Live Dealer Casinos

What Are Live Casinos?

Live casinos in Canada are a relatively new format of online gambling. Every live casino (a.k.a live dealer casino) simulates land-based casinos made of brick and mortar, with a live dealer you are playing against. Unlike a real-life casino, gamblers can play live games just as if they were enjoying them in the real, land-based casinos, but from the comfort and privacy of their own home. One of the few advantages of live casinos in Canada is having to play traditional online casino games and other casino games with the least inconvenience possible.

Another benefit of live dealer casino sites is their opportlunity to offer you better odds, at least in theory. The best live dealer casinos will have occasional options regarding a welcome bonus, deposit bonuses, extra free spins, blackjack games, live roulette games, and all other live games. Bonus up to C$100 is the most common according to our experience, but it’s not unusual to get a bonus up to C$500 or even a bonus up to C$1,000 or more. There is a catch, however, if you want to play live casino games and it’s related to welcome bonus, free spins on roulette, and online slots, but more on that in the ‘bonus offers’ section below.

When it comes to payback percentages, according to the statistics there is no substantial difference between live casinos in Canada and land-based casinos.

Some people claim that playing live casino games can bring you bigger winnings than slot games, despite the latter having better return to player percentages. That is yet to be proven, though.

How Do Live Casinos Work?

Live casinos are almost identical to ordinary online casinos, with a live environment being the key difference. Live casino players feel and act as if they were in a real casino, facing the human dealer, but instead of placing bets with their hands, players press buttons instead.

A live dealer uses real gambling devices and items, cards and roulette wheels are the most common. He or she is broadcasted via video stream and it is they who determine the outcome of each round of play, instead of a random number generator fitted to a machine. The best thing about live casino games is the social factor. Players can interact with live dealers as if they were in a real casino, making the best live dealer casino games more memorable and emotionally involved.

Live Casino Canada Facts

True or not, the fact remains that every live casino in Canada offers players a unique chance to feel all the excitement and thrill of playing against a living, human dealer. Live casino online experience is the closest thing to a real casino there is. Some of our favourite casino games against a live dealer are responsible for making these last couple of years bearable. Having said that, in the recent year or so online casino sites were the only place where we could feel the excitement of opening a casino account, getting our deposit bonus and stacking it up versus a live dealer.

The key factor is real-time play provided by a live dealer game. In no other online casino situation can you experience such thrilling scenarios, and the best live dealer games can induce a great amount of stress in seasoned gamblers and rookies alike.

Every live casino, Canada or not, depends on the sophisticated live casino software. Said live casino software is made by some of the best game providers in the world, enabling us to enjoy our favourite online casino game head to head with a live dealer. We, the players, can use personal computers and consoles to enter the magical world of live dealer studios thanks to the efforts of renowned live casino software providers, such as Evolution Gaming, Playtech, Microgaming, and the rest.

For those inclined to technical issues, the physical transactions made by the live dealer are converted into digital data by the OCR (Optical Character Recognition), which enables players to jump into action without even realizing they are not in the ‘real’ casino, but in a live online casino instead. Obviously, the results are determined by a live dealer, rather than a software-operated machine.

If this sounds expensive and complicated, it’s probably because it is. Live casino online adventure presents a huge investment in human labour and technology, making live dealer online casinos very costly for casino owners. You need a pit boss, a live dealer, a camera operating crew, an IT staff, and those are just essential workers. So if you ever wonder why some online casinos have such a small variety of live dealer online games, this is your answer.

Every live casino, whether Canada-based or not, has a couple of premises as its base of operation. There are your live dealer studios located next to a computer room, and one more for gambling gurus whose job is to analyze live dealer casino games currently played.

How Do We Review Live Casinos?

The most often asked question we hear is this: Are live dealer games rigged? And while it may sound funny, there is a reason why live blackjack, for instance, has terrible wagering requirements from the players’ perspective, and slots with free spins offer the best wagering deal. The simple answer is this: No, live dealer casinos in Canada are not rigged. However, live dealer casinos are run by humans, so the risk is much greater than in a player versus computer situation, due to human factors such as stress, lack of experience, fatigue, or even honest mistakes.

