As someone who no doubt enjoys playing online casino games, you might have wondered at some point: “How did all of these games become what they are today?

How did brick-and-mortar games go digital?

Traditionally, casino games were played in brick-and-mortar establishments. We only have to look at the success of casinos in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas to see how popular these kinds of games became. In fact, they kick-started a whole different kind of tourism, where people would travel to play the hottest tables they could find.

The dawn of the internet in the 1990s changed things, however, as many savvy game developers started to see the lucrative potential of enabling people to play games online. Unfortunately, the technology at the time meant that connectivity was very poor, so early experiences playing poker on a dial-up connection weren’t exactly seamless!

Together with poor connectivity, electronic payment systems were also not advanced enough to make this pastime explode around the world – not yet anyway. While there was consistent development in this area, it was the arrival of the smartphone that took online gaming to the next level. 

This giant leap forward came about because everyone who had a smartphone was soon demanding greater connectivity, so wireless bandwidth improved. What’s more, developments in HTML5 technology also meant that you no longer needed a PC and a fixed connection to play games online; all of this paved the way for the exponential growth of the online gaming industry worldwide. 

Live dealer games

While online gaming was steadily improving, there were many attempts to launch live casino experiences, but as we already know, the technology wasn’t able to fully support this, until recently.

The first live casinos were launched in the mid-2000s. While there are many players in this space, Evolution Gaming has been the dominant player in this scene: it even launched its own live game show in 2017, Live Dream Catcher, which you can play on Lucky VIP (more on this later)!

Thanks to consistent improvements in technology, specifically when it comes to graphics and streaming, live casino games are set to become even more accessible. At a time of social distancing, these experiences offer a combination of online socialising and thrilling gameplay. 

Try some live dealer games at LuckyVIP

You’ve read a bit about the history of live casino games, so now you can give them a go yourself!

To immerse yourself in an authentic live casino experience, we recommend checking out the following titles on Lucky VIP:

Live Dream Catcher

The first game show to be played live online, Live Dream Catcher (as we mentioned earlier) is an interactive experience where you can bet on a number on the Money Wheel, and watch as the live dealer makes it spin. Of course, if you choose the correct number, then it’s your lucky day! Evolution Gaming’s trailblazer title has an RTP (return to player) of 96.58%, and is lots of fun to play. 

Live Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker

This is one of the most famous versions of poker, and you can feel like you’re right at the table while being seated in the comfort of your own home. Play Live Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker directly with the real-life dealer, and even try your hand at the Trips Bonus bet to keep things interesting. You never know your luck, especially with a game whose RTP is 99.47%!

Live Blackjack

You’ll no doubt feel like you’re face to face with a dealer in real life, thanks to the visual quality of Live Blackjack from Evolution Gaming, which has been designed to recreate the classic casino table experience. The game’s RTP is 95.9%, and the minimum bet is set at £5. It’s easy to play this version of the popular card game: to beat the dealer on the screen, all you need to do is get your cards to add up as close as possible to 21 (without going “bust”) – and be strategic about your bets! 

Live Speed Baccarat

Baccarat is a classic card game that’s known and loved the world over. But for those who like to keep things fast-paced, you can try Live Speed Baccarat! This game, also from Evolution Gaming, has all the elements you’d expect from a traditional casino environment, including the bean-shaped tables and the way the cards are dealt. Enjoy the suspense as the game progresses – and with an RTP of 98.94%, hopefully you’ll have the odd bit of luck come your way too!

Play live casino online games at Lucky VIP

Lucky VIP provides a variety of live casino offerings, as well as other types of casino games, including slots, table card games and Slingo games.

Register to start enjoying the authentic online experience that technology can now provide. If you become a regular player, you can start to take advantage of our casino rewards as a member, too!