Lights! Camera! Gamble! The Rise of Live Game Shows
If you’re a regular casino gamer, you already know how popular live casino gaming has become. But how much do you know about the rise of Live Game Shows?
At a lot of UK casino sites, the Live section has outgrown standard RNG casino games, and is often the second most significant part of the site, after the slots library.
Much of that growth has been powered by live versions of old favourites like Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat, but in recent years, there has been a shift. Live casino game shows might have started as a minor feature in the live casino genre, but they have caught on in a big way with UK players, and are fast becoming the hottest part of many casino sites.
- Wait, What is a Live Casino Game Show?
- Okay, So Why Call them Game Shows?
- Who Creates these Live Casino Game Shows?
- Main Types of Game Show
- Why Play Live Casino Game Shows?
Wait, What is a Live Casino Game Show?
If you’re new to live casino gaming, you may be a little confused at this point, so here’s a quick guide to the difference between RNG gaming and live gaming.
In an RNG game, such as roulette, there isn’t a real roulette wheel, it’s just a computer simulation. The outcome of each spin of the reel is determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG) and you are essentially playing a solo game with a computer.
In live casino gaming, there really is a roulette wheel, and a roulette table, and the whole thing is overseen by a real dealer, streamed from a studio designed to look and feel like a casino.
Live casino developers have created hundreds of variants of these traditional casino games, but live casino game shows are little different. These games are also broadcast from dedicated studios, and often involve real physical machinery, perhaps a giant wheel or a lottery device, but there is sometimes also a CGI element. As with live roulette, the games are overseen by a real host, but the games are often more complex and diverse.
Okay, So Why Call them Game Shows?
Describing these games as game shows is down to the fact that many of them are based on classic television game shows, such as Wheel of Fortune. As in a game show, the hosts generally are there to present the game and entertain, rather than operate a roulette wheel or deal hands of blackjack. Not all of these games are taken from original game shows, but for now, they tend to be grouped into this category for ease of description.
Who Creates these Live Casino Game Shows?
This is a fast-growing casino gaming genre so we can expect new developers to enter the sector with increasing frequency over the next few years. Currently, however, there are three main live casino game show providers in the UK market.
Evolution launched the first big title of the genre, Dream Catcher, in 2017, and it has since followed up with hits like Monopoly Live and Crazy Time. As a pioneer of this type of game, it has established a dominant position in the market. They have also branched out with miscellaneous games like Stock Market, which blend game show with “Crash Games,” a popular new genre.
Playtech has a smaller game catalogue than Evolution, but has created several innovative titles including Adventures Beyond Wonderland and Live Spin A Win.
Pragmatic Play entered the market behind the other two, but are catching up rapidly, through investing in game studio facilities and developing popular titles such as Mega Wheel and Vegas Ball Bonanza.
These are the big three right now, but other developers are worth looking out for. OnAir Entertainment grabbed a lot of attention with their 2022 release, 9 Pots of Gold Stream Icon Edition. Skywind’s Live Spin 2 Win is a popular title that crops up on some casino sites. BetGames is another new contender, responsible for several simple, low-stakes live games such as Dice Duel, Wheel of Fortune, and Lucky 7.
Main Types of Game Show
The Game Show designation is already fairly vague, and there are many different types of game that could be placed in this category, but many of them can be classed as one of the following:
Spin the Wheel
The original and the simplest of the casino game show games, the Spin the Wheel category simply involves the host spinning a giant wheel and players can bet on the outcome.
This base game can be a bit repetitive, so most of these titles have extra bonus rounds, launched when the wheel lands on named bonus round segments instead of standard numbers.
For example, Sweet Bonanza Candyland includes three bonus rounds: Sweet Spins, Bubble Surprise and Candy Drop, all of which are marked on the wheel. The game also has segments that add a multiplier to all of the other segments, and there is an option to add extra multipliers for a larger stake, through the Sugar Bomb Booster. If you’re interested in taking a spin on Sweet Bonanza Candyland, head to new casino Bet Tom below.
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This combination of a simple wheel game and a range of bonuses has proven incredibly popular, and has helped to drive the rise of live casino game shows. In fact arguably the most popular live game show title of them all, Crazy Time by Evolution which regularly attracts five figure audiences, is based entirely on this format.
Live Draw Games
Spin the Wheel games led the way, but the Live Draw game has developed a strong following in this growing segment of live casino gaming.
In this type of game, instead of betting on the outcome of a spinning wheel, you are betting on a draw, like the lottery or a game of bingo. There are multiple variations on this basic concept. For instance, Mega Ball puts the draw at the centre of the action, while in Deal Or No Deal The Big Draw, the draw itself is a side game.
One of the most successful games in this genre is Monopoly Big Baller. This is essentially a live draw game with extra bonus rounds. It’s heavily reliant on CGI to generate the huge game board and many other features, and it allows players to bet on cards and bonus rounds. You can play at the official MONOPOLY Casino
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Pragmatic Play also produced a live draw game, Vegas Live Ball Bonanza, and Playtech came up with Mega Fire Blaze Lucky Ball.
