Different casino games have different draws for different people, but most people can agree on some aspects of different games. It is widely accepted that table games are more socially engaging than other casino games thanks to the shared experience at the table and the more intimate interactions with the dealer. Technology has allowed the experience of playing a table casino game and engaging socially with the other players to be translated fairly well from the casino floor into the world of online casino gaming.
All casino gamers have preferences for what they like to play. Some enjoy the flashing lights and luck-based gameplay of slot machines, others enjoy the mathematical complexity of card games, while some prefer the community, camaraderie and social nature of table games. The feeling of being at a lively table during a game of craps or roulette is one that is very hard to replicate outside of the casino environment.
As more elements of casino culture trend towards the digital, providing online casino table games that are true to life is exactly one element that online casino platforms are attempting to perfect. This article will touch on what exactly makes casino table games so social, then it will explore how these elements are being recreated in digital casino spaces.
What makes table games more social than other casino games?
Camaraderie
All table games are designed for multiple players to be engaged at the same time, and the best and most popular are designed for those players to interact in favourable ways. Instead of being on your own spinning the reels at slots or actively attempting to beat the other players like in poker, table games create a space that allows friendly and exuberant interaction with the other players. Commiserating when the dealer draws well in blackjack or celebrating when the shooter is on a hot streak in craps leads to organic and fun interactions between players. This sense of camaraderie that builds around a fun table is something that other types of casino games simply do not have.
Dealer interaction
A good dealer can make or break the experience of a whole table. A witty and engaging croupier can make an average night of roulette into a fantastic night as they exchange banter and heighten the experience by celebrating along with the players' wins and commiserating lightly with their losses. Table games are famed for being more approachable as well, as most good casinos will have a couple of croupiers per table, some of which will always be happy to explain the rules and nuances of a game to newcomers. This extra human element helps to make table games stand out.
How are table games being adapted for digital casinos?
Live dealers
As one of the most crucial pillars of the draw of table games, incorporating live-streamed dealers into digital casino spaces has been a big step towards getting the vibe right. Rather than simply playing the game against a computer, live dealer options allow players to still get their share of banter and tap into that all-so-integral human element that makes table games special.
Providing a true multiplayer experience
One of the other biggest pillars of table games is the experience of camaraderie that comes from playing with other people. Online casino platforms that provide live text or video chat options for all the players go a long way towards recreating the atmosphere of a table game on the casino floor.
Better gaming through technology
Not really a stand-alone point, but rather one that adds to both of the previous ones. With an increase in the adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tech, online casinos are able to offer users who have access to these technologies more immersive ways to enjoy table games online. Being able to turn your head and see the avatars of the other players at the table in digital space is about as close as we can get to the feeling of sitting on a casino floor at a table with other people as possible.
What might the future hold for online table games?
While it is impossible to know for sure, we can extrapolate some assumptions from what we see and know today. Technology is allowing online casino platforms to offer their users increasingly immersive and true-to-life facsimiles of the experience of playing a casino table game when they play online. We should assume that this trend will continue and that further immersion and the addition of more technology will lead to ever more realistic experiences.
As the experience of engaging in casino table games online becomes more realistic, it could be assumed that these types of games might grow further in popularity. While they remain relatively popular at physical casino venues, online platforms see more traffic on games like slots that have had a far more established online presence and aren't as hampered by the constraints of existing in a digital space as table games are.
Conclusion
While table games themselves have some unique qualities to offer players, the most unique thing about them is the experience of playing them at the table surrounded by other players. This camaraderie is truly what makes table games an experience apart from other casino games, and one worth engaging in.
This human element is, naturally, difficult to translate one-to-one to a digital space. However, improvements and innovations in technology are allowing online casino platform operators to do an ever-improving job of bringing the feeling of playing a table game to life in the digital casino space. With VR and AR options as well as live dealers and in-game chat, you can play an online casino table game and get a reasonable facsimile of what makes a table game special.