We have played a lot of both and they are honestly two completely different experiences even when you are playing the same game.
If you have ever wondered why some online blackjack tables have a real person dealing cards on camera and others just have a computer animation, here is what is going on.
RNG games
RNG stands for random number generator. It is the technology behind every standard online casino game where you are playing against a computer.
When you hit the deal button on an online blackjack table or spin the wheel on online roulette there is no physical card or wheel involved.
A computer algorithm generates a random outcome and the graphics on your screen just show you what happened.
It is fast, it is private, and you can play at your own pace without waiting for anyone else.
We play RNG games when we want to get through a lot of hands quickly or when we are just killing time.
You can bang out 200 blackjack hands in an hour on an RNG table which you would never get close to at a live table.
Live dealer games
Live dealer is where a real human being sits at a real table in a studio somewhere and deals actual cards or spins an actual roulette wheel while you watch on a video stream.
You place your bets on screen and the dealer handles everything in real time. There are usually other players at the table too and you can chat with the dealer through a text box.
The first time we tried a live dealer table we were surprised by how much closer it felt to being in an actual casino compared to clicking buttons on an RNG game.
You can see the cards getting shuffled. You can watch the ball drop into the roulette wheel.
It is slower than RNG because you are waiting for the dealer and the other players but that is kind of the point.
It feels more real because it is more real.
Which one is fairer?
Both are fair if you are playing at a licensed casino. We have seen people in forums claim that RNG games are rigged because you cannot see what is happening behind the scenes.
We get why that feels sketchy but licensed casinos have their RNG software audited by independent testing companies and the results are genuinely random.
Live dealer games feel more trustworthy to a lot of players simply because you can see everything happening with your own eyes.
Neither one is more or less fair than the other though.
Which we prefer
Depends on the mood. RNG when we want speed and do not feel like interacting with anyone. Live dealer when we want the experience to actually feel like gambling rather than playing a video game.
We tend to play higher stakes at live dealer tables because the slower pace means we make fewer impulsive decisions which has been better for our bankroll overall.
