Best Live Casino Sites in 2024

Before we answer your question, can you tell us what you understand by “live”? For example, a live ice hockey match. It means you can watch the match on TV or by visiting the stadium right when the match is happening.

Pretty much the same idea is carried over to the gambling industry. So, a land-based casino floor is technically a live casino too. But there’s no point in emphasizing it because everyone already knows what it is.

Rather, a live casino now refers to the section of an online casino where live dealer games are located. It’s very similar to when you watch a live sport on TV but better. Because you can directly participate in the games!

If you’ve read our previous guides on casino games in Canada, live dealer games or live casinos have come up more than once. If you’ve been wondering how is it possible to play a game live without setting foot outside your home, you’ll need to understand what OCR is first.

If you have an interest in live games, it means you know about RNG games too. RNG simply stands for Random Number Generator. All the games that don’t belong to the “live dealer” category, belong to the RNG category.

The biggest benefit of RNGs is fairness. As it keeps generating random strings even when the game is not played, even the developers don’t know what the next result is going to be.

Let’s take a comprehensive look at the differences between both types of casino games.

Whether something is better than other things or not is often subjective. It comes down to how the users weigh the pros and cons of both. So, we’re not going to give you an opinion on whether live casino games are better or not. Rather, let’s discuss the advantages so that you can decide for yourself.

The “Real” Casino Feel

We’re aware that it’s not possible to replace land-based casinos in Canada. No matter how advanced the technology becomes or whether the Metaverse becomes a reality or not, the appeal of brick-and-mortar casinos will always be there.

But the drawback is that we often don’t have the time and energy to visit a physical establishment. That’s where the best online casino live dealer operators come into play. They are the closest you can get to a real casino floor without compromising on convenience.

Fairness in front of Your Eyes

For RNG games, the fairness is audited by the licensing authority. In some cases, the operator employs 3rd party organizations to periodically test the RNG software. While most licensed brands are safe, you can’t prove it for yourself. Because none of the parameters are directly in your control.

When it comes to live casino games, you can watch the game in front of your eyes. You see the entire table, the croupier who’s in charge of the game, and even the assistants who pop in from time to time to change the decks or shuffle them.

All of these result in a greater sense of fairness to the Canadian players. When you see the croupiers shuffling the cards or shooting the dice, you know that it’s not rigged.

Human Interaction

This just might be the biggest advantage for most players. Casinos were primarily developed as a place for social interactions. You can drink, eat, and play games with friends. But online casinos are stripped of social interactions entirely.

That’s where live casino games excel. In a game lobby, there’s going to be a human dealer alongside you. You can interact with them too via the chat feature. Not only that, most games allow other players in the same lobby too. And if the game allows it, you may be able to interact with them too.

More Limit on Your Bets

If you’re familiar with casino games, you should know that there is a minimum bet requirement and a maximum bet requirement. For most table games, the maximum you can bet is not very high. By table games, we’re referring to the RNG table games, of course.

In live dealer games, however, the maximum limit for a bet is usually set higher. It’s true for Canada as well as the rest of the world. That’s why most high rollers tend to play live games rather than RNG games.

Play from Under the Blanket

This just adds to the convenience factor of the live games. For all brick-and-mortar casinos, there’s a dress code. The more reputed the brand, the stricter the code seems to get. So, even if you’re not comfortable in a tuxedo, you may have to wear it to enter the floor.

But live casinos are completely free from such restrictions. You can wear whatever you want when you play games. No one will bother you even if you don’t wear any. Such a level of freedom was unheard of before the days of online casinos.

It would be unrealistic if these games didn’t have any flaws. Even the moon has its flaws and we’re talking about mere live dealer casinos. So, let’s quickly list the cons of this paradigm.

❌ You usually need high-speed internet to play the games

❌ Some older devices may not handle the games as well

❌ Server downtimes and technical issues are more prominent

❌ The library of games is not nearly as flourished as RNG games

❌ The operational costs for these games are higher which can lead to higher house edges

The current paradigm of a live casino is completely based on OCR technology. It stands for Optical Character Recognition. “Optical” is somewhat synonymous with visual and we can translate “character recognition” as identifying something.

So, when we put everything together, we get a technology that can identify visual cues. And that’s exactly how OCR works. A human dealer conducts the game as they’re supposed to in front of the camera. The camera is rigged with OCR.

Whenever a meaningful action takes place, OCR recognizes it and shows the result on your screen in real-time. We’re might be trying to explain it as simply as we can, but it’s a cutting-edge technology that came to life very recently!

Before OCR took over, the live casino games were mostly conducted with RFID-infused elements. For example, custom-made cards for blackjack and custom-made ivory balls for roulette. The tables had sensors all over to pick up the signals.

As you may have guessed, it was neither economical nor a feasible approach to live casinos at all. Hence, it was replaced by OCR.

Now that you know how live casino games work, why don’t we do a comparison between the best online casino live dealer games and RNG games?

The best live casino bonuses and promotions offered by online casinos in Canada can vary greatly, as different players will have different preferences.

Welcome Bonus

A welcome bonus is a one-time bonus offered to new players who sign up and make their first deposit at an online casino. It can be a percentage of the deposit amount or a fixed sum, and is intended to encourage players to try out the casino’s games.

Cashback Bonus

A cashback bonus is a percentage of the player’s losses that are returned to them as a bonus. Cashback bonus helps players recoup some of their losses and incentivizes them to continue playing.

Reload Bonus

A reload bonus is a bonus offered to existing players who make a deposit. It is intended to incentivize players to continue playing at the casino and can be a percentage of the deposit amount or a fixed sum.

VIP/Loyalty Program

Many online casinos offer VIP or loyalty programs, which reward players for their continued play. These programs can offer a range of bonuses, including exclusive promotions, higher deposit and withdrawal limits, and personalized customer support.

No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit bonus is a bonus that is awarded without the need for a player to make a deposit. No deposit bonus is a way for online casinos to attract new players and incentivize them to try out the casino’s games.

A live casino operates online with real, human dealers, offering a more authentic experience. The games available typically mirror those found in land-based casinos. Using advanced streaming technology, live casinos connect players to live dealers, enabling real-time interaction with both dealers and other players. This creates a more immersive and realistic casino experience compared to traditional online platforms.

Accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world, live casinos provide convenience and flexibility for players. They usually feature a variety of table games, such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, along with specialty games like Dream Catcher and Monopoly Live. Additionally, live casinos often offer enticing bonuses and promotions, including welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and cashback offers.