As we approach the 2020s, those involved in the online casino industry will look back and see the innovation of live dealer games as a significant achievement. These are basically real games – real dealers, cards, dice etc. – which are streamed to your device, faithfully replicating what you would find in a real casino.

One would expect there to be a stampede of players ready to play these real games, and they are undeniably popular, effectively creating a whole new genre of online casino games. You can see for yourself if you register at casino.com for the ultimate live blackjack experience online. Indeed, as the technology of VR and AR continues to wind its way into online casinos, you can expect the live dealer experience to get even better in the coming years.

Both Game Types Remain Popular

However, the arrival of live dealer games did not signal the death knell for virtual games, i.e. those that run on random number generators. One might expect that people would naturally choose, for example, live roulette over a virtual roulette game. But that hasn’t really happened at all. Both types of game genres remain very popular in Canada and elsewhere, and there seems to be no indication that that will change.

The question, however, is if there is one type of game better than another? Can you, for example, win more by playing virtual games? Are live dealer games fairer? The answers to these are complicated, but the overarching response is that both types of games should be viewed as equally attractive, and experienced players are normally well aware of the pros and cons of each.

Starting with the most important element, the rates of return for the games. You might find it difficult to believe, but virtual games are designed to mimic the house-edge in real games. So, a game like classic blackjack would have a house edge of lower than 1% in both live and virtual form. The problem comes in the fact that the virtual game is programmed to guarantee this return for the casino, so if you are a talented blackjack player you should play live games each time.

Comes Down to Personal Taste

On the other hand, it’s usually the case that virtual games can have bigger pay outs than live games. This is one of the reasons that slot machines remain so popular, despite having inferior odds for the player. But we hinted earlier that live games are evolving with new technology, and there are many new live games – twists on classics like roulette and blackjack – that carry massive jackpots.

 
If you were wondering about fairness, and perhaps you were worried about online casinos cheating in virtual games, it’s worth noting that the major online casinos operating in Canada are rigorously tested to ensure the games are fair, and that the payout report is exactly what it says. The house will still have an advantage, of course, but you should be secure in the knowledge that it’s almost impossible for casinos to cheat you.

As you can see from the above, it’s arguably comes down to a matter of taste on whether you choose a virtual casino game or live dealer game. Our main advice is this: Research the game before you play to ensure that you are getting the best possible house-edge; after all, every casino will carry dozens of versions of poker, roulette and blackjack. A bit of swotting up beforehand can make all the difference between a winning session and a losing one.