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Live dealer games can be a little scary for players and are harder to evaluate. This is why experts at CasinosHunter have spent countless hours checking out live dealer casinos for Canadians. In this review, we offer a comprehensive explanation of how live casinos and games work and where to start if you are a beginner-level gambler.
| # | Casino | Welcome Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% up to $2300 + 250 FS | |
| 2 | 200% up to $7,200 + 300 Free Spins | |
| 3 | 100% up to $3,000 + 200 Free Spins | |
| 4 | 100% up to $22,500 + 350 Free Spins | |
| 5 | 6BTC or $1200 + 250 Free Spins | |
| 6 | 100% up to $1,400 + 60 Free Spins | |
| 7 | 100% up to $2,000 + 10 daily spins | |
| 8 | 300% up to $2,500 + 225 Free Spins | |
| 9 | 80 Free Spins for $1 Deposit | |
| 10 | 100% up to $500 + 50 Free Spins |
Live dealer casino is a concept that suggests that the gambler plays not automated online casino games from the lobby, but connects to live streaming from a live dealer facility, where live dealers run the games, explain the rules, and communicate with the players.
The best dealers make a really entertaining show out of each game, making jokes, telling stories, and so on. This is why casino live dealer games are definitely more fun to play.
Moreover, some live casinos (or some table games where more than one player can play the game against the dealer) allow the players to communicate online, as well, usually through text chat, or, in some high-roller casinos, even through voice chat.
All online casinos that offer live dealer games do not actually hold their own live dealer facilities. This is an expensive business that requires lots of space, equipment, software, and of course lots of experienced and skilled personnel.
Few software providers, and only some of the richest land-based casino nets, can afford to run a live dealer facility. Online casinos only purchase access to these facilities’ streaming, and offer this access to their depositing customers.
The fact that live dealer facilities are so expensive explains why live games are not available for demo playing; obviously, the dealers need to be paid regardless of whether the player does or does not want to make real money bets, because the dealers still do their job.
Casinos on the list of offers above on the page all have live dealer lobbies. Some have more games, others have more famous providers backing the section, and other casinos still boast rare games or even allow to wager bonuses on their live games.
This is why we only give you short reviews of the five top casino sites on the list. You can check more detailed reviews of every casino site to find out more.
The key providers of live games at Betway are OnAir, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Evolution Gaming, and Authentic Gaming. The majority of studios are quite old and therefore the quality of the games is through the roof.
The games include roulette, multiplier roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, and lottery, among others. There are game shows like different wheels, Monopoly, Pachinko, and dice games like Sic Bo, Fan Tan, and Craps.
Other benefits of Betway Casino:
Live dealer games at WinShark are backed by Platipus, Evolution, TVBet, Ezugi, Pragmatic Live, Absolute Live Gaming, etc. The absolute majority of the games are from Evolution and Pragmatic but players can use filters to find other studios - or specific game types.
The lobby offers all types of table games with live dealers - roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, sic bo - as well as various game shows and wheels of fortune. Players can also find rare games - keno, Dragon Tiger, Monopoly, and so on.
Other advantages of WinShark are:
At the time of writing, Evolution Gaming is the only software provider in the live dealer games lobby at BitStarz. While some players may find it disappointing, in fact, this is one of the best studios out there, so the top user experience is guaranteed in terms of game quality.
Moreover, the choice of games is impressive - there are around 100 games with live dealers. The variety includes roulette, blackjack, baccarat, sic bo, and some rarities.
BitStarz has other advantages as an online casino, including:
Several software providers are powering the live section in the lobby, including Absolute Live Gaming, BetGames, Skywind, Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, Pragmatic Live, Lucky Streak, Playtech, and more. The variety of gaming experience is, therefore, quite nice.
As for the games themselves, there are separate sections for blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. Players will also find specialty games, like Monopoly, Dream Catcher, Mega Wheel, etc.
TonyBet is a big platform that has many perks:
Live dealer games at Frank Casino are backed by some of the leading software providers in the industry, including Authentic Gaming, Ezugi, On Air, Pragmatic Play, and Skywind.
The variety of games is insane. There are dozens of variations of blackjack, baccarat, dragon tiger, roulette, teen patti, sic bo, Andar Bahar, and Casino Hold’em.
Frank Casino is a good place to find some rare game shows. These are Card Chase, Travel Fever, Boom City, Cricket War, War of Bets, Wheel of Fortune, Dice Duel, etc. Players interested in active interaction with the dealer and other players will definitely enjoy those games.
Other benefits of Frank Casino:
There are two types of real money online casinos that offer live dealer games - exclusively live dealer sites, and all casino and betting games platforms that also have live dealers.
