One of the interesting things that you might see when searching a job site is that the role of casino dealer or croupier is often listed as an online post rather than a position in a physical casino. One of the reasons for this is the rise in popularity of live dealer casino games online. Games are played with real dealers (hence the job postings) and other physical equipment, with the action then streamed to a device.

However, that role of croupier is also evolving, and it might be more common now to see the role of “host” advertised rather than dealer/croupier. The reason for this is the explosion in what has been termed “game show” casino games. In essence, it’s a new genre of casino games that has taken the industry by storm. So, just as you’ll have roulette and blackjack with real dealers, you might also come across live casino game shows like Spin a Win or Monopoly Live.

 

Developers experimenting with new styles of game

The major live gaming developers like Playtech, Evolution, Microgaming, and Pragmatic have all dabbled with creating live game show games. It’s a fairly new style of gaming, so much so that there isn’t really an official name – but most industry insiders seem to have settled on the name “game shows”, and the terminology seems to fit.

Nonetheless, this style of live game has been appearing more and more of late. So what exactly are they like? Well, the interesting thing is that there is no real blueprint. The game designers can come up with anything they really want. For many, that’s exciting as it allows games developers to move away from the rigidity of traditional table and card games.

 

Rules are there are no rules

To explain, a game like Monopoly Live is based on the classic board game, and it features a stunning 3D Bonus Game where the action takes place on a digital Monopoly board. Spin a Win, meanwhile, is something of a hybrid of Wheel of Fortune and classic casino play. There are others, too, some of which are based on ‘real’ tv shows like Deal or No Deal or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, while others, like Crazy Time, are new concepts dreamt up by the developers.

The interesting thing is that there is a real sense that these games represent the beginning of something and not the endpoint. The technology that allows players to roll dice on a 3D Monopoly board can go much further, and it can be augmented by new technology. For example, there is this huge push into VR hardware for the metaverse right now. You could easily picture casinos using VR to elevate the experience of playing game show games at the live casino.

Of course, not every new idea sticks around. One of the amazing things about the casino industry is that games like roulette and poker have been around for decades, centuries even. In that respect, you probably shouldn’t worry that these classics will be replaced by new-concept games like those we have just mentioned. However, there is no point in holding back technology. People love Pac-Man and Asteroids, but the majority prefer to play Call of Duty and Halo today. It feels like there is something like a min-revolution going on at the online casino, and this new style of gaming is at the heart of it.