We’re sure you’ll agree: nowadays there’s not an industry in the world that’s “static” or hasn’t been changed by technology. Every business has evolved to keep up with modern advancements, including online casinos.

One of the most notable developments in the sector has been the introduction of live streaming to create lifelike and immersive online gambling experiences. Let’s take a closer look at the implications of technology like live streaming on the player experience.

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How Live Streaming Works

Ok, so the big question is: how does live streaming actually work in online casinos? The online casino operator will set up a dedicated studio that looks — and feels — just like a real casino floor. They will have professional dealers stationed at different tables just like you’d see in a real-life casino.

The studio will have HD cameras set up around the whole venue to capture every angle of the action. You’ll be able to see everything from the dealer’s hands to your cards on the table.

This video feed is streamed in real time to your device. The software allows you to place bets and interact with the dealer and your fellow players through live chat. As you can imagine, there will be a talented team of techs and support staff to ensure the experience remains safe and seamless for all players. The result of all the efforts? A remarkably realistic online gambling experience.

Benefits of Live Streaming

The live-streaming technology has changed the game in more ways than one, bringing a real casino atmosphere right to players’ screens.

A Human Touch

Since their inception, online casinos have been developed around digitized versions of popular casino games like roulette, slot, blackjack, or even Sweepstakes. While this is no doubt entertaining, it does lack the social interaction and exciting atmosphere you’d find at a brick-and-mortar casino.

Live streaming changed the game — literally. It’s enabled players to interact with live (human) dealers in real time while playing poker and similar table games. This has created a more authentic and exciting gaming experience, virtually bringing the casino to your living room. As you can imagine, this is a big plus for players who miss the social aspect of gambling but prefer playing at home.

Upping the Ante

We’re not saying playing the poker you’ve come to know and love at your online casino is boring by any means. But imagine how much more exciting it would be if you could play poker with a real dealer and interact with your fellow players. Pretty cool, right?

You see, dealers are showmen and up the entertainment factor to create more engaging and interactive experiences for players. They will chat with you, celebrate your wins, and even console you after a loss. You can get so immersed in the game that it’s hard to tell whether you’re at your dining table or in a glitzy Vegas casino.

Enhances Trust

You know the old saying that seeing is believing? When you walk into a brick-and-mortar casino, what you see is what you get. This is where online casinos have struggled — it’s much harder to build trust virtually.

The digital nature of games made some players question whether there was a difference in fairness between the real deal and online. There has always been chatter about random number generators and the lack of a physical presence being hard to authenticate.

Live streaming can calm these fears by offering a new level of transparency. You can see the cards being shuffled and dealt, you can watch as the roulette wheel spins — it’s all happening in real time in front of your eyes. This level of transparency increases trust and can reassure you that the games are fair and not biased.

New Games

Live streaming opens the doors for new kinds of games to be introduced at online casinos. Imagine getting to play a TV show-style game like Jeopardy virtually. Casinos can expand beyond table games to something more interactive like live Monopoly and bingo. This creates more unique online experiences that combine traditional gambling with high-stakes game show-style entertainment.

Casino in Your Pocket

You can literally have a Vegas casino in your pocket nowadays thanks to live-streaming technology. You’re able to access live casino games from your mobile or tablet anytime and anywhere. This will only serve to further the growth and popularity of mobile gambling.

Human Connection

While the graphics and general experience of online casinos have been impressive, many players found the experience a little socially isolating. But live streaming has changed things up by reintroducing the social element of gambling.

You can chat with the dealer and other players at the table, creating a life-like and convivial vibe. Being able to interact with others adds to the fun — who doesn’t love a bit of banter? This shared experience can extend beyond the table to create vibrant online communities.

Challenges

Nothing good in life is without its challenges! There are some challenges for both operators and players to overcome:

  • Costly investment: Running live stream operations requires a hefty investment to ensure you have the right technology, infrastructure, and personnel. The studio rental, high-definition cameras, robust servers, and professional dealers create significant overheads for businesses that traditionally operate with much lower operating costs. Operators must ensure these costs align with their overall strategy and will appeal to their customer base to work out the ROI.
  • Glitches: Technology nowadays is very reliable but not immune to occasional glitches. The feed could buffer (the worst!), the connection could drop, or the software could malfunction, creating frustration for players. Operators must maintain a high-quality streaming experience by keeping the feed stable and continually upgrading equipment. Dedicated support teams must be on hand 24/7 to quickly resolve technical issues.
  • Streaming capabilities: How smooth and clear the stream is heavily depends on your internet connection. If you have a slow or unreliable internet connection, you’re going to run into lags, buffering, and even disconnections. This makes it nearly impossible to create a consistent experience for all players. Check the casino’s recommendations for minimum internet speeds to ensure the best gaming experience. You could also use a VPN to use servers closer to the location of the operator’s servers.

The Future

These challenges aside, live streaming is the future of online gambling. It will continue to be adopted by more and more online casinos, creating a consistently more lifelike gambling experience.

We may one day see this type of technology infiltrate other types of games too. The addition of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality down the line will take live streaming to another level. It will feel very much like you are in the room with the dealer and other players, as opposed to watching it on a screen.

Combining these technologies has the potential to create unbelievably immersive and realistic gaming experiences. So thanks to technology, the future’s looking bright!