There are several steps necessary to honestly evaluate live dealer casinos. In essence, they resemble the same method as an evaluation of a casino as a whole. Since live dealer casinos in Canada are becoming more and more popular, we’ve decided to break down each and every live casino reviewing segment, bit by bit.

• Bonus Offers

This is a crucial segment. Almost every live casino game, even the most popular live casino games, offers bonus terms and conditions that are drastically unfavourable to players. This is particularly true when compared to other online games played against the computer. The major problem is the wagering requirement and the fact that every live casino, Canada included, treats live dealer games as a possible risk to their bankroll. As a result, they tend to apply the lowest, or no wagering contribution to every single live game there is.

Let’s use this simple example of how a welcome bonus wagering works with online slots, regular online casino roulette, and live dealer online casino games, including all casinos in Canada. Imagine you’ve claimed a welcome bonus up to C$100, with a match welcome bonus of 100%, and you actually paid C$100. Your C$100 welcome bonus is now turned into C$200 on your bankroll, and you are ready to play casino games.

Your welcome bonus has a wagering requirement of 40x bonus, meaning you have to wager a total of C$4,000 (40x C$100 bonus) before you can actually withdraw any real money at all. If you decide to play slots, they will contribute to your wagering with a full 100%. Your C$10 bet will count as C$10 towards your C$4,000 wagering goal, so 400 of those and you have fulfilled your wagering requirement. Now let’s take a look at roulette.

Being a table game in a non-live casino environment, regular online casino roulette will contribute to your wagering some 10% on average. Again, you will place the same C$10 bet on a single spin, but now it’s contributing to your wagering requirement only C$1. Instead of 400 bets, like on slots, you now have to make 4,000 bets on roulette, worth exactly C$40,000 in total.

This is where the bad news starts to unravel. The vast majority of casinos in Canada either prohibit players to use their welcome bonus funds in live dealer games, or they allow it with a wagering contribution of 0%. In theory, if a player is allowed to enter a live casino with an active welcome bonus, his bets will not contribute to wagering requirements at all, thus rendering a potential money withdrawal impossible. Until he or she spends the entirety of his welcome bonus and deposit, that is.

• Loyalty Program

Unfortunately, loyalty programs are something of a novelty in the live casino department. Live casinos in Canada that will offer loyalty programs compatible with live dealer casinos are very small in quantity and quality, compared to casinos that reward playing all other casino games. Simply put, every live casino game brings too much risk for the casino owners, and they prefer to limit their offers to other games, like slot games and table games. Keep in mind that live casino bonuses are rare, and live casino deposit bonuses are even harder to track and exploit.

It is very rare to see a welcome bonus, deposit bonus, or free spins offers in live casinos in Canada. This is not to say there are no loyalty programs for live casinos in Canada, but if you plan to play live dealer games be prepared to compromise. One of the most common loyalty-based rewards is comp points. Each time you wager a certain amount of money you will be rewarded with a comp point. Collect enough of them, and you can claim various prizes, free spins, and cash bonuses up to C$100 in most cases.

Another example is live blackjack, and its free bet blackjack and infinite blackjack variants. The live dealer has a certain number of bonus cards in their deck(s), and if you are lucky enough to draw them, you can score extra cash. This is usually a C$25 bonus, up to C$100.

Free spins are another way to get rewarded just by playing a particular live casino game for a long period of time. Wheel of Fortune is a good example. Of course, there is no welcome bonus in this game, but some casinos in Canada will grant you a deposit bonus consisting of free spins and a free play deposit bonus. Again, each deposit bonus can yield a bonus up to C$100.

• Games

Live casino games are the heart and soul of every live dealer casino, just as they are in land-based casinos. Playing live casino games is fun, exciting, and possibly lucrative if you are skilled enough, and obviously, have lady luck on your side. When choosing a live casino to play in, among so many casinos in Canada, make sure to check what games they offer, and what live dealer casino software providers are involved. Giants like Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Microgaming and Playtech are responsible for the great number of popular live casino games, and their names on the live casino games’ list is a very good sign.

• Banking Options

Unlike live casino bonuses or a welcome bonus, there is little to no difference when it comes to banking options in a live casino, compared to other games played in all online casinos in Canada. What you want is to find live dealer casinos with as many deposit and payment options available. Your free spins winnings and very rare deposit bonuses are worth close to nothing if you do not have a reliable and quick payment method at your disposal.

