Blackjack is one of the most traditional card games in the world, and it’s been so for centuries. Quite possibly, it was already there when the first land-based casinos started being created in 17th-century Europe. The Casino di Venezia is considered the first of its kind, dating back to 1638, and it was such a success that soon after, casinos could be found all over Europe.
Blackjack doesn’t have a clear date or place of birth, but it’s generally agreed that the game first appeared in French casinos in the early 18th century and has never left them since. Later that century, French colonizers took the game to North America, where local casinos and gamblers warmly welcomed it.
Nowadays, one doesn’t need to head to a brick-and-mortar casino to play blackjack. In fact, one doesn’t even need to leave home. The digital world has brought all the excitement of real-life casinos to PCs and mobile devices: enter the live dealer blackjack rooms. Here’s how they can provide everyone with a unique and incredibly immersive gaming experience.
Virtual Luck
The online casino landscape has changed a lot lately. More countries are adopting friendly policies towards online gambling; more people are connected than ever before in the world, and, most importantly, digital technologies are evolving fast. Today, a great blackjack club is only a few clicks away. Online blackjack is as old as the first online casinos, which were created in the mid-90s.
Arguably, one of the main goals of digital games is to recreate real-life scenarios and experiences. It’s true for games like Counter-Strike and Red Dead Redemption; it’s also true for blackjack and other casino games. So, the first live dealer blackjack rooms were created as soon as technology allowed.
Live dealer rooms recreate the original experience of playing in a brick-and-mortar casino. A professional dealer manages the game in a casino-like room with real cards on the table. The action is covered by a complex array of cameras and live-streamed to players, who can interact with the dealer and each other. The result is a much more engaging experience than players would have with RNG-governed online games.
Most Popular Variations
There are countless blackjack variations, but the most popular live options can be narrowed down to the list below.
- Infinite: Unlike traditional rooms, this variation has no limit on the number of participants.
- Lightning: Lightning blackjack offers extra prizes for certain cards, allowing players to multiply their winnings.
- Power: This variation has several innovative features, like the possibility of replacing cards and quadrupling down on bets.
- Free Bet: Here, players don’t need to place additional bets for doubling down or splitting their hands.
- VIP: VIP rooms are usually reserved for high rollers, meaning table limits are pretty high, but there are perks like exclusive treatment.
Technology of Fun
Setting up a live dealer room can be expensive; that’s why not all casinos have them, and many of them outsource their live dealer section. It all starts with creating the right studio. Aesthetically, they typically resemble real-life casinos, with professional dealers always ready to help. Some casinos even use real casino grounds for that purpose, making the experience even more realistic and engaging.
Live dealer games wouldn’t be so fun without interactive features, where players can comment and talk to all participants. However, it’s necessary to have advanced technology to create such a realistic and seamless experience. Here’s what it takes.
GCU (Game Control Unit)
The GCU is the core of any live dealer room. This device encodes the video streaming content to guarantee protection and a smooth transmission to players. In other words, it ensures real-time interaction between dealers and players, which is the whole point of a live game. Additionally, it allows players to check all results as they go.
Camera Recognition
Cameras play a huge part in live dealer games, and they have never been so advanced. Modern studios use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, allowing cameras to scan specific objects in the room, like chips and cards. Whenever the dealer moves with those items, these cameras focus straight on them, so players don’t miss a move.
Live Streaming
Naturally, live games couldn’t exist without live-streaming technology. However, streaming large volumes of data from high-definition cameras was only made possible by the rapid rise of internet speed. Still, studios need quite complex technology to get the action across, including video compression software and next-generation streaming protocols.
RNG Integration
Live dealer games aren’t exempt from RNG, which is still there to ensure fair results. In this case, however, RNG devices shuffle the cards used by the dealer. It means that even though the dealer handles the cards, the shuffling process occurs without human intervention. The same technology is used in roulette and other card games.
Top 3 Live Blackjack Developers
While setting up and managing multiple live dealer rooms may be challenging for most developers, some are up to the task and do so amazingly well. The online casino market is very dynamic, and the industry of casino game developers is fiercely competitive, with newcomers and dinosaurs who can provide the same level of excellence. Here are some of the top providers for this globally loved game.
Evolution Gaming
Specialists often appoint Evolution Gaming as the best developer of live dealer games, particularly for blackjack, not by chance. Evolution has over 30 tables, providing HD streaming and highly trained dealers. While most tables have the classic seven-seat setup, players can enjoy Infinite tables and Salon Privé, Evolution’s VIP rooms.
The classic version uses eight decks of cards, and options include side bets, insurance, and a “bet behind” feature if the table is full. Skilled players can expect an RTP (return to player) rate of 99.28% in the main game. However, resplits aren’t allowed.
Playtech
Playtech is one of the most traditional developers in the online casino industry. The company was created in 1999, only five years after the first gambling platform, The Gambling Club Online Casino, went online. Playtech provides all sorts of casino games, but it stands out as a live blackjack software developer with over 20 tables and a very user-friendly interface.
Playtech also provides a fair share of one-to-many tables, such as All Bets, Cashback, and Unlimited Blackjack. In fact, the company has made its name and fame with an array of quirky variations on the main rules: Mega Fire Blaze, Quantum, and Majority Rules Blackjack are some of the options with the most innovative features. The expected RTP for the main seven-seat game is 99.5%; the 10-Card Charlie rule applies.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play could be considered a newcomer compared to competitors, but this company, founded in 2015, has nearly 100 classic live dealer rooms available. This developer also has a wide range of VIP rooms, called Privé Lounge, dedicated to high rollers.
Additionally, it has a wide range of one-to-many tables, such as the famous One Blackjack and a fast-paced variation called Speed Blackjack. One-to-many tables offer an RTP rate of 99.44% in the main game, while traditional seven-seat versions offer 99.28%. Undoubtedly, Pragmatic Play’s live blackjack tables are a must-try for card game lovers.
Last Round
Luckily, there’s no shortage of top-quality live blackjack rooms. Indeed, players can choose among hundreds of them based on the special features and rules they like the most. Blackjack is a game of chance, and even though it has a high RTP rate, individual success still depends on quite a lot of skill. For those who lack basic knowledge about rules and strategies, the chances of winning may be considerably lower.
Live dealer rooms are the closest most players can get to the brick-and-mortar experience. Better still, advanced technologies have been turning such experiences even more immersive, with the rise of live VR blackjack rooms, for instance.
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