Playtech is an old-timer in the interactive gambling industry, boasting a rich catalog of high-end gaming products. When the company started out, it initially concentrated its focus on the development and provision of RNG-based products such as innovative video slots, table games, bingo, and video poker.
Innovation has always been one of the biggest driving factors behind Playtech’s indisputable success. Considering this, it is not surprising the company popularized the live format and presented online players with an enhanced gaming experience that replicates the distinctive ambiance of brick-and-mortar casinos.
The Isle of Man-based supplier was among the first companies to launch a live dealer platform in 2003. Playtech continued to expand the range of its live catalog in the years to follow and presently boasts one of the most diverse selections of live dealer tables.
Players at Playtech-powered casinos have a variety of live blackjack, roulette, poker, baccarat, and dice games readily available at their fingertips. The company’s roster of licensees comprises many notable brands, including the likes of Betfair, Ladbrokes, Mansion, bet365, and William Hill. Let’s proceed with a rundown of the software veteran’s background and accomplishments.
Playtech Live Dealer Studio Locations
Playtech has an international presence but is mostly known for catering to the European and Asian markets where its live casino products are concerned. The supplier operates its live dealer products from dedicated studios located in Estonia, Belgium, the Philippines, Spain, and Romania. Other than that, the company has registered offices and business centers in a variety of countries, including Gibraltar, the UK, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Israel, and Estonia.
The Flagship Studio in Riga, Estonia
Asian Live Dealer Facility in Manila, the Philippines
Playtech’s Live Dealer Facility in Belgium
Playtech’s Bucharest Studio
Live Streams from Spain
The Flagship Studio in Riga, Estonia
In 2017, Playtech rose the benchmark with the introduction of its dedicated live dealer facilities in the heart of the Estonian capital Riga. The next-generation studio is home to expertly trained dealers who are on hand year-round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The impressive facility occupies 8,500 square meters of floor space.
Apart from the gaming space, the building houses Playtech’s Mission Control Center, a feedback room for the staff members, a training center for the newly recruited dealers, a research and development laboratory, and an innovation room. The training center is particularly interesting because it spans numerous classrooms, giving the recruits access to the best teaching equipment.
Another interesting fact about the Riga facility is that it is home to the biggest video wall in the online gambling industry. The LED video wall is 25 meters wide and curves to cover the entire back wall of the dedicated gaming floor. This technology allows Playtech’s licensees to tailor the setting visuals to their preferences and product range.
Over 500 professionally trained dealers are employed in Playtech’s flagship studio. The dealers are well-versed in a variety of languages to meet the demands of players from the global markets. The dealers work on shifts under the supervision of their shift managers and pit bosses.
At the beginning of a shift, there is a short briefing after which, the dealers have their appearance fixed to the highest standards. Each trained dealer works the tables for up to an hour and a half, spending half an hour at each table. This is followed by a 30-minute break and another briefing before the start of the next shift.
A great emphasis is put on security. Every person who enters the facility undergoes a thorough check on behalf of the guards and the building’s administrators. Also interesting is the fact no electronic devices, including smartphones, are permitted in the facility’s operational area. Over 350 closed-circuit television cameras are installed all over the building to ensure the highest levels of security on the premises.
Asian Live Dealer Facility in Manila, the Philippines
Playtech caters to players from the Asian markets with a dedicated Asian studio facility in the capital of the Philippines, Manila, and more specifically, Makati city that is part of the metropolis. The software studio has obtained the approval of the local online gambling regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, or PAGCOR.
The live tables are manned exclusively by Asian dealers who service them in the local language. Several years ago, the studio underwent a major overhaul to give it a fresher, more sophisticated look and feel.
A variety of live games are streamed from the Asian facility, including Sic Bo, European, French, and American Roulette, and Soiree Baccarat. As for the setting, the gaming activities take place in two elegantly designed environments, Emperor and Sapphire.
Playtech’s Live Dealer Facility in Belgium
Playtech also hosts classic casino games live from a dedicated studio facility in Belgium. The company secured a deal with popular operator GVC Holdings, which allowed it to enter the Belgian and Greek markets under the authorization of local regulators.
Once again, Playtech delivers an unparalleled experience to live casino players by implementing high end-equipment and the latest technologies. The tables in the Belgium-based facility are manned by professional dealers in the French language. The only downside here is the poorer selection of live tables since the Belgium studio is home to live French roulette games only.