The first ones are usually owned, managed, and operated by the company that develops the software. The second ones are just web casinos that buy casino software, including software and access to streaming live games. The majority of casino live dealer you will find on the web are of the second type.
As you probably already know, online casinos only make their own casino games if the sites are actually owned by the software-developing company. In all other cases, platforms collaborate with software providers and buy games from providers.
In the case of live dealer games, the website buys software, access to, and the right to stream from a live facility owned by another company.
Live dealer facilities are expensive to operate and hard to manage; also, they require really complicated technical management, and extremely high-quality content and streaming - otherwise, such entertainment provided in poor quality makes no sense.
The dealers work in shifts, several hours per shift, and to get this job, they actually have to meet a lot of requirements, including a requirement for being physically attractive and a good interlocutor who can entertain people. Sometimes, they have to speak several languages, let alone they need to be ready to play the games professionally, and sometimes, they need to even be ready to cheat (unfortunately we have to admit that, too).
So, live dealers and facility management work really hard, long hours, and regardless of whether it is night or day at their location because most facilities operate 24/7. The technical aspects of the operation are crucial because technical issues mean losing clients immediately and also gaining negative feedback among online gamblers, the consequences of this negative feedback can last for months.
This is why owning and running a live dealer venue is hard and expensive, and only really rich and experienced software providers or operators can afford this. This is also the reason why many trusted Canadian online casinos still do not offer live game streaming or have few game titles available.
And because live game facilities are so expensive to run, and streaming is expensive to get access to, most web platforms do not provide bonuses on live games. You will also not be allowed to play live games in demo mode; the access will be unlocked only for real money customers who deposit.
Playing live dealer games may seem a bit more complicated than playing automated games. There are two reasons for that - the first is that you have to interact with a live person who can make you shy, make you laugh, or distract you in some other way.
The second reason is that the majority of live games are games of skill, like cards, dice, etc. If to think about it, even playing roulette needs certain skills, at least in managing the bet expenses.
Now, you’re all set to play and win! Make bets, ask the dealer about stuff, be nice to the dealer and players, and win your money!
The majority of games offered in live dealer casinos are table games, like card games, dice, roulettes, etc., also, some wheel games are provided, like Wheel of Fortune, and others. You are unlikely to find many games that actually involve some software, rather than a real table game, in a live lobby, because gamblers choose live casinos exactly to experience the atmosphere of a real land-based casino, so games involving software do not do very well in this case.
To play live games, the gambler needs some prior knowledge and better have some experience, because the dealers play fast, and if the gamblers do not know the rules and relevant strategies, he or she will not be able to follow them effectively and will make wrong decisions, and have higher risk of losing bets.
Also, many dealers talk a lot during the game, to keep the gamblers attentive and focused on the game, plus the players at the same table may be chatting, too.
This way, there are a lot of distractions in live games, and inexperienced gamblers may lose focus. Bottom line - knowledge and experience are considerable advantages in live dealer casino games.
Roulette is a game of chance, and this fact does not change depending on whether this is an automatic online casino or a live dealer lobby. But roulette is definitely more fun with the dealer.
There are a few types of live roulette casino games - European, French, and American. However, the rules are more or less the same, the player just needs to be aware of the different wheels and bet-placing fields.
Some gamblers advocate the usage of different strategies and theories when playing live roulettes, but the truth is that those strategies only strive to minimize the losses (rather than maximize the wins).
So, if you are a beginner, you can just enjoy intuitive gambling, and you will still have the same chances of winning big as people using complicated mathematical strategies.
Baccarat live dealer is one of the oldest games played with cards, it was not a casino game at first, but it quickly migrated into land-based casinos and then online casinos, and then to the live dealer casinos, because it is fast to learn, comparatively simple to play, and is really one of the most favorite table games, especially among newbie gamblers.
Live dealer baccarat online casino game only has three bets, and a couple of strategies for minimizing the losses. There are several types of baccarat - Punto Banco, Chemin de Fer, Baccarat Banque - and a few variations of the scoreboards.
To play successfully, the gambler should only be aware of the rules, watch the dealer carefully, and count the scores really fast.
Blackjack played at an automated casino and blackjack played against a live casino dealer and other gamblers at the table are two different experiences, and the latter one is way more fun.
There are several types of live blackjack you can find - Classic, Single Deck, Multihand, European, and so on - so both newbies and experienced players will be able to choose the game to suit their tastes. The dealers, on the other hand, do everything possible to keep the players engaged and entertained.
Live dealer blackjack is not a simple game, since it is a game of skill, meaning that the player has a limited ability to influence the outcome of their bet. So, some knowledge and experience are preferred. However, the rules are not super complicated, and even beginners will be able to have fun and win some cash.
