Best Live Online Casinos in the UK 2023
At PlatinPlay, we’re on a mission to make players’ lives simpler, recommending the very best live casino sites available right now in the UK. We do this by basing ourselves on a set of objective criteria that have been determined by experts.
When coming to rating the best live casino sites, we take into account all the different types of live casino games available at the UK casino site in question. Of course, we take a look at the most popular live casino games to British players, from live roulette, to baccarat, blackjack and poker. But not just that. The newer types of live dealer games are also included on our recommended sites, from game shows casino games to crash casino games and other niche titles.
Based on our experiences, below you’ll find the definitive list of best live casino UK, scored by PlatinPlay experts.
How we review live casino sites at PlatinPlay
At PlatinPlay, our experts follow a simple, but effective process to rate the best online live casino UK. We have devised a set of criteria that we use to base our casino ratings on, and these reflect all those elements that make your online gambling experience one to remember for the right reasons.
Our online casino reviews always follow this set of criteria, which incorporates all the elements that are important to players even when playing live dealer casino games. Next time you’re wondering whether it’s worth trying out that new live casino or not, you can follow this checklist in the same way our experts do, so as to help you make an informed decision.
The main points that we look for are the below, although we also have a couple of industry secrets to ensure that we get whole picture:
Licensing and Security
We only recommend a live dealer online casino to British players if it’s licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This is a minimum security standard for our experts, but we also look at independent auditing and whether the platform offers SSL encryption to ensure the protection of your financial and personal data.
Bonuses and Promotions
The best live casino sites will allow you to use your welcome bonus on live tables with a 5% to 10% contribution to playthrough. And if they also offer a specific live casino bonus, then those are extra points.
Game Variety & Software Providers
There is a multitude of games available nowadays and we expect the best online live casino to have a good selection available. Sites score higher if they offer games by 2 or 3 providers of the best casino software provider out there. Additionally, the presence of live casino gameshows are a must given their popularity in the UK.
Banking Options
As always, a convenient cashier policy is essential for a positive online gambling experience. A good live dealer casino will offer a variety of e-wallets and traditional casino banking methods, while also offering a quick and efficient payout system.
Mobile Compatibility
It used to be that live dealer casinos didn’t load properly on mobile. The advent of HTML5 and dedicated apps put paid to this, and we’ll only recommend sites with an entirely mobile responsive live games library.
User Experience
Online gambling is all about a fun, positive experience. If we find anything that makes it difficult to achieve this, such as live studios with a less than top-notch streaming quality, or a site that glitches in the midst of the live action well…it’s not getting our experts’ vote, that’s for sure.
Customer Support
Should an issue crop up while we’re enjoying our favourite live casino games online, we want to be able to resolve it fast. This is why our top scorers offer 24/7 live chat, with an e-mail option in case we need it.
Popular Live Dealer Online Casino Game Types
The beauty of finding the best live casino sites is that you’ll be gaining access to as many games as you’d have in a brick-and-mortar. In reality, you’ll be gaining more as live dealers online nowadays offer more variants and a better range of stakes.
Let’s take a look at the game types you can expect to find at the best live dealer online casinos.
Live Dealer Blackjack
A game that requires a strong element of skill, you’ll could go a long way here if you learn the rules and employ some strategy. Live blackjack ups the adrenaline with a whole host of betting options, such as splitting, doubling down, taking insurance and more. Your goal? Score a higher hand against the dealer without going over 21 to win.
Live Dealer Roulette
This one’s all about luck, and it’s the simplicity that makes it so popular at live casino sites. Expect to find the European, American and French variants at the very least, as well as specialist titles like double ball, multi-wheel and speed roulette. Pick your colour and your pocket and hope that when the wheel stops spinning the ball lands on your choice.
Live Game Shows
A relatively new genre that took the UK by storm sees our most beloved gameshows like Deal or No Deal, Who Wants to be a Millionnaire and others being transformed into live dealer games. All the thrills of the TV shows plus the potential to win from home. What’s not to love?
Live Dealer Poker
This one’s for those who are into games of skill. Put your best poker face on with popular variants like Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker, Caribbean Stud and some more obscure ones that will go down a treat.
Live Dealer Baccarat
Another race to score a higher hand against the banker, this one also comes with numerous variants, Punto Banco being one of the most popular. Each variant has different bet options, so do familiarise yourself before committing.
Live Crash Games
Another of the more recent genres, crash gambling games are the ultimate, most fast-paced live casino games you can think of. Basically, you’re betting on the outcome of a virtual ‘crash’ – the prize increases the longer you bet that it doesn’t crash, but if it crashes while you’re still in you lose. One rule, one decision, totally stress-free.
