Blackjack
10 “Best” Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos in Canada (August 2023)
Live blackjack is a variation of the well-known card game, blackjack, played over the internet featuring actual human dealers rather than computer-generated adversaries. The goal is to imitate the experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar casino while providing the comfort of participating from home or on the move.
Authentic human dealers: In live blackjack, a skilled dealer runs the game and is broadcast via a live video feed. Players can converse with the dealer and their fellow participants through chat. In contrast, traditional online blackjack involves competing against a computer program, which uses a random number generator to decide the outcome of each hand.
If you are new to the game, you can learn how to play blackjack with our guide, or you can find the best Canadian casinos that offer live dealers below.
1. Jackpot City
Established in 1998, Jackpot City Casino has long been a popular destination for online gaming aficionados, but it's their live casino offerings that have truly cemented their status as a premier gaming platform
Stepping into the live casino lobby at Jackpot City Casino is akin to entering a world-class brick-and-mortar establishment. The sleek design and atmospheric lighting immediately create an ambience of elegance and excitement, inviting you to explore the diverse range of games on offer. With crystal-clear video streaming and seamless audio, you'll feel as though you're standing in the heart of the casino, immersed in the action.
What's more, the operator is amongst the longest-serving Canadian online casinos, with over 20 years of operation. Hence, you'll receive top-of-the-line customer support, fast payouts, and award winning software. Thus, it's the perfect platform for all gamblers.
You can read our Jackpot City Casino Review or visit Jackpot City for more information.
2. Yukon Gold
Yukon Gold Casino has always been a top choice for avid online casino enthusiasts, but their live casino games truly take the gaming experience to another level. They offer a impressive array of live casino games, particularly live blackjack, which is sure to leave you with an adrenaline-pumping, immersive experience.
With a diverse array of live blackjack games, including Classic Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, and Free Bet Blackjack, Jackpot City Casino caters to players of all preferences and skill levels. The highly-trained, amicable live dealers not only keep the games running smoothly, but also create an engaging and interactive atmosphere, heightening the sense of immersion.
Android and iOS apps are available for mobile users.
Read our Yukon Gold Review or visit Yukon Gold.
3. Zodiac Casino
Zodiac Casino gets its games from Microgaming and Evolution Gaming — both massive and well-known companies in game development. Thanks to these partnerships, it can offer around 500 casino games, such as slots, video poker, arcade-style games, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and more. If you wish to play live blackjack you can choose from multiple dealers. Depositing money is very simple, and you can do it via Interac, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfer, or Paysafe Card. And, as is the case with most reputable casinos, customer support is pretty reliable, and available via live chat and email.
Zodiac Casino is an established casino, launched in 2002. It has a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy platform, holding multiple licenses — Malta Gaming Authority and another by the UK Gambling Commission, iGO (to operate legally in Ontario), plus the eCOGRA certificate on top of that. It is also perfect for first-time gamblers as it offers a minimum deposit of only $1. However, this is only for the very first deposit you make, and all following ones will have a minimum of $10.
The casino features both American and European Roulette as well as live versions of these games
Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.
4. BetVictor
Founded in 1946, BetVictor was originally a bookmaker for horse racing in London’s East End. Since these humble beginnings it has become a global company that provides everything from sports betting to all types of casino games. BetVictor is available throughout the world.
If you are looking for a casino that offers live casino games such as blackjack, attached to a sportsbook than this is the best option. They offer betting on games from top leagues such as NHL, MLB, NBA, NFL, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, and much more. The sportsbook also has some huge perks such as parlays, bet builder, boosts, and specials. The boosts and specials are especially intriguing as there are boosted odds on some highly exciting bets, and the specials can include player specials, manager specials, transfer specials, and team specials.
For mobile users they offer both Android & iOS app.
To learn more read our BetVictor Review or visit BetVictor.
5. Spin Casino
Spin Casino gives the ultimate Las Vegas online blackjack experience. The operator provides the finest live tables in the market and distinct varieties of blackjack games.
The user interface is both intuitive and visually appealing, allowing you to effortlessly place bets, track the game's progress, and even adjust camera angles to your liking. The live chat feature not only facilitates communication with the dealer, but also fosters a sense of community among players, replicating the social aspect of a real-life casino experience.
The site is powered by Microgaming and Evolution software, Owned by Baytree Ltd and licensed by Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which frequently checks for equality and safety. Be assured that your private information is well secured.
Read our Spin Casino Review or visit Spin Casino for more details.
