Why live dealer casino games?
If you've found this site then you've probably given this question due
consideration already and come to your own conclusions. However, here are
some of the factors that I believe are relevant in choosing live dealer games
over traditional random number generator ("RNG") online casino games. Hope
you find the discussion useful.
The Pros...
The patently obvious benefit of this form of online gambling is that it is
real. A real person dealing a real card from a real shoe just like in any
terrestrial casino around the world.
Online casino software developers have come along way in replicating a casino
gaming environment with their RNG games. The graphics are amazing, the
movement smooth and the sounds realistic. But the fact remains that this
is all artificial and no matter how sophisticated the software gets in
simulating reality, it will always be virtual. And the outcome of the next
card deal or wheel spin or dice throw will be generated by a random number
generator.
Now I am not a skeptic on the randomness of casino RNG games. The
reality is casinos don't need to rig games to win in the long run. All
casino games have an in built mathematical house edge and should return a
positive result to the house in the long run. The fact that terrestrial
casinos around the world make a lot of money from fair play is evidence of this.
Add to this the fact that most online casinos are powered by software from one
of the big software licensors who go to great pains to attest to the randomness
of their RNG games via independent audits, and the issue of online game fairness
should have been put to bed long ago.
But if you're on a long losing streak, or cop a bad beat on a large bet that
little voice of skepticism from within can raise its voice. At the end of
the day, gambling is an adrenalin activity, with enjoyment driven primarily by
the thrill of the win. Now if doubts enter you mind that your potential to
win is being manipulated (even if the doubt is not a reasonable one) the
enjoyment factor is dulled considerably.
For the RNG skeptics out there, this could be the ormat for you. Not only are
the deals/wheel spins real, but the casino you are playing at will more than
likely be one of the larger more reputable brands, owing to the additional cost
of adding this format to their game range. Early adopters of the format
include Ladbrokes, William Hill, Bet365, BetFred and Victor Chandler - all well
known brands in the UK and most parts of the world. Of the online gambling
'pure plays' (ie no terrestrial presence) again it seems to be the industries
longer operating, larger and more respected brands that have invested in this
format.
The Cons...
No matter how sophisticated video streaming technology gets, this format will
always need a reasonable bandwidth to be playable. Watching a bunch of
freeze frames will just not cut it, and if you're on a dial up connection,
that's what you'll see.
Make no bones about it, if you want to play this format you will need a
reasonable internet connection, and even so there will ne the occasional, if
only minor, frame freeze.
Connection speeds aside, it has to be said the web cast provided by the
platform providers, particularly Playtech and Evolution Gaming from their
European dealer rooms, is pretty impressive.
Another problem many players will have, especially if they are impatient, is
the deal speed. When you are playing live dealer games and looking at the
one dealer on your screen, you sometimes forget they are dealing to a number of
players and not just you.
Ample time must be given for all players to place their bets. This is
typically around 30 seconds from game completion to 'no more bets' and game deal
which, may not sound like too long but once you are familiar with the bet
interface you will find yourself spending plenty of time twiddling your thumbs
between deals.
If you prefer fast play, RNG games, where you can call the deal when you're
ready are probably you best bet. |