The best live dealer casinos in Canada offer all payment methods possible: bank transfer, credit and debit cards, electronic wallets, vouchers, prepaid cards, instant play cards, and these days more and more popular – cryptocurrencies.

If time is of the essence, you might consider sending your verification documents to live dealer casino sites in advance. Even the best live dealer casinos in Canada need some extra time for the verification process, and your first payment could be faster a couple of days if you send your personal info ahead of schedule.

• Customer Support

Customer support is a vital part of every online casino, and this is even more true when it comes to a live casino online scenario. Due to the fact that you can not communicate directly to the live dealer, a well-organized live chat is essential. If ever in doubt, you can ask customer support for help and the vast majority of them are up to the task. Casinos available in Canada usually have a superb live casino customer support staff, polite and quick to respond. Do not hesitate to call them up and resolve every single issue you might have, because live casino games are played in real-time and not knowing, or understanding something, can be very frustrating, time-consuming, and costly.

What To Look For In Canadian Live Casinos?

Like in every other live casino, Canadian players should try to find reliable, well-regulated casinos with superior games and game providers. Good bonuses, free spins, promotions and other rewards come next, alongside proven and secured banking options that offer the quickest withdrawals possible. Excellent customer support is also a must, and finally, there is a visual, and audible segment of a live casino studio. The overall ambience, combined with the skills and charisma of live dealers available, can improve your gambling experience significantly.

How We Rate the Best Live Casinos

All live casinos must obey very strict rules and respect the player’s dignity and needs. The reason why players from all corners of the globe put their trust in our hands is our dedication to enforcing the highest possible standards and imposing them on every single casino or game.

If we rate a casino with flying colours, you know it is top-notch. Not even the smallest sub-par casino element is tolerated, not to mention straight-up scam or some other dishonest practice on a casino site.

• Protection and safety

This is priority number one. Is the gambling site licensed and regulated? If it is, by whom, and when? Is there an encryption certificate? What kind of software is applied? Are deposits air-tight sealed? All this tedious work is necessary to create security worthy of Fort Knox.

• Withdrawal and payout

Every time your skill and luck defeat the live dealer, we do our best to make sure your real money will be in your pocket as fast as possible. Delayed, or even cancelled payouts are one of the most common problems in the world of live casinos. We are here so you don’t have to wait for your money, not a second longer than necessary.

• Live casino games

The best live dealer casinos out there are famous not only because of superb providers like Evolution Gaming and Playtech but for fairness and a wide variety of choices. Table games must be plentiful, just as wagers, and even live dealers. We seek cracks and holes in every single segment so you can invest your time and money with no worries whatsoever.

• Offers and bonuses

It is us who check all the tiny details in boring and long terms and conditions documents. Bonuses and offers might look good, but are they in reality and in practice? No worries, we will strip them to the bare bone.

• Responsive and professional customer support

This is where online casinos tend to exaggerate the most, so it’s up to us to see if they are as good enough as they claim. Being quick alone will not yield excellent results, support staff must be knowledgeable and polite as well. Your peace of mind is paramount to us because annoyed and frustrated players can lose money more quickly than calm and focused ones.

• Mobile accessibility

Your brand new iPhone or an Android operating gadget could be useless if a live casino is not truly mobile-friendly. Your gaming experience must be safe, bug and stress-free, with no delays, lag or crashes whatsoever. We can not stress enough how important this is in a live casino environment. It is our mission to enable you the chance to choose between only the best.

Live Casinos On Our Blacklist

Sooner or later, a certain live casino will end up on our blacklist. Our meticulous reviews can easily point out all potentially dangerous and/or illegal activities.

We search for clues about casino safety and licenses and is it regulated properly. It’s our job to see whether all the games are fair, are the bonuses too good to be true, what are the conditions of said bonuses, and what are the banking options like.

Here are some of the examples of how to spot casinos with fraudulent games, offers, services, and terms:

• Wagering requirements of a particular game or bonus are hidden out of plain sight.
• Players are not being paid.
• A certain game is reportedly rigged.
• Return to player percentage is not fair to all players.
• The gaming experience is too unreliable.
• Games have too many technical problems.
• Software is not safe for use.
• Some or all games are plagiarised.
• Live casino personnel are way too unprofessional.