6. Royal Vegas Casino
Royal Vegas's live casino, especially their live blackjack, is a must-try for any gaming enthusiast seeking an authentic and immersive casino experience. The combination of high-quality video streaming, professional live dealers, and a diverse selection of games creates a gaming atmosphere that is hard to beat. With the added benefit of top-notch security, customer service, and an easy-to-use platform, this is a perfect destination for your next live casino adventure.
The casino has its own app that is available for free for Android and iOS devices alike. The app is usually preferred over the browser version by most users, as it is easier to access, and it was made specifically to be used on smartphones and tablets.
Overall, Royal Vegas Casino is one of the best available platforms for Canadian online gamblers.
Android and iOS apps are available for mobile users.
Read our Royal Vegas Casino Review or visit Royal Vegas Casino.
7. Ruby Fortune
Ruby Fortune has a stunning game selection thanks to its partnership with two of the largest and most popular software providers — Microgaming and Evolution Gaming. Both companies are well-known in the online gambling industry as some of the best game developers for casinos.
Microgaming is responsible for bringing us games such as Mega Moolah, Jurassic World, Thunderstruck, and Game of Thrones. Evolution Gaming, on the other hand, offers a number of different gaming categories, including roulette, poker, blackjack, craps, baccarat, and more, each with different variants.
Furthermore, Ruby Fortune also has its own dedicated app that is available for both Android and iOS, which has been around for years now.
Read our Ruby Fortune Review or visit Ruby Fortune.
8. Grand Mondial Casino
One of the most popular brands in Europe and the UK, Grand Mondial Casino is also a great choice for Canadians who wish to access top-notch casino service. The platform was established more than 15 years ago, back in 2006. It features over 550 casino games supplied by multiple developers, and players know that it is trustworthy thanks to the fact that it holds various different gambling licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the AGCO to operate in Ontario. Plus, of course, the eCOGRA certificate on top of that.
Grand Mondial is also an excellent platform in terms of available payment methods, featuring 30 different options, such as Visa, Mastercard, bank transfers PayPal, EcoPayz, Skrill, Trustly, Moneta, eWire, GiroPay, EPS, and more. Customer support is available via email, live chat, or phone calls, and you can access it from a PC or mobile, thanks to the fact that its website is mobile-optimized and it has a dedicated app.
Read our Grand Mondial Casino Review or visit Grand Mondial Casino.
9. Golden Tiger Casino
When it comes to Golden Tiger, specifically, the platform offers over 950 games, many of which were provided by Evolution — easily one of the biggest and most sought-after live dealer game providers in the industry.
Naturally, the slots are the most numerous on the platform, but far from being the only thing on offer. There are tons of table games, such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, and others. You can play video poker, bingo, scratch cards, keno, as well as numerous variants of each table game.
Golden Tiger Casino has made an excellent selection of what games to offer, and this is one of the reasons why it managed to stick around for over two decades.
Read our Golden Tiger Casino Review or visit Golden Tiger Casino.
10. Captain Cook’s Casino
Finally, the last on our list is one of the oldest and most popular casinos around, which has operated since 1999. The casino was licensed by AGCO which means it can legally accept players from Ontario.
There are more than 550 games available, as well as a reputation for on-time payments, as well as responsive customer service. These are only a few of the unique things that allowed Captain Cook’s Casino to thrive for nearly 2 and a half decades in a highly-competitive online casino sector.
Read our Captain Cooks Casino review, or visit Captain Cook’s Casino.
Conclusion
In contrast to the solitary nature of regular online blackjack, live dealer blackjack enables players to communicate with dealers and fellow participants, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Moreover, the real-time gameplay in live dealer blackjack adds an element of excitement and urgency, keeping players on their toes and ensuring a thrilling session. With its immersive qualities, live dealer blackjack is the ideal choice for those seeking a genuine casino experience from the comfort of their own homes.
Can You Play Free Blackjack?
Yes, all of the casinos that we recommend offer the option to play blackjack for free. You can then practice playing until you are ready to play for real money.
What Are These Blackjack Terms: Hit, Stand, Split, Double?
Hit - After the player is dealt the two initial cards, the player has the option to hit (request an additional card). The player should keep asking to hit until they feel that they have a sufficiently strong hand to win (as close to 21 as possible, without going over 21).
Stand - When the player has cards that they feel are sufficiently strong to beat the dealer then they should “stand.” For example, a player may wish to stand on a hard 20 (two 10 cards such as a 10, jack, queen, or king). The dealer must keep playing until they either beat the player or go bust (going over 21).
Split - After the player is dealt the first two cards, and if those cards are of equal face value (for example, two queens), then the player has the option to split their hand into two separate hands with equal bets on each hand. The player must then continue to play both hands with regular blackjack rules.
Double - After the initial two cards are dealt, if a player feels that they have a strong hand (such as a king and an ace), then the player may choose to double their initial bet. To learn when to double read our guide on When to Double Down in Blackjack.
What Are the Best Starting Hands?
Blackjack - This is an ace and any 10 value card (10, jack, queen, or king). This is an automatic win for the player.
Hard 20 - This is any two 10 value cards (10, jack, queen, or king). It is unlikely that the player will receive an ace next, and the player should always stand. Splitting is also not recommended.
Soft 18 - This is a combination of an ace and a 7 card. This combination of cards offers the player different strategy options depending on what cards the dealer is dealt.
What Is Single-Deck Blackjack?
As the name implies this is blackjack that is played with only one deck of 52 cards. Many blackjack aficionados refuse to play any other type of blackjack as this blackjack variant offers slightly better odds, and it enables savvy players the option to count cards.
House edge:
0.15% compared to multi-deck blackjack games that have a house edge between 0.46% to 0.65%.
What Is Multi-Hand Blackjack?
This offers more excitement as players can play up to 5 simultaneous hands of blackjack, the number of hands offered varies based on the casino.
What Are the Differences Between American Blackjack & European Blackjack?
The key difference between American and European blackjack is the hole card.
In American blackjack the dealer receives one card face up and one card face down (the hole card). If the dealer happens to have an Ace as his or her visible card, they then immediately peek at their face down card (the hole card). If the dealer has blackjack with a hole card that is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king), then the dealer automatically wins.
In European blackjack the dealer receives only one card, the second card is dealt after all of the players have had the chance to play. In other words, European blackjack has no hole card.
What Is Atlantic City Blackjack?
The game is always played with 8 regular decks, this means anticipating the next card is more difficult. The other major difference is players have the option to play a "late surrender".
A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet.
In Atlantic City blackjack players can split twice, up to three hands. Aces however, can only be split once.
The dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2, and and insurance pays 2 to 1.
House edge:
0.36%.
What Is Vegas Strip Blackjack?
As the name implies this is the most popular version of blackjack in Las Vegas.
4 to 8 standard decks of cards are used, and the dealer must stand on soft 17.
Similar to other types of American blackjack, the dealer receives two cards, one face-up. If the face-up card is an ace, then the dealer peaks at his down card (the hole card).
Players have the option to play a "late surrender".
A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet.
House edge:
0.35%.
What Is Double Exposure Blackjack?
This is a rare variation of blackjack that increases the odds in the players favor by enabling the player to see both of the dealers cards face up, versus just one card. In other words there is no hole card.
Another key difference is that the dealer has the option to hit or stand on soft 17.
House Edge:
0.67%
What Is Spanish 21?
This is a version of blackjack that is played with 6 to 8 Spanish decks.
The Spanish deck of cards has four suits and contains 40 or 48 cards, depending on the game.
The cards are numbered from 1 to 9. The four suits are copas (Cups), oros (Coins), bastos (Clubs), and espadas (Swords).
Due to the lack of 10 card it is more difficult for a player to hit blackjack.
House Edge:
0.4%
What Is an Insurance Bet?
This is an optional side bet that is offered to a player if the dealer’s up-card is an ace. If the player fears that there is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king) that would give the dealer a blackjack, than the player may opt for the insurance bet.
The insurance bet is half of the regular bet (meaning if the player bet $10, then the insurance bet would be $5).
If the dealer has a blackjack then the player is paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet.
If both the player and the dealer hit blackjack, then the payout is 3 to 2.
An insurance bet is often called a "suckers bet" as the odds are in the houses favor.
House edge:
5.8% to 7.5% - The house edge varies based on the previous card history.
What Is Blackjack Surrender?
In American blackjack players are given the option to surrender at any time. This should only be done if the player believes they have an extremely bad hand. If the player chooses this than the bank return half of the initial bet. (For example, a $10 bet has $5 returned).
In some version of blackjack such as Atlantic City blackjack only a late surrender is enabled. In this case, a player can only surrender after the dealer has checked his hand for blackjack.
To learn more visit our in-depth guide on When to Surrender in Blackjack.
