Microgaming Live Dealer Casino

Since its inception in 1994, Microgaming has turned into a leading casino games developer. Its titles can be found in over 150 web-based reputable casinos. The headquarter of the company is based in the Isle of Man and it operates on several regulated markets, including Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Spain, UK, and others.

Microgaming provides its gambling solutions under licenses issued by two of the most reputable regulatory bodies, and more precisely the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. In that sense, Microgaming is one of the most trusted providers, emphasizing on the fairness of its gaming products. As a software provider worth its salt, Microgaming pushed the boundaries of the gambling industry to new heights by launching the first mobile casino software in 2004.

The software supplier did not wait for long to maximize the opportunities provided by the advanced technologies. In present days, Microgaming offers an extensive line-up of live games that will bring you closer to what land-based gambling venues offer. The brand streams its live dealer games from purpose-built studios located in Canada and the Philippines. Microgaming invested heavily in its studios that are fully equipped with high-quality technologies.

• ✓ Features
• ✓ Portfolio
• ✓ Microgaming’s Live Blackjack
• ✓ Microgaming’s Live Baccarat
• ✓ Microgaming’s Live Roulette
• ✓ Microgaming’s Live Casino Hold’em
• ✓ Microgaming’s Live Sic Bo

By utilizing the most modern cameras, Microgaming allows players to get close to the action and observe every movement of the croupier. To fascinate its enthusiastic fans, Microgaming has launched a dedicated Playboy live dealer gaming studio.

Microgaming Live Casino Features

There are several live dealer software providers and each of them is trying to provide unique gaming products. For that purpose, software suppliers include many different features in their live gaming solutions that bring the specific touch of their developers. Microgaming is a company that has always been touted for its precision and customer-centric approach.

The company’s live dealer games come with an easy-to-navigate layout. Players will face no troubles when dealing with the UI of Microgaming’s live products. What makes the UI of the company’s games so appealing is the combination of visual and functional consistency. The list below will provide you with detailed information regarding the features included in the UI:

• HD quality – the video stream is crystal clear, but players have the option to adjust the quality of the stream in accordance with their Internet connection bandwidth. They can choose between Medium, High, and HD quality of the stream.
• Game History – it allows players to review their past gaming activity that is organized as a list of dates, games, winnings, losses, and wagers. The game round that you played most recently will appear on top of the list.
• Statistics – it enables players to see results from the last game rounds. In addition to that, players can find information about the outcomes that occur more/less frequently than others. This can be quite helpful for versed players, who use a certain strategy in their gaming sessions.

In roulette, statistics include Hot and Cold numbers, results from even-money bets (Red/Black, Even/Odd, Low/High), and the last 10 winning numbers. As for blackjack, players will find information about the last 5 rounds and hot streaks. In baccarat, statistics will provide you with four types of roadmaps presenting game history in an organized and comprehensible manner.

• Autoplay Option – once you activate the Autoplay function, you will be able to place the wager you wish to play with for the coming rounds. You can also determine the number of rounds you like to play in Autoplay mode. To prevent its players from significant losses, Microgaming allows them to set loss limits before they start playing a certain live game in an Autoplay mode. This function aims at facilitating gaming experience.
• Multi-Tabling – this function is appropriate for live casino enthusiasts who enjoy non-stop action during their gaming sessions. If you decide to benefit from this function, you should be informed that you can add up to 4 gaming tables and view them in the same browser window. Microgaming adopted this function to keep its live casino fans busy and let them play several games at once.
• Help Center – the “Help Center” included in the UI provides players with comprehensive information regarding the rules of its live dealer games. If you are about to play at a live casino powered by Microgaming for the first time, we would recommend you to check the information included in this section.
• Confirm Bet Button – Microgaming incorporated a “Confirm Bet” button that players should click every time they would like to place a wager. At first, this function might look a bit uncomfortable and clumsy, but it might save you from placing any undesired bets. If you forget to click this button, your bets will be considered invalid and you will need to wait for the next game round.
• Betting Timer – Microgaming incorporated a betting timer that determines the time players have to place their bets. No wagers shall be accepted by the system after the timer indicates that the time for placing bets is over.
• Switch View – this function allows Microgaming’s enthusiastic players to keep track of the roulette wheel when the dealer spins it. The camera will automatically focus on the wheel, showing its motion and the tossing of the ball in detail.
• A-free-seat notification – Microgaming’s Live Blackjack tables allow only 7 players to join a particular table at a time. If all seats are occupied, you will need to wait until a seat is available. The positive side of this situation is that players receive a notification when a seat is vacated.