Live Casino Bonuses

• Welcome Bonuses

Some of the best live dealer casinos in Canada do not offer a welcome bonus. In general, welcome bonuses are as rare as free spins in the live casino environment. In most cases, players will try to get a regular casino welcome bonus or some other deposit bonus, that can be effectively used in a live casino as well as on slots or table games. However, this can be more complicated than it sounds, and here’s why.

Most Casinos in Canada, and in the rest of the world for that matter, do not allow players to use a welcome bonus, or free spins, in a live casino. You can play with real money later on, but your welcome bonus funds prevent you from taking part in a live casino scenario. There are more lenient live dealer casinos in Canada that will let you play in a live casino using your welcome bonus, or some other deposit bonus funds, but, and this is very important, bets you make in a live casino will not contribute to your wagering requirement, thus preventing you to withdraw any real money into your casino account.

• Welcome Bonuses Wagering

The best live dealer casinos in Canada will not only let you play in a live casino with your welcome bonus active, they will actually encourage you with a low wagering contribution. Keep in mind this is still a very difficult task to achieve. Here’s an example: let’s say you claimed a C$100 welcome bonus, or some other deposit bonus up to C$100. The wagering is 40x the deposit bonus, some C$4,000 to be precise, and all of your live casino bets contribute only 10% towards wagering. That means you have to effectively bet C$40,000, in a relatively short amount of time, in order to fulfil your welcome bonus wagering requirement and eventually request a payment. This is a very hard challenge, even for players with great gambling skills, not to mention – luck.

Bear in mind, this is the best welcome bonus scenario. There are plenty of live casinos in Canada that will grant you a 5% wagering contribution, meaning your C$100 welcome bonus will require you to make C$80,000 in bets alone, with a wagering of 40x the welcome bonus money.

• No Deposit Bonuses

Live casino no deposit bonuses also sound like a great deal, until you realize how hard it is to fulfil the wagering requirement. It is a good thing to consider your no deposit bonus as a tool to get you going, rather than a bonus that will make you rich. Free chips, valued in bonus cash, are the most common form of an incentive, offered by some of the best live dealer casinos in Canada. Usually, it’s a bonus up to C$20, and on some rare occasions a bonus up to C$30. It is a nice stimulation for new players to get familiar with the games, but only if they have no great expectations. Remember, this is not a C$100 welcome bonus, with all the benefits and commitments that a welcome bonus carries, but rather something to get you started before you claim your C$100 welcome bonus or some other casino offer.

• Live Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses are an incentive for players that have already made some deposit bonus or claimed their welcome bonus, free spins, and other benefits. Some reload bonuses require a bonus code, some do not, there is no universal rule, but the best live dealer casinos out there will grant you some form of reload bonus over a longer period of time. For instance, after you’ve claimed your C$100 welcome bonus and used it, the casino will offer you a reload bonus of up to C$200 to refresh your bankroll.

A live reload bonus has the same rules as a welcome bonus, so always go for the reload bonus / welcome bonus with the lowest wagering possible. Preferably with no wagering at all. The best live dealer reload bonuses are, as expected, in the VIP club or a program, so getting there should be a priority if: a) you have a lot of money and the welcome bonus is not really an issue, or b) you join some of the best live dealer casinos with an open-to-join VIP policy.

• Live Cashback Bonuses

After you claim your welcome bonus, let’s say it is a C$100 welcome bonus with additional free spins, that money will probably be spent relatively quickly. No matter how good, or lucky you are, your money and free spins will be lost at some point, welcome bonus or not. This is where cashback bonuses lend you a hand because they are based on your losses, rather than winnings, like in the case of free spins.

Unlike a welcome bonus or a free spins reward, a cashback bonus does not require a deposit. Instead, in order to be activated, you will have to make one or more deposits prior, and accumulate some casino losses in the meantime. For example, if you claim the above-mentioned C$100 welcome bonus, then spend an additional C$100, you have lost C$200 in a particular casino.

After a while, that same casino will have an exclusive cashback bonus offer of 50% bonus up to C$100. So 50% of your losses equals C$100, which is the exact maximum amount of said cashback bonus, and you will receive back the full amount of the cashback bonus up to C$100.

And as always, even in the best live dealer casinos wagering and other terms and conditions still apply. Keep that in mind when you activate your cashback bonus.

