Definition
Live casino is a category of online casino games - roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker variants and game shows - played against a real human dealer at a physical table, filmed in a studio and streamed to the player in real time, with a betting interface overlaid on the video. Outcomes come from the physical equipment on camera (a real wheel, a real shuffle) read by cameras and sensors, not from a random number generator, and multiple players can bet on the same table simultaneously.
The model combines the trust and atmosphere of a physical casino with online access. It is operationally heavier than RNG games - staff, studios, per-table streaming - so live tables often carry higher minimum stakes and, on side bets, a larger house edge.
In context
For affiliates, live casino is a large content category and a genuine point of difference between operators, so reviews can add real value by covering it properly: which live-casino suppliers power an operator's tables, whether there are dedicated branded tables, the range of games and languages, stream quality, table limits, and how the site holds up during peak load. Because two competing casinos often use the same underlying studios, these implementation details matter more than a raw game count.
The honest framing is that because outcomes come from real equipment rather than an RNG, the fairness question is about the studio's certification and procedures - which the live-casino supplier is licensed and audited for - and that every live bet still carries a house edge (the same as the physical equivalent, plus a larger one on side bets). The fast pace of some formats and the prominence of side bets are worth flagging.
Content should carry age-gating and responsible-gambling messaging and should not present being able to watch the wheel as an advantage. For affiliate-facing content, the framing is that live casino streams real-dealer table games in real time with outcomes from physical equipment, that fairness rests on the studio's certification rather than an RNG, that every bet still has a house edge with side bets carrying more, and that operators are best compared on suppliers, dedicated tables, limits and stream quality.
Worked example
An affiliate's live-casino section lists which suppliers run each operator's tables, notes two operators have dedicated branded roulette tables, and compares stream quality, table limits and game range. It explains outcomes come from certified physical equipment, that every bet has a house edge and live side bets a larger one, and carries responsible-gambling messaging.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Browse more iGaming terms in our glossary.
← Back to glossary