There are some other card games you can find at live dealer casinos. Two of the most popular types include live dealer poker online and Dragon Tiger.
Live dealer casino Canada bonuses are very beneficial, but unfortunately, few online betting platforms allow bonuses for live games. Most often, usual welcome packages, and other deposit-based bonuses, are not allowed for live games. No deposit bonuses, both cash and free spins, are also blocked from being used for live dealer betting.
The reason why is that live dealer games are mostly games of skill, and a small bet can bring a huge win if the gambler is skilled and experienced. However, this makes bonuses uncontrollable, opens more possibilities for cheating, and puts the casino at risk of losing lots of money in one go. So, regular bonuses can’t be wagered on live games.
However, some sites do offer special Welcome promotions or even no deposit gifts specifically for live casino betting. Such promos have special rules and higher-than-average wagering requirements, but they give more freedom in betting and may bring more wins.
As it has already been explained in this review by CasinosHunter, running a live dealer facility is more complicated, and way more expensive, than even running a casino website. Besides the actual physical facility, special software is needed, and lots of equipment.
So, only the biggest and oldest software providers like Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, NetEnt Ezugi, Playtech, and Authentic Gaming, can offer live games. Other providers who make high-quality live games are those specializing specifically in live games and nothing else.
The bottom line - you will not find many live dealer software providers to choose from, as there are few. Below is the list of the most popular and reliable studios you can trust with your money.
Evolution Gaming casino developer is in fact one of the leaders in the live dealer niche. The company is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, one of the most relevant authorities on the market, and is certified by eCOGRA, proving the complete security and fairness of the games.
Software by Evolution Gaming is available on any device, from PC to smartphone, regardless of the OS.
Being one of the leaders in online gambling as such, little surprise that NetEnt casino provider decided to give it a try to live dealer games, as well.
NetEnt is a Swedish company, meaning it is reliable and trustworthy at all times. All live games by NetEnt hold licenses by the Malta Gaming Authority and by Alderney.
Being located on the Isle of Man, Microgaming casinos holds a Malta Gaming Authority license for all its games, including live dealer products. They are also certified by eCOGRA and are provably fair.
Being the leader of the market, Microgaming invests huge resources and effort to make live dealer titles abundant, various, entertaining, and of course safe.
Playtech is one of the oldest companies in the niche, it was around back when the Internet was young. This company used to make high-quality software for land-based, and then online casinos, but eventually, they decided to create their own games, too.
Playtech makes live games in different styles, so the players can either focus on the game alone or enjoy the atmosphere of a land-based casino.
Authentic Gaming is a comparatively young company that makes live games but takes a different approach to this type of entertainment.
The company holds two licenses - by the Malta Gaming Authority and by the UK Gambling Commission, which proves security and reliability.
Vivo Gaming is another true leader of the live dealer gambling niche. Created in 2010, at the time of writing Vivo covers literally all live game types available on the market.
Licensed by Costa Rica and Curacao, it collaborates with a bunch of other software providers and offers high-quality video streaming to any country where online gambling is legally allowed.
Live dealer online casinos are so popular because they basically combine the best things from offline and online gambling houses. Consider: the punters play with a live person, and can communicate with the dealer and even with other punters who play at the same table; depending on the game, the players can even communicate with each other in the chat.
If the dealer is professional, they can be really very entertaining, and the punter won’t notice how the time flies.
Dealer live casinos function 24/7, and are good for fighting boredom, since the punter can access and enjoy real gambling house experience without actually leaving their house. On the other hand, live game web casinos do not have many negative sides of the land-based gaming houses, and they are more profitable for the players.
So, to cut a long story short, let’s talk about the key pros and cons of live casino dealer facilities.
No, live games are licensed and certified as thoroughly and generally by the same agencies as classic automated casino games. This is especially true for games by the best providers, like Evolution Gaming and Vivo. If you play with a good provider and reliable casino, you will enjoy fair play.
If you are not amused by live dealer cheating, and you have noticed it, you should contact the pit boss and communicate the problem. Most often, you will be offered an apology and a gift from the facility, like a bonus or free spins.
The dealer runs the game, explains the rules, communicates with the players, and entertains them.
Absolutely! Especially if you play the game of skill and you are good at it. Choose your favorite card games to increase your chances of winning. Canadian players have access to numerous sites, so opt for the ones you like most.
That depends on your preferences. If you are a seasoned gambler, you may want to play card games like blackjack or poker, to have greater chances of winning. If you want more fun than strategy, choose games of chance like roulette, dream catcher, wheel of fortune, etc.
Eva is the voice of online casino reviews at CasinosHunter. With over a decade of copywriting experience, she ensures all content is clear and accurate. Eva simplifies complex gambling concepts and rules, helping players make informed decisions based on casino facts.
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