Live Casino Games

Different casino sites offer different live dealer games. It is vital to go for the games you feel comfortable with, alongside the dealer studios they are played in. The best live dealer options are plentiful so take your time and by all means, contact customer support if necessary. You don’t want a gambling problem in your life right from the get-go.

The most common and popular live dealer games found on trusted and secured gambling sites are:

• Blackjack, Baccarat, Live Roulette, American Roulette, European Roulette, Casino Hold’em, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Squeeze Baccarat, Stud Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, 3 Card Poker, Dream Catcher, Football Studio, Lightning Roulette, Blackjack Common Draw, Live Dragon Tiger, Live Sic Bo, Perfect Pair Blackjack, VIP Blackjack, Hi Lo, Omaha Hi, Speed Roulette, Double Wheel Roulette, Auto Roulette, Grand Hazard Sic Bo, Punto Banco Super 6, Live Hold’em Pro, Baccarat Super 6, Double Ball Live Roulette…

Having said that, THE most popular and the best live dealer casino games by a big margin are blackjack and roulette. The simplicity and good odds of said table games are what attract players from around the world. When it comes to the best live dealer game providers, you can not make a mistake by going with the titans of industry. NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Playtech, Realtime Gaming, Authentic Gaming, Ezugi, Microgaming, Extreme Live Gaming, and Medialive Casino are some of the best.

How To Play Live Casino Games

First, you may want to check out our top-rated online casinos and try to find casino websites with live casinos that match your game style and personal preferences.

You should read our reliable casino reviews and take into consideration all important factors: bonus offer, payment options, banking options, customer service, and most importantly the best live dealer casino games available. Open up an account, sign up and make the first deposit. It is crucial to use trusted and secured banking options. Explore the casino gaming lobby and get familiar with the games you are interested in. Choose your game type, it can be one of the card games, live roulette, blackjack, or some other casino game.

Once you get to know casino tables, screen layout, and master a live dealer game of your choice, you are good to go. Follow instructions given by the dealer and have a great time.

Live Dealer Games Top Tips

We’ll say it again: before opening an account be 100% sure that you are on the legit online casino page.

Do the math and see if the rollover requirement is doing you a favour. Misunderstood wagering requirements can become a huge inconvenience for players who didn’t take live dealer games terms and conditions seriously enough.

Different live dealer casinos have different betting limits. This is very important because it affects game strategy against a live dealer. Find games and dealers with the minimum and maximum bets of your liking.

Does the casino you like accept debit card deposits? Is it even possible for a player from the US to join? Every online casino has different policies, so read them out before you start to play games.

Respect the site security measures, both legal and mechanical. You don’t want to be excluded or denied payment. The best live dealer casino games in online casinos are as serious as their land-based counterparts. Every live casino is extremely tech-dependent. Live dealer casinos require modern devices and fast internet. Here are some tech-wise tips for a better gambling experience.

What kind of device do you plan to use against a live dealer? A cell phone? Laptop? Is it an iOS or Android operating system? Check out our list of the best live dealer casinos and see how they handle each individual device because some online casinos work better on a specific platform. If your browser is properly updated, you’ll need to accept the site cookies in order to run your account and casino games effortlessly.

The next tip is to practice. Every live dealer is an unforgiving professional, so act accordingly and prepare for the games of your choice. Although you can’t practice your favourite game in a classic live casino environment, because human dealers play for real money only, you can find that same game in almost every online casino and start honing your skills.

Once you find the live casino that fits your needs and style, keep track of your bankroll. Having your limits set, and acting responsibly, is the most important thing for players. This is a universal rule, valid in every land-based casino, online casino, and especially in a live casino.

This may be redundant, but it is crucial so we will just say it – behave decently. Respect the live casino etiquette and act politely. Granted, a live casino is not a church, so cracking a benign joke or two to a live dealer might be appropriate and it can improve your casino experience. But know your limits and stay cool, we are 100% sure that both your live dealers and the best live dealer casinos will appreciate it.

Bottom line, if you ever encounter a problem or some other inconvenience, feel free to contact customer support. It’s their job to help you, so don’t take unnecessary risks when you are playing live dealer games.