Playtech’s Bucharest Studio
In mid-January 2017, the international software developer unveiled a brand-new dedicated studio in the Romanian capital, Bucharest. The purpose was to cater to and benefit from the growing demand for quality online gambling in this relatively young market.
The tables in the high-end Romanian studio are again serviced by native-speaking personnel. The facility is home to a nice range of casino mainstays in different variations, including live roulette, live 21, and live casino hold’em. Only the best streaming equipment and technologies are used to deliver the action to players’ mobile and desktop screens.
It makes sense that the new streaming facility operates in full compliance with the rules set forth by the local regulator. The services are available via Playtech’s license granted by Oficiul National pentru Jocuri de Noroc (ONJN, or Romania’s National Gambling Office when translated).
Live Streams from Spain
The global software developer has entered into a lucrative partnership with one of Spain’s largest landbased casinos, Casino Gran Madrid. One interesting tidbit about this venue is that it welcomed over half a million visitors annually for the period between 1997 and 2002, according to figures disclosed by the country’s gambling regulator.
The deal enabled the recognized game designer to supply and steam its live dealer offering to players from the Spanish market. Moreover, you get a direct glimpse at the live tables in Casino Gran Madrid since the action is streamed from within the venue in real time. Figuratively speaking, online players get the chance to play “side by side” with the actual patrons of Casino Gran Madrid.
This is at least partially due to the new rules introduced by Spain’s regulator, which require live dealer games to be broadcast from landbased casinos, based in the country. As for the games, the Spanish studio is complete with live roulette tables, serviced by well-trained, native-speaking dealers who are on hand around the clock. Both private and shared tables are on offer.
Playtech Markets and Regulatory Compliance
It is only natural for a gaming designer of Playtech’s rank to demonstrate a full commitment to the best possible business practices. The company is fully compliant with the security, integrity, and responsible-gambling policies of some of the world’s most severe gambling operators.
Responsible Gambling Commitment
Anti-Money Laundering Efforts
Playtech’s Regulatory Authorization
Responsible Gambling Commitment
One interesting fact about Playtech is that the company purchased the sophisticated analytics platform BetBuddy in 2017. The platform relies on data mining and predictive modeling, among other high-end approaches, to assess players’ gambling behavior and identify those who are at risk. This enables Playtech-powered live casinos to better cater to customers looking to gamble more responsibly.
Anti-Money Laundering Efforts
Apart from abiding with the relevant responsible-gambling policies in all markets Playtech does business in, the company exercises due diligence when it comes to fraud, money laundering, and corruption.
Playtech’s commitment to integrity is reflected by its partnership with the Gambling Anti-Money Laundering Group (GAMLG). This entity was founded in December 2016. Its primary purpose is to help combat money-laundering within the gambling industry.
Security, the protection of sensitive information, and privacy are also at the core of Playtech’s international operations. The Isle of Man-based company has secured authorizations to legally operate in some of the industry’s biggest markets, including the UK, Asia, and the EU.
Playtech’s Regulatory Authorization
At the moment of writing, Playtech has a strong presence in 20 regulated jurisdictions, offices in 19 countries, and over 140 licensees worldwide. Its list includes permits for the following regulated markets:
- A Critical Gaming Supply Corporate License issued at the beginning of December 2018 by the Maltese Gaming Authority (MGA).
- A license by Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN) soon after the southeastern European country embraced regulated online gambling at the turn of 2017. The company has received four different types of permits, including for hosting services, casino software, and live dealer games.
- Playtech has also managed to successfully penetrate the world’s most developed and strictly regulated market, that of Great Britain. The supplier offers its live casino solutions to British licensees and players under a permit, granted by the UK Gambling Commission.The company has consolidated its solid presence on British soil with several UK-based registered offices. The flagship offices are located at the heart of the British capital, London.
However, Playtech also has offices in other parts of the country, including in Manchester, Ipswich, and Lichfield. Ipswich, in particular, is where Gaming Technology Solutions is based, a company acquired by Playtech in the winter of 2009. Another office is registered in the coastal town of Dundee, Scotland.
- In the summer of 2017, Playtech consolidated its footprint in Europe by opening a brand new office and relocating some of its chief operational staff to Gibraltar. The company holds a remote gaming B2B license by the Gibraltar Gambling Commission.
- Another accomplishment on the regulatory front is that Playtech has received accreditation to offer its services in the Philippines from the Offshore Gaming Licensing Department of PAGCOR (the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation).
