? Key Points of Our Review

• Recommendations on regulated online casinos and sweepstakes options that have live dealer lobbies
• Our favorite online casino welcome bonuses that can be used to play live games
• Notable features that make a live dealer casino bonus valuable
• Most common live dealer casino games, major game developers, and theoretical game RTPs

Most online casinos in the U.S. offer live dealer games, but only a fraction of the welcome bonuses offer truly excellent value for new players. In this article, we introduce casino bonus offers that are excellent for live dealer games.

? Which Online Casinos Offer Live Dealer Games in Your State?

Live dealer games are a category of casino games that pay real money in an online casino. Nearly all casino sites in the regulated online casino states of CT, MI, NJ, PA, and WV have live dealer games. You can refer to the list below to check which live dealer casinos are available in your state:

Live Casino Games in Other States

Online casino gambling is available in a very limited number of states. Moreover, you have to be physically in the state to play casino games. If you are residing in a state where online casinos have yet to be regulated, your only option is to visit a land-based casino or play on sweepstakes casinos.

Live dealer games are rare on sweepstakes casinos. Social gaming platforms are heavily focused on online slots, and only a handful of reliable sites offer live dealer games. You can find live dealer game lobbies on Stake.us, RealPrize, and High5 Casino.

Note that sweepstakes and promotional games are not available in ID, MI, ND, or WA. Some sweeps brands have even further limitations to their scope of operations, so check the T&Cs of your preferred gaming site to see if it’s available in your state.

? Our Favorite Live Dealer Casino Bonus Codes & How We Chose Them

99% of online casinos in the US offer welcome bonuses for new players. However, some of the casino bonuses are not eligible for live dealer games. Party Casino, for example, offers a deposit match bonus that can only be used on online slots.

Additionally, some online casinos have playthrough requirements that exclude live dealer games altogether. These casinos allow you to play live dealer games with your bonus money, but none of the wagers placed on live games contribute toward the wagering requirement. This means that your winnings stay stuck on your account without you being able to withdraw them.

We reviewed various welcome bonuses for online casinos and picked the ones that provide the most value specifically for live games. Here are the key points that we believe make up a valuable live dealer casino bonus:

• The welcome bonus funds can be used to play live dealer games
• Playing live dealer games counts toward the wagering requirement: the higher the contribution percentage, the better
• Small minimum deposit or initial wager to opt in
• Reasonable wagering requirements with ample time to complete them

Currently, there are no online casinos with sign-up offers specifically for live dealer games. We have hand-picked our top three live dealer casino bonuses below: these welcome bonuses are flexible for various gaming styles and provide excellent value for your money.

1. Golden Nugget Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus for Golden Nugget offers new players $50 casino credits for a $5 deposit. This is the most value you can get for a $5 deposit among U.S. online casinos. You can use your $50 casino credits to play live dealer games, and the wagering requirement is just 1x. You have 7 days to meet the playthrough requirement, which is enough considering the size of the bonus.

Golden Nugget Online Casino boasts one of the biggest live casino game lobbies in the American gambling industry. It offers live games 24/7 in four regulated online casino states. Golden Nugget live dealer games are available both on the casino website and mobile app.

2. BetMGM Casino No-Deposit Bonus

BetMGM Casino bonus is two-part: a $25 no-deposit bonus upon registration and a $1,000 deposit match bonus. This particular bonus is available for players in MI, NJ, and PA, whereas WV players can claim $200 bonus credits for a $10 deposit. Regardless of your state of residence, the BetMGM welcome bonus is one of the most versatile live dealer casino promotions in the U.S.

If you’re in MI, NJ, or PA, note that only the $25 no-deposit bonus can be used on live games. That said, the wagering requirement for the no-deposit bonus is just 1x. In practice, you get free $25 to play live dealer games and get to cash out your winnings immediately after.

Players in West Virginia can claim the welcome bonus by making a deposit of $10. The $200 bonus credits can be used on live dealer games, which contribute 20% to the 15x wagering requirement. BetMGM WV has the best deposit-to-bonus ratio (20x) of all the online casinos in the U.S. but also higher wagering than competitors like Golden Nugget or DraftKings.

