Live casinos bring the thrill of real dealer games right to your screen. Whether you’re into roulette, blackjack, or game shows, the best UK live casinos offer authentic experiences with human dealers.
In this guide, you can expect a comprehensive breakdown of the best live casinos in the UK, expert tips on choosing the best platforms, detailed reviews of popular live games, and insights into exclusive bonuses.
What is a Live Casino?
A live casino allows you to play real-life table games on your computer or smartphone. Games are controlled by a trained, friendly croupier beamed directly from a studio.
The best online casinos feature live dealer games from the biggest developers like Evolution Gaming and Pragmatic Play. You can play at various stakes, chat to the dealer, or Bet Behind on other players. It’s just like being on the casino floor at the local Grosvenor!
In addition, some top online casinos offer bonuses exclusive to live dealer games. You can get cashback on net losses or be entered into prize draws whenever you make a qualifying bet.
How Does an Online Live Casino Work?
Live casino games are similar to traditional RNG games found at an online casino. The main difference is that real equipment (cards, tables, wheels) is used instead of computerised. That means every wheel spin and card shuffle uses physical, tested equipment, just like in a brick-and-mortar casino.
You place your bets at live casinos using your computer or smartphone. Tap the screen to select a stake level and drag ‘n drop chips to the areas you want to bet on.
You’ll have to wait until the current game is finished before you can join the action. When it’s time to place bets, the dealer will call out and unfreeze the betting actions. They will also call “no more bets” when it’s time to stop placing chips.
The dealer uses a special scanner to track cards coming out of the shoe. For live roulette, the optical camera recognition software tracks where the ball lands, displays it on screen, and pays out to winners without the dealer handling a single chip.
What You Need to Play at the Best Live Casino
The best live casinos offer smooth, HD streams, so you’ll need to have the proper kit before you play.
- PC/Mac Requirements – Windows 7+ or the newest Chrome/Firefox/Safari browser are ideal.
- Graphics Card – Live casinos need to be streamed, so check your computer has a graphics card (integrated or external) with 4GB of RAM or better.
- Sound Card & Speakers – You must have on-board sound and speakers to hear the dealer’s instructions, and to hear them reply to your chat messages.
- Mobile System Requirements – Ensure you run Android 10+ or iOS15+ for the best mobile casino experience on your smartphone or tablet.
- Internet/Wi-Fi – A solid LAN or Wi-Fi connection is essential to handle live streams. If playing in a public place, ensure you have Wi-Fi that won’t cut out.
Live Casino Features
Live dealer studios come with a range of tools and special features you won’t find in regular online casino games.
- Live HD streams: Live casino games from developers like Evolution Gaming are broadcast from dedicated studios.
- Choice of Live Dealers: You can choose games based on specific dealers. Browse the lobby to find a favourite dealer from a previous session.
- Chatbox: You can talk to the croupier live as the game takes place by using your keyboard.
- Camera Angles: Many live dealer games come with a choice of camera positions. Pan out to see the whole table, or zoom in for a closer look at the live roulette wheel.
- Statistics & History: Most live dealer games have a history tab where you can chart recent results.
- Exclusive Bonuses: Some casinos offer prize giveaways when you place qualifying wagers on a live dealer game
- Choice of Languages: Multi-language tables let you chat with French, Arabic, or Mandarin-speaking dealers.
- Bet Behind: As in a land-based casino, you can bet on other players if there is no room at the table.
- Custom Bets: Some live casino games feature a customised Bet Creator tool that lets you create and save your favourite wagers.
Live Casino vs RNG Online Casinos
Live dealer casinos can seem strange if you’re used to standard computerised table games. Here are some key differences between the two formats:
- Random Number Generators: Games like live roulette don’t use random number generators to determine the result. Instead, human dealers use real-life machinery, just like in a real casino.
- Play-Money: Most live dealer games can only be played with real cash, and there are no play-money options.
- Speed of Games: Live dealer games tend to be slower than computerised ones. You must wait for the dealer to physically spin a wheel or deal out cards. Plus, you may be waiting for a space at the table if it’s full. That’s not a problem with RNG games where you can start the action whenever you like.
- Range of Stakes: Live casinos still tend to offer slightly higher stakes than traditional table games. Check out our 100-deposit bonus casinos to see who offers the best high-stakes action.
- Bonuses & Promotions: The best online casinos offer dedicated bonuses for games like live roulette and blackjack.
- Game Eligibility: Live dealer games may be ineligible when working off a casino bonus. You should always check the terms and conditions first.
