If you’ve ever hit a losing streak in live dealer blackjack, you’re not alone in wondering ‘Is live dealer blackjack rigged?’. With real money on the line, it’s natural to feel suspicious when the cards don’t go your way. And with so many rumors floating around online, especially on forums and social media, it’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.

However, the truth is that as long as you’re playing at fully-regulated online casinos, the live dealer blackjack game you’re playing is not rigged. Below, we’ll discuss how live black actually works and how fairness is maintained. We’ll also show you how to ensure you only choose trustworthy games so that you can play with peace of mind.

Why People Believe Live Dealer Blackjack Might Be Rigged

Let’s be honest, losing money because of a winless streak of hands sucks. Moreover, when you’re playing a game with elements of skill (if using a basic blackjack strategy), it’s easy to believe the system is against you. Having said that, those suspicions usually come because of the following:

Emotional Reaction: When the dealer consistently hits 21 time after time, it’s understandable that frustration kicks in. It can feel personal, and perhaps even rigged at times.

Misunderstanding Variance: Even the most skilled players experience cold streaks, but that’s just how variance and probability work. Blackjack is still a game of chance, and even if you use a basic blackjack strategy, there’s no guarantee that you will win consistently.

Misinformation Online: Since everybody experiences losing streaks, online forums are often filled with players complaining and throwing ‘rigged’ accusations around. It’s not uncommon to see phrases like ‘I lost 20 hands in a row, so X casino must be rigged’. They might have lost that many hands, but that’s blackjack and does not mean a live casino is rigged.

General distrust of online casinos: Unlike land-based casinos, online platforms operate behind a monitor or a mobile device screen. Some players find it harder to trust something they cannot see. It doesn’t help that some shady online casinos give the whole industry a bad name.

We understand that while these concerns are understandable, they’re often rooted in emotion and misinformation, rather than fact.

How Live Dealer Blackjack Actually Works

It’s incredibly difficult for any live dealer studio or casino to rig games. If they’re regulated, they have to prove that their games are fair and random. No platform or live casino supplier will receive a license from a regulatory body unless they can prove that their games are fair.

Instead of using Random Number Generators like traditional digital games, you’re watching real dealers shuffle and deal physical cards in real time. The entire game is streamed from a professional studio, usually with multiple camera angles. You can see everything that’s happening.

The live dealers are fully trained to a level that would allow them to seek employment in physical casinos around the world. You see them deal the cards as if you were sitting at a table in a Vegas casino. On top of that, you can often chat with the dealer or even other players at the table, which adds a social feel and builds trust in the process.

Regulation and Fairness in Live Dealer Blackjack

Wondering how fair blackjack games are guaranteed? That’s where regulation steps in. Reputable online casinos and live game providers operate under licenses from respected gaming authorities, such as:

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
The Curacao Gaming Control Board (CGCB)
Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and others

These regulators enforce strict rules around game fairness, responsible gaming, and overall player protection.

Here’s how live dealer blackjack fairness is maintained:

No RNGs for live blackjack: Live dealer blackjack doesn’t use Random Number Generators. As you would at a land-based casino, you see the physical cards being shuffled and dealt. Results are therefore determined by the laws of physics and total randomness.
Third-party auditing: Providers such as Evolution Gaming and Pragmatic Play Live undergo regular fairness audits by independent third-party testing agencies, including eCOGRA and iTech Labs. This is required to gain licensing from the aforementioned gambling authorities.

While it’s clear that live casino gaming is fair due to strict regulation, there have been examples of employees fixing the games for their own benefit. This is extremely rare and does not really affect fairness for players.

One example is an employee of Evolution who cheated to win $50,000. His job was to handle the shoes before they went on to the live tables. He manipulated the cards and had friends betting on his three online casino accounts.

Card Counting in Blackjack

While not directly connected to fairness or potentially rigged games, players sometimes use methods to try to get what’s considered an unfair advantage against the online casino. The most common is through card counting.

While technically not cheating, it is a method that, if caught using it, could get you thrown out and banned from a land-based casino. It’s more difficult for online casinos to detect card counting, but if there is solid evidence, it will also get you banned from the online platform and maybe even from playing the live studio’s games anywhere else.

There is a pit boss even in live dealer studios watching over the dealers and players. If a player appears to show patterns of card counting, then usually the pit boss will indicate to the dealer to shuffle the cards.

What is card counting?

Card counting is a technique used to track the ratio of high to low cards left in the shoe. By keeping a mental tally of which cards have already been dealt, particularly the low ones like 2s through 6s, players can estimate when the deck is rich in high-value cards such as 10s, face cards, and Aces.

There are many different counting systems, but the most commonly used include the Hi-Lo, Knock-Out, and Omega II.

Why Reputable Casinos Don’t Rig Games

The only online casinos that might consider rigging games are those that are unregulated and essentially platforms you should avoid anyway. Reputable online casinos, on the other hand, have many reasons why they would not consider doing the same.

The House Edge: Blackjack already has a built-in advantage for the casino. It’s small (often 0.5% to 1% in live games), but that obviously adds up over many thousands of hands. Casinos make their money from all games through a house edge.

High Visibility: The fact that live games are streamed live to all who are viewing is another reason live studios would not even think of rigging games. Live dealer games are under constant scrutiny from players, regulators, and auditors. Rigging a game would be incredibly risky and easy to detect.

Licenses at Stake: Getting a gaming license is expensive and difficult. They enable a casino and live studios to provide their iGaming services in regulated countries. They’d lose their licensing if it were found they were rigging games. That would destroy their reputation and put an end to their business.

Long-Term Profits Matter More: Casinos want happy players who regularly return to play. Trust is everything in online gambling, and offering fair blackjack games is essential to building that trust.

How to Ensure You’re Playing Fair Live Dealer Blackjack

As mentioned, not all online casinos are reputable. To make sure you’re playing a fair game, follow these tips:

Stick to Licensed Casinos: Check for a license from the UKGC, MGA, Curacao, or another reputable body.

Choose Well-Known Providers: Play live games from Evolution, Pragmatic Play Live, Playtech, Ezugi, or other reputable live studios. These companies have stellar track records.

Look for Audit Seals: Check the casino’s footer for seals from reputable organizations such as eCOGRA or iTech Labs. These are companies that have tested and certified live dealer games as fair and random.

Read player reviews: Online communities, such as Trustpilot, can quickly expose bad online casinos. If a platform has a long history of complaints, steer clear.

Avoid Shady Sites: Some online casinos operate without regulation. These are the ones most likely to offer questionable games. Never play at unlicensed casinos, and you won’t have a problem.

Final Thoughts: Is Live Dealer Blackjack Rigged?

Let’s be clear, if you’re playing at a regulated online casino with a good reputation that uses well-known live casino studios, then live dealer blackjack is not rigged. It’s a fair game run by real people using real cards and is streamed in real time under the watchful eye of regulators and auditors.

We understand that losing streaks can be brutal, but they’re not proof of foul play. They’re part of the game.

Ready to try your luck in a real, fair game of blackjack? Check out our trusted live dealer blackjack games today and enjoy a transparent, immersive experience – no myths, just fun!