Casinos operate in high-stakes environments where every move, be it a spin, a roll, or a card reveal, must be captured with absolute clarity. Moreover, as casinos expand into hybrid models that blend on-premise play with live-streamed online sessions, the demands on imaging technology are exponentially growing.
That’s why cameras are expected to ensure transparency, deter fraud, and build trust between operators and players.
Unlike general-purpose security cameras, casino imaging systems deal with fast-moving objects, multiple points of action, and constant dealer–player interactions. A rolling dice or a quickly dealt card can easily blur without the right camera specifications, leading to disputes and vulnerabilities.
In this blog, you’ll learn about the role of cameras in casino floors – their popular use cases and the imaging features that bring it all together.
How Cameras Are Used in a Typical Casino
A casino floor is one of the most tightly monitored environments in the world. Each table, slot aisle, and cash-handling zone is under constant watch, but the type and placement of cameras vary depending on the area.
The highest concentration of cameras is found at table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, and poker. Tables use two to four cameras, positioned to cover overhead layouts, dealer actions, and close-up views of dice or cards. These feeds are necessary for fraud detection, fair play assurance, and detailed review of disputed rounds.
Due to the speed and precision required, cameras here need advanced features like high frame rates, global shutters, and specialized optics.
Other areas of the casino (slot machine aisles, cash cages, and count rooms) are typically monitored with fixed or PTZ cameras connected to centralized video management systems. These zones require broad coverage for compliance and security, but the imaging demands are less specialized compared to table games.
Major Use Cases of Cameras in Casinos
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Table games
Table games remain the focal point of casino surveillance and streaming. Unlike static areas such as slot aisles, these tables demand cameras that can handle constant movement, rapid decision-making, and highly variable lighting. Some of the tasks that cameras handle are:
- Tracking fast-moving dice, cards, and roulette balls
- Capturing both wide layouts and tight close-ups
- Ensuring fairness by recording dealer actions and player bets
(a) Roulette
Roulette tables typically use two or three cameras. One covers the betting layout, another zooms in on the wheel, and sometimes a third monitors the dealer. These setups require high frame rates to follow the ball smoothly, global shutter technology to avoid distortion, and lenses designed to handle both wide sweeps of the table and narrow wheel close-ups.
(b) Blackjack
Blackjack requires sharp, stable imaging of cards and chips as they move quickly across the table. One or two cameras are usually enough, but they must deliver blur-free results even during rapid dealer actions. High-quality optics preserve the crisp edges of cards, and compact fields of view ensure smaller table layouts are captured without wasted pixels.
(c) Baccarat
Baccarat requires overhead, dealer, and card-zoom cameras. The signature “squeeze” reveal makes smooth high-FPS capture very important, with close-focus lenses providing magnified detail of the cards. In hybrid setups where the game is also streamed, low-latency pipelines ensure that players watching remotely experience the drama of the reveal in real time.
(d) Craps
Craps is among the most camera-intensive games, often using three or four angles. Overhead views track chip movement, while narrow-field lenses are trained on the dice landing area. Very high frame rates are mandatory to freeze dice rolls, and global shutter eliminates blur from the rapid trajectories.
(e) Poker (Texas Hold’em)
Poker tables need three or four cameras, especially in televised or live-streamed formats. Overhead shots show the community cards, dealer angles capture chip handling, and sometimes hole-card cameras reveal individual hands. High resolution and low latency are critical to keep gameplay synchronized with graphics and commentary for broadcast.
(f) Three-Card Poker
The game demands fewer cameras, usually one or two, but the demands on superior imaging remain. High frame rates prevent motion blur, global shutter ensures clean results when cards are revealed quickly, and optics tuned for smaller table footprints capture the action without distortion.
(g) Sic Bo
Sic Bo combines overhead coverage of the betting grid with close-up shots of the dice chamber. Cameras need macro-capable lenses to focus on the dice, paired with high-speed capture to handle the shaking and settling of outcomes. Wide optics ensure that bets and player interactions are also in frame.
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Live casino streaming
Live dealer studios bring the energy of physical table games into the online world. The stakes are high because any delay or blur disrupts trust. A misaligned video feed can make players question outcomes, while poor resolution reduces the immersive feel. So, cameras have to guarantee fair play while delivering a broadcast experience that keeps players engaged.
In practice, multiple studio-grade cameras may surround a single table, each handling a different perspective. One captures the dealer in frame, another focuses on the betting layout, and a third provides a close-up view of critical game moments. These streams are unified in real time, producing a broadcast that mirrors television quality and responds instantly to player interaction.
Key camera features include:
High-resolution sensors
High-resolution sensors ensure that every detail of the game, from the texture of a card to the spin of a roulette wheel, is captured. For players watching online, such sharpness creates a sense of presence, making them feel as if they are seated right at the table.
Low-latency video transmission
Low-latency pipelines are critical in live casino streaming, where dealer actions, on-screen graphics, and player interactions must stay perfectly aligned. Any lag undermines the experience, so real-time transmission is crucial to preserve fairness and maintain engagement.
Seamless compatibility with digital platforms
Cameras used in live casinos must integrate effortlessly with streaming platforms and gaming systems. It ensures smooth operation at scale, supporting thousands of simultaneous players without disruptions, while also enabling studios to deliver professional-quality broadcasts.
e-con Systems Offers Trustworthy Casino Gaming Cameras
e-con Systems has been designing, developing, and manufacturing OEM cameras since 2003. For casinos, our camera solutions bring the same standard of performance that powers retail, industrial, and automotive deployments. They work seamlessly with computing platforms such as NVIDIA, Qualcomm, NXP, Ambarella, and x86, enabling smooth integration with casino management systems and live streaming platforms.
e-con Systems’ cameras also come with onboard ISP, strong low-light performance, minimal noise, LFM support, two-way control, and long transmission distances. We open the door for smarter fraud analytics, automated monitoring, and future-ready casino operations.
Know more about our e-con Systems’ retail expertise
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If you want to discuss your specific casino requirements and find the best-fit camera, please reach out at camerasolutions@e-consystems.com/
FAQs
- Why do casinos need specialized cameras instead of standard surveillance systems?
Standard surveillance cameras are built for broad coverage and security monitoring, but they struggle with the speed and precision required at gaming tables. Specialized casino cameras are engineered with high frame rates, global shutters, and optimized optics to capture fast-moving dice, cards, and chips without blur. It ensures fairness, prevents disputes, and maintains regulatory compliance.
- How many cameras are typically used at a casino table?
The number varies by game. Roulette and baccarat usually require two to three cameras, craps may need up to four, and blackjack or three-card poker can be covered with one or two. The cameras are positioned for a unique angle, such as overhead, dealer-side, or