VIG Live Dealer Games & Casinos Reviewed

Visionary iGaming is trying to differentiate from the competition in more ways than one. They use authentic hardware such as digital Roulette wheels and Shufflemaster shoes, and are proudly claiming their games are played with standard sized playing cards identical to those found in brick-and-mortar casinos around the world.

Another point of difference is that ViG live dealer games come with free-play option. You do have to register at an online casino featuring them, but don’t necessarily need to make a deposit. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn about a game’s interface and options before placing any real cash on the table.

The provider broadcasts from a relatively small studio in San Jose, Costa Rica. You’ll see other tables in the background and hear the noise typical of land-based casinos. Though the design looks a bit dated, the interface is dead simple and controls very easy to find and use. Live Chat functionality makes it possible to communicate with the dealer and other players by typing in your messages and comments.

There’s not an actual Lobby to speak of; click on a game type, either Roulette, Blackjack or Baccarat, and you’ll be prompted to select the betting range best fitting to your budget. Having done that, you’ll immediately get transferred to the game. ViG’s Live Land-Based Casino solution allows physical gambling venues to market their games to on premise as well as remote players, streaming them from a casino floor to desktops and mobile devices, TVs and VLTs.

Visionary iGaming Live Roulette

ViG provides the usual Live European Roulette, but also rarely seen American variant with double zero. Not sure why, but it seems there are players ready to embrace this unfavourable option. Both games feature video feed positioned on top, which once the wheel starts spinning splits into two to allow a closer view of the bouncing ball.

Hot and Cold numbers are displayed on the right, along with buttons for accessing game rules and betting limits. Computer-generated image of the betting table is, as usually, available at the lower half of the screen.

This is also where you’ll find a slot for placing tips, in case you want to thank the dealer for their service. Like all ViG games, Live Roulette is offered with low, standard and high betting limits. At Lucky 31, you’ll get to choose among tables accepting bets between €0.10 and €25, €1 to €200, and €5 to €500.

Visionary iGaming Live Blackjack

Classic 7-seat Live Blackjack was redesigned in 2016 and now features full screen HD video with several unique features. Choose Ahead functionality allows participants to make a decision as soon as cards are dealt, which helps speed up the game.

Back Bet enables an infinite number of players to bet behind those seated at the table. On top of frequently seen Pairs side bet (paying 11:1), ViG’s variant also offers a Rummy Bet which delivers 9:1. Essentially, the player bets on their first two cards plus the dealer’s up card being a Rummy – either 3 cards of the same rank or the same suit, or a 3-card Straight. The game plays with 6 decks and according to Vegas rules. The dealer will stand on hard 17 and hit on soft 17. Players can double on any cards, splits included.

Betting limits are displayed in the top right corner, video and audio can be switched on and off, and live chat window lets you join in on the conversation. Visibility of the cards placed on the table is, sadly, far from ideal. Integrated Basic Strategy will advise you on what action to take, but you’re free to ignore it.

Should a player fail to respond within the given time, no matter what the reason, their hand will be completed in line with the optimal player strategy. There are not many live gaming providers to offer dealer tipping functionality, and ViG has managed to go one step further. Players can place a Tip Bet for the dealer, and if their hand wins, the casino will double the tip.

ViG additionally offers Live Blackjack Early Payout, a one-to-many variant with a high 99.5% payout. This is essentially Common Draw Blackjack which can accommodate an unlimited number of participants, with one special extra. Players can choose to opt out of a hand at any stage of the game and in exchange receive an Early Payout, which can be bigger or lower than their original stake (depending on the dealer’s up card).

The amount is based on the expected probability of the player’s hand at that particular moment in time. What this means is one can completely avoid busting or being outdrawn by the dealer, and unlike the usual Surrender option where you’d get half of your stake back, this variant offers an opportunity to make a profit. Whatever the decision, hands will always be dealt to completion so that one can evaluate the success of their Early Payout.

At MYB Casino, ViG Live Blackjack can be played at low limits table with stakes of €1 to €25, medium limits ranging from €5 to €200, and high limits of €25 minimum and €500 maximum.

Visionary iGaming Live Baccarat

Live Baccarat features a similar set-up to Live Roulette, with video splitting into two to allow for a close-up of cards drawn to the Banker and the Player. Buttons on the right-hand side offer access to rules, settings, betting limits, Dragon payouts, and Big Road.

The latter can be set to open automatically during the betting period. Dragon Bonus pays when the hand is a natural winner, or when it wins by 4 points or more, and players can wager on either Player Dragon or Banker Dragon. Pairs Side Bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the Player or Banker form a pair, and one can bet on Player Pair, Banker Pair or Either Pair. The first two will pay 11:1, and the last 5:1.

Live Super 6 is a no-commission Baccarat variant in which both Player and Banker pay even money (1:1), except when the Banker wins with 6, in which case the bet pays 1:2. Super 6 side bet is offered as insurance to a Banker 6 win and delivers 12:1.

At Lucky 31, Live Baccarat can be played at a low limit table for as little as €1, medium limits table accepting bets of €5 to €200, and high limits table with stakes ranging from €25 to €500.

Languages Offered

ViG will by default offer tables with English and Spanish-speaking dealers. However, operators can choose between community tables and a fully customised, dedicated option, which on top of specific studio design, staff uniforms and game interface, allows them to choose whichever language they wish the dealer to communicate in.

Platform Overview

The developer has recognised the importance and ever-increasing popularity of mobile gaming and therefore builds all their games in HTML 5. What it means is they’ll be accessible virtually via any browser and across all leading smartphones and tablets. So what does it look like in reality? Pretty much as on desktops, actually, at least as long as you use landscape mode (which seems to be the only one available anyway).

Live Dealers

Casually elegant dealers will greet new players, and while not as chatty as Extreme Gaming’s, they’re far more relaxed and friendly than those employed by Microgaming. ViG hosts seem to have an unusual habit of clapping their hands at certain stages of the game or when you leave a tip, which after a while can become a bit annoying. Having said that, we’d like to point out that all communicative dealers deserve a lot of respect.

Player facing a computer screen might not appreciate how difficult it is to keep monitoring newcomers and chat away while hosting a game, especially when it comes to those accepting an unlimited number of participants. ViG pit bosses continuously cruise the studio to make sure everything functions properly and will promptly get involved in case of potential issues. You’ll frequently see their answers in the live chat window.

Competitive Advantages and Points of Difference

ViG is hardly the best when it comes to streaming quality, and the design of their games is not as contemporary looking as those of, for example, Evolution Gaming or NetEnt. On the other hand, the multi-table setting and surrounding noise do a good job of making one feel as if playing in a physical casino.

The provider’s biggest advantage are unique extras not featured by their competitors, such as the doubling of the tips when a player’s hand wins, Live Blackjack offering early payout as an advanced option of Surrender, and unique side bets like Rummy.

Unlike other developers, ViG doesn’t operate with customary licenses such as those issued by the UKGC and MGA, but instead holds a Costa Rican business license. That could make some players wary, but there’s no reason to doubt safety and fairness of the developer’s games. ViG’s performance has so far been impeccable and it’s highly unlikely the company would do anything to jeopardise it.