Baccarat Casino Games Online – Europe, 2023

Similar to classic games such as roulette, blackjack, and craps, baccarat is one of Europe’s most widely played table games in brick-and-mortar casinos. Its uncomplicated rule set renders it suitable for both amateur and seasoned gamblers, contributing to its growing popularity at online casinos. 

Best EU Casinos to Play Baccarat Online

Browse the top EU online casinos for baccarat or learn the game’s rules with our guide.

Baccarat in Euro Online Casinos

Playing live dealer baccarat online is the closest you can get to enjoy the traditional baccarat game in a real-life casino without actually stepping foot in one.

Just like land-based baccarat, the live casino version features a human dealer and lifelike tables and cards. Thanks to the excellent quality of cameras used to capture the action, you can be sure to get a close-up and clear shot of the table layout, cards, card shuffler, and dealer.

• Ensuring fairness in these online games is extremely important. Learn more about how online casino game fairness test labs work to guarantee a legitimate gaming experience.

The game is streamed from the developer’s studios and relayed to your favourite gadgets in real time using powerful cameras and optical character recognition technology (OCR). The game also features a live chat box that you can use to interact with the dealer and other players, which creates a more authentic baccarat experience.

Now let’s take a closer look at the game rules, bets, payouts, and available live casino baccarat variants.

Live Baccarat Games Overview

Baccarat, sometimes known as Punto Banco, is a card comparison game whose outcome depends purely on luck. The game uses eight of 52 regular playing cards. Live Baccarat is one of the most popular live dealer games supplied by live dealers software providers such as Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, Playtech, Pragmatic Play, and others to the best online casinos, alongside live European roulette and blackjack games.

Evolution Gaming, for instance, first launched the standard version of the game in 2006, and the selection has since grown to different variants that are available to play for real money online:

• Classic Baccarat
• Choice of Roads
• Control squeeze
• Dragon Tiger
• Dual Play
• Lightning Baccarat
• Multi-camera
• Multiplay
• No Commission
• Optional Side Bets
• Pairs Side Bets
• Red Envelope
• Salon Privé
• Speed Baccarat
• Baccarat Squeeze

Each of the variations comes with unique features to provide you with more exciting ways of enjoying the game. All live dealer games by the provider, including baccarat live, are fully optimized for mobile. This means that you don’t have to change your settings to enhance your experience when playing on a smaller device.

Online Casino Baccarat Rules

Live Baccarat features two main bets, the player and banker’s hands, although you can wager on other outcomes, such as a tie and several side bets. The aim of Live dealer baccarat is to get a hand with a point total of nine or as close to it as possible.

The values of the cards are calculated as follows:

• The value of the Ace card is equal to 1
• Cards 2 to 9 have a value equal to their face value
• The value of face cards (King, Queen, and Jack) and 10 is zero (0)
• When adding the value of a hand, any count equal to 10 or more is reduced to the value of the right digit
• If the player position is dealt cards 2 and 9, for example, the hand’s value will be 1
• The first draw is always for the player position.

Live Baccarat Betting Options and Limits

In order to play live real money baccarat, players must place their bets before the beginning of each round, just as in every other live online casino game. The offered wagers are shown on a table at the bottom of the screen, and below the table are multiple chips representing various bet denominations.

The bet limits for most online baccarat games are usually displayed in the left-hand corner. The typical game’s lowest and maximum stakes are between 1.00 and 5,000 EUR or equivalents in other currencies, though these limits may differ from one online casino site to another.

To place your real money bet, select a chip denomination and then click on one of the betting options. The wagers available are player, banker, tie, and side bets. Keep in mind that all bets must be placed before the timer at the bottom of the screen runs out.

How to Play Baccarat Live Online

Now that we have looked at the basic rules of live dealer baccarat, it’s time to look at the gameplay and how to win in online live baccarat.

• Video source: wikihow.com — How to Play Baccarat

As earlier mentioned, the first draw in online casino live baccarat is for the player’s hand. This position gets two face-down cards. The banker’s cards are also drawn facing down before the comparison starts. Depending on the value of each hand, the dealer can draw a third card for the player and banker.

Each draw will result in one of the following:

• The player or banker wins if they get a hand with a total value of 9 or 8 (this is called a natural win)
• When the point value of the cards is 6 or 7, the player stands
• The dealer will draw a third card for the player if the hand’s value is 0 to 5
• Depending on the value of the player’s third card, the dealer might draw a third card for the banker’s position as well

Sometimes, although rarely, the player and banker may get hands with equal value. This outcome is known as a push or tie. Bets placed on player and banker do not win or lose if the game round ends in a tie. However, bets placed on the tie option will win.

Live Casino Baccarat Payouts and RTP

One of the many advantages of playing live dealer baccarat is that everything you need to know about the game and its payouts is displayed on the screen:

• The player bet pays even money (1:1), which means that you receive winnings equal to your stake if this hand wins;
• The banker bet pays slightly lower at 95% (0:95:1) due to the house’s 5% commission payment;
• The payout rate of the tie bet is 8 to 1, meaning that if you select this wager and the round ends in a tie, your total payout will be 9x the bet;
• Despite the lucrative payout, wagering on a tie is a considerable risk that most seasoned live baccarat players are unwilling to take;
• This is because the odds of the tie bet winning is relatively low (9.6%) when compared to the banker (45.8%) and the player (44.6%)

The theoretical return-to-player in live online baccarat is over 98.50%, and the average RTP of the three main bets is as follows:

• Player: 98.76%
• Banker: 98.94%
• Tie: 85.56%

As you can see, compared to other top online casino games in Europe, such as slots, which can have a house edge as high as 16% ( RTP = 84%) or more, live online baccarat has a significantly lower house edge of just around 1.06%.

