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Live casinos are trending in Canada nowadays. These gaming sites bridge the gap between online play and realistic casino experiences. Today, players can stream table games and game shows in real time from physical studios. Even better, these studios use the latest live chat technology, which adds a social factor to the whole experience.
But where exactly do Canadians stream live casino action? The thing is, casinos don’t manage their own live studios. Expenses such as rent and live dealer salaries can be expensive for an average live casino Canada to manage. In this article, we’ll clearly explain where live dealer casinos in the country stream their games from.
Why Canadians Love Live Dealer Games
Let’s start by understanding why live dealer casinos are popular. Nearly every site offers a “Live Casino” page with table game options like Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, and Poker. Many of them also offer game shows with interactive TV-like experiences. But why are these games popular?
First, live dealer games are popular for their realistic and transparent experience. Unlike RNG table games, which use computer-simulated environments, live games stream in real time from physical studios. These studios have multidirectional cameras that allow players to see every action.
Live dealer games also tend to have lower minimum stakes compared to a physical casino table, often between $0.10 and $1.
Where Canadian Live Casino Streams Come From
Canadian casinos source live dealer games from tens of suppliers to give players more variety. An example is ToonieBet, a new casino and sportsbook launched in 2024 and approved locally by the Tobique Gaming Commission (License No. 0000050). This site has a massive live lobby powered by big names such as Evoluton, Playtech, and OnAir.
So, where do these games stream from? The answer is often Europe. Countries like Malta, Romania, Gibraltar, and Georgia have more liberal gambling laws, allowing these companies to set up their studios. In addition, these countries have a large pool of trained dealers, and a single studio can serve players worldwide.
Some casinos also stream their games from North America. This is especially true for operators with strong North American roots. Caesars Entertainment, the parent company, launched its branded live dealer studio in Michigan to serve its North American audiences.
Live Dealer Studios in Canada: Evolution is Leading the Way
Canada isn’t known as a hub for live dealer studios. That’s probably due to the country’s inconsistent gambling laws, which vary across provinces. However, some supplies have found a way to navigate this market and set up their own studios. Let’s look at the main ones below:
Evolution Gaming (New Westminster, British Columbia)
Evolution Gaming is widely regarded as the largest live casino game supplier worldwide. This iGaming giant streams its games from state-of-the-art studios located in multiple countries, including Romania, Latvia, Spain, and Argentina. In addition to streaming live table games, Evolution offers signature game shows like Crazy Time and Monopoly Live.
This game supplier also has its Canadian studio located in the New Westminster area. Evolution launched this 16,000-square-foot studio in 2018, intending to serve audiences in British Columbia and across Canada. This studio streams Live Roulette, Baccarat, and Blackjack and has employed more than 170 people, according to Evolution.
Pragmatic Play (Through ARRISE Solutions in Toronto, Ontario)
Founded within the last decade, Pragmatic Play has risen quickly to become one of the best online casino game suppliers. This company has 500+ slot titles, including Canadian favourites like Big Bass Bonanza and the Dog House. Pragmatic Live also supplies tens of live dealer games. Popular options in Canada include Sweet Bonanza Candyland and Mega Wheel.
While Pragmatic Play streams most of its games from its studio in Bucharest, Romania, this company also has a deal with ARRISE Solutions in Canada. Through the partnership, ARRISE Solutions allows Pragmatic Play to stream games from its Toronto studio. The studio employs more than 200 people, of which only 30% are non-Canadians.
Role of Playtech and Microgaming in the Canadian Market
Playtech runs an expansive studio network in Europe, primarily in Latvia, Romania, and Spain. The company’s live dealer games are popular for their clean, uninterrupted HD streaming with themed studios. Some live titles are also linked to the multi-million Age of the Gods progressive jackpot network.
Microgaming (now Games Global) also offers a handful of live dealer games at Canadian online casinos. This company used to operate a live dealer studio in Toronto. Today, OnAir Entertainment is Games Global’s exclusive live studio partner. Whichever studio a game streams from, players should stick to licensed operators and use available tools to set limits on their play.
