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The online gambling phenomenon is now in its third decade of existence. Those early casino games where you would register a credit card, watch a primitive representation of a roulette wheel make its rickety spin on the screen and hope vaguely that everything was above board are a world away from today.
There are dozens of online casino platforms out there in 2022. The question of their accessibility to Californian players is a debate we can pick up on another day, but the point is that they are rigorously monitored and audited to the point where playing online is probably even safer than playing in a physical casino.
Live games increase confidence
Still, casino gamers are a superstitious bunch of people. From kissing the dice prior to rolling them to insisting on the first couple of cards being fired from the shoe before dealing, there are a dozen little conventions that make the player feel more relaxed. The issue is, these generally require a personal touch. A virtual dealer could, perhaps fire off the top two cards from its virtual shoe. But kissing the dice is a feat still beyond even the cleverest programmers.
That’s just one reason for the rising popularity of live games. Having a real human dealer officiating over each game certainly adds additional depth to online gambling. Those of a cynical nature can see there’s a real roulette wheel being spun or deck of cards being dealt, and feel more at ease with the random nature of the game.
A more engaging experience
Let’s be honest, most people trust the technology such that they don’t need to see a real person spinning a roulette wheel to know the results are random. But casino gaming is as much about theatre as anything else.
When you visit a casino in the real world, dressing up de la James Bond (or indeed Sylvia Trench) is all part of the experience, and so is exchanging a little banter with the dealer or the croupier. This is especially so in games like three card poker, where you are “competing against” the dealer’s hand, albeit according to strictly predefined rules.
Live casino brings the same experience to your phone or laptop. Of course, there’s the added benefit that you don’t need to be on a webcam yourself, so dressing up for the occasion is not mandatory.
New gaming options
Casinos are highly traditional places, and change comes slowly. Sure, new slot games might come along every week, but they all work on the same basic principles. In live casino, however, there has been a positive explosion of new games. Some are innovative variations on existing games, like lightning roulette or peek baccarat. Others are casino games adapted from TV game shows, such as Dream Catcher and Deal or No Deal. Then there are old games completely reimagined for the casino – classics like rummy and crib.
Live casino might look at first glance like a gimmick designed to appeal especially to the more superstitious. However, there is more to it than that, and it adds a whole new dimension to online gambling.