3. DraftKings Live Dealer Casino Bonus

Perhaps a surprising entry on our list of recommendations, DraftKings’ welcome bonus rewards you with $100 casino credits. You’re required to wager $10 on DraftKings, after which the casino credits are gifted to you instantly. These $100 carry a wagering requirement of just 1x. Like with Golden Nugget and BetMGM, you have seven days to play through your bonus.

You can use all of the DraftKings bonus funds to play live casino games. DraftKings has an outstanding range of live casino games and some of the most versatile banking options, even when compared to major competitors like Caesars Palace Online Casino. The welcome bonus itself is excellent value for money, as you receive 10x worth of casino funds for a $10 wager.

BonusFinder Tip

Players in Pennsylvania, make sure to read through the welcome bonus terms carefully before claiming bonus funds. Some online casino brands have specifically excluded live dealer games from their welcome bonuses in the Keystone State.

How to Claim a Casino Bonus

Redeeming a casino bonus for live dealer games is the same as claiming any welcome bonus. While the details vary from casino to casino, the general process is the same:

1. Choose an online casino where you don’t yet have an account
2. Use a link at the top of this page to register an account
3. Insert your personal information in the indicated fields
4. Provide the promo code if it’s required by the casino
5. Complete the registration and verify your account as instructed on the sign-up page
6. Make a qualifying deposit or wager as stated in the bonus terms
7. You now have the bonus funds on your casino account!

Live dealer online casinos have a wide range of live games, sometimes available 24/7.

? Popular Casino Games with Live Dealer Versions

There are live versions of nearly all possible online casino games. The most notable live dealer online casinos offer various games throughout the clock every day of the year. Some games are more prominent in the live game lobbies than others, with blackjack being the most represented of all.

Here are the most common live dealer games you will encounter on American online casinos:

• Live Blackjack
• Live Roulette
• Live Dealer Baccarat
• Live Dealer Craps
• Live Poker
• Live Game Show
• Live Slots

Our favorite online casinos have multiple variants of the games introduced above. While some games, like live craps or live baccarat, are less common, there are usually at least one or two variants. If you enjoy live blackjack, chances are you will find multiple active games whenever you log in to your casino account.

There are some more obscure live game categories that have grown in popularity recently: game shows and live slots. Game shows are live casino games inspired by popular TV shows. Common game titles include Crazy Time and Dream Catcher. Live slots are not mainstream games yet, but if you’re curious, you can try them out on Hard Rock Bet.

Theoretical RTP of Live Casino Games

You can calculate the return to player (RTP) by dividing the winnings and turnover sum from a game. RTP is typically high in live dealer games, so your chances of winning are pretty good. Live casino games don’t have the same RNG systems as software-based games, so your luck and skill play a big part. Game weighting is what also makes it challenging and exciting.

Note that the RTP of the live games still varies depending on the version of the game and the provider. Also, RTP is theoretical, so there is still volatility in play. Choose blackjack for the highest payback; multiple versions of the game provide RTP from 99.5% to 99.47%.

? Notable Game Developers

Evolution Gaming is the undisputed leader of live dealer casino software. Most live games on Golden Nugget, BetMGM, and DraftKings are powered by Evolution Gaming. Evolution is also the company behind incredibly popular game show titles like Crazy Time.

In recent years, more industry suppliers like NetEnt Live, PlayTech, Ezugi, Authentic Gaming, Vivo Gaming, and MicroGaming have been increasing their presence in American online casinos. The software varies in terms of game selection, languages, mobile app compatibility, stream quality, and graphics.

? Pros & Cons

Live dealer games are as close to a brick-and-mortar casino experience as you can get. They eliminate the RNG systems featured in software-based games and incorporate a social element that is otherwise missing from online casinos.

We find live casino games thoroughly enjoyable. Many of the leading online casinos offer excellent live dealer casino bonuses with very reasonable terms and playthrough requirements. Live games tend to have a high RTP, so if you’re lucky enough, you get to socialize with other players and win some money in the meantime.

Last updated: 12/03/2024