Microgaming’s UI downsides

Even though the company has been in the gambling business for quite some time, Microgaming has some room for improvement of its live dealer gaming portfolio. In the list below you will find information about the aspects which the company can improve:

• Supported Languages – the live dealers that host the games speak only English. The UI is also available only in English. Hence, if you are not an English speaker, it will cost you a lot of efforts to play live dealer games powered by Microgaming.
• No Live Chat – even though we diligently checked every option included in the different live games’ UI, we could not find a chatbox allowing players to communicate with each other and with the dealer.
• Live Games’ Mobile-Friendliness – at the moment of writing this article, Microgaming’s live dealer products cannot be played on hand-held devices as the company does not use HTML5 for their live dealer gaming content. This is quite surprising, having in mind that Microgaming is the first to introduce mobile casino software.

Microgaming Live Dealer Portfolio

Microgaming launched its first live gaming product in 2006. What is interesting is that unlike other software suppliers that started with adding live roulette and blackjack to their portfolios, Microgaming’s first live game was live baccarat.

Nowadays, the leading software company offers a modest number of live dealer games under its belt, including live blackjack, baccarat, roulette, Live Casino Hold’em, and Sic Bo. However, we must say that there are no significant gaps in terms of its live dealer portfolio.

Microgaming’s Live Blackjack

Microgaming’s live blackjack tables come with betting limits that range from £1 to £4,000. In that way, players with a tighter bankroll and high rollers can enjoy their time at Microgaming’s live blackjack tables. Some blackjack tables are run by Microgaming’s attractive Playboy female dealers that are designed for enthusiasts with bigger bankrolls.

Microgaming’s live blackjack tables are designed to accommodate up to 7 players at a time. The game uses 8 decks each of 52 playing cards that are shuffled manually. Cards are “burned” (discarded) when a new shoe comes into play. This procedure aims at preventing players from seeing the top card. Each player aims at beating the dealer’s hand by getting a higher hand.

Additional Specifications and Rules

Microgaming’s live blackjack tables accommodate certain rules – some of them are more player-friendly than others. Before you decide to join Microgaming’s live blackjack table, you should be informed that the dealer is required to stand on Soft 17 (a hand that includes an Ace counted as 11 or 1). This rule is in players’ favour as the dealer has no chance to improve his/her hand any further.

To counterbalance, Microgaming’s live blackjack allows players to double down only when they have cards totaling 9, 10, or 11. What is more is that players are allowed to split any pair, but they cannot double down after the split. This again stacks the odds in favour of the house rather than the player. Another important aspect of the game is that blackjack pays 3:2. The Insurance bet is also available in case the dealer shows an Ace. This bet comes with a payout ratio set at 2:1.

Last but not least, Bet Behind is also adopted by Microgaming’s blackjack tables. This type of bet is intended to spice up the game, allowing players to participate in the game round even if there are no free seats. This bet pays 1:1. Blackjack enthusiasts should bear in mind that even if you have a seat at the table, you can still bet behind if you wish to. The house edge associated with Microgaming’s live blackjack amounts at 0.512%, but it may vary between operators.

Microgaming’s Live Baccarat

Microgaming’s live dealer baccarat is streamed from the company’s studio located in Toronto, Canada. There are 2 variations of the game that can be found at the company’s live dealer line-up, and more precisely Live Bonus Baccarat and Live Baccarat. Microgaming’s two baccarat variations come with a peerless quality of the video stream.