- The recognized software studio brought its products to Italy’s regulated market under the oversight of the local regulator, Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stado (AAMS).In the spring of 2018, the Isle of Man-based company completed one of the largest acquisitions in the gaming industry, through the purchase of the Italian gambling operator Snaitech. Playtech paid over $1 billion to buy 70.6% of the Milan-based operator. The remaining 29.4% of the company was acquired by Playtech after the official finalization of the deal.
Features of Interest in Playtech’s Live Casino Platform
Playtech has created a feature-rich platform but continues to work toward improving its live dealer software. New games and features are constantly added to the live dealer suite. Below are some of the features we found the most useful.
- Dealer tips are available across all Playtech live tables. The button for this function is located in the upper right corner of the gaming interface. You simply need to adjust the desired tip amount you want to reward your dealer with by using the +/- buttons.
- The built-in chat is your means of communication with the friendly dealers and other players. The chat facility is located immediately under the Dealer Tip button. You can click the + button to expand the chat and read other players’ comments.
- The game settings are available via the main menu in the upper left corner of the main interface. This feature allows you to reveal or hide the list of winners that runs across the screen following each round or hand. Other functionalities are also available via the game settings but they differ between games. For example, in live casino poker, you can turn the blind raise off and on via the game settings.
- The video and audio settings are adjustable. You can access them from the game settings or the main settings. Use the slider to configure the quality of the video stream from low to high. Another option is to mute the game and casino sounds if you consider them distracting.
- The autoplay feature is supported at Playtech’s live roulette tables. You need to place a wager before you can make use of it. It allows you to play 10 through 99 spins without having to post chips on the layout after each round. Players have the option to set up loss and single-win limits on their autoplay rounds.
- Charts and statistics are supported across all live games by Playtech. The available data is game-specific, though. Roulette fans can take advantage of detailed information about hot and cold numbers. These are displayed either as percentages or are presented graphically on a wheel. Baccarat fans will benefit from scorecards like the Big Road, the Small Road, the Bead, the Big Eye, and the Cockroach Road.
- The game results give you a glimpse at your betting history for the respective day. The feature shows you your starting and ending balance, how much you have wagered, and how much you have won.
- The My Bets function gives you the chance to save your favorite wagers or combinations of bets and place them with a few clicks of the mouse button.
- The Bet Creator is one of the bespoke features you will not find in any other live platform but Playtech’s. Being one of the newly added functions, it allows roulette players to create custom wagers and post them at all times without any time limitations.
- The Lucky Dip is another unique feature of Playtech’s platform. It is supported at most of the live roulette tables but needs to be enabled by the Playtech-powered casino operator before players can use it. The feature gives you the chance to bet straight up on several random numbers.
Live Roulette Games
Playtech’s live platform caters to all roulette fans by offering them a choice from a decent set of single-zero and double-zero tables. The three main varieties of the classic game, French, American, and European, are all available.
The French tables support the La Partage rule, in which case you lose only half of your outside wagers to zero. The games feature the standard paytable where the maximum payout is 35 to 1 for winning straight-up bets. Players can also diversify their experience with complex call bets like the Neighbors, Zero Game, Tiers, Orphelins, and Voisins.
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Roulette Tables
Betting Window and Spin Now Feature
Extra Large Payouts and Progressive Jackpots
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Roulette Tables
- Spread Bet Roulette
- Quantum Roulette
- Live Football Roulette
- Age of the Gods Roulette
- Slingshot Roulette
- Speed Roulette
- Diamond French Roulette
Betting Window and Spin Now Feature
Since the live roulette tables are designed to accommodate a limitless number of players, the betting window between rounds is rather short, usually no more than 14 seconds. Players can also speed up the pace of the game with the help of the Spin Now feature. It is available whenever there are fewer players at a table, allowing you to request the dealer to end the betting round earlier if you have finished posting your wagers.
Extra Large Payouts and Progressive Jackpots
Players looking for a fresher experience are recommended to try Spread Bet Roulette or Age of the Gods Roulette. The former features an extra golden wheel along with an optional side bet that allows you to win up to 400 times your wager. Age of the Gods Live Roulette is linked to the same progressive jackpot network as the Playtech slots from the eponymous series.
Live Dealer Roulette by Playtech Gameplay
Live Blackjack Games
The blackjack varieties supplied by Playtech play under uniform rules, with most of the tables supporting up to seven player seats. With that in mind, it is also possible to find tables without limitations on the number of players that can join the live action simultaneously. Quantum Blackjack and Live All Bets Blackjack are great examples of such tables.
