Live casino games are a great way to experience real-time gambling without leaving home. They can be played at brick-and-mortar casinos, online with sites such as 888poker or PokerStars, and even on your mobile phone using apps like Twitch TV.
These casinos feature a variety of different types of games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. Some of them even offer lottery-like games like bingo. The games are streamed in HD, so you can enjoy them from the comfort of your own home or office.
In addition to the live dealers, most live casinos also include a host of other features that make playing in a real-time environment a great experience. These features include a chat function, which lets you interact with the dealer during the game. They also have an automatic betting system that allows you to place bets with just a click.
Most live casinos use cameras to capture and live stream the gameplay. These cameras allow players to watch the dealer, other players, and the table. The camera can be angled in a number of ways, giving players a bird’s eye view or a close-up of the action.
Some live casinos also use a Game Control Unit (GCU), which is similar to an HDMI box that enables the streaming of the live video from the casino. The GCU is responsible for encoding the video broadcast and for controlling the live gaming sessions.
The Game Control Unit is a crucial component of the live gaming experience, and there is no way to stream live casino games without it. This device ensures that the game is running smoothly and that your experience is as close to a real-world casino as possible.
Many reputable online gambling operators rely on software from industry leaders like Yggdrasil, QuickSpin, Play’n GO and NetEnt to power their live dealer platforms. This technology translates every move made by the dealer into data, which is then transmitted instantly to the player’s screen. It makes the live casino experience more realistic, which is why it’s so popular.
Another key piece of technology in a live casino is Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which translates the card and number characters into data so that players can view them on their screens. This makes it possible for live casinos to determine who is winning or losing, and award their winnings or deduct their losses as needed.
Unlike online casinos, live casinos require a number of staff members and specialized equipment to operate. These staff members include a pit boss, croupier, IT manager, and camera operator.
These people are responsible for creating a fun and engaging environment for the players to enjoy. They also ensure that the games are fair and that there is no chance of cheating.
In order to keep their customers happy and satisfied, a live casino needs to invest a lot of money into its infrastructure. It includes three rooms: a live studio, an analyst room, and a software room. This setup may vary from one casino to the next, but it is essential for a smooth game session.