Whether you’re taking your first steps into the wonderful world of Internet blackjack, or you are a seasoned player looking for the best casino games and the biggest bonuses our live dealer section contains everything you’ll need to know about live dealer blackjack games.
We have detailed reviews of the best AUD casinos online, strategy charts and rule explanations for the most popular live 21 games, and a bunch of helpful hints and how-to articles on banking methods, gaming laws and every other aspect of gambling with real cash on the Web. Our writers, editors and researchers are all Aussies who love the game of 21, so you can be certain you’ll find only the most relevant, legitimate and up-to-date information within these pages.
Live dealer blackjack is the closest thing to playing at a land-based Australian casino, but without the rigmarole which comes with venturing into a traditional gambling venue. Games are dealt by real people, using actual playing cards and tables, in purpose-built studios which look and feel just like the gaming floors and VIP parlours of brick-and-mortar casinos. The action is streamed live over the Web to your desktop, laptop, or mobile device, from which you can place bets and watch things unfold in real time.
Australian blackjack players can choose from a number of secure, high-quality gaming options at our recommended live casinos online. We only feature blackjack sites which are 100% legal for Aussies to use and which meet the highest international standards for licensing, regulation and player security.
Best Internet casinos for live blackjack on computer and mobile
When you play live dealer blackjack for real money, the most important thing is to pick a respected and trustworthy online casino. We’ve tested dozens of AUD blackjack sites to ensure the quality of their game libraries, customer services and security measures. These are our top picks.
All Slots Casino
Although best known for its extensive collection of online pokies, All Slots is also a major player when it comes to live casino games. Indulge in Playboy Bunny live dealer blackjack and earn heaps of bonuses and benefits through the All Slots Loyalty Club.
G’Day Casino
Whereas most live blackjack casinos are powered by a sole provider, GdayCasino.com offers real-time table games from several of the world’s leading online gambling developers. Aussie players can score an unlimited 100% match bonus on their first deposit, along with a free slab of beer if your initial transaction is AUD $100 or more.
Guts Casino
As one of the newest and most innovative instant play casinos on the market, Guts.com is right at the forefront of the live dealer movement. Choose from dozens of Evolution Gaming blackjack tables, including high-limit VIP games, all of which are available on iOS and Android mobile devices.
Royal Vegas Casino
Few Web casinos can match the pedigree and repute of RoyalVegasCasino.com, which has served Australian gamblers with aplomb since 2000. Take advantage of RVC’s $1200 welcome bonus and go to town on the best live blackjack games by Microgaming – the world’s most trusted casino software provider.
Jackpot City Casino
If you like the idea of playing real money blackjack with sexy Playboy Bunny dealers, look no further. JackpotCityCasino.com carries the entire Microgaming live dealer casino suite and offers a number of perks to Aussie customers, including a multi-tier $1600 deposit bonus for new players.
How to play live dealer 21
Live blackjack games are run in almost exactly the same manner as those at land-based casinos. Professionally trained croupiers deal cards from a traditional shoe, or sometimes an automatic shuffler, under the eye of a pit boss and technical staff in a relaxed, authentic casino environment. If it weren’t for the cameras, card scanners and other bits of custom kit, it would be just like the main gaming floor at any b&m casino in Australia.
The obvious difference to playing in the flesh is everything is done over the Web. Players make wagers and actions using a computerised betting interface, much like those in digital blackjack games which use random number generators (RNGs) in place of real dealers, while the gameplay is streamed live to your screen via HD video feeds. Many real-time blackjack games also come with chat functions allowing punters to interact with the dealer and other players.
But what about the quality of the games? Do they use traditional rules for 21, or are they mere novelties designed to take money off beginners and fools? Believe it or not, live blackjack tables online tend to offer better value for money than their land-based counterparts. Most games at our top-ranked casino sites have a house edge under 0.65%, which is becoming harder and harder to find at traditional gambling venues in this day and age.
To play live dealer blackjack games on your computer or mobile device, all you need is some cash, reliable high-speed Internet and a compatible browser (Chrome, Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc.) equipped with the latest version of the Flash plugin. A solid ADSL, 3G, or 4G connection is essential for the highest quality video streaming, but adjustable display options allow you to get by even when your data stream is playing up.
All of our approved AUD blackjack casinos run their live dealer games in the fast and versatile instant play format. Games are loaded and played directly through your preferred Internet browser, so you don’t have to download or install a thing. It also eliminates any compatibility issues, as no-download play works equally well on Windows PC, Mac OS, Linux, and any other operating system which supports Flash-enabled browsing.
Types of live dealer blackjack games online
The best live casino sites don’t always use the same providers for their real dealer games. Some are Microgaming-only casinos, others might use Evolution Gaming or Net Entertainment, while a few instant play blackjack sites source games from more than one leading brand. If you want to explore the full range of options out there, you need to try out every one of our top-ranked live blackjack casinos for Australians.
Microgaming
As the oldest and most trusted name in online casino gaming, Microgaming is an obvious leader in the realm of live real money blackjack. Customers at All Slots, Jackpot City and Royal Vegas can choose from two distinct versions:
Microgaming Live Blackjack
MG’s standard live dealer 21 tables cover all the bases. Seated players can bet $25-$300 per hand, while the bet behind feature allows you to stake $10-$100 on another punter’s hand if the table is full. House edge with basic strategy comes to around 0.64%.
