Dealer or Entertainer ?
can all have a good time , send out some virtual high fives and , and kind of win and lose together , which is an added element of fun .”
The “ chat ” is not actually a verbal chat ; it ’ s chat boxes embedded into the game where a player can chat with all or individual players via text messages .
Adam Glass , the director of B2B services for Rush Street Interactive , the operator of BetRivers and Play- Sugarhouse , believes live dealer is a big upgrade from the RNG games .
“ The live-stream video is very unique in the sense it gives the player the ability to interact not only with the dealer , but with the other players at the table , just as if you ’ re at a land-based casino . So many players actually want that . They want that feeling that they get from the brick-and-mortar experience online to actually see the cards being shuffled out in front of them and communicate with the folks sitting next to them . It adds a level of camaradarie and community , but most importantly , a level of trust of the betting experience , seeing those cards fly in front of them . It ’ s as close to authentic as possible without being at the brick-and-mortar property .” It comes down to two elements , Haushalter says . “ The first is overwhelmingly trust ,” he says . “ People are risking their hard-earned money on an uncertain event , and you know how it goes . When you ’ re sitting at the blackjack table , you don ’ t blame yourself , you blame the guy sitting next to you . You ’ re always looking for somebody to blame . I think the gambler really wants to ensure they got a good gamble . If it ’ s a pure RNG game , for a lot of people , that ’ s just not gonna cut it when the dealer pulls a digital card out of a digital shoe and draws a fivecard 21 to beat your 20 . That doesn ’ t sit well with a lot of people .
“ And a very close No . 2 — it ’ s almost a tie — is the social element . Even if people don ’ t want to chat I think they just enjoy being around other people . It ’ s a little bit like people will go to a bar to have a drink , but not to talk to anybody . They could have a drink at home , but they still like to go to the bar and have a drink . So I think it satisfies the social appetite as well . And then of course , some people form full relationships with the dealers and other players . You ’ re recognized by name , which is always a good thing .” Haitin says it ’ s even more deep than the simple connection . “ Live dealer is a way to add to the player entertainment experience ,” he says , “ because eventually we ’ re providing an experience , not just a place to bet . If the player starts to lose , and suddenly is not enjoying himself , at least he ’ s being entertained . They ’ re looking at it from that perspective .”
While it ’ s possible players could snipe at each other for making what one might think was a bad decision , like taking the dealer ’ s bust card when he ’ s showing a six , Bartlett says that has been few and far between in his experience .
“ The live-stream video is very unique in the sense it gives the player the ability to interact not only with the dealer , but with the other players at the table , just as if you ’ re at a land-based casino . So many players actually want that .”
— Adam Glass , Director of B2B Services , Rush Street Interactive
“ Well at least it ’ s nasty messages instead of nasty elbows in a real casino table ,” he laughs . “ But that ’ s why we offer plenty of choices of blackjack games , different rules , different limits . If a player wanted to play alone , they could search for a table which no one ’ s occupying at the moment . Or if a player prefers to play a lower limit with other players , maybe just a short message and say hitting on 16 against a six probably would not be worth it .”
Evolution supplies many of the online casinos in the U . S . and around the world . But that doesn ’ t mean its clients can ’ t put their brand on an Evolution-run game .
Glass says there is extensive branding for both of the RSI online sites .
“ We have BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse , so we ’ ve got the two brands ’ themes , logos , and color scheme . We have tables branded to both of our brands . And the ability to do that adds a layer of personalization , the customization of the market , to the player . We can also tie that branding to custom bonuses as well . So when a player has the dedicated table , the brand , the look , and feel that they ’ re familiar with , it ’ s a good feeling when you ’ re able to offer that product in any given market . So we ’ ve done everything we can to push the communal feel . But looking into your phone and watching a craps table , it ’ s just not as fun as the real thing .”
Dealer or Entertainer ?
Evolution Gaming employs thousands of live dealers around the world , with studios in many different places . In the U . S . most regulators are requiring any live studio to be located within the borders of that state . Haushalter says that ’ s not a problem , because in addition to several European countries , Evolution has studios in Canada , New Jersey , Michigan , Pennsylvania and Connecticut .
For Playtech , a studio was recently opened in Madrid , because Spanish regulators required it to be located in the country . Haitin says the stipulation has its advantages and disadvantages .
“ We have already completed two studios in New Jersey and Michigan , the third one is in the making in Pennsylvania ,” he says . “ It ’ s already a barrier to entry , so if somebody new wants to come it ’ s going to be a long project , so it has its challenges .”
Recruiting dealers is also a challenge . In most of their jurisdictions , you can ’ t just advertise for dealers because it ’ s not like Las Vegas with experienced dealers on the dole , says Haushalter .
“ We ’ ll target the universities ,” he explains . “ We hire a lot of young people because we need to hire on all three shifts , and not everybody wants to work nights . So if you ’ re a student , it works really well with your schedule in some cases . Maybe you can only work three or four days a week , and we can support that . If you want to work weekends , we can support that as well .” After the potential dealers are recruited , they ’ re sent to a training academy . “ In some cases ,” says Haushalter , “ they don ’ t even know what a casino is .
They don ’ t know how to pull a card out of a shoe . They don ’ t know how to
18 Global Gaming Business SEPTEMBER 2022