- Lost Connection: If internet connections go down during a live dealer game, you must resume your game on a regular computerised game, where available. In other situations, such as blackjack, the casino will assume a “best strategy” to determine a result.
Pros & Cons of the Best Live Casinos
Ready to get started with the best live casino games at top payout casinos? Here are some pros and cons to playing live casino games.
- Relive the thrill of land-based casinos at home
- Chat to a trained croupier as you play
- Perfect for high-stakes roulette and blackjack players
- Software is reliable, licensed, and regularly tested for fairness
- Play progressive table games like Age of the Gods Roulette with large jackpots
- Claim exclusive deposit bonuses on live dealer games or cashback on losses
- ‘Bet Behind’ on other players without making decisions
- Play in a range of different languages
- No free-play option
- Minimum stakes can be higher than RNG table games
- Range of table games still limited vs online casino
What are the Best Live Casinos?
We believe these are the best live casinos for play in 2024. Sign up now and claim a welcome bonus for your favourite live casino games.
- WinOMania
- LottoGo
- Buzz Casino
- Dream Vegas
- Atlantic Spins
- Pub Casino
- Play Sunny
- King Casino
- Lottomart
- All British Casino
Best Live Online Casinos Compared
Let’s take a closer inspection of the best live casino sites. Many casinos offer a spread of live dealer games from multiple developers, with bonuses and promotions to match.
| Casino Name | No. of Live Casino Games | Developers | Best Games | Welcome Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winomania | 14+ | Evolution Gaming | First Person Roulette, Lightning Blackjack, Dream Catcher | 100% up to £100 & 100 Free Spins |
| LottoGo | 26+ | Evolution, Pragmatic Play | Immersive Roulette, MONOPOLY Live, Mega Roulette, Live Blackjack | 100% Deposit Match up to £100 |
| Buzz Casino | 43+ | Playtech, Evolution Gaming, Quickspin Live | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Quantum Roulette, Age of the Gods Bonus Roulette | Deposit £10, Get 200 Free Spins |
| Dream Vegas | 89+ | On Air, Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, Authentic Gaming, | Mega Sic Bo, First Person Deal or No Deal | 100% Deposit Bonus up to £300 & 150 Spins |
| Atlantic Spins | 10+ | Authentic Gaming, Games Global, Slingo (Gaming Realms) | Real Roulette, Deal or No Deal Slingo | Deposit £10, Get £10 & Free Spins |
| Pub Casino | 15+ | Evolution Gaming, Stakelogic (exclusive) | Cash or Crash Live, Craps Live, Live Baccarat | 100% Welcome Bonus up to £100 |
| Play Sunny | 28+ | Evolution Gaming, OnAir, Authentic Gaming | Lightning Lotto, Majestic Wheelshow, Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt | 100% Welcome Bonus up to £50 & 50 Free Spins |
| King Casino | 100+ | Playtech, Evolution Gaming, Games Global, Stakelogic, Mlive, Skywind | Mlive! From Empire Casino, XXXTreme Lightning Roulette, Blackjack Party | 100% Welcome Package inc. 50 Bonus Spins |
| Lottomart | 30+ | Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play | Mega Roulette Live, Infinite Blackjack Live, Lightning Dice | 100% up to £100 |
| All British Casino | 95+ | Evolution Gaming, Stakelogic, Pragmatic Play | Live All British Blackjack, Immersive Roulette, Crazy Pachinko | 100% Match up to £100 & 10% Cashback |
How We Rate Live Dealer Casinos
It’s important to know the Punters Lounge process in how we review the best online casinos. Here’s what we look for in regards to the best live casinos:
Many new casinos now offer several dozen live dealer games from more than one developer.
Does the casino run exclusive bonuses for live casino games? Promotions should run year-round and be offered to all players, not just VIPs.
The best live casino will have licensed games which offer reliable software and audited outcomes.
We check the bonus terms to ensure qualifying deposits are kept to a minimum. We also look at all low-wagering bonuses to see if live casino games are eligible.
Live casinos should provide fast withdrawals so you can shift your winnings around quickly.
All the best live casino sites should offer solid platforms for desktop and mobile users. It’s important that the back end is reliable to avoid disconnections and payment problems.
Best Online Live Casino Games
Here are some of the best live casino games you can play for real money.
Live Roulette
Live roulette tables use real-life wheels and balls to determine each result. As with online casino roulette, you place bets on the table layout by tapping or clicking on the numbers and sections. You can also bet on the racetrack for neighbour bets.
