. As such, the Low Limit tables give you the option to practice, so you can walk before you run.

Another benefit of this is that if your bankroll may be a bit low and you don’t want to overdo it that you don’t have to and so, they are perfect for situations like this. Or even, it may just be a simple case of you just wanting to play for fun, but want that extra thrill of a cash prize and you can use them for this too. Whatever the reason, it is good to have the option.

You should also check whether the variety of tables should go deeper than this, as perhaps you don’t just want to play classic Blackjack Live Dealer each and every time, regardless of the limit.

As such, you may want to look for more broad options, such as Blackjack Live Dealer casino with different regional rules and decks, such as European, Vegas Strip or Atlantic City. You may even want to go one step further though and find games with the “Surrender” option or with “Perfect Pairs” active for example. Although these are definitely rarer, if you love to have a bit more complexity to your gameplay, it is worth checking out.

• Live Dealer Service Providers

Although some casinos may have their very own Live Casino option, many will simply support streams from game service providers. This, therefore, means that you should take your research one step further and rather than just research the casino, research the game provider as well, as this can give you an idea on both things mentioned above so far.

This will save you messing around signing up at multiple casinos who support the same live dealer provider when it is not up to par or is it not to your liking. After you know which game service providers are the best for live dealer gameplay, then you will save a lot of time searching if you get bored of one live dealer casino. If you grow to dislike a casino, but like the live dealer casino game provider, then you can just search for a casino with the same game provider rather than start afresh.

We recommend any casino that offers Evolution or Netent Live Casino games.

• Best Live Dealer Casino Stream Connectivity

The connectivity of a casino will have a huge impact on your gameplay. Sometimes this is down to the live casino game provider, while other times it may be the casino itself, or perhaps, just your connection. Whatever the reason, you don’t want it.

If you are playing a game and it keeps freezing or reacts super slow to the moves you play, then it is highly advisable that you leave and try another one. Mainly because this can be so frustrating that you aren’t going to have a good time. However, it will also mean there is more room for error if the game doesn’t react quick enough.  This could result in you betting too much or too little than you intended to or mean you make the wrong call.

If you are playing high stakes and you hit when you want to stand because of bad connectivity, then it could be a big loss that could easily have been avoided.

Another thing is you want your casino to have crystal clear graphics for the best gaming experience and bad connectivity will also hamper this. A good connection will mean that there is very little room for error and you will have the optimum playing experience.

• Reputable Live Casino Name

This one is a bit of a no-brainer, but if you haven’t heard of the casino or if it looks a bit suspicious, don’t sign up.

If there is no review, it is a bad sign to start with, as most established casino’s will already have one or two available online at least.  However, the casino may merely be new, in which case, it might still be a gem, so don’t jump the gun and leave as it may have a fantastic live dealer casino service for Blackjack.

The best thing to do is find out who is the parent company behind the casino and see if they have any other casino’s in their portfolio. Some of the biggest casino providers can launch two to three new casino’s each year and they will be top quality, but you just may not have heard of them.

Failing this, it may also be worth checking out gaming chat rooms to find out if anyone has heard of them. If so, see if there are any horror stories. Of course, there will always be one disgruntled player, but if there are a few saying the same thing then it best to avoid it.

Also, check out what regulators back the casino as legit. For example, MGA, The British Gambling Commission and The Curacao Gambling licenses are the most reputable and you should be able to check if they are actually registered before signing up. If they look sketchy, certainly don’t deposit or give any details at all until you are 100% sure of their legitimacy.

If no one has heard of, it has no known parent company and no license, then don’t risk it.

Live Dealer Casino Extras:

• Live Dealer Casino Bonus

Before you before sign up another great thing to have, although not essential, is a nice specific Live Dealer Casino Bonus.

As Live Dealer Casino’s are becoming more and more popular, so are these types of Welcome Bonuses. Although they are rarely as large as Casino Bonuses, they will still give you the opportunity to get a free bet or two as a thank you for choosing their casino for live dealer game-play.

It is usually betting chips, while other times it may be a deposit match bonuses to give you a hefty amount of cash get you started on your first day. Sometimes the standard Casino Bonuses can be used on live dealer games, but usually count less towards the wagering requirements, but you these are still nice added perks for you to benefit from.

Whatever happens, the best live dealer casino sites will offer you some sort of reward for playing at their site.

• Live Dealer Mobile

Mobile Live Dealer Casino is also something that is great to get as part of your live dealer casino experience.

These allow you to play your preferred Live Casino games wherever you are on your mobile or tablet. This is something that is becoming a pretty standard offering from most of the best casinos but is not always a given.

If you like to play on the go, don’t choose a live dealer casino without mobile support, as it makes your playing versatility smaller.

• Bitcoin Casino Live Dealers 

A rarity is Live Dealer Casinos that offer Bitcoin games.

More and more casinos are incorporating Bitcoin into their service as the crypto-currency becomes more popular, with many of these online live dealer casinos available in the USA.

Although, the currency may be supported on the site, it may not be as easy to use Bitcoin directly on the Live Dealer Casino games. So if it is your preferred deposit method, and you would rather not have to exchange it for typical currency before you play, make sure they have the specific Bitcoin Live Dealer games before you choose to deposit with it.