Playboy Live Blackjack
For a little extra spice, try the exclusive Playboy Bunny live dealer blackjack games. Broader betting limits ($50-$500 seated, $25-$300 behind) are ideal for those with bigger bankrolls, while sexy Playboy Bunny dealers make for an enjoyable experience whether you’re winning or losing.
Evolution Gaming
While Microgaming has the history, Evolution Gaming is now the biggest and best-known live dealer operator on the Net. EG’s range of instant play live blackjack is second to none, catering for every punter from the lowliest novice to the richest VIP. Check out these options at www.Guts.com:
Blackjack Party
This unique hybrid game delivers exactly what it promises: real money blackjack in a fun, carefree atmosphere. There are no waiting times here, as the digitised deck allows for an infinite number of players, while a minimum seated bet of $5 is ideal for recreational punters and beginners.
Blackjack Live
Evolution’s bread-and-butter blackjack tables offer something for everybody. Minimum stakes range from $5 to $35 per hand, while popular side bets such as 21+3 and Perfect Pairs are readily available for those who like to take a little extra risk.
Blackjack VIP
Some providers offer a single high-stakes blackjack game, but EG runs no less than eight unique tables for the discerning and well-bankrolled player. If you want to play for the really big bucks, the exclusive Platinum VIP Blackjack table takes bets up to $5000 per hand.
Net Entertainment
Already a huge player in the online pokies game, NetEnt has now made an impressive venture into the live dealer scene. The Scandinavian software giant offers two very different varieties of live 21:
Common Draw Live Blackjack
With a $1 minimum bet and a unique ‘card stream’ catering for hundreds of bets at a time, NetEnt’s Common Draw Live Blackjack is designed for players of all stripes who are sick of waiting for a seat at the table. Compared to low-limit blackjack at Australian b&m casinos, a house edge of 0.66% is more than tolerable.
VIP Live Blackjack
In online gambling terms, a $1000 maximum bet is more than enough to qualify as a high-stakes blackjack game. But NetEnt VIP Live Blackjack is aimed at the real high rollers, featuring glamorous aesthetics, gorgeous dealers and a stunning $10,000 bet limit.
Ezugi
The Ezugi brand may not be as well known as the other names in this section, but it should be. The house edge on the standard Ezugi Blackjack Live game at GdayCasino.com goes as low as 0.49 per cent – unbeatable value in the world of live AUD blackjack. Better yet, those odds are available on multiple tables and at varying bet limits, with stakes starting at $5 minimum and topping out at $300 maximum.
Live dealer 21 on Android and iPhone
Android and iPhone casinos now carry hundreds of digital titles for on-the-go gaming, including mobile blackjack games by top developers such as Microgaming and Net Entertainment. But can we play live dealer 21 on our smartphones and tablets?
As the concept of real-time online gaming is still rather new, only a handful of iOS and Android casinos currently run live blackjack games for Australians. But as mobile gambling continues to establish itself as the de facto method for having a bet over the Web, it’s only a matter of time before live dealer tables become a fixture at smartphone gambling websites.
Guts.com is already on the bandwagon, offering Aussie punters the complete Evolution Gaming catalogue for mobile play – including the exclusive Live Blackjack VIP tables. There’s no need to download any native gaming apps, as the Guts mobile casino runs on a sleek HTML5 instant play platform which is optimised for iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android brands such as HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung and Sony. The site also gives instructions on how to create a quick and convenient Web app for one-touch access from your device’s home screen.
Is live dealer blackjack legal for Aussies?
There is a lot of unnecessary confusion surrounding this subject. Here’s the truth: if you are an Australian citizen over the age of 18, it is 100% legal for you to play live dealer blackjack online for real money.
Misinformed journalists, self-serving politicians and anti-gaming reformists might say otherwise, citing the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. What those folks don’t understand, or conveniently forget to mention, is the IGA laws were designed to prevent Aussie-based operators from offering AUD casino gaming to players within these borders. It has nothing to do with the average punter, and no Australian adult can be prosecuted for signing up at a real cash casino and playing live blackjack.
To avoid any strife, take your business to an offshore casino site licensed by a trusted international regulator. The operators we recommend are regulated by government bodies such as the UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) and Curacao eGaming – all highly regarded jurisdictions. The most secure online casinos are also approved by third-party watchdogs such as eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), which only endorses those who pass strict audits to ensure fair, honest operation.
Deposit options at live casinos online
Most Internet casinos only offer live dealer games for real money play, which means you need a quick, secure method for adding AUD money to your online betting account. The best Australian live dealer casinos offer several such options, many of which are processed on the spot so you can hit the tables straight away.
- Visa
- MasterCard
- POLi
- Citadel Direct
- Neteller
- Skrill (Moneybookers)
- ecoPays
- Paysafecard
- EntroPay
- Bank transfer
About the team at RegulatedCasinos.com
We love blackjack and we love playing at regulated safe casinos. We love the fact blackjack is a skill-based game requiring good strategy and sharp focus; we love there are so many different variants and no two games are exactly alike; and we love scouring the Web and crunching the numbers to find the very best value for 21 players. This is why we is your number one resource for news, info and tips on playing live blackjack online with real dealers.