Live Dealer Online Casino Games

Online casinos in Michigan will soon allow for a brand-new way to enjoy casino table games. You will be able to gamble on games as they are dealt at live casinos in real time. This format is already popular in other states with online casinos. Live dealer table games include blackjack, roulette, baccarat and casino hold ’em.

The social element of interacting with the dealers and other players is a big part of the popularity of live dealer games. There are also side bets with the potential for huge payouts. Stakes start at just $1, with some casinos offering high-roller tables where you can bet up to $2,000 per hand.

This page covers everything you need to know to start enjoying live dealer online casino games when they arrive in Michigan. You’ll find information on how the live dealer games work, what games are available and how to enjoy live dealer casinos on your mobile devices below.

How do live dealer casino games in Michigan work?

Live dealer table games are dealt in separate studios. These will be located at the bigger casinos in Detroit and around Michigan. The tables used look like the ones on the main casino floor. Cameras in front of the table, above it (looking straight down) and sometimes to the side show the action as it happens.

You access a lobby via your casino app or website. This shows the active tables and available games. When you join a game, you see a virtual betting overlay on your device. This is game-specific. You click on chips (from $1 and up), then place them onto the main betting circles or optional side bet circles. A timer counts down from 15 seconds, after which you will need to wait for the next hand or spin.

Cards — which are oversized so you can see them on smaller screens — are then dealt. What happens next depends on the game.

  • Blackjack: This game is played at seven-handed tables; each player must stand, hit, split or double in turn.
  • Casino poker variations: These games are played with all the players having the same hand. You raise (play) or fold. The hand is then played to the end to accommodate everyone.
  • Baccarat/roulette: No further decisions are necessary in these games. The cards are dealt or the ball spun, then the bets are settled.

If you disconnect or simply time out during blackjack games, you will stand with your current total. For the casino poker games, your hand will be folded.

After the hand concludes, the casino will settle bets automatically. You will see a big display showing the amount you won. With some casino software, you will also see a list of winners (screen names/nicknames only) along with the amount they won.

Text chat allows you to interact with the dealers and other players while you play. The dealers can reply verbally. Some tables are silent, while others can become lively and even entertaining at times. This is optional; you can turn it off. Other options include video quality and sound.

Live dealer casino games vs. brick-and-mortar casinos

There is little doubt for most table game fans that live dealer games are more realistic than the software-based equivalents. When it comes to making the choice between playing these games on your computer, or traveling to your local casino, your decision might come down to the factors below:

Benefits of live dealer casinos

  • No need to travel to your local casino.
  • Smaller stakes betting (starting at just $1 per hand).
  • Interact with the (often attractive) dealers via text chat.
  • Access thousands of slots and virtual table games via your online casino.

Benefits of brick-and-mortar table games

  • Wider choice of games (at the bigger Michigan casinos).
  • Real interactions are more social.
  • Resorts have dining and entertainment options.
  • Open 24 hours.

Types of live dealer table games at Michigan casinos

Most live dealer online casino games are card-based. They include variations of casino poker like three-card poker, Caribbean stud, and casino hold ’em. Blackjack is the single most popular game. Other card games include baccarat. Roulette games, Wheel of Fortune-style games and (at some casinos) game show spinoff novelty games can also be enjoyed.

Here is an overview of what to expect from the most popular game variations at MI live dealer online casinos:

Live roulette

With stakes starting at just 50 cents, you can try out your number combinations and betting strategies at real live dealer roulette online casinos. Casinos use the American table (two zeros). The full range of roulette bets from single numbers through to 50-50 shots are available. Variations include auto-roulette. This is a real wheel that automatically spins every minute or so. Live dealer online casinos that use software from Evolution Gaming have “immersive roulette.” This is a regular table that uses slow motion replays, special effects and dramatic sounds to make it more entertaining.

Live blackjack

You will find a bigger choice of tables for blackjack than any other game. While many games are played as one hand for all players, in live dealer blackjack, you get your own hand. Tables are seven-handed, with the ability to play two (or sometimes three) spots. Stakes start at $1 per hand. You will need to wait for all players to act in these games; the speed is closer to a game in a brick and mortar casino for this reason. Optional side bets are offered, including Blazing 7s and Perfect Pairs. If you time out during a hand, you will stand on your current total.

Live baccarat

This game is mini-baccarat (also known as Punto Banco). You have three bets: “player,” “banker” and “tie.” The appeal of this game in a live dealer format is that there are no extra decisions to make after placing your bet. If you disconnect after betting, you can still win the game. Stakes start at $1 at some casinos, with high-roller rooms allowing $2,000+ per hand. The lower house edge of this game makes it a favorite for higher stakes players. Side bets based on pairs are available at some casinos.

