# How live dealer blackjack differs from the automated version

> How live dealer blackjack differs from the automated version: dealer, pace, seats, limits, variants and information. Fairness is checked on its own page.

Source: https://seatcheck.uk/live-vs-automated-blackjack/
Updated: 2026-11-13

Live dealer blackjack is dealt by a person in a studio and streamed to you, while the automated version is run by software with no dealer. This applies to online blackjack at casinos licensed in Great Britain as of 13 November 2026. The details, such as pace, seats and limits, depend on the provider and on the operator's lobby.

## Five points of difference

**Live and automated blackjack: points of difference · source status as of 13 November 2026**

| Point | Live dealer | Automated | Published figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who deals | A dealer in a studio | Software | Not applicable |
| Pace and decision time | Set by the table | Set by the game | Not checked |
| Seats and limits | Shown per table in the lobby | Shown in the game | Not checked |
| Variants and side bets | Listed by studio | Listed by provider | Not checked |
| Information on the game | Rules panel and studio page | Rules panel and provider page | Not checked |

**Takeaway:** the first row is certain, and the other four need a dated provider page.

## Studio, pace and decisions

A live round runs in real time, so the decision window belongs to the table. Details are in [Decision time and timeouts at live blackjack tables](https://seatcheck.uk/decision-time-and-timeouts/) and [Dealer rules in live blackjack, from the first card](https://seatcheck.uk/what-the-dealer-does-live-blackjack/).

Live dealer studios have their own technical standard, RTS 17, read in [What RTS 17 says about live dealer studios](https://seatcheck.uk/live-dealer-studio-rules/).

**Takeaway:** a live table follows a studio's schedule, not yours.

## Seats, limits and variants

Minimum and maximum stakes are shown in the lobby, and they change. We publish them only as dated snapshots, in [Published minimum and maximum stakes at live blackjack tables](https://seatcheck.uk/table-limits-as-published/). The number of tables is never a mark of quality here.

Read a lobby with [Reading a live casino lobby: tags, seats and limits](https://seatcheck.uk/how-to-read-a-live-lobby/).

**Takeaway:** a limit is a dated lobby figure, not a feature of the format.

## Fairness is a separate question

We do not rate either version as fairer on this page. The evidence is weighed in [Is live blackjack fairer than the automated version?](https://seatcheck.uk/is-live-dealer-blackjack-fairer/), where the sources and the verdict sit together.

**Takeaway:** differences in format are not evidence about fairness.

## What we will record for each version

When provider pages and lobbies have been read, each row above is filled with a dated value, and these fields are recorded:

- seconds allowed per decision, if the provider publishes it;
- seats per table, and whether bet behind is offered;
- minimum and maximum stakes in pounds;
- variants and side bets on offer;
- the page and date of every value.

Where a provider does not publish a field, the cell says so. It does not carry a guess.

Both versions are available only to adults. 18+ only, and set limits first: [Reality checks, limits and time-outs at a live table](https://seatcheck.uk/safety-tools-at-the-table/).

**Takeaway:** a blank cell means unpublished or unread, and both are said plainly.

## How we checked this

The first row is a description of the format. The other rows wait for provider rules pages and lobby snapshots, none of which was read for this page on 13 November 2026. Report an error through [Wrong figure on a Seatcheck page? Report it here](https://seatcheck.uk/corrections/).

## FAQ

**What is the main difference between live and automated blackjack?**

Live blackjack is dealt by a person in a studio and streamed to you. The automated version is run by software with no dealer.

**Is live blackjack fairer than the automated version?**

That is a separate claim with its own verdict. See the fairness check page; this page does not rate fairness.

**Do live and automated tables have the same limits and seats?**

Not necessarily. Limits, seats and variants are set by the provider and the operator's lobby. We have not yet collected a snapshot for this page.

**Who regulates live dealer studios?**

The Gambling Commission publishes a technical standard for live dealer studios, RTS 17. We link to it rather than restate it.