The Best Live Casino Games

• Live Dealer Blackjack

This is the most popular card game in every live casino, both in Canada and in the world. Live dealer blackjack is not only a game where you need both skill and luck to be successful, but it is also a game with the lowest casino edge in the entire gambling industry.

When it comes to rules, and variants of blackjack games, there is absolutely no difference between a live blackjack game versus the machine, and blackjack games played against the live dealer. The only difference, and it is a big one, is the gaming experience itself. Simply put, no machine or software can replace the unique feeling of playing against another human being. If you are unfamiliar with the blackjack and its variants, you can learn all there is in our dedicated blackjack section.

• Live Dealer Poker

The good thing about live dealer poker is that you no longer have to wait for enough people at the table to play against. There are quite a few variants of live dealer poker games, made by the different game providers, so it is very easy to find the one that is right for you.

As in all live dealer games, the rules of the games and their variants are exactly the same as in the casino games run by machines. If your poker skills might need some honing, feel free to check out our poker section and learn all there is to know about.

• Live Dealer Baccarat

Another very popular live casino game is live baccarat and its Punto Banco variant. The rules of the game are the same as in the normal game against a friend, or an RNG-powered machine. What makes live baccarat so popular is the wide range of stakes possible and the fact that live baccarat has relatively high limits compared to other live casino games.

This is always a good thing for high rollers and people who like to take risks. It is a simple, straightforward game, but if you have any doubts, go to our card games section and refresh your memory.

• Live Dealer Online Roulette

Exciting, classy, and easy to master – those are the qualities that made roulette so popular in all casinos, including the Canadian ones. It has the most variants, and native language dealers are very easy to find. Ironically, with all the prestige involved, roulette is still a game for the masses. You’ll find high rollers sitting next to ‘common’ people making small bets.

The rules are naturally all the same in the live dealer scenario, and you have the best chances to increase your bankroll by playing French roulette. The American roulette, having an additional double Zero section, is the least favourable for players, while the classical European roulette is somewhere in the middle in terms of return to player percentages. Check out our roulette article and improve your chances in this legendary casino game.

• Live Dealer Casino Hold’em

This variant of Texas Hold’em is another all-star live casino game. Unlike Texas Hold’em, where you try to beat the other players, in live dealer casino hold’em, the unlimited number of players all try to beat the dealer. All software providers offer the same variant of live dealer hold’em, except for Evolution Gaming.

The latter has developed a progressive jackpot version of live dealer casino hold’em and it is worth checking out because of the grand prizes involved.

• Live Dream Catcher

This is a money wheel game made to appeal to those who revel in slot machines and similar games. You don’t have to possess any skills and the live Dream Catcher is all about luck. It is extremely easy to understand and play. But, unlike any other live casino game, a Dream Catcher live dealer or host is essential for the game flow and entertainment.

He or she is the person who effectively grants you winning spins, so it is only natural that some of them are more popular than others. A live dealer should be an upbeat, charismatic person capable of entertaining the players during the play, whereas the game itself resembles a live show more than any other live casino game.

• Live Dealer Sic Bo

This live casino game is very popular with players from Asia, due to the fact it originated in China. Sic bo means ‘dice pair’ in Chinese, and it is known as Hi-Lo in many western live casinos. It is a dice game where a player predicts his roll and the rules are just as same in the live variant of Sic Bo.

There are numerous versions of Sic Bo in live casinos, with random multipliers up to 1,000x to some of the betting positions. XTG offers the basic variant, Evolution and Pragmatic Play made the expanded versions, while Playtech offers both of them.

Low Stakes And High Stakes Live Dealer Games

Low Stakes Live Dealer Games

As mentioned in the article, running a live casino is pretty expensive and demanding. There has to be at least one table for a relatively high number of players, usually 7, and since most of the people are specifically attracted to low stakes games it is no wonder that sometimes it gets a bit crowded. This is the reason why live casinos often change the minimum bet limits, and it is not done because of the one casino’s whims, but for practical reasons alone.

The stakes will be at the lowest point when the tables are empty. Likewise, the minimum bets will rise in value as more people gather at the tables. But, if you join the table at an early stage, with a minimum bet of C$1, and the table becomes crowded as you play, the new, higher minimum bet limit will not apply to you. New bet limits do not retroactively and apply only to players who joined the table after the minimum bet was raised. In most casinos, low-stakes games have minimum bets from C$0,5 to C$2 a hand.