Live casino hold ’em

This is an example of a casino table game based on poker hand ranks. It is played one-to-many. This means everyone shares a single player hand. Some players may fold, while others may raise. To accommodate everyone, the hand is played to the end every time. This game is loosely based on Texas Hold ’em poker. You are dealt two cards with the flop and can decide to bet before the turn and river are dealt together. Other casino poker games include the popular three-card poker and Caribbean stud poker.

Playing at legal online casinos in Michigan

Michigan saw a major expansion of gambling legislation at the end of 2019. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three acts in December 2019. They covered sports betting, online casinos, poker and daily fantasy sports. These laws triggered the setup of a licensing process. Brick and mortar casinos then partnered with online brands to bring gambling online during 2020 and 2021.

To gamble online at Michigan’s casinos, you need to be 21 or older and physically located inside state lines. Casino apps use geolocation technology. If there is any doubt about whether you are inside Michigan, you will not be able to play for real money. There is no need to be a permanent Michigan resident — meaning visitors can enjoy the games.

Casinos are under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Gaming Control Board. To get a license, a casino needs to demonstrate the integrity of its random number generator software (for fair results/payouts), provide secure deposit and withdrawal options and provide resources for people with gambling problems to manage their play.

Live dealer table games are only a small part of the range of games on offer at legal online casinos in the Great Lake State. Most of the games are slots. There are live casino slot titles from IGT and WMS, alongside hundreds of games produced by studios specializing in online gaming. You can enjoy software-based table games, alongside video poker, keno, slingo (keno/slot hybrid) and virtual race betting games.

Can I play live dealer games using casino apps?

Downloading apps is the best way to enjoy online casino games on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Apps include the all-important geolocation technology that allows you to play remotely inside state lines.

Before you play live dealer games for real money on your mobile phone, you need to make sure your connection is stable. If you disconnect playing blackjack, you could end up standing on an 11. If you disconnect after being dealt aces in casino hold ’em, you could time out and fold. If your phone has a smaller screen, you should check that the action is fully visible. This will not be a problem for the bigger phones, or on tablets.

Live dealer games will have their own lobby on the casino apps. After choosing your game type, you will see a list of the tables. This includes the number of free seats for blackjack games.

Android phones and tablets

To download a casino app and ensure you get the best possible bonus, you should first follow our link to the casino website using your Android device. The casino will see that you are connecting on a mobile device, and will offer you the app.

The download will come from a secure casino website — and not the Google Play store. You might need to click “OK” if a message pops up telling you this.

Once the apps download, you can register, fund your account and track your bonuses/loyalty rewards. You can access live dealer games at some casinos, as well as the usual range of slot titles, video poker and software-based table games.

iPhone/iPad users

To get the casino apps, you need to visit the casino websites via your iPhone. Casinos will then prompt you to download the iOS app. This will come via the app store and will be installed and ready to use in minutes.

There is no need to register on the casino’s websites before downloading. As long as you follow our special links and use the Michigan casino bonus codes provided, you will get the best available bonus when you resister through the app.

Live Dealer FAQ

Live dealer casino games are best enjoyed with a stable, fast connection. If you do lose your connection while playing, the type of live dealer game you are playing will determine what happens. If you are between hands, then you will simply not get dealt into the next one.

  • Roulette: There is no risk here. If your bets are placed, then you get paid as if you were still connected. If not, then you simply sit out of the game until you reconnect.
  • Blackjack: If you disconnect after being dealt a hand, then you will stand on your current total. If you win, then you do get paid. You then sit out. You will lose your seat for extended absences.
  • Baccarat: With no in-hand decisions to make, there is little risk with disconnecting in this game. You get paid for bets you placed if they win, and then simply sit out.
  • Casino poker games: Games like casino hold ’em and three-card poker have more risk. If you disconnect after betting, but before deciding whether to play or fold, then your hand will be folded by default. While sometimes this would be your play anyway, if you had a great hand, it could be frustrating. As with the other games, you then sit out.

 

Minimum bets are higher at live dealer tables compared to the software-based equivalents. The smallest stakes are $1 (for one-to-many games) and between $1 and $5 for the blackjack games. Virtual games are available for 10 cents to 25 cents and up.

There are tables with higher minimums — often marked as high-roller or VIP tables. At the top end, you can bet $2,000+ per hand at some casinos. If you want to bet even more, then contacting a host at your casino is the next step.

 

This depends on the casino brands. Most will not count live dealer play toward clearing your bonus, or “weight” this at a very low level (5% or 10%). Most casino bonuses are designed for slot players. You can clear your bonus quickly and easily on slots. Once you meet the playthrough, you can check out the live dealer games.

Some casinos will offer free play or promotions to encourage you to check out the live dealer tables.

 

As long as you stick to the legal and regulated online casinos in Michigan, your money is completely safe. While casinos have their software rigorously tested for game fairness, many players still have doubts about the fairness of the shuffle. With live dealer games, there is zero doubt about the game fairness. You can interact with the dealer in real time — proving that the games are live. You will see the deck cut after being shuffled, proving that the cards are drawn randomly.