Where Do Online Casinos Get Their Cards for Live Games?

Photo by Max Letek on Unsplash

The tools that are used to provide an online gambling experience aren’t normally things that get a lot of attention. When a player logs on to a gambling session, it’s unlikely that they are too concerned about the technology that makes the live streaming possible, what the mechanics of a roulette table are, or even the special features of the playing cards that are used in blackjack and other games.

Online casinos have their preferred suppliers for those playing cards, and sticking with the same provider means consistency of product. That translates to a better playing experience as well, because the right card means that everything from the presentation of in-game information to dealer handling and security will run smoothly. But where do online casinos get their playing cards from, and why are they so important?

Online Casino

The rise in popularity of online casinos has gone hand-in-hand with the superb technological advancements that have made live dealer games possible. All the leading, reputable operators and their sister casinos — related sites run by the same parent company — offer live dealer games, which range from staples like blackjack and roulette to gameshow-style features. While game selections will differ between operators, one thing they all have in common is that they lean on their speciality playing cards.

Sourcing the Cards

Major card manufacturers like the United States Playing Card Company (makers of the famous “Bicycle” branded cards), KEM Cards, Gemaco, Cartamundi and Copag are among the leaders for supplying casinos. Of them, the famous Bee cards from Cartamundi are arguably the most iconic in casinos, as it is simple and understated, with a diamond pattern on the back and have been around since 1892 and are commonly used in casinos today.

Reading the Cards

Live dealer games stream the action from a studio, with a real person at the helm; therefore, real playing cards are being handled, exactly as you would find in a land-based casino. There are certain characteristics that casino playing cards have, however, that make them stand out.

Playing cards used by online casinos are either made entirely of plastic or from high-quality paper that is then given a smooth, laminated finish. Durability is the keyword for these cards because the casino wants them to last, by standing up to a lot of shuffling, the rigours of the shoe and just general handling by the dealer.

Casino cards are specifically kept simple so that they are clear to read, and this is why you don’t see any super-fancy designs on them. Dealers and players need to quickly recognise numbers and symbols, so strong legibility helps massively. But there’s another specific reason why online casino cards must be clear to read.

OCR in Live Dealer Gaming

There is something specific that happens in live dealer games that doesn’t happen at real-world tables – Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This is an absolute fundamental technology at live dealer casinos. Games are all caught on high-definition cameras, and because of this, when sent through OCR software, the card’s suit and value can be read in real-time.

The OCR software then takes that physical information and turns it into digital information that is presented on a player’s screen, so there is no confusion about what cards are in play at the time.

All of that works in conjunction with further technology, because the live dealer tables have a Game Control Unit that encodes the video feeds and processes the ongoing information from it. This processor ensures that the physical and the digital aspects of the table are working in conjunction and that everything matches.

Card Features

Some casino cards have extra special features built into them to prevent cheating, although this isn’t so much of an issue with online gaming as it is with brick-and-mortar locations. Security features like UV markings, embedded barcode, special foilings and even RFID chips are integrated into some playing cards.

Special markings help casinos track and verify cards, which makes it harder for rogue cards to be introduced into games. Again, players join from their devices and play through a digital interface, so as the live dealer is the only one handling cards on a live stream, the introduction of foreign cards isn’t going to happen.

But even though there is no one else there to potentially manipulate the cards, for game fairness, decks used at online casinos are often still tracked for proof of game fairness.

Getting the Cards Right

Online casinos will typically lean towards specialist, trusted manufacturers that have a strong reputation for delivering high-quality playing cards, which are easy to shuffle and handle. From embedded security to sustainability, there’s a lot of thought that goes into cards, but it’s really the magic of the live casino technology that brings the best out of them.