Since the turn of the millennium, the casino landscape has seen some major shifts thanks to the evolution of the internet. Online casinos have become a major part of the industry, with many players now able to play classic games from any suitable device with internet access.
But what’s come about more recently is the fusion between online and land-based casino games – live dealer games. These bring together online play with the presence of an in-person dealer to offer players an entirely different style of gameplay. So, let’s take a look at just how the concept of live casino games came about.
The Evolution Of Online Casino Games
During the 1990s, the way people played games changed radically. The rise of the internet and the increased prevalence of home computers allowed players to start accessing games without having to travel to a land-based casino.
Online casino platforms started to launch by the middle of the decade, bringing classic games into the digital format. Initial offerings were limited by the graphical capabilities and technology of the time, leaning more towards the pixelated side.
But even during those early stages of shifting over to the online format, there were ideas of bridging the gap between the two. The only issue was that the technology simply wasn’t there yet.
Live Casino Games Technology
It wasn’t until technology evolved further that developers were able to properly pursue the idea of live casino games. Improved broadband speeds and connectivity were a big factor in the evolution of online casino play, as stronger internet connections led to a smoother gameplay experience in general.
High-definition video streaming was one of the most important building blocks in developing live casino games, as players need to be able to see the dealer and physical game components in good detail and in real time. Removing any buffering and delays from the video feed was essential to creating live dealer games.
Another key technology that underpins live casino games is optical character recognition (OCR). It’s all good for players to be able to see the dealer, but the game software also needs to be able to see what’s going on. That’s where OCR comes in, as it allows for the physical game components to be converted into readable digital data.
Thanks to OCR, the software can instantly process which card has been dealt with or which pocket of the roulette wheel the ball has stopped in. This allows the software to seamlessly display results on the player’s screen, to be interacted with.
The user interface brings together the video feed – with the ability to switch between varied camera angles – and the digital elements that players use to place their wagers, track game data, or indicate their decisions to the dealer.
As you can see, creating live casino games was a complicated journey for developers. Without the evolution of video technology and improved internet infrastructure, it would have been far more difficult to realize this fusion of online and live dealer elements.