Live Dealer Roulette Launched on UK's Freesat Television

If you have ever been cautious about gambling over the internet - lest the online casino software is rigged to produce unfair odds - making bets at a live online casino (ala live dealers) may be a feasible alternative if you still seek to place bets from the comfort of your home. While there certainly are steps you can take to confirm if an online casino can be trusted or not, namely confirming the software platform used and regulation jurisdiction which the operator holds its license, playing at a live casino has its perks.

In Europe, live dealer online casinos are more common than elsewhere in the world. Case in point are the multitude of new satellite channel shows sprouting up, which are dedicated to taking real-time bets. The latest to go on the airwaves is NetPlay TV's "Live Roulette", which is scheduled to go live on the free digital satellite television service, Freesat, later this week.

Broadcast on Channel 851, which is dedicated to airing live roulette action, the new show simply allows viewers to place bets over the internet via LiveRoulette.com, and watch the results of their wager in real time over the telly. Bettors can also call a telephone number to make bets. It's remote betting at its finest, and is growing increasingly popular with people who like wagering from their homes, but still seek the reality of the land-based casino.

Whether its the comfort factor of seeing real people and and a real roulette wheel, or just another manifestation of the reality television craze, live dealer online casinos are thriving. And so is satellite television. If you haven't heard already, Freesat is a joint venture between ITV and the BBC, and aside from purchasing the equipment necessary to broadcast the satellite signal, is an entirely free service available to 98% of UK households. It offers 80 free digital channels at the moment, and is expected to offer 200 channels by 2009.