Some of the most common questions that apprehensive casino enthusiasts ask include, “is live casino rigged?” It’s natural to feel cautious about any type of online activity, especially when real money payments are involved. Online gambling is globally famous and features millions of players depositing and withdrawing funds from online casinos daily. While this sector has had a rocky start in terms of transparency and credibility, today’s situation is much better.
One of the most significant compromises of online gambling is that it doesn’t offer the social component present in land-based venues. Regardless, the industry has created a clever way to bridge the gap: live dealer casino games. These games take place in real-time via high-quality streaming from dedicated studios to players’ devices. Live dealers are a defining characteristic of this gambling form and have become just as popular as virtual titles. Regardless, there are always skeptical punters worried they’ll fall prey to a predatory live casino, so here’s our live dealer online casino guide.
Is Live Casino Rigged? Here’s Everything You Need To Know
There is a logical reason why the legality of live gaming sites isn’t a straightforward yes or no answer. You’ll find very few (if any) dedicated live casinos since these games typically exist as one of many categories in an average online casino. In other words, it’s more practical for operators to add live gaming to a pre-existing roster of virtual casino titles.
This trade-off is understandable. On the one hand, running a live casino costs more than an online one. The dedicated studio, video streaming equipment, professional lighting, and in-person dealers are more expensive than a mere RNG and site hosting. To successfully operate a dedicated live casino, one needs to raise the game stakes higher than most players can afford. Therefore, the sustainability of such an effort is questionable at best.
On the other hand, adding a live gaming platform to an existing casino games selection is more practical and cost-effective. Since most online casinos operate with a profit, they can take the additional expenses more easily and stay in business. In other words, the reward outweighs the risk in these situations. It’s vital to keep this information in mind when asking is live casino rigged.
Consequently, it’s safe to play live games when you choose a legitimate, licensed, and reputable gambling site. Since most online casinos outsource their live platforms, the software supplier wants to ensure that the casino uses its platform in a secure setting.
Are There Operators Who Intentionally Rig Games?
Despite international gambling regulations being stricter and fairer towards players than ever, the situation isn’t perfect. Every now and then, the industry gasps at an operator or supplier seeking to scam punters. There are also examples of illegal online casinos that rig live dealer casino games so that they’re unfavorable towards players.
No matter how advanced the screening and auditing methods that the industry uses, rogue casinos will always exist. Live gaming is no different, and there have been numerous examples of such casinos attempting to scam players.
Roulette is one example of how an operator can rig games to control the outcome. Under normal circumstances, the roulette wheel spins on its own to determine where the ball lands. However, an unsavory operator can use a tool under the table on rigged games to control the ball. This tool makes it possible to avoid a payout by stopping the wheel to avoid the ball landing in the players’ predicted field.
When asking is live casino rigged, there’s also a chance that a baccarat or a blackjack game is unfair. Skilled but unscrupulous dealers can use advanced shuffling techniques to make the game unfair to players. Note that these examples of how it’s possible to rig live casino games aren’t stand-alone cases.
How To Tell If You’re Dealing With A Cheating Live Casino
First and foremost, detecting a casino with rigged games is challenging. Rogue operators manage to elude legislators because they’re excellent at masking themselves as legitimate casinos. Regardless, you can use several methods to conclude you’re dealing with an operator best left alone:
- Compromised transparency
- Lousy reviews
- Issues with payouts
- Unfriendly/sketchy dealers.
Compromised Transparency
When asking is live casino rigged, be wary whenever an operator isn’t transparent about testing games, regulations, licensing, or a live dealer casino bonus. Nine times out of ten, obscurity exists because the casino typically doesn’t possess these qualifications. Any operator that doesn’t clearly display this information is usually rogue. Consequently, you should avoid its unfair services and rigged games.
Lousy Reviews
Reviews can be both an excellent and a misleading indicator of a casino’s services. On the one hand, genuinely lousy reviews are a signal that there’s something wrong with the operator. On the other, separating true from fake reviews is more complicated than it seems. It’s always wise to search through numerous independent review sites to get a general idea of how present and past players feel about a casino.
Issues With Payouts
Payments conducted over the internet are always a point of debate in any industry and especially online gambling. It’s almost an unwritten rule that illegal gaming operators always participate in scandals involving delayed/refused payments to players. If you get even an inkling of such problems, avoid that casino at all costs. Such casinos intentionally mislead players and refuse to pay out winnings.
Unfriendly/Sketchy Dealers
Since most players play live casino games because of the real-time experience and human interaction, dealers are the only point of contact. Consequently, when asking is live casino rigged, the dealers are often a tell-tale sign indicating the answer. The dealer’s job is to conduct the game, talk to players, and provide critical information. If they’re unfriendly, avoid answering questions directly, or are overall sketchy, the games may not be legitimate. If this is the case, we recommend other methods for a way to find a reputable live operator. Good luck!