A Complete Guide to Live Dealer Casinos for South African Players
An impressive online casino flaunts an environment that’s bustling with activity, huge jackpots, and random chances to win real money. You can always count on one area of the casino to deliver an energetic atmosphere that surpasses the rest – the Live Dealer Casino. This is where you find the spinning roulette wheels, live game shows, and professional dealers shuffling cards around the clock. We’ll introduce you to the best live dealer casinos in iGaming and guide you through your live casino journey, pointing out the greatest live games and studios that shouldn’t be missed.
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Live Dealer Online Casinos in South Africa Overview
The best live dealer casinos offer a wide variety of live casino games that are hosted by real dealers and streamed in high definition straight from cutting-edge studios located around the world. At these live dealer casinos, you can indulge in a round of blackjack, roulette, poker, baccarat, and even live game shows. The games offer the same benefits that they do at regular land-based casinos, minus the hassle of finding a table.
Choosing an online casino that hosts the most popular table, dice and card games in South Africa is not difficult, provided you are equipped with our well-researched toplist. Choose any of the tried-and-tested live dealer casinos below to experience the very best in live online gambling.
Why You Should Play Live Casino Games
At South Africa Casinos, we are huge fans of slots and all the bells and whistles they bring to the realm of online gambling. And yet, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as being knee-deep in a pile of casino chips while playing a high-stakes table game across from a real dealer.
If the thought of playing high stakes tables leaves you reeling then you’ll be glad to know that live dealer casinos aren’t only for high rollers. Live games are so popular that they cater to every type of gambler. Whether you bet low or high, speak English or German, prefer dice or cards – whatever it is you are looking to play in a live environment; there will be a game to suit your preference.
That’s only part of what makes online live dealer casinos so exciting. In SA, we’re pretty used to entering casinos that provide us with a few dozen casino tables if we’re lucky. But online live dealer casinos give us so much more in terms of choice. You can play game shows and endless varieties of your favourite casino table games.
To sum it up in bullet points, the benefits of live dealer casinos are:
- They offer popular casino games and many variations of them.
- Huge variety of bet sizes that are suitable for beginners, high rollers, and every type of player in between.
- Highly interactive since you can watch the live dealers and speak to them.
- Easy access to casino games that you may usually avoid at regular casinos.
- Live dealer casinos are a great place for beginners to learn the rules and strategies of the games.
Playing online is the perfect place to start if you don’t have any experience with table games like poker, blackjack, craps, or roulette. There’s less pressure since it’s almost a guarantee that you won’t be sitting right next to a Raymond Rahme wannabee (Raymond is considered South Africa’s highest grossing poker player).
Instead, you can relax in the knowledge that your opponents or fellow players won’t be watching the sweat dripping from your temples. At live dealer casinos, players are also encouraged to ask the dealers any questions they have about the games. The dealers are highly trained and well-equipped to answer these questions professionally. They may even hand out a few tips along the way.
Sensational Bonuses at Live Dealer Casinos
Most online gambling sites with live dealer casinos offer some form of casino bonus, especially to players who are new to the sites. However, this is not always the case. Many casinos specifically exclude live games when playing with bonus money. That’s why it’s important to be familiar with the terms of the bonus when you intend on using it to play live games.
As you can see from our toplist, plenty of online casinos provide new players with jaw-dropping bonus money to give them a head start in the live dealer casinos. Most live casino bonuses come with specific terms and conditions that must be met before any winnings can be cashed out.
Here’s a look at some of the most common terms that live dealer casinos attach to their bonuses and live dealer promotions:
Wagering requirement
the wagering requirement refers to the value that must be wagered on the live games before winnings can be withdrawn. A wagering requirement of 50x means that the value of the bonus must be played through the casino 50 times. If you claim a bonus of R100 with a 50x wagering requirement, you will have to place bets to the value of R5000 before you can request a withdrawal.Game Contributions
game contributions tie in with the wagering requirement because it’s common practice at live dealer casinos for the games to contribute only partially towards the wagering requirement. For example, live roulette may contribute 50% towards wagering. This means that every bet that is placed on the live roulette table only contributes 50%. If you have a wagering requirement of R5000, you need to place bets to the value of R10 000 on the live roulette table before you can request a withdrawal. The exact contribution percentages are different at various online casinos, so it’s a good idea to read through them before you start playing.Deposit method exclusions
online casinos are in the habit of excluding certain deposit methods from claiming bonus offers. The methods that are excluded from bonuses are different from one casino to the next. However, the deposit methods that are excluded more regularly are e-wallets such as ecoPayz, Neteller, and Skrill.Bet size limits
live dealer casinos will almost always restrict your bet sizes when playing live games. You might be limited to a maximum bet of R100 at the blackjack tables when playing with a bonus. You will also have to place bets at least equal to the minimum bet allowed at any table or live game show that you decide to play.The good thing about using a bonus at live dealer casinos is that you will have much more time to enjoy the live games, test them out, and interact with the dealers and other players.
