Understanding the Technology Behind Live Casino Games
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When land-based casinos were forced to shut their doors, the already lucrative online casino sector really boomed. And when an industry is thriving in this way, they are better able to invest in technology and innovation. One of the most exciting innovations in the online casino sector is live casino games. That watching decks of cards or roulette wheels on a screen is less exciting than watching them in real life has always been an obstacle for online casinos, but live casino gaming has revolutionised this. At NetEnt Games, for example, the gaming experience is now considered to be unparalleled thanks to investment in new graphics, and immersive live-play opportunities. But how does the new technology behind live casino gaming work? Here’s everything you need to know:
Innovation Drives Technology
In the online casino sector, new innovation is driven by technology and many of the techniques that large online casinos are adopting have been specifically developed to benefit the sector, whilst also being adopted by other industries. The main technologies driving the live casino game boom are:
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Software. OCR software is currently receiving a lot of attention thanks to its use in the insurance and medical arenas, but it was first developed by the live casino industry. This is a software that can be used to recognise and track distinct images (in the case of online casinos, the symbols on cards is a great example of this). OCR software works by using pattern-matching algorithms to compare text images, character by character, to its internal database. If the system matches the text or symbol exactly, it is called optical recognition. This software can then process the information that has been fed to it, calculating scores and then announcing winners without delay, creating a real-time effect. The whole process happens in less than a second, meaning there is no lag in the game play.
- High-Power Cameras – In live casino gaming that utilises a live dealer, a single shot of a croupier dealing cards will not create a realistic effect. This will not allow users to imagine that they are in the same room as the croupier dealing the cards. Instead, online cameras utilise multiple high-power cameras which enable players to observe the action from different perspectives, just as they would in a land-based casino setting. Using these cameras will allow online casinos to create the same visual impact as really taking a seat at a gaming table.
- Studio Monitors – Live casino gaming is not a one way process. You will be able to see and hear the dealer, but it is important that they are able to interact with you too. In order to maintain player privacy, this is usually achieved by typing into a chat box. The live dealer can then read the responses of the players at their table on a large studio monitor in real time, and react accordingly. This interaction can often be fun, and many players will attempt to inject humour into their interactions, just as they would if they were playing in their local casino or having a big night out in Vegas.
The Most Important Component
Live casino gaming simply wouldn’t exist without each of these technologies working together seamlessly. But there is one component (arguably the most important component) that sits apart from technology and that live casino gaming wouldn’t work without. That is the human factor: the unexpected, organic ways in which humans interact with each other. The live casino dealer isn’t a robot but a real croupier who has been trained in the same way as they would be in a land-based casino setting. They will say and do things you might not expect: they may even fall victim to occasional human error. Similarly, the players at the casino table are also unpredictable in how they will react to the hand that they’ve drawn: you don’t know how the people playing at the same table to you will respond, just as you wouldn’t know in a land-based casino setting.
It is this human element that makes live casino gaming so exciting, because it simply can’t be predicted. You never know what might happen next!
