Blackjack is possibly one of the most popular card games worldwide. Its origins trace back to 17th-century France, where it’s called vingt-un, or twenty-one. The rules are very easy to learn, and it’s also a fast-paced game, which makes it perfect for casinos. Indeed, it’s so prevalent in casinos that it made it into online casinos following every development of this market.
That’s why live blackjack became a huge attraction when live dealer games were invented. Try searching for “blackjack en vivo,” and you’ll be amazed by the sheer amount of results. The online casino industry is expected to make USD 3.7 billion only with live dealer games by 2025. Why are such games such a roaring success? Keep reading and find out.
Bringing a Passion Alive
The first online casino went on air in 1995, and in 1998, there were attempts to create live dealers. The idea was to emulate the brick-and-mortar experience as realistically as possible. Due to the technological constraints, though, the first viable game with a real person running it came to be around 2007.
Back then, such games could only be enjoyed on computers. Only in 2012, those games were freed from PCs, thanks to HTML5 technology and a much better internet than in the early days of online casinos. Nowadays, they’re available to anyone with a mobile device connected to the internet. According to statistics from 2022, there are about five billion people with access to mobile internet worldwide.
Human dealers make any game much more engaging and interactive than regular online games. In blackjack, the dealer plays a crucial role: they represent the casino, playing against all players on the table. While online blackjack games typically use computers for the task, live options have a real person there, which makes players feel they’re playing in an actual casino.
Technology of Fun
In the digital era, live streaming is taken for granted. However, setting up a live dealer room involves quite complex technology, going way beyond high-definition cameras. The game control unit is a crucial component in those games and is present on every table. Game control units encode the video streaming, ensuring the safety of all players involved.
In The Room
There are mainly two types of live blackjack: unlimited and real table. As the name suggests, the first type has no limit for the number of players playing the same hand. If you want to opt-out here, all you have to do is hit “stand.” The game goes on without you, though, until the last player does the same or busts. Real tables deal a pair of cards to each player in the room, like in a real-life casino.
Such games involve an array of cameras showing the dealer and the table in detail. Although dealers can see who’s playing as all players see them, you can talk to them using a live chat. Just like in online games, there’s a fixed time for placing your bets. The job description includes entertaining players, answering questions, and guaranteeing fair play. They are highly-trained professionals who must also be charismatic and friendly.
