Live casino online brings the thrill of playing real games to players who don’t want to leave the comfort of their own home. These games are based on the same principles as virtual casinos, with digital interfaces that communicate how you would like to play (for example, pressing buttons to indicate what action you’d like to take in blackjack or spin the roulette wheel). However, instead of the results being decided by computer software, they are determined by real dealers using actual casino equipment.

To get started, head to the main lobby on a site or app and select the live dealer game of your choice. The live dealer will be displayed in the same way as a slot machine or table game in the normal game lobby, and you can click on the title to see more details including pay tables and game rules. You can also talk to the dealer by clicking on the chat window – though this will depend on the game and your chosen site.

Generally, the best live dealer games will be run by companies that specialise in running casino online games. These providers are able to provide a much higher standard of experience as they have the technology and resources to offer a number of live tables at once. They’re also able to tailor the games with specific branding, meaning that you won’t be able to find the exact same tables at two different sites.

The vast majority of games you can play with a live dealer will be variants of table classics such as roulette and blackjack. These will typically follow standard rules of drawing to 16 and standing on 17 in blackjack, as well as the usual side bets such as pairs and suited hands. Other popular options include baccarat and Speed Baccarat, where the dealer will deal the cards or spin the wheel according to a set of rules that are pre-programmed.

At peak times, there may be a short wait to get into a live dealer game as the provider will need time to prepare a new studio and host. The good news is that they’re often pretty good at anticipating demand and will open up new tables quickly to meet it.

All of the best live dealer casino sites are licensed and regulated by authorities such as Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New Jersey, and their games are tested regularly to ensure that they’re fair. In addition to this, they use industry standard encryption software to keep your data safe and a high-quality firewall to protect their servers. To find the best sites for you, simply click the bonus button that we’ve highlighted next to each of them. It’ll take you through to the website of your chosen site and apply the relevant bonus to your account. You’ll then be ready to start playing!