Top 3 Live Casino Providers
Live casino providers supply the live dealer games found at online casinos. They film the games in world-class locations. Sometimes the games are filmed in studios and other times they are filmed at land-based gambling destinations. The studios that are used to film the live games are constructed to look and feel like the best casinos on the planet. This is why live casino providers are often referred to as studios.
Since the market for live dealer casinos is booming, there’s no shortage of live casino providers. There are a few standout providers whose games consistently rank on the top charts. These providers offer excellent platforms with many games and plenty of variations for some of the games.
Quality providers act according to international rules and to ensure fair play in a safe environment. The games they provide are innovative and easy to navigate. Here’s a look at some of the best providers at live dealer casinos and the games they offer.
1. Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming is recognised as the largest provider of live casino entertainment. The company was founded in 2006 and was a pioneer in the early days of live dealer casinos. It continues to outperform the competition year after year, regularly winning the coveted ‘Live Casino Supplier of the Year’ title at the EGR B2B Awards. Evolution Gaming won the award 12 times in a row starting in 2010.Evolution partners with trusted online casinos that comply with international gaming regulatory guidelines. The company is licensed by well-known gambling agencies such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), which guarantees a safe experience for players.Evolution Gaming’s portfolio of live games is extensive. The provider has live studios in Canada, Latvia, and Malta. You can’t go wrong with any of its games, but here are some of SA’s favourite live games from this studio:- Crazy Time | This is a money wheel game where the wheel has 54 colourful segments that pay out different prizes. You can win 1x, 2x, 5x, or 10x your bet depending on where the wheel lands. Some of the segments launch bonus rounds that can pay out prizes as high as 20 000x the bet. In February 2021, one lucky player won an epic 5 million dollars (R75 million) playing Crazy Time online at Spin Casino.
- Baccarat Squeeze | SA players enjoy a round of baccarat more often than most people realise. Evolution’s live studio version allows you to view the action from multiple angles with special attention being focused when the all-important squeeze is delivered by the live dealer. Baccarat Squeeze is filmed by no less than 15 cameras, providing players with plenty of close-ups and delivering unrivalled suspense as the game unfolds.
- Lightning Roulette | This is an innovative twist on the classic European roulette where the payout values of numbers that are struck by lightning are multiplied by up to 500x their regular payout values. Up to 5 numbers can be struck by lightning on any round. In 2019, someone won 1.9 million dollars (R29 million) playing Lightning Roulette at JackpotCity online casino.
2. Pragmatic Play
Licensed in over 20 jurisdictions, Pragmatic Play is another leader in safety when it comes to online live dealer casinos. This provider offers live games in over 30 languages and is constantly awarded at international iGaming events for excellence in the live arena.Popular live casino games from Pragmatic Play amongst South African players include:- Blackjack Azure | A professional game of blackjack that offers a return to player percentage (RTP) of 99,59%. The high RTP leaves little room to question why SA players love this version of the game. Blackjack Azure was released in September 2020. It is filmed in an aesthetically pleasing studio with a dark blue colour scheme.
- Mega Roulette | This is similar to Evolution’s Lightning Roulette. The game features the classic roulette wheel with 36 numbers and only one zero pocket. However, every spin brings the potential for up to five numbers to be granted ‘Mega’ status, which may pay up to 500x the bet. The game was released in 2021 and offers an RTP of 96,5% for straight-up bets.
3. Authentic Gaming
Authentic Gaming is headquartered in Malta, the unofficial iGaming hub of the world. This premium casino provider focuses exclusively on live dealer games. Authentic Gaming pays special attention to market trends and player preferences, so there’s no surprise that the games keep players going back for me. South African players particularly enjoy this studio’s suite of roulette games. Our favourite titles include:- Auto Roulette Classic
- Auto Roulette Speed
- Blaze Roulette
Other Notable Providers at Live Dealer Casinos
Live dealer casinos are a relatively new form of online entertainment that offer a unique experience for players who want to feel the authentic thrill of playing in a land-based casino from the comfort of home. There is no doubt that the popularity of live casinos is growing, and with increased demand comes increased supply.
Here are a few additional live casino studios that you should look out for. Don’t miss the opportunity to try some of their live dealer games when you come across them.
- NetEnt: Blackjack Common Draw, Speed Baccarat Silver, and Blitz Blackjack Live.