New innovations like Lightning Roulette incorporate random bonuses too. A bonus multiplier is assigned to several numbers chosen at random before a spin. Lightning Roulette uses AR (Augmented Reality) with graphics overlays displaying the current bonuses on numbers.
Finally, Dual-Play Roulette blends land-based games and online casinos. You play alongside real-life players by placing wagers on tables situated on real-life casino floors.
- Live European Roulette
- Live Quantum Roulette
- Dual-Play Roulette
- Mega Fire Blaze Roulette
Auto Roulette
Auto-Roulette uses a mechanical wheel, but no dealer is present. You have a limited time to place bets (again using the drag ‘n drop method), and payouts are made by the computer after each spin.
Some Auto Roulette games carry bonuses, such as Playtech’s K-Pop Roulette. You win a 4x bonus payout if you hit a number in the right wheel quadrant.
- Auto Roulette
- K-Pop Roulette
- First Person Live Roulette
Live Blackjack
The best blackjack casino sites offer at least a few live dealer alternatives. Look out for Unlimited Blackjack which doesn’t limit the number of seats at each table.
You simply take a seat and play the hand dealt to that position. You can also place side bets on some live blackjack alternatives, such as 21+3. Look for Bet Behind or games like Unlimited Blackjack and Blackjack Party that allow you to make bets, even if all spaces are taken up at the table.
Like Lightning Roulette, there is an AR (Augmented Reality) version of live blackjack called Lightning Blackjack. You can win an additional multiplier by hitting certain hand totals.
- Live Classic Blackjack
- Live All Bets Blackjack
- Unlimited Blackjack
- Quantum Blackjack Plus
- Lightning Blackjack
- Blackjack Party
Live Baccarat
Live baccarat is a simple game where you bet on which hand (Player or Banker) has a total nearest to 9. Cards are barcoded and appear on the screen when scanned by the croupier. You can also bet the Tie (9/1) or gamble on side bets, such as odd/even cards. Check out the top baccarat casinos to see what live dealer options they offer.
Also, look out for Live Baccarat Squeeze. This dealer builds the tension by using a “squeeze” and revealing the card slowly. It’s another way to replicate the thrill of live casino play at home.
- Live Baccarat
- Live Speed Baccarat
- Live Baccarat Squeeze
Game Shows
Game shows are more immersive with the most sociable and talkative presenters. There will be a lot more interaction between the presenter and players too.
Live game shows usually incorporate a prize wheel (as in Dream Catcher and Adventures Beyond Wonderland), lotto (e.g. Playtech’s Mega Fire Blaze Lucky Ball Live) or predictions (e.g. Football Studio). Top prizes and bonus payouts tend to be larger in game shows than in standard live table games.
- Dream Catcher
- Stock Market Live
- Majestic Wheelshow
- Deal or No Deal Live
- Football Studio
Other Live Dealer Games
Live casinos offer a mix of games other than roulette, blackjack, and game shows. Check out our top-rated online casinos to see who offers what.
- Live Sic Bo
- Live Craps
- Live Casino Hold’em
- Speed Roulette
- Live Video Poker
- Live Slots
- Live Casino Stud Poker
Best Live Casino Software Developers
There are now several live dealer casino operators running table games and game shows at £10-deposit casinos. The best live casino software developers continue to improve games and introduce innovations for mobile and desktop play.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution is the world leader in live dealer games for mobile casinos and desktops. The live dealer developer now offers over 100 different titles, covering live roulette and dice games like Sic Bo. Evolution Gaming has also pioneered groundbreaking game shows with HD graphics and bonus features, such as Funky Time and Dream Catcher.
Top Evolution Gaming Live Casino Games:
- Lightning Roulette
- Immersive Roulette
- Side Bet City
- Crazy Coin Flip (live slots)
- Live Video Poker
Our Best Online Live Casino in the UK for Evolution Games: Winomania
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play is an online slot producer that also offers cutting-edge live dealer games and its in-house studios. Pragmatic Play also offers marketing tools to casinos for its live dealer games, including leaderboard challenges and blackjack combo bets.
Top Pragmatic Play Live Casino Games:
- Mega Roulette
- Mega Wheel
- Boom City
Our Top Pragmatic Play Live Casino: LottoGo
Playtech
Playtech offers one of the largest live casino portfolios in Europe and Asia. The developer offers traditional live roulette and live blackjack alongside new games with brand tie-ins and progressive jackpots, such as Age of the Gods Bonus Roulette.
In addition to live table games, Playtech runs a series of game shows in partnership with Endemol Shine Gamin, including The Money Drop Live. They also run live sports quizzes at some online casinos where you win the jackpot by answering a series of questions.