Live Baccarat Side Bets

Besides the standard wagers, Evolution’s live baccarat features several side bets. The player and banker pairs are the most common of these wagers and can be found on every table. These wagering options not only make the game more exciting and thrilling, but they also offer higher payouts.

Let’s take a closer look at these pair bets and more side wagers available in online live casino baccarat.

Popular Live Casino Baccarat Variations

There are several exciting and innovative ways to enjoy live casino baccarat. In addition to the standard game version, the live casino software providers have released other variants, most of which are available at all the top live casinos online.

Here are some of the most popular variations by one of the leading gambling companies, Evolution Gaming, and what makes each of them unique.

• No Commission Live Baccarat

  This version of live baccarat pays 1:1 or even money for the banker bet instead of 0:95:1. The other unique feature in the game is that the banker bet pays 50% of the stake if the hand wins with a total value of 6. You can use the Super 6 side wager to insure your bet when playing this variant.

• Live Speed Baccarat

  Live speed baccarat is just like the standard variation, but the pace is a bit faster. While a round in the standard version and other variations lasts 48 seconds, a game round in live speed baccarat lasts only 27 seconds. The cards are dealt face up in speed baccarat to save time.

• Live Baccarat Squeeze

  In this version of baccarat live, the cards are dealt face down, and the hand with the lower bet is revealed first. The dealer then squeezes both cards of the hand with the most bet by giving players a glimpse of the short edge first and then the long edge.

  If the bets on both banker and player hands are the same, both hands will be squeezed. The action is captured using 15+ HD cameras to enhance the experience.

• Live Baccarat Controlled Squeeze

  In this version of baccarat live, players squeeze the face-down cards by pulling back the edges using a finger or a mouse. The cards are revealed automatically when the timer runs out. Spectators can also use the squeeze feature even if they have not placed a bet on the live table.

• Evolution Peek Baccarat

  Players can double or triple their bets when playing this variation as the dealer reveals the first four cards of the initial hands. A fee of 20% is levied on the player and banker bets before the start of each round. The game has a high RTP of 98.80%.

• Golden Wealth Baccarat

  In golden wealth baccarat, you get five Golden Cards with random 2x, 3x, 5x, or 8x multipliers in every game round. The multipliers boost your payout if your hand gets one or more matching Golden Cards. When playing Golden Wealth Baccarat, a 20% fee is added to your bets.

• Live Lightning Baccarat

  Evolution’s lightning baccarat features random multipliers cards, just like Golden Wealth. However, this variation generates 1 to 5 lightning cards from a virtual deck during the game round. The lightning cards have random multiplier values of 2x, 3, 4x, 5x, and 8x.

  A 20% Lightning Fee is also levied on your total bet in this variant.

• Salon Prive Live Baccarat

  Salon Prive is the ideal live baccarat game for the high rollers who are looking for nothing short of a VIP experience. This variation of live baccarat features four high-end single player tables, each offering different minimum bet limits. When playing Salon Prive, players can choose their preferred dealer and control other aspects of the gameplay, like the speed and shuffle. You also have access to a VIP room manager.

• Dual Play Live Baccarat

  Dual-Play is a unique variant of live baccarat that transports the online player to land-based casinos to enjoy the game alongside other patrons on the casino floor. Thanks to the cutting-edge technology deployed in this game, you can visit the various state-of-the-art casinos around the world and take a seat at one of the tables alongside on-premise customers.

• Baccarat Multiplay

  Baccarat multiplay is your best bet if you fancy playing at multiple tables all at once. In this variant, all the provider’s live dealer baccarat tables are displayed on the screen alongside the betting controls and your preferred roadmap. You can bet at all live tables without joining each of them separately.

Red Envelope Baccarat Live Bonus

The Red Envelope Bonus is a special bonus generated randomly in live baccarat by Evolution Gaming. This bonus can appear on the tie, banker, or player spots on the screen in any game variation except Lighting Baccarat and Dual Play. The Red Envelopes enhance your payouts by up to 88x. Up to three bonus envelopes can appear during a game round.

Top Tips for Playing Baccarat Online

• Play Only at Reputable Baccarat Casino Sites

  First and foremost, you want to ensure that any casino site you play at is reputable (we only recommend online casinos that are licensed and popular with players).

• Play Smaller Stakes

  Starting with smaller stakes is a good idea when you first start playing baccarat online. Once you’ve gained a better understanding of the game, you can increase your stakes.

• Learn the Baccarat Rules

  Make sure you know the baccarat rules before playing for real money! Fortunately, learning the rules is fairly straightforward. You can find out all you need to know in our comprehensive guide.

• Keep Track of Your Bankroll

  When playing baccarat online, you should keep track of your bankroll! Only bet what you can afford to lose, and set yourself a budget. That way, you can enjoy the game without risking your finances.

• Claim Baccarat Bonuses

  As a rule, top online casino baccarat sites offer bonuses that can also be used on baccarat games. These bonuses can boost your bankroll and provide more extended playtime, potentially giving you a chance to win big. Just make sure you check the terms and conditions of any bonus before claiming it.

In addition to the foregoing, we recommend that you practise before playing baccarat online for real money. In this respect, most of the best baccarat online casinos provide demo versions of the baccarat games, usually found under the “Table Games” tab, so you can get a feel for the game before risking your own cash.

Live baccarat, however, cannot be played for free due to the nature of live online gaming. Therefore, the casino table games available for free play are computer-based versions of live baccarat created by Microgaming, NetEnt, Irondog Studio, Habanero, iSoftBet, Mascot, Quickfire, and 1×2 Gaming.