Playtech’s live blackjack dealers always draw to 16 and stand on 17. Blackjacks offer the standard payouts of 3 to 2 whereas Insurance pays at odds of 2 to 1. Doubling down is allowed on all starting totals including after a split.
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Blackjack Tables
Shuffling Procedure and Card Burning
Card Dealing Style
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Blackjack Tables
- All Bets Blackjack
- Quantum Blackjack
- Royal Blackjack
- Grand Blackjack
Shuffling Procedure and Card Burning
The live blackjack variations utilize eight full packs. The decks are pre-shuffled either manually by a human dealer or by automatic shuffling machines. The cards are dealt from a shoe. Once a new shoe is introduced at a table, the live dealer burns a card, i.e. they draw the first card of the shoe face-up. Then they remove (or “burn”) a corresponding number of cards face-down, depending on the first card’s numerical value.
Card Dealing Style
Card dealing styles vary between tables. Some live games abide by European rules where the dealer receives only one card initially. Others follow the American standard where hole cards are in play. In some cases, you can post bets in multiple betting boxes during the same round. Some tables also allow you to earn larger payouts with winning side bets like Top 3, Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Buster, and Lucky Lucky. The RTP is usually 99.46% in the main game.
Live Dealer Blackjack by Playtech Gameplay
Live Baccarat Games
Playtech also offers a variety of live baccarat tables, all of which are dealt out from a shoe containing eight full decks of cards. The decks are usually shuffled manually by a specially designated staff member. The standard baccarat rules are in place, which makes it easier for novice players to change tables.
At the start of a betting round, you can post one of the three main wagers: Player, Banker or Tie. The hand whose total comes the closest to 9 wins the round. The games use the standard baccarat paytable.
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Baccarat Games
Side Bets and Progressive Jackpots
SuperCasinoSites’ List of Recommended Playtech Live Baccarat Games
- Grand Baccarat
- Dragon Jackpot Baccarat
- Prestige Baccarat
- Auto Live Baccarat
- Dragon Tiger
Side Bets and Progressive Jackpots
Apart from the three main wagers, players can make additional side bets to win enhanced payouts. The options for side bettors include Player Pair, Banker Pair, Either Pair, Perfect Pair, Big and Small Hand.
At some baccarat tables, the dealers would squeeze the cards to gradually reveal their value and increase suspense. If you enjoy riding on trends, you can make use of the scorecards (also known as roadmaps), which reflect the patterns of previous results. We highly recommend you try Dragon Jackpot Baccarat for the chance to win a larger multi-tiered progressive prize. As much as 1% of each Tie bet goes toward the building of the pot.
Live Dealer Baccarat by Playtech Gameplay
Live House-Banked Poker and Sic Bo
Apart from blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, Playtech has also launched several exciting variations of house-banked poker where you play against the live casino’s representative, the dealer, rather than against other players. SuperCasinoSites briefs you on these games below.
- Also known as Three Card Poker, 3 Card Brag uses one full deck of cards and a bit different ranking of the hands’ strength. Your goal is to beat the dealer with a better three-card hand, with the highest-ranking hand being Three of a Kind (40 to 1 payout). The dealer needs a Queen or higher to qualify.
- Casino Hold’em borrows the hand rankings of traditional Texas Hold’em and has a similar structure, with the main difference being you play against the house. Five community cards are dealt on the board.Your goal is to beat the dealer with a better five-card hand by using your two cards and the cards on the board. The deck is replaced with a new, pre-shuffled one after each round. The live dealer qualifies with a pair of 4s or better.
- Heads Up Hold’em has quite a similar structure to standard Casino Hold’em but there are two main differences. The dealer needs any pair or higher to qualify. There is also the Bad Beat Bonus, which gives you a chance to earn a payout even if your hand loses to the dealer’s.
- In Casino Stud Poker, players can qualify for winning a large progressive prize by posting an optional jackpot side wager of $1. The prize is awarded in full if you get a Royal Flush after posting the fixed jackpot bet. There is also the 5+1 Bonus side bet. It wins whenever your five cards and the dealer’s first exposed card form at least Three of a Kind.
- Sic Bo Deluxe is an exciting game whose origins can be traced back to China. You are betting on the roll of three dice for the chance to win enhanced payouts with multipliers of up to 1,000x your wager. The live action takes place in an elegant red and gold setting inspired by the Chinese New Year. There are tons of betting opportunities here including Big/Small bets, Number, Pair, Double, Triple, and Any Triple bets.
Live Dealer Hold’em Poker by Playtech Gameplay
