Caesars Doubles Down on Live Dealer With New Studio in Michigan

IGaming in the seven regulated and legal states in the US continues to grow at a rapid clip. Estimates for 2025 put online casino operations in the US at about 12.7 billion in revenue, that’s about a 24% YOY increase, and a trend that is expected to continue for at least the next several years, regardless of whether any other states legalize online casinos.

While online slots continue to dominate, there can be little doubt that table games led by live streaming options have staged an impressive comeback. And while exact breakouts of various game types are hard to come by, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is at least kind enough to separate both online drop and revenue into separate slots and tables.

In June of this year, online table games revenue  was $52 million, while online slot revenue grew to almost $177 million, giving tables about a 30% market share, a number that has grown from the low 20% over the last several years. This is driven almost entirely by the live dealer gaming segment, which has grown from about 20% of the table games business to almost half for some operators.

The appeal and continued preference for live dealer games are also evident in the increasing number of new live online studios being announced by major casino operators across North America.

BetMGM Casino has just announced a new live dealer studio at its premier MGM Grand resort on the Las Vegas Strip, intended for live streaming to international markets. This partnership with Playtech also showcases some of the augmented reality features that BetMGM is pioneering in the live dealer field.

FanDuel Casino has been stocking its live dealer games with celebrities, including four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski and casino influencers like Vegas Matt, who have been popping in to give away prizes such as Gronk-signed footballs and FanDuel cash to lucky players.

And just this week, Caesar’s has announced that it will be building its third online studio of 2025, this time in Michigan. Caesars operates several online sites, including Horseshoe Online Casino, Caesars Online Casino, and the Tropicana Online Casino.

They previously partnered with Evolution to open an online studio in January of this year in Pennsylvania and then opened a new studio in New Jersey last month at their Tropicana casino on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

This newest studio will feature five blackjack tables, including one VIP table, one roulette table, and one baccarat game, and is expected to feature tie-ins with Caesars Sports partners, such as the Detroit Lions. No word yet on if Barry Sanders will be dropping by to give away signed merch.

While there can be little doubt that live dealer games continue to make significant inroads due to player trust and continuing innovation, the road has not been without its bumps. In January, DraftKings laid off over 100 live dealer workers at its Golden Nugget studio in Atlantic City and chose to partner with third-party providers due to costs. And gaming provider powerhouse Light and Wonder decided to exit the live dealer market in February, as it believed that it could achieve higher returns on investment in other parts of its business.  

Despite these setbacks for some operators, they are more about cost and competitiveness than the long-term viability of the live dealer format. You can expect to see more dedicated, branded studios, celebrity promotions, and jaw-dropping VR and augmented reality technology coming to this space over the next 18 months as it evolves from a novelty offering to a core product for most online operators.

As an immersive, trusted, and entertaining gaming experience, it's hard to see where the ceiling might be for live dealer growth. The format isn’t just here to stay; it’s just getting started growing.