- Ezugi: Roulette Oracle Casino, Bet On Numbers, and Roulette Portomaso.
- Extreme Live Gaming: Blackjack Live, Classic Baccarat Live, and Classic Roulette La Partage.
- Vivo Gaming: Blackjack Live, Baccarat Live, and Roulette Live.
- Playtech: Spread-Bet Roulette, Age of Gods Roulette Live, and 3 Card Brag Live.
- Lucky Streak: Blackjack, Baccarat, and Roulette.
Live Casino Games on Mobile Devices
Billions of people rely on their mobile devices as their primary form of internet-browsing technology. More than 24 million South Africans own at least one smartphone. The popularity of smartphones was one of the driving forces behind the success and consequent development of live dealer casino games.
With that in mind, live game providers and online casinos have created platforms that allow us to play on our smartphones just easily as we would on our desktop PCs. Most companies allow their games to be played through the mobile browser, which means you don’t have to download any software or install any apps before you can start playing from your smartphone or tablet.
When live dealer casinos do offer applications, they are usually optional. Players who want to download the apps will be able to find the download links on the online casino’s website. These casino apps are typically available free of charge.
Live Casino Classic Games for You to Play
Today there are hundreds of live casino games that cover game shows, interactive slots, board games, bingo, money wheels, and much more. However, the classic casino table games are still as popular as ever. In SA, the most popular classic table games are blackjack and roulette.
Live Blackjack
In this card game, the objective is to get to 21 or as close as possible without going bust. When you’re playing blackjack, the dealer is your opponent. Whoever gets 21 automatically wins the round. A hand with the value of 21 is called blackjack, for obvious reasons.You place your bet to start the round and the dealer will deal you two cards. Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 while the rest of the cards, excluding the Ace, are worth their face value. The ace card can be worth either 1 or 11, it’s up to you to decide and the decision involves a bit of strategy.You can keep asking for more cards until you are satisfied with the value of your hand. One of the dealer’s cards is face-up, so you can evaluate the strength of your hand to some degree. If the dealer comes closer to 21 than you do, then the dealer wins. If your hand is closer to 21, then you win. It’s simple fun that can keep you playing at the tables for hours with a small investment.
Live Roulette
Live online roulette consists of a roulette wheel with numbered pockets that are separated from each other. Each pocket also has a colour – red, black, or green. The dealer will start the round by throwing a roulette ball onto the spinning wheel. The roulette wheel eventually stops spinning and the pocket that the ball lands in determines the winning number and colour.Before the dealer places the ball on the roulette wheel there is a round of betting where players can bet on different options, such as a specific number, colour, odd or even, and other options. Each of these possibilities offers a specific payout value. The smaller the chance of the result occurring, the bigger the payout.Security Does Not Lack at Live Dealer Casinos
A quality live dealer casino guarantees that its players will play games safely and that deposits will be made using reliable methods. It is possible to recognise a trustworthy casino based on its licensing from international organisations. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), for example, is a leading global authority that evaluates live casino sites to ensure that the platforms are reliable. This protects anyone wanting to deposit, play for real money, and then withdraw their winnings.
Another organisation that also grants operating licences for live casino sites is the UK Gaming Commission (UKGC). It focuses on providing licensing for companies that offer entertainment services in the UK. However, the UKGC’s seal of approval is an indicator of the reliability and security of live dealer casinos for players across the globe.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Live Dealer Casinos.
Yes, they are. Most live dealer casinos offer live games 24 hours a day. There may be some games that are only available at specific times, but even when these games are offline you can still enjoy the other live games provided.
Game providers create the games and film them in studios and land-based casinos. Top live dealer game providers include Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Ezugi, NetEnt, and Vivo Gaming.
Not really. Most online casinos incorporate regular games, like slots and electronic table games, alongside a live dealer casino component. You can navigate through the casino by clicking on the different buttons that will open the live casino or the slots areas.
Yes, you can. Live casinos provide the perfect opportunity to talk to the dealers and ask them any questions you may have about the games. Most live dealer games make use of chat functions to facilitate conversations. You can type in your questions or comments and the live dealers will respond to you.
Yes, there are plenty of bonuses up for grabs at the best live dealer casinos. Take a look at our toplist and claim as many as you want. Keep in mind that welcome bonuses can only be claimed once at each online casino.
Yes, live dealer games are all about playing with real money and winning real money. At most online casinos, you aren’t even able to play live games in demo mode.
It depends on the payment method you use to deposit, but deposits are instant with most payment methods.
Withdrawal timeframes depend on the payment method used to pay the withdrawal. Digital wallets such as Neteller, Skrill, and ecoPayz are usually the fastest with payments reflecting within a few hours after the casino has released the funds.