Best live casinos and games in Canada 2023

What are live casinos?

Live dealer casinos have become increasingly popular in recent years as players want the best of both worlds: an authentic land-based casino experience, but from the comfort of their homes. Live casino games enable you to play with real dealers at real tables, via videos streamed to your device in high resolution. As well as enjoying an authentic gameplay experience, you can interact with the dealer and other players.

What’s more, you can also enjoy all the advantages of online gambling at live casinos, including bonuses and promos, a great selection of games, and fast withdrawals.

How do live casinos work?

Live casinos work in much the same way as regular online casinos, but the casino games are ‘live’. Software developers set up classic games like blackjack and roulette in state-of-the-art studios with professional dealers, and then use cameras to stream these games live to your device.

Unlike traditional games which use random number generators (RNG) to figure out the outcome of a game, the human dealer (who is broadcast in real-time from the studio) is responsible for deciding the outcome, whether by dealing the cards, spinning a roulette wheel, or rolling the dice. You can chat to and play against the dealer and other players, adding a great social element to the game. Here are a few of the highlights of playing at a live casino:

• Real time, live cams which show you who you are wagering against
• Casual chatting with the dealer
• Getting advice from other players
• Get to choose from an incredible selection of live casino online games

Live dealers at online casinos

The role of the dealer or host at a live casino is the same as at a land-based casino. They are a crucial element as they direct the flow and pace of the game, while creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for players. That is why leading live casino software developers will only hire the most professional and experienced dealers.

Types of live casino games

If you think live dealer games are limited to poker, think again. Canada's top online casinos have a vast selection of the best games to stream live. There's live Texas hold'em, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps. Plus, you'll find some creative variations of these games, along with thrilling game show titles. Here are some of the most popular live casino games:

Live blackjack

A universally loved game where you and the dealer each get two cards and try to get as close to 21 without going over. You can also split, double down, or take insurance, depending on the rules. Some live blackjack variants include free bet blackjack, blackjack party, all bets blackjack, and more.

Live roulette

Roulette is a game that lends itself perfectly to the live dealer format. As in the classic version, you place bets on a table with numbers, colours, and other options, and then watch the host spin the wheel to see where the ball lands. You can play different kinds of live roulette, such as auto roulette, speed roulette, etc.

Live baccarat

What’s great about live baccarat is that you have the dealer to give you a helping hand. There are two hands, the Player and the Banker, and your job is to bet on which one will have a total value closer to nine, or if they will tie. Live baccarat variants include Dragon Tiger and Baccarat Squeeze.

Live casino hold’em

Live casino hold’em is game where you use two cards in your hand and five cards on the table to make the best poker hand possible. You can also bet on the ante, the flop, the turn, the river, or the bonus. Hold’em is suited to live casinos because you can chat and interact with other players.

Live three-card poker

Another popular poker variant because of its simplicity, in three-card poker your aim as the player is to get the best hand with three cards. The winner is the person with the highest hand. The fact that this game is played against the dealer, not other players, makes it well suited to live dealer.

Live sic bo

Sic bo is a game of pure chance whereby three dice are shaken and rolled by the dealer, and you must bet on the outcome. You can bet on numbers, totals, combinations, or other options. There are loads of popular variations of sic bo, like super sic bo, which features random multipliers, and mega sic bo.

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Because live dealer games stream video and audio to your device, be aware that you’ll need a stable Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to enjoy these games fully.

Live dealer vs regular online casino games

Traditional casino games are a lot of fun, but if you want to take things up a notch, try out live online casino games.

The primary difference in these games is the overall choice available. As live croupier games are relatively new, there isn’t a massive selection. The other major difference is that regular online games use RNG outcomes, while live dealer games have a host.

Check out some of the pros and cons of regular versus live casino games below to decide which suits you best:

Playing live casino games on mobile

Top live casino sites in Canada are mobile-friendly, allowing you to play live blackjack, roulette, poker, and other top games on the move.

An easy way to enjoy live games on mobile is to visit your favourite online casino via your mobile web browser. All modern mobile online casinos run seamlessly on devices thanks to HTML5 technology. Alternatively, you can download and try a dedicated app if your online casino offers one. Casino apps offer many benefits including better connectivity, intuitive navigation, push notifications, and bespoke experiences.

Live casino bonuses

The best live casino operators offer promotions to entice new players or reward loyal customers. Some of the most common casino bonuses include:

• Welcome bonuses
• Deposit match bonuses
• Free spins offers
• No deposit bonuses
• Cashbacks
• Reload promos
• Rewards
• Loyalty programs

Before opting in for bonuses, be aware that many carry a wagering requirement. This is the number of times you must bet through the deposit/bonus amount before you can cash out any winnings. Wagering requirements vary depending on the offer; some are industry standard (35x or lower), while others can be very high (up to 70x).

You should also always check the T&Cs carefully to see if live casino games are included in a bonus offer, as this isn’t always the case.

Live casino deposits & withdrawals

Leading online casinos in Canada supply safe and convenient payment methods for deposits and withdrawals. You can choose from local options like Interac or popular international services like Visa and e-wallets. Here are some of the most popular methods:

Deposits are instant at online casinos, while withdrawal times vary depending on the casino and your chosen payment method’s processing times.

All reputable casinos will require you to verify your identity and address before withdrawing money for the first time. To do this, simply send copies of documents for ID (passport, driving licence etc.) and proof of address (utility bill, bank statement etc.).

Popular live casino software providers

Many of the best software providers now produce live casino games and are available at top online casinos in Canada. Here are some of the major providers you should have on your radar:

How we rate live casinos

We have become a trusted source for thousands of Canadians looking for the best live dealer casinos. We put each brand we test under the microscope and cover every aspect of the casino experience.

Each of our impartial reviews uses a multi-step process that covers several criteria, including licensing, security, game choice, bonuses and promotions, and banking. Find out more about how we rate live casinos by visiting our About page.

Top 5 online casinos for live dealer games

There are hundreds of top live casinos available in Canada, so to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, our experts have selected the best sites for live casino online games.