To have a better view on the cards that appear on the table, Microgaming included an extra small window pinned to the layout of the game, replicating all the dealt cards. Even though baccarat is known as the game for the rich, Microgaming’s live baccarat tables offer reasonable bet limits from £10 to £300.

A limitless number of players can join the live baccarat tables. But if you prefer to be the only one at the table, the software provider also offers single-player tables. For all those players who are looking for an extra interesting gambling experience, the software provider offers a Playboy Baccarat option.

Game Rules

The game is played with 8 standard decks in the shoe. Microgaming’s live baccarat tables are governed by the standard rules of the game. Players have 3 main betting options, and more precisely to bet on the Banker’s hand, the Player’s hand, and a Tie.

If you place a bet on the Banker’s hand and it turns out to be the winner, the payout ratio is 1:1. It is important to note that Microgaming levies a 5% commission on all winning bets placed on the Banker’s hand. All winning bets placed on the Player’s hand are paid even money. Microgaming offers a payout of 8:1 on the winning Tie bets.

As for Microgaming’s live baccarat house edge, we can say that there are no deviations from the standard house edge imposed on the Banker’s hand (1.06%), the Player’s hand (1.24%), and the Tie (14.36%).

Aside from the regular betting options, baccarat mavens will find several side bets such as Player/Banker Pair, Player Bonus, and Banker Bonus. If you decide to play Live Bonus Baccarat, you will be able to place also a Dragon Bonus bet that comes with a lucrative payout of 30:1.

Microgaming’s Live Roulette

The Microgaming roulette tables host the European variation of the game with a single-zero wheel. The betting limits fluctuate from £2 to £5,000, so regardless of your bankroll, you can have some fun-filled gaming experience at the Microgaming roulette tables.

The quality of the video stream and sound is unrivaled. Top-quality cameras capture every movement of the dealer and zoom automatically on important phases of the game. Single and multiplayer live roulette tables are on offer with Microgaming.

All standard rules are applicable to the Microgaming roulette tables. To top up players’ gaming experience, the company’s roulette tables come with a racetrack that allows players to post a plethora of call bets. If you wish to make a call bet, you need to indicate your choice on the Call Bets dropdown menu.

Microgaming’s Live Casino Hold’em

Casino Hold’em is inspired by the highly popular Texas Hold’em poker game. Casino Hold’em is a card game that is widely spread among live dealer casino operators. Live Casino Hold’em is a relatively new product on the market, but it is quite attractive to players who prefer fast-paced games with easy-to-understand rules.

Playing Live Casino Hold’em via the Microgaming platform is a worthwhile experience. The objective of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand. There are 2 basic options in the game – to call or to fold. Players are required to place an Ante bet once they join a Live Casino Hold’em table.

Once the croupier deals the players’ first two cards and the three community cards, poker fans will need to choose if they will give up on their hand losing the Ante bet or they will call and continue playing.

Additional Features

Microgaming’s Live Casino Hold’em tables offer Bonus Bets which casino devotees can place at the beginning of each game round. What is more is that the company focuses on the transparency of the game by adding virtual cards that replicate the cards dealt on the table. The game is played with one deck that is shuffled manually at the beginning of each game round. There are no limitations regarding the number of players that can join a particular table.

Microgaming’s Live Sic Bo

As for now, dice games are not popular among software providers of live casino games. Microgaming is one of the few suppliers that added a dice game to its live dealer portfolio. Sic Bo is one of the most popular dice games and that is the reason why the software provider decided to adapt precisely this game to a live format.

As a matter of fact, Sic Bo is overwhelmingly played by Asian players. For that reason, Microgaming’s Live Sic Bo comes with a unique design inspired by the Asian culture. The game is played with three dice that are placed in a transparent dice shaker. Live Sic Bo powered by Microgaming offers a myriad of betting options. Players should be informed that in case of a winning Triple, Big/Small, and Even/Odd bets are considered losing.