High Stakes Live Dealer Games

If you have ever thought that your C$100 welcome bonus is a respectable amount of money, don’t get us wrong – for some people it truly is, high stakes live dealer games are exclusively for those willing, and capable of spending great amounts of real money. In technical terms, those games do not differ from the ‘normal’ live casino tables. It’s the maximum bets, maximum withdrawals, quick payouts, and the overall atmosphere that separates rich people from regular casino players.

High-stakes games are generally closed to the public. You can not just jump into the table, or even watch the game. Your C$100 welcome bonus is insignificant in a situation where the minimum bet per seat is C$1,000, or more. The best live dealer VIP games with high stakes are a perfect combination of luxury, privacy, and comfort, and high rollers do not like to mingle with the regular crowd. Instead, they enjoy the company of people who are wealthy just as they are.

Live Casinos VS Regular Online Casinos

The main difference between live dealer casinos in Canada, and regular online casinos is the absence of human interaction. This is neither good nor bad. It boils down to a difference between machines run by random number generators, and a living human being shuffling the decks and spinning the roulette wheel. With that in mind, casino etiquette is something you will need in a live casino. The best live dealer casinos will have professional, courteous dealers, and you are not in a position to communicate with them.

On the other hand, you can communicate with other players, and just because you are hidden behind the screen does not mean that you can behave as you please. The rule of thumb is this: act normally, just as if you were at the real, physical table in a Las Vegas casino. If ever in doubt, the best live dealer casinos have rules about live casino behaviour you can freely check out before you start to play.

Live Casino VS Regular Online Casino Pros & Cons

Pros

• Full casino enjoyment in the comfort of your own home.
• Sense of belonging to a wider, more diverse group of people from all around the world.
• It’s a good gateway for old-school gamblers who used to play live casino games offline.

Cons

• The game variety is far less impressive than in a regular online casino, and the best live dealers are setting the pace at which the live casino games are played.
• Live casino bonuses and promotions, like match bonus and additional bonus games, are not so tempting and diverse compared to the other game content on the same casino site.
• Standard, non-live casino games (table games, slots, video poker…) usually offer a greater difference between the maximum and minimum bets.

How to Play Live Dealer Games Online

Playing games in live dealer casinos is very easy, just as it is in all land-based casinos in the world. The best live dealer casinos in Canada are well prepared and optimized, so all you need to do is open an account, place a deposit to collect your welcome bonus or some other deposit bonus (if any), and you are ready to play games.

In the lobby of an online casino, there will most likely be a tab you can click on, labelled ‘live casino’, ‘live games’, or just ‘live’. Open it and you will see all the available tables with different live games. In the best live dealer casinos in Canada, there will be multiple variants of the same live games, sometimes differentiated by the value of stakes, language, or a game provider. Select the live casino table that fits your playstyle, and you are ready to play.

Although you can not speak directly to live dealers, they will prompt you to make a bet. Do so by clicking on the buttons integrated into the window. Keep in mind that, depending on the live casino game, there could be other people sitting at the same table, so waiting for others to make their bets might be in order.

After the betting is over, a live casino online dealer will spin the wheel, or deal the cards, just like in all the casinos in Canada, material or virtual alike. If you aren’t sure about the rules, feel free to check our guides for top live games, including and not limited to all blackjack games, live baccarat, live roulette, sic bo, Texas hold’em poker, etc.

Live Dealer Mobile Casinos

Despite obvious limitations, live dealer mobile games are getting more and more traction, especially among younger players. The good news is that live dealer casinos in Canada work with superior gaming developers, such as Playtech, Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, Authentic, and the rest, and almost every live game available in live dealer casinos in Canada is well optimized for mobile use.

Having said that, do not expect that live casino games look and ‘feel’ exactly the same as on your computer, or an iPad. Some of the best live dealer casinos in Canada did all they could with the adoption of HTML5, but there is only so much you can do on a 4, or 5-inch screen. Still, it has its perks.

Now, a lot of live casino games reviews are wrong about their mobile compatibility, so make sure to read our live dealer casinos reviews and see if your favourite live dealer casinos in Canada offer games with full mobile support. Another important thing is to keep up to date with your live casino games app, if there is any, and try to get a hold of the best internet connection available. You can play some of the best live dealer games even with a sub-par connection, but we are pretty sure you will not enjoy the experience.

