
The popularity of live casinos has grown massively in the last few years. So, I have put together this short insightful guide to finding the best live casino available. It should save anyone who reads it time and effort.
It covers the key points like why live dealer casinos are more popular than ever, and the common mistakes both new and experienced players make when they choose a new place to play slots and table games. There are also some important tips perfect for anyone making the jump from RNG games to live casinos.
With live casinos seeing interest from players that would not normally consider regular online casinos, this guide is written partly with the absolute newbie in mind. I’ll take these fledgling players through what to expect from the live casino experience in order to avoid them being overwhelmed and making the type of rookie errors that could put them off forever. I’ll also explain what I and the expert team here at Betting.co.uk consider to be top features to look out for when finding the best place to start playing live games.
Do note that those with experience in playing regular slots and table games governed by a random number generator are not left out, as they can use the same resources to make a smooth transition from one format to the other. I'll also cover bonus offers available at live casinos, so anyone reading this guide can make the most of their newfound knowledge when playing blackjack, roulette or any other game face-to-face with a live dealer.
I’ll look at the more general reasons why live casinos have become more popular next, but first it is vital that players understand the reason why people pick live casinos in the first place.
All of these points contribute towards the popularity of live casinos, but there has been an upturn in that popularity in recent times due to other factors more based on technology than anything else.
Picking a casino based purely on the live casino options might be tempting, but I have often found it is not always the best tactic. Therefore I have compiled a quick checklist for other factors players need to take into account before they take the plunge.
An important part of finding the best live casino Ireland has to offer is locating one that is legal to play here. I always check the casino’s licence details – so there are no nasty shocks when I try to register – and perform my usual due diligence by checking the online review of any prospective candidates on sites like this one. Only then I move on to the next stage, and I would recommend anyone reading this guide does exactly the same.
I have found that the whole casino experience is not just based around playing the games but also the background tasks that make this all possible. At the top of that list is funding my account and making withdrawals. So, whether I am looking for a Paypal casino or one that takes Paysafecard, I want a smooth process involving my preferred payment methods before looking any further.
Site navigation also falls into that category as it doesn’t matter how good the games are if I can’t find them or even know that they are available. With that in mind, I usually take a look around the site - or app if the phone or tablet is the preferred device - to see if I can locate all of the key areas.
The welcome bonus is a big deal, so I have covered that in greater detail later on, but another key factor I look for are the additional offers and promotions. These aren’t always that common for live casinos, with the regular games, especially slots, grabbing the limelight. For this reason, when looking for the best online casinos, I check out the live casino benefits and whether any benefits from a VIP club apply there too.
Even with this guide to hand, there is plenty to take into account when players look for a live dealer casino that ticks all the boxes. Whether players are looking for a new online casino, or one with a longer pedigree to play live games at, I recommend using the experience of experts to make the job easier.
The reviews on this site have everything that anyone could need to make an informed decision and turn what could be a long search into a much shorter one. The experts on this site will look for all the same things a player would and present it in an easily digestible format. That way, players can see at a glance at which live online casino makes the grade and which ones are left wanting.
It wasn’t hard for the team of experts here to give Bet365 top marks as it is a great all-round performer. When checking it out for this guide, I found no loading problems or glitches – which made for a smooth experience with plenty of games available.
These games had minimum stakes of 0.20 Euros up to 50 Euros, so all types of player would be catered from across the various versions of blackjack, roulette, baccarat and sic-bo available. I also saw an excellent range of game shows that had RTP of over 97% – which, again, will suit players of all types.
Ladbrokes came a close second, and this was one of the few live casinos I saw where the play through requirements included live casino games. Again, I found no glitches or drop outs when I tried this for myself and also found an impressive variety of versions of live casino mainstays like roulette and blackjack. The standout here was the live video poker which had casino hold’em, three card brag and casino stud versions available.
The live casino is one of the standout features of Boylesports. Once you’ve worked your way through the registration process, unlocked your 25 free spins, and made your first deposit, you’ll be able to head on over to the live casino suite and begin filtering through roulette, blackjack, game shows, and sic bo.
Game limits vary, allowing all bankrolls to stay within their limits. We found that most qualifying bets started at €0.20 and reached upwards of €10. Table games and game shows are all hosted by professional croupiers, and you can expect all streams to be in HD, too. Blackjack tables have a limit of seven; however, over 30 users can soon pull up a virtual seat at the live roulette wheel.
When it comes to finding a new live casino online, the bonus offer is bound to carry a lot of weight in any decision. At sites that have an online live casino, players are likely to come across one of the four different types of offer which I have sorted into a short guide below:
Bonus Type | Description | Availability |
---|---|---|
Deposit match | A player's initial deposit is added to by a contribution from the casino based on the size of that deposit. | Common |
Free wagers | Free wagers on nominated games are handed to a player for use after they have registered and made a deposit. | Common |
Losses refunded | A player's net losses after their first 24 hours on a new site is refunded to their account as free wagers. | Quite rare |
No deposit offers | A bonus is awarded after registration but before a deposit is made. This can take various forms depending on the offer. | Rare |
Of course, there are other types of bonus around but these are the most common. However, there are some extra factors to take into account when getting the most from bonuses, even if the player has chosen one of the fast withdrawal casinos to make the process easier.
For any player who has used a casino bonus before, the idea of wagering requirements will not be new. However, with live casinos the rules are often slightly different, especially if it is a general casino bonus. This is where reading the T&Cs is absolutely essential as players are likely to find that live casino games will make very little or no contribution at all to play through requirements for a deposit match. This is an important thing to factor into any decision when it comes to choosing the best online casino.
There are many different options for live casinos, with only the no deposit bonus casino Ireland hard to find – which can make it difficult for new players to get started.
Despite that, armed with the information they have gained here, they can not only find the best live casino Ireland has to offer them, but they can also make the most of the experience while they are there. All that remains then is for players to choose their destination, picking up tips from some of the other guides on this site along the way.
Live casino games take place over a live feed, so players can see exactly what is going on. In addition, all the practices at live casinos are often audited independently as a condition of a licence or certification by an industry body.
While live casino games can sometimes be played for free at various social casinos, in the main part live casino games cannot be played in demo mode. However, live casino play is sometimes possible using credits from a bonus or VIP programme.
With streaming issues a common factor, poor internet coverage often meant that while playing on a phone was possible, it was not always practical. However, recent technological advances have made mobile play not only possible but more common than ever before.