Live Slots Games
Live Slots games, while popular in other jurisdictions, haven’t really caught on in the UK, partially due to the ban on autoplay.
A live slots game features one giant slot machine on which everyone who buys in plays the same spins at the same time. This works well with autoplay, as you simply select your stake and how many spins you want to play for.
Unfortunately, without autoplay, you need to play each spin separately. While this is not a problem on a standard slot game, as you can play at your own pace, in a live slots game, the next spin happens whether you are ready for it or not, and if you want to buy in, you have to time your bet precisely or risk missing out. That can be frustrating, and to compound the frustration, you can’t really take part in the social element as you don’t have time to focus on anything else.
If you are interested in checking out some live slots games, Playtech has developed Buffalo Blitz Live, which is probably their most successful title in this genre, although they have also produced Everybody’s Jackpot Live, which is essentially slot based, with several bonus rounds. They also have Big Bad Wolf, which has a UK version available at Mr Green.
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OnAir’s 9 Pots of Gold StreamIcon is the only one of the StreamIcon games to make an appearance in the UK, while Evolution’s only significant entry to this category is Extra Chilli Epic Spins, which came out in 2023 and solves the autoplay issue by basing play on batches of five spins at a time.
As far as the UK market is concerned, the future of slots in the live casino genre is probably as bonus rounds inspired by slots in other game shows. A good example is the Sweet Spins bonus round in Sweet Bonanza Candyland and the Magic Reels bonus in the Entain game Well Well Well Live, which don’t need players to hit the spin button. Find the game at Entain casino sites like Ladbrokes Casino.
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Other Gaming Options
As we suggested above, the live casino game show genre has a diverse range of game experiences, and some games just don’t fit into the basic categories.
Boom City
A Pragmatic Play game, Boom City is a dice game that is played on a matrix. Players have to bet on up to six outcomes, as with a Spin the Wheel game, but the twist is that you can’t see the possible outcomes before you make your bet. Once you’ve picked your tiles, the dice are rolled to find out which square is the winner, and you can end up with a bonus round, a multiplier or nothing.
Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt
An Evolution title, this one is based around the famous slot game Gonzo’s Quest and plays out on a 7 x 10 array of blocks. Once again, you have six possible outcomes to bet on but in this game, instead of just one of them happening, any combination of the outcomes could come up, depending on how many picks you had. Once you’ve made your bet the symbols are revealed and for each pick, get your stake back with that symbol’s multiplier.
Cash or Crash
Another Evolution game, in this case you are betting on what will come out of a lottery machine. To start with there are 19 green balls, 8 red and 1 gold, and your options are much more interesting than the standard live casino game show. As a blimp rises through a beautifully depicted city, you have to decide between Continue, Take Half or Take All, each time a green ball is drawn, bringing an element of strategy to your play. Try at 7bet.
Crazy Coin Flip
Evolution is also behind this one, which could best be described as a slot-RNG hybrid. There’s a live slot pre-round, which then leads into a game-show style bonus round, and its one of the more unique games you’ll come across in this genre.
The Greatest Cards Show
This unusual game from Playtech combines a little live entertainment, with classic RNG card play mechanics. Set in a glitzy theatre studio, The Greatest Cards Show has a lot of the drama of a game show added to the simplicity of a card draw. Although this one has not yet hit the heights of popularity of some Evolution titles, it’s something of a hidden gem in the UK market, particularly if you’re looking for a game with a touch of showbiz. The extra bonus mechanics and interactive segments keeps players engaged throughout. Find it at Skill-on-Net sites like Prime Casino.
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Mega Ball
Mega Ball from Evolution is a fast-paced bingo-style game with an unusual twist. It’s not technically billed as a game show, but it ticks many of the live casino gameshow boxes thanks to its slick production values and high-energy gameplay. The game is built on a rapid-fire ball draw mechanic, but the real fun is with final Mega Ball, which is a multiplier that can boost your winnings. This game has got a bit of everything, including elements of bingo, lottery and live slots and makes for an interesting alternative to the standard live casino game shows.
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Why Play Live Casino Game Shows?
Live casino game shows have become one of the most entertaining alternatives for those looking for a new live gaming experience. The games often stand out thanks to their combination of high tech visuals, immersive gameplay and entertaining hosts. The fact that there is always something going on helps to keep players engaged far more effectively than standard slots or live casino games can.
These games also have a big social element. Players can chat with each other as well as the host in real-time, giving some of that familiar bingo community spirit, but with a modern gloss. Some players also enjoy the slower pace. Unlike some slots games, live game shows take a little longer, making for a less hectic game play experience.
Above all, live casino game shows offer a lot of value. It’s possible to play these games with low stakes and still be in with the same chance of winning as a high roller. Your winning chances don’t depend on how many others are playing, and the Return to Player figures tend to be much higher than the standard 80% or so that prevails in the bingo world. For their combination of community, value and entertainment, live casino game shows are great option. They’re only growing in popularity and innovation!