Other Live Dealer Games Online
The above not enough? At the best live casino online you’ll also find other games like live craps, which is exactly the same as the table variant and super simple. Predict the outcome of the dice, and you win. Live Sic Bo and Live Andar Bahar are also gaining in popularity, with many live casinos in the UK offering them.
Best Live Casino Games in 2023
Now we’ve discovered the best live casinos to play at, it’s time to find out which are the best live dealer games. The choice can be mind-boggling, especially as all the different games come with so many different variants.
Moreover, each software provider adds their own little twist to the games, so you’ll find different themes, bet ranges, bonus games and all. Below, you’ll find our expert list of the best live casino games you can expect to play. Evolution Gaming is considered the name that tops the list in terms of live casino games, so it’s no surprise that the highest-scoring titles are all from this software provider.
Crazy Time Live
The hint is in the name, as Crazy Time Live offers players a really wild time. It builds on Evolution’s highly successful Dream Catcher wheel concept with a host of interactive elements, a Top live game that yields multipliers in each bonus round and four exciting bonus games. The game is streamed from within a large, colourful studio with a big money wheel.
Live Lightning Roulette
Evolution’s blending of live roulette with the RNG model got players excited enough to make this one of the most popular roulette variants ever created. Lightning Roulette offers all the standard roulette bets plus some extra features such as Lucky Numbers and Lucky Payouts. During each game round, from one to five Lucky Numbers will be struck by lightning and given payouts with multipliers between 50x and 500x.
Deal or No Deal Live
Based on the world-famous live TV game show, but available 24 hours a day. This live spinoff asks you to choose one of 16 sealed briefcases, each containing different cash prizes. The Banker makes some clever offers, and it’s up to you to decide if it’s a deal or no deal. Pro tip – you can adjust the difficulty levels to increase the reward potential.
Live Baccarat Squeeze
A thrilling variation on the classic game, Baccarat Squeeze sees the dealer’s hand being dealt face down for added suspense. The mechanics work exactly in the same way as the normal baccarat with two cards each dealt to the dealer and player, and whoever’s closest to nine winning.
Live Caribbean Stud Poker
This is the only live version of the highly popular poker game, Caribbean Stud Poker. Players are dealt five cards each to compete against the dealer, who need to have an Ace, King or a higher card to qualify. You raise or fold before the dealer reveals their whole hand and, along the way decide whether to pick up the optional bonus and progressive jackpot side bets.
Guide to picking the best live dealer casino
Earlier we walked you to the process that our experts follow so as to pick the best live online casinos, together with the criteria that impact your gambling experience. These criteria never change, but there’s also such a thing as your own preferences and style of play.
These, too, will affect the decision of which are the best live dealer sites for you, so it’s always good to keep in mind some additional elements. Below, we’ve compiled a list of additional guidelines and some live casino tips to help you source the best operator for you.
Look for your favourite games – With live casino, a lot depends on which games you actually enjoy playing. If you’re into game shows and crash games, it wouldn’t make much sense to choose a live casino dealer site that focuses only on classic games like roulette and poker.
Make sure the stake limit matches your bankroll – Some live casino sites UK focus on high-stakes, VIP tables which require a massive bankroll to keep you in play for a reasonable amount of time. If you are a casual player or you prefer to spend less, make sure that you’re playing low-stakes games. Many sites offer buy-ins as low as 0.5 or 0.1.
Check if there are enough variants for your favourite game – You may prefer to focus on 1 game, such as roulette. In this case it’s a good idea to check that you’ll have enough roulette variants to keep you from getting bored.
Take a peek at the rest of the games offering – Chances are you’ll want to play other games apart from live casino. Take note of what’s on offer in the slots section, and whether your preferred software providers are present even there.
Before committing, see if your chosen live dealer site ticks all the boxes so you can avoid any nasty surprises after making that first deposit.
How to play at an online live casino site
So now you’ve followed our PlatinPlay expert guide and you’ve built a good idea of which live online casinos in the UK are worth giving a go and which live dealer games are likely to pique your interest. It’s time for the most important step – to actually start playing and putting down real money wagers.
The first time joining a live dealer table can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not sure what to expect. Below we’re going to offer a step-by-step guide on how to start playing at the best live online casinos, especially helpful for beginners or for those who need a quick memory refresher.
- Step 1: Follow the link from this guide to your favourite casino and sign up
This is a very straightforward process that should only take a couple of minutes. You will be asked for some personal information such as email address, physical address and phone number. This is totally normal and is done for legal compliance.
