Portomaso Gaming Live Dealer Games & Casinos Reviewed

The two partners have developed an assortment of live dealer games which are broadcasted either from the casino floors of Portomaso and Oracle gambling venues in Malta, or alternatively from a studio located within the Portomaso Casino. The streaming quality is quite impressive, especially when it comes to studio games, and intuitive interface delivers just about everything a player would need without cluttering up the screen.

Users can adjust video quality and sound, check detailed game rules, view their own game history, and tip the host should they wish to. Live Chat function allows one to communicate with the dealer, but only in games broadcasted from a studio. Lobby displays overview of live gaming options along with the respective table’s betting limits.

Wirex/Portomaso Live Roulette

Live Roulette is the standard single zero variant using La Partage rule so basically French Roulette, which means you’ll get half of your stake back in case the ball lands on zero. Video feed takes up most of the screen, with beautifully executed digital image of the betting table positioned on the right. It not only serves to place bets but also displays Hot/Cold numbers and last 10 results. Players can take advantage of Statistics button to view detailed results of the last 500 rounds and use the overview to place bets by clicking on the respective number / area.

Standard betting controls are placed on the bottom of the screen, along with the slot for tips. The dealer hosting a game from the casino floor will not communicate with online players, but there is a pleasant recorded voice that will inform them when it’s time to place bets and call the winning numbers. If you want to check an alternative game, click on the Lobby button positioned on the left and switch to another table within seconds.

Real Casino Roulette Portomaso streams from the casino floor and additionally offers a unique Hi-Lo side bet. Its gives players the opportunity to bet on the next number being higher or lower than the previous one, with the respective odds shown on the left and changing depending on the last winning number. Portomaso Lounge Roulette streams from a studio and offers a choice between 2 modes – RCR mode with the layout identical to the one described above, and VIP Experience which allows players to place bets directly on the table. Wirex / Portomaso team also provide Auto Roulette with the optional Hi-Lo side bet.

At Betsson Casino, Oracle and Portomaso Real Casino Roulette feature minimum and maximum bets of €1 and €50 with a Spread of €2,000. At Lounge Roulette tables players can stake between €2 to €100 and up to €4,000 for even-chances bets.

Wirex/Portomaso Live Blackjack

Live Blackjack sits 7 players, uses 8 decks, and plays according to the European rules. Thanks to Bet Behind option, one can take part even when there are no vacant seats. Players can split pairs up to 4 times, double on any, and take Insurance if the dealer’s up card happens to be an Ace. Featured side bets include the usual Perfect Pairs and 21+3.

When betting behind, one can set preferences in terms of their own actions when the seated player doubles down (double or don’t double) or when they split a hand (double to cover both hands, or bet on left hand only). Brief statistics consist of the dealer’s last 10 hands and the percentage of Blackjack and Bust rounds. Betsson offers a choice of two Live Blackjack tables, one with limits of €5 to €500 and the other allowing stakes as high as €5,000.

Wirex/Portomaso Live Punto Banco

Live Punto Banco is apparently streamed from Oracle Casino floor but looks as if broadcasted from a studio. Video quality is as impeccable as with other Wirex / Portomaso products and the layout is just as beautifully executed. Physical cards dealt on the table are quite visible; to be on the safe side, their digital images are additionally shown in the top right corner. In terms of statistics, you’ll find a table displaying results of last 10 rounds but no classic roadmaps. At Betsson, players can place bets ranging from €5 to €5,000.

Languages Offered

Wirex / Portomaso employ only English-speaking dealers, though they do offer customisation options which include the language the dealer will communicate in. Game interface supports Italian, Spanish, German and French, among others.

Platform Overview

Players can access HTML 5 based live games on desktops as well as a variety of mobile devices, including iPhone and Android smartphones and tablets. Landscape is the only format offered. Video and audio quality is just as good on smaller screens, the only difference being the position of some of the control buttons.

In mobile Live Roulette, betting table is superimposed over the video feed before the wheel starts spinning and then disappears to allow for an unobstructed view of the bouncing ball. Overview of the results of the last 10 rounds, Statistics and Settings buttons are placed on top, while betting controls remain positioned at the bottom of the screen.

In mobile Live Blackjack, you’ll find your chips have moved to the right of the video; Statistics and Settings, along with the tip slot, occupy the top of the screen.

Live Dealers

Wirex / Portomaso dealers look quite authentic, the kind you’d expect to see at the floor of a physical casino. However, when it comes to interaction with the participating players, they’re far from those employed by ViG and Extreme Gaming. Ladies and gentlemen hosting studio games will rarely smile, occasionally yawn and look quite bored. The more talkative ones will welcome new players (but not by name), announce betting periods and results; rarely more than that.

Competitive Advantages and Points of Difference

Perhaps the Wirex / Portomaso Gaming partnership hasn’t resulted in the most diverse live gaming portfolio out there (yet), but what they did manage to deliver is an exceptionally realistic land-based casino replica online. Streaming Live games from an actual casino floor makes the experience as authentic as can be, production quality is among the best you’ll find offered via the Internet, and none of the other developers managed to do such a good job of providing a rich interface without making it difficult to grasp and / or cluttering up the screen.

Little extras such as Hi-Lo  side bets in Roulette are well appreciated, though there’s room for improvement when it comes to statistics in other games (particularly Baccarat). Wirex / Portomaso portfolio does need expansion in order to compete with segment leaders, but we’d rather see fewer products developed properly than a large number of games of poor quality.