Mobile Apps and Live Dealer Games

Playing a live casino game and being in various dealer studios while on the move is truly a unique experience. Thanks to mobile phones and apps, now it’s possible to enjoy the best of both worlds, playing the games you like in the comfort of your favourite park, beach, resort, or cafe.

Practically all good online casinos today are mobile-friendly. Some of them are instant play casinos, meaning you can access the best live dealer games using a mobile version of the casino’s main website.

There is one difference though. In order to reduce the strain on your connection, live casino games will be scaled down on your mobile device graphic-wise. Scaling down game windows is also done in situations where the game visuals and gameplay could suffer from smaller phone screens compared to desktop computers. In other cases, online casinos have developed dedicated apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and other devices that players can easily download.

This can relieve players from a minor inconvenience or two, but in reality, games perform very similarly compared to those played on websites. Whether it’s for sports betting or a live casino, it is up to you to decide which method better suits your needs.

Live Casino Payment Methods

Live casinos in Canada are well prepared for even the most demanding fans of live games in terms of money transfer services available. After you fulfil all wagering requirements, if any, you can withdraw your funds freely. The best live dealer casinos in Canada will offer you a wide range of payment methods. This is made possible after you complete the registration process and confirm your identity, often via KYC, or some other way which includes an ID with a photo, billing address, etc.

Some payment methods in live dealer casinos in Canada will enable you to score some extra bonuses, depending on the casino you are playing in. There will hardly be any free spins here, or rewards worthy of welcome bonuses, but given a long period of time, these benefits could significantly improve your live game bankroll. Usually, it is a bonus up to C$20.

Most importantly, always go for the live casinos in Canada with the most diverse payment methods possible. The best live dealer casinos offer credit and debit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, vouchers, prepaid cards, instant play cards, and cryptocurrencies.

Live Casino VIP And Loyalty Programs

Unlike live casino loyalty programs, true VIP live dealer casinos are significantly different from any other game in a particular online casino. But be aware, although they offer a lot, if you want to play live dealer games in a true VIP environment, casinos in Canada rely on high stakes, plenty of real money and some skills to boot.

The benefits of a VIP experience are great, and the best live dealer experience possible will be visible to you instantly. Simply put, you can tell straight away this is not your regular live casino. The atmosphere is far more relaxed and friendly, and yet at the same time intense due to the bigger casino bonuses and higher bets. No one is trying to score a C$100 welcome bonus, no one is looking to score a couple of free spins – like in a real-life casino, this is simply a higher state of gambling.

VIP Live Casino Benefits

Another extremely important benefits of a VIP casino are lower wagering requirements and both higher and faster withdrawals. Live dealer casinos often cater to VIP members with additional services. The loyalty program is a great example. It includes expensive gifts, paid vacations, tickets to exclusive events, and many other perks.

If you are a VIP member, live dealer casinos will provide you with a personal account manager who will keep track of your casino bonuses, and other references tied to your live game experience.

Live Casino Summary

Live dealer casinos are one the most important, ever-growing segments in the casino industry. Nothing can be compared to a live dealer experience, the sheer excitement of playing against a live dealer in the comfort of your own home. However, if you are new in this gambling segment, there are a few rules we suggest you follow.

Find a reliable, licensed, and well-regulated casino available in Canada. It has to offer you a lot of live casino games, made by the best providers in the business, and a lot of banking options that will provide safe, secured, and quick deposits and withdrawals. Read our reviews and find casinos with the best design, user-friendly interface, and reliable customer support.

Choose the games with the best return to player percentages, highest bonus value, longest time frames, and lowest wagering requirements. This applies to both bonuses and free spins – if any. Once in a live casino environment, act accordingly and follow the live casino etiquette.

Avoid the temptation to open a separate casino account in order to cheat, or use welcome bonuses, free spins and other promotions multiple times. According to our experience, this is a very bad idea in the long run. The penalties for doing so vary from a financial ‘slap on the wrist’, to even prison time, if a casino decides to press serious charges.

Lastly, it is crucial for you to read the terms and conditions on a particular casino site. Pay special attention to bonus terms and conditions, and please, gamble responsibly.