Top Playtech Live Casino Games:
- Money Drop Live
- Mega Fire Blaze Roulette Live
- Quantum Roulette
- Age of the Gods Bonus Roulette
- Live Trivia
Our Best Live Casino for Playtech: Buzz Casino
OnAir Entertainment
OnAir Entertainment has revolutionised live casino with some innovative game shows and new takes on old table games. The highlight of OnAir’s portfolio is Nexus Roulette, which uses five camera views and four roulette wheels (1 main wheel and 3 bonus wheels) with prize multipliers worth up to 5000x.
Top OnAir Live Dealer Games:
- Nexus Roulette
- Majestic Wheelshow
- Diamond Rush Roulette
- Casino Hold’em
- Auto Roulette
Best Online Live Casino for OnAir Games: Dream Vegas
Authentic Gaming
Authentic Gaming was bought by Light & Wonder in 2021 (formerly Scientific Games) and has been busy improving its live casino offering ever since. The developer offers both studio and land-based casino live roulette, plus branded live slot games like Rainbow Riches LIVE.
Top Authentic Gaming Live Dealer Games:
- Studio Roulette
- Land-Based Roulette
- Rainbow Riches LIVE
Best Online Live Casino for Authentic Gaming Games: Atlantic Spins
Stakelogic
You can find Stakelogic games at the best live casino in the UK, including King Casino and BetVictor. Game shows are Stakelogic’s strong point, with games like Spin to Win and Super Wheel offering massive jackpots.
Top Stakelogic Live Dealer Games:
- Classic Auto Roulette
- American Blackjack
- Super Stake Roulette
- Super Wheel
Best Stakelogic Online Live Casino: King Casino
Live Casino Bonuses & Promotions
The best live casino websites offer a host of promotions. Some bonuses at established gambling sites and independent casinos are exclusive to live dealer games.
- Deposit Match Bonus: Start with a welcome bonus where the casino matches your first deposit. Spend your bonus funds on eligible live dealer casino games and get to enjoy all of your profits.
- Cashback: Receive a partial refund on your live casino losses over 24–48 hours. You can unlock your cashback once you satisfy the wagering conditions.
- Live Casino Giveaways: Opt in and place live casino bets to earn prize draw tickets every day.
- Live Table Game Challenges: Complete challenges on live roulette or live blackjack to earn cash prizes. These include splitting a pair and hitting 21 in live blackjack.
- Golden Chips: Make a bet on selected live dealer games and receive golden chips to use tables of your choice.
Live Casino Bonus Terms
Many online casino bonuses allow you to win free cash by playing live dealer games. However, contribution rates vary depending on the promotion. It’s possible that no-wagering bonuses apply to live dealer games.
We always recommend you read the small print before claiming any casino bonus to ensure it allows live dealer play.
How to sign up to the Best UK Live Casinos
Ready to hit the best online casino with live dealer games? Here’s how to open an account and claim a bonus.
- Choose a top casino – check our reviews of the best UK live casinos
- Click the sign-up button
- Enter your details
- Make your first deposit
Final Thoughts
The best live casino in the UK will offer a range of exciting games including live roulette, live blackjack, and interesting new variants with Augmented Reality and big jackpots. You can play for as little as £0.10 a hand and opt in to some big live casino bonuses. Sign up at the best UK live casinos now and chat with your favourite dealers!
Responsible Gambling on Live Casinos
It’s important to gamble responsibly when you gamble on any live dealer game. Here are some invaluable resources to use if you run into problems.
Resources
Live Casino FAQ
What is a live casino?
A live casino is an online gambling site that lets you place bets on real-life roulette tables and blackjack hands. The games are streamed live on your smartphone or PC and payouts are made immediately after a hand has ended.
Can I play the best live casino games for free?
No. Most live dealer casinos only offer real-money games. You must have funds in your casino account to play live dealer games, but stakes often start as low as £0.10.
Can I talk to live dealers?
Absolutely. You must use an online chatbox to type messages for the dealer. They can’t see or hear you but will read your message and reply straight away. You must ensure your speakers are switched on to hear the dealer’s responses.
Are live casino games fixed?
No. The best live online casinos are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That means croupiers are vetted and roulette wheels and card shufflers are tested for reliability. Payouts must also be made immediately following a game.
What is the best online live casino?
The best live casino offers a varied selection of games from the top software developers, with stakes to suit all budgets. Read our live casino reviews to see why we love sites like Buzz Casino and Winomania in 2024.
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