Blackjack
10 “Best” Live Dealer Blackjack Games in the UK (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 casinos that offer live dealers below.
1. 21.co.uk
21.co.uk features several live blackjack tables with varying betting limits, catering to players of different skill levels and bankrolls. The platform hosts popular live blackjack variants, ensuring that enthusiasts have multiple choices to keep their gaming sessions engaging.
The live blackjack experience at 21.co.uk is enhanced by HD video streaming, providing clear visuals and smooth gameplay. The camera angles are adjustable, allowing players to personalize their experience and enjoy the live-action to the fullest.
The casino is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 39198. The casino features 24/7 customer support and fast payouts of winnings.
Read our 21.co.uk Review or visit 21.co.uk.
2. Villento Casino
Villento Casino is an online gambling platform offering a wide range of gaming options, including live baccarat, roulette and of course blackjack. The site has gained a strong reputation for providing an immersive and user-friendly gaming experience.
The Casino features an array of live blackjack tables suitable for players with different skill levels and budgets. The platform offers various live blackjack versions, ensuring that enthusiasts have numerous options to keep their gaming sessions engaging and exciting.
Villento Casino is an excellent choice for live blackjack fans, delivering a smooth and engaging gaming experience. With a diverse selection of tables, professional dealers, and robust security measures, players can enjoy their favorite card game with confidence and enthusiasm.
Read our Villento Casino Review, or visit Villento Casino.
3. Casino Action
Next, we have Casino Action, which has been active for about 2 decades, after being founded in 2000. This is by far the oldest casino on our list, and the fact that it is still around after all these years means that it definitely did something right.
The casino employs knowledgeable and amiable dealers who expertly manage the games while fostering a congenial atmosphere. Their professionalism contributes to an authentic casino experience, making players feel as though they were at a land-based venue.
The platform is also optimized for mobile devices, allowing users to enjoy live blackjack on the go without sacrificing the quality of the experience.
Read our Casino Action Review or visit Casino Action.
4. Grand Hotel Casino
Grand Hotel Casino is also one of the oldest platforms that UK players can access and play blackjack online on. It has been around since 2001, and it got eCOGRA certification, as well as a gaming license from the UK Gambling Commission. Over the last 21 years, the platform developed a reputation as a safe place with plenty of games on offer.
The site's design is intuitive and straightforward to navigate, allowing players to easily locate their preferred table games. The platform is also optimized for mobile devices, ensuring users can enjoy live blackjack on the go without compromising the quality of the experience.
The casino offer timely and helpful customer support through various channels, including live chat and email. Support is offered promptly, ensuring that players can address any issues they might face.
Read our Grand Hotel Review or visit Grand Hotel Casino.
5. UK Casino Club
UK Casino Club is a distinguished online gambling platform that presents an extensive array of gaming choices, with live blackjack being one of its highlights. The site has earned accolades for its captivating and user-centric gaming experience. In this review, we'll explore the world of live blackjack at UK Casino Club.
UK Casino Club features an eclectic game selection, they clearly take pride in offering an impressive range of live blackjack tables, designed to accommodate players with diverse skills and bankrolls. The platform continually updates its live blackjack portfolio, presenting an array of variations that keep even the most discerning enthusiasts engaged and entertained.
Read our UK Casino Club review or visit UK Casino Club.
6. Blackjack Ballroom
Blackjack Ballroom is an online casino established in 1999, and ever since, it has operated as a fully licensed and regulated online gambling platform. It holds multiple licenses, including the ones issued by the Malta Gaming Authority and, of course, the license of the UK Gaming Commission.
As the name implies they offer multiple variants of blackjack, including live dealer games. They offer a wide selection of casino games including baccarat, roulette, craps, video poker, progressive jackpots, and and much more.
Our final verdict is that this is definitely a great platform, well worth of your time. It has an excellent game selection, plenty of deposit and withdrawal methods, and it offers mobile support, which makes it very available and user-friendly. Minimum deposits and withdrawals are low, and customer service is available at any time of day and night via multiple methods.
Read our Blackjack Ballroom Review or visit Blackjack Ballroom.
7. Casino Classic
Moving on, we have Casino Classic, and this name describes it quite well, since it is another 22-year-old platform that is also among the oldest Microgaming software users. With over two decades of experience and operation, the platform has seen everything, experienced everything, and it knows how to ensure that its players will have a good time.
Casino Classic offers multiple payment methods popular in the UK, as well as over 500 different games that you can play. Blackjack is, of course, ranking high on that list. The platform is fully licensed by UKGC, and it passed eCOGRA’s audit, so you can be sure that it is perfectly legitimate and safe to use. Its minimum deposit is also 10 GBP, which makes it available for a large number of players.
Read our Casino Classic Review or visit Casino Classic.
8. Zodiac Casino
Nearing the end of our list, we have Zodiac Casino. Zodiac is the youngest one on this list, as it was only established in 2018. Despite its young age in comparison to the others, however, the platform advanced quickly, and it became a part of the Casino Rewards network, which allowed it to connect to some of the biggest names in this industry.
Zodiac also uses a combination of two major software providers – Microgaming and Evolution. It was also regulated by the UK authorities as well as Malta Gaming Authority, and it holds eCOGRA accreditation. However, the most interesting part about it is the fact that it lets its first-time users deposit a minimum of only 1 GBP. This only works the first time, however, and after that initial deposit, the minimum will be 10 GBP, like on other platforms on this list. But, this extremely low first deposit means that you can start playing blackjack with a single pound in your wallet. This is what attracted countless users to try out this casino’s service, and after that, they simply decided to stick around and enjoy the platform’s features.
Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.
9. Golden Tiger Casino
When it comes to Golden Tiger, specifically, the platform offers over 950 games, many of which were provided by Microgaming — easily one of the biggest and most sought-after 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.
Then, there are live games, where the players are welcomed by a real dealer who will serve their remote game. In other words, 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. Yukon Gold Casino
Finally, our last recommendation is Yukon Gold Casino. This is another platform that scored a high amount of popularity among UK players, and it has been around for nearly two decades. The casino went live in 2004, and it made quite a name for itself in years that followed by offering fair, safe, and fun service. Of course, its enticing welcome bonus and a rewarding loyalty program also helped.
The platform was licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and eCOGRA, and like the others, it uses Microgaming’s technology to offer hundreds of games, including slots, live games like blackjack, and more. There is something for everyone here, and since it has support for mobile devices, you can play it at any time, as long as you have internet connection.
Read our Yukon Gold Casino Review or visit Yukon Gold Casino.
Verdict
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.
