Ady Totah, CEO at LuckyStreak, discusses why protecting the human element of the Live Dealer vertical is essential for its continued growth and success
“Live Dealer games have become an incredibly successful and rapidly expanding vertical within the pantheon of iGaming. These games capture the essence of a real casino experience from the comfort of players’ personal screens. Their success grew from the appeal of their authenticity, tangible casino atmosphere and human elements.
Like other verticals, live casino has embraced technological advancements and consistently pushed the boundaries of online entertainment. It is a genre brimming with creativity, with customisable green screens, social elements and localisation becoming increasingly sophisticated.
However, as technology progresses and the role of AI influences the industry more than ever, the fundamental truth is that the ‘live’ element must be protected.
The joys of human connection
With the rise of automation in so many areas of life, we risk stripping away the joy of human connection, and the preservation of this attribute is essential within live casino.
Dealers who are present but not truly live lack genuine interaction and the spark that makes the experience so engaging. Players expect conversation and engagement, with highly-trained dealers doing much more than shuffling cards or spinning wheels in silence.
In some cases, I have seen pre-recorded ‘live’ games and robotic arms replacing human hosts. While this is impressive technology, it is an example of how innovation threatens to diminish the human element of gameplay. Products such as these should be categorised as Automated Casinos or AI Dealers, and most definitively not Live Dealers.
Live Dealer carries an expectation of real, professional and enthusiastic humans at the heart of the action.
It is my opinion, and a fundamental, unequivocal component of our vision at LuckyStreak, that a Live Dealer game, at its core, must have a live and sensitive dealer front and centre. These professionals are the main attraction around which the entire gaming experience revolves as players seek authenticity and human relatability.
Studios bear the responsibility of employing and rigorously training individuals who can deal games to the highest standards, with carefully selected dealers bringing personality and accuracy. Each dealer will bring their own personal flair to the role, adding to each game’s unique appeal.
Transaction to interaction
Unlike other iGaming verticals, in Live Casino players do not join us solely to place bets. They are seeking a clearly differentiated social experience.
The most successful live games seamlessly blend gaming, entertainment and a sense of community. The least engaging can feel like watching CCTV footage of a human-shaped random number generator. Dealers hold the power to transform a simple game into a captivating experience. Operators must be able to cultivate a social not solitary environment, and we are now at a crossroads.
If the Live Casino vertical continues down a path of using AI dealers and automation, many live games risk feeling isolating, like sitting alone at a virtual table, mechanically clicking buttons.
Live Casino gaming should be about vibrant interaction. While dealers are professionals and have exacting standards, on occasion a fun moment might – and should – occur that is memorable.
Perhaps the shuffler walks behind the dealer and makes them jump and the cards accidentally go in the air, or the ball pings on the roulette table and flies into the air. These small, distinctly human moments are what makes the experience memorable. And real, relatable and familiar.
Technology as enhancer not replacement
Technology such as AI, personalisation and automation undoubtedly offers significant enhancements to the player experience. However, if these innovations come at the cost of the human touch, we are missing the point.
The goal should be a race to the top, enhancing the experience, and reducing or removing the human element is a race to the bottom.
Timeless casino games like Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat have thrived for centuries across the globe for a reason. Players around the world appreciate the authentic, warm, live dealer experience, and this fundamental human desire will never change.
Any attempt to diminish the ‘live’ aspect of Live Dealer gaming is a misstep. Our vertical must retain its real-life essence. We owe it to the players, and to ourselves, to preserve the very essence that made Live Casino a success in the first place.
This is mine and LuckyStreak’s resolute belief, the cornerstone of our success to date, and we shall continue to remain faithful to it.
With more than a decade of experience as a B2B Live Casino games provider and content aggregator, LuckyStreak has more than 5,000 games from some of the biggest providers in the industry, all of which are available via a single secure casino API integration. Ady Totah co-founded LuckyStreak in 2014, with CTO Erez Cywier, following a decade in business development.