- Step 2: Make your first deposit
Ensure that you meet the minimum requirement to claim your sign-up offer and choose a method that is convenient for you as changing it later can involve some annoyances. The cashier section is usually clearly indicated at the top right of the screen and the drop-down menu will allow you to choose your preferred banking method.
- Step 3: Navigate to the live casino section
Take a look at the tables that are currently open and pick your game. Don’t forget to check the minimum buy ins to make sure these align with your budget.
- Step 4: Check your internet connection
Before clicking on ‘join’ it’s always a good idea to ensure that your connection is stable so you don’t get those annoying freezing moments.
- Step 5: Click ‘join’ on your preferred game
The bets close when the dealer says so, so keep an eye out and good luck.
As you can see, playing at the best live dealer casino is no great shakes and the online version is not unlike the real-life version at all. If there’s a chat option enabled, don’t forget to observe the basic rules of etiquette. In other words, don’t do anything online that you wouldn’t do in real life.
Live Dealer Casino Bonuses & Promotions
Live casino bonuses are a touch more complicated than the usual ones. There two things to look for when chasing live dealer offers:
- Sign-up offers eligible for live dealer casino games
- Specific on-going promotions targeting live casino games
Let’s take a look at how you can make the most of both while staying within the limits imposed by the terms and conditions.
What to know about welcome bonuses for live casino games
Deposit match bonuses may appear to be heaven-sent when it comes to playing live roulette or blackjack, but in reality, many operators exclude them from eligibility on the players’ bonus cash. They do this by excluding live casino table games from contributing to the wagering requirements.
Wagering requirements refer to the number of times a player must play through the bonus cash so as to be able to cash out bonus winnings. Slots usually contribute 100% to this so that if you’re playing slots with £100 bonus cash that carries a 35x wagering requirement, the amount that you’ll need to spend to fulfill it is 35×100, which is £3,500.
With live tables, these either contribute nothing or else they contribute 5% or 10%, which means that if you use the bonus cash exclusively on live casino you’re going to need to spend significantly more in order to cash out. Let’s say you’re using your £100 on a live roulette table at a 10% contribution – you’ll need to playthrough £35,000 (£100×35, then divided by 0.10).
This would render the bonus viable only for a high roller, which is why we think it’s not the best option for casual players to use their general bonus cash on live dealer games.
Live casino promotions
That being said, there are some UK sites offer specific bonuses for their live dealer section. These can take the shape of a welcome offer for new players, although bear in mind that you can only pick up one such offer so you won’t be able to use the bonus on slots. Existing players will often also find cashback, match deposit and reload offers, so it’s a matter of keeping an eye out. We’re always updating our casino bonuses page with the latest offers, so do check that out regularly.
New Live Casinos
You’ll find plenty of new live casino sites being launched for UK players. Keep in mind that to enjoy a superb live dealer online experience you need to ensure that the new operator’s platform is up-to-scratch from a technical perspective. Typically, this won’t be an issue as the newest live casinos would have been built using the latest HTML5 technology, and will cope excellently with the demands of live streaming.
New live dealer casinos are worth giving a try as they may offer better bonuses and incentives to new players. As always, do your research by looking up the operator right here on PlatinPlay. Our experts are constantly scanning what’s happening in the UK online gambling landscape so as to be able to bring you the latest news and whether it’s a yay or a nay for a new operator.
You can also follow our guidelines regarding the features to look for at the best live online casinos. Because there’s no long track record and player reviews to help guide you, it becomes even more important to read all terms and conditions carefully.
Mobile Live Casinos
Although dedicated mobile casino apps remain popular with players, in truth this is only one way of accessing a live dealer site from your mobile device. Dedicated apps have the advantage of allowing you to log into your favourite mobile live casino using facial or touch recognition, eliminating the need for a normal log in. Moreover, they sync up to all your devices and typically don’t take much space.
Mobile live casinos that provide apps usually provide two different versions for iOS and Android users. These can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple Store respectively, and installed in exactly the same way you would with any other app. The beauty is that they’re also compatible with all tablets, offering a seamless way of online gambling.
However, nowadays you don’t even need an app to enjoy playing at a mobile live casino. In recent years most platforms have been built using HTML5 technology, which allows the games to automatically adapt to your screen size when using a normal browser on mobile.
All you need to do is go to the casino site in the usual manner from your preferred mobile device, and log in. Whether you’re on an Android or an iPhone, the result will be the same – perfect visuals to fit your screen for mobile casino gaming. There’s a lot to be said for this option, as you’re not taking up space on your device and you don’t need to check for updates. The new live dealer casinos tend to go with this option, whereas bigger and longer-established brands will usually also offer the dedicated app.
Best Live Casino Software Providers
Although Evolution Gaming remains the king of all live providers, nowadays there are a number of studios that also offer an excellent library of live-streamed games, using top-notch studios and highly professional dealers. Below, we delve into the biggest live casino software providers to watch out for.
Evolution Gaming Live Casino Games
Evolution are responsible for live casino as we know it today, and they’re also the name behind a number of trendsetting titles like Lightning Roulette and the gameshow Crazy Time. The provider has won multiple awards and continues to churn out fan favourites on a regular basis. They’re known for using multiple camera angles for an extra immersive experience.
NetEnt Live Casino Games
NetEnt were bought out by Evolution in 2020, but the games studio still produces a number of games on its own steam. Although its live studios have now been folded within the mother company, its classic live offerings remain beloved by players.
Pragmatic Play Live Casino Games
The Pragmatic Play recently built studios in Romania is where all the action happens. Known for excellent video, sound and for their expert-level dealers, this provider offers the full package of classic live games as well as the live version of some of its most popular slots.
Live Casinos Deposit and Withdrawals
We’ve already stated the importance for the best live online casinos to offer a sufficient number of payment options that are popular in the UK. Making deposits and withdrawals should be a hassle-free process, and if you’re not happy with the casino banking options your experience is going to be marred.
The best live casino sites typically offer a mix of traditional and more modern payment options, including:
- E-wallets like Skrill and Neteller
- Digital payment systems like Google Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal
- Traditional banking methods like debit cards and bank transfer
- Prepaid vouchers and pay by phone options
Live Casinos: Pros and Cons
Players who haven’t yet tried live dealer casinos may at first be wary, because of interactive nature, creating a level of pressure. In reality, joining a live table is no great shakes and no one expects players to be professionals. If you’re undecided, here a list of pros and cons to keep in mind before taking the step to join.
Pros
- Highly social element, with some games allowing you to use a chat feature
- Excellent, multi-camera angles make you feel part of the action
- Very versatile stakes that include low-rollers
- Very similar to a real casino experience, but without the hassle
Cons
- You’ll need a very stable internet connection
- Some games require a measure of skill
- The time you have to lay down a bet is limited
The difference between live casino games and online casino table games
You may have noticed that online casinos have separate game categories for table games and live dealer games. Just how different is the experience? Substantially, even though the table games section typically includes a similar list of games to the live dealer category.
Online casino table games are played using an RNG (random number generation) system that ensures all wins are random. This is done automatically. Live tables, on the other hand, have real-life dealers and shufflers, so it’s not a machine that’s dealing out the cards.
Just as importantly, the action is happening in real time. This is why some operators enable the chat function, allowing you to chat with the dealer and sometimes even to other players.
The idea behind live dealer tables is for the player to feel right there in the game just as in a brick-and-mortar casino. This is achieved by streaming via multi-camera angles and from studios that are set up to look exactly like a brick-and-mortar casino. This is the opposite from table games, where the visuals are not dynamic and kept to one perspective.
Live Casinos FAQs
All your questions about live casinos answered.
A live casino allows players to participate in casino games in real-time with professional dealers. It is designed to offer an immersive experience, closely replicating the environment of a physical casino. Through high-definition live video streaming, players can place bets, interact with dealers, and even converse with other players, providing a more engaging and authentic casino experience.
Live casinos use advanced video streaming technology, with dealers setting up in a dedicated studio and running the games in real-time. Multiple cameras capture different angles and details of the game, and the footage is then streamed online.
Live casino games are hosted in real-time by dealers. The most common games include classics like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. Other options may include games like sic bo, craps, and game show-style games.
The primary difference lies in the gaming experience. Table games use computer-generated graphics and random number generators to determine the outcome of the games. A live casino offers games that are run in real-time by a human dealer and are streamed live to the player. This makes live casinos feel more like a traditional, land-based casino experience, offering players the opportunity to engage with the dealer and other players, which isn’t possible in a typical online casino game.
No, reputable live casino games that are provided by renowned software providers like Evolution Gaming on licensed platforms are not rigged. They are regulated by gambling authorities who regularly audit games to ensure fairness and integrity.
Live casino games are an excellent choice for players who enjoy an immersive, real-time experience, interaction with dealers and other players, and the thrill of traditional casino games from the comfort of their homes.
Yes, many live casinos are accessible on mobile devices, provided you have a stable internet connection. Some sites provide a dedicated app while others allow you to log in by visiting the casino site on their preferred web browser on their mobile.
If you’re disconnected during a game, most casinos will automatically save your progress. Once you regain connection, you can typically resume where you left off.