Live dealer: meaning and how it works

What live dealer means in a casino app

In a live dealer game, a person deals the cards or spins the wheel on camera and you bet against that result from your phone. Industry descriptions such as Wikipedia's article on online casinos and live dealer games (opens in a new tab) stress the key difference: the outcome depends on a dealer and physical equipment working in real time, not on software alone.

That makes it different from an ordinary RNG table game, where code picks the card or number. It also differs from a First Person game, which looks like a live table but is driven by a random number generator. You'll find more terms like these in our casino app glossary.

How a live dealer game reaches your phone

The table sits either in a purpose-built studio or on a real casino floor. Evolution, the largest live studio supplier, says its games are broadcast in real time, often around the clock, from studios built like TV sets with several cameras, lighting and audio. It also runs Dual Play tables inside land-based casinos, including in the UK, so online players can bet on a real floor table.

Optical character recognition turns the physical result, such as the number on the wheel, into data the game software can settle. A typical studio needs at least three rooms (the live studio, a server room and an analyst's room) and staff such as camera operators, croupiers and a pit boss who settles disputes.

On your screen, the app overlays a betting grid, your balance and a countdown on top of the video. Pragmatic Play says its in-house streaming can reach a delay as low as 1.5 to 2 seconds in good conditions, and that its live games run in HTML5 on desktop and mobile. Most live tables also have a chat box, and the dealer may reply out loud.

Live dealer vs RNG vs First Person games

The bottom row matters most. A live dealer changes how a game feels, not the maths behind it. For example, Wizard of Odds lists Evolution's Infinite Blackjack at a 0.45% house edge with basic strategy, which is in the same range as many software blackjack games. Our house edge by game table compares the main options.

What a live dealer table costs in pounds

Expected loss is the total you stake multiplied by the house edge. Live tables run on a timer, so your total staked depends on how many rounds you play.

• Blackjack at 0.45%: staking £5 a hand for 50 hands is £250 in total, so the expected loss is about £1.13.
• A game show bet at 3.92% (Crazy Time's best bet): £250 staked gives an expected loss of £9.80.
• The same game's weakest bet at 5.59%: £250 staked gives about £13.98.

These are long-run averages. Any single session can end well above or below them, and losses are likely over time. Live game shows and side bets usually carry higher edges than the main blackjack or baccarat bet, which is why our game show entry treats them separately.

UK rules for live dealer games on mobile

The Gambling Commission extended its game design rules to live casino on 17 January 2025. In its decision on the autoplay ban for all online games (opens in a new tab), it said it saw no convincing reason to leave live casino out. It also noted that a re-bet button, which repeats your last bet once, is not autoplay and can help on tables with short betting windows.

• At least 5 seconds from the start of one game cycle to the next (RTS 14G).
• No feature that lets you speed up the result, and no celebrating a return that is equal to or less than your stake.
• No playing several games at once, so you can't have two live tables running side by side in one app.
• Your net spend and time played must be shown in real time.

The slot stake limits of £5 and £2 a spin cover online slots only, so they don't cap a live blackjack or roulette bet. Table limits come from the game itself, which makes a deposit limit the best way to keep a live session affordable.

Where you meet live dealers in casino apps

Most UK casino apps put live games in a separate lobby tab, split into blackjack, roulette, baccarat and game shows. The App Store listings for Coral and Ladbrokes both mention live casino, and Ladbrokes' listing names game shows specifically. PlayOJO's listing includes live casino alongside slots and bingo.

1. Join on Wi-Fi or a strong 4G or 5G signal, because the video streams for the whole round.
2. Open the table's help screen to check the rules, payouts and RTP before betting.
3. Set a session budget and keep an eye on the net spend display.
4. Use the re-bet button if you want speed, rather than rushing a bet near the end of the timer.

If your connection drops, the round usually carries on at the table without you. Our guide to how apps handle disconnections explains what usually happens to an open bet. For data use, see playing live casino on mobile data, and for a wider view, the live casino apps hub.

Terms related to live dealer games

• Bet behind: staking on another player's blackjack hand at a full table.
• Game show: host-led live games built around wheels, boards or bonus rounds.
• Side bet: an optional extra bet with its own, usually higher, house edge.
• Game cycle: the unit the UK speed rules are measured in.

Live dealer games and our partner apps' welcome offers

Our three closest partner offers are all slot offers, so none of them can be used at a live dealer table. Live games are often excluded from welcome bonuses or count for less, so check the terms. 18+ and terms apply to all three.

Coral: bet £10 or more on slots between 1 October 2026 and 1 February 2027 to get 100 free spins on selected games, worth 10p each. You have 48 hours to accept them, they last 7 days and winnings carry no wagering. Coral excludes deposits made with Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards.

Ladbrokes: new customers who deposit and play £10 on slots get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 in total. Each spin is worth 10p on selected games, must be claimed by 23:59 each day and lasts 7 days, with no wagering. PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, Moneybookers and prepaid card deposits are excluded.

PlayOJO: a first deposit of at least £10 brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, with winnings paid as cash and no wagering. It is for new UK customers outside Northern Ireland, through the designated offer link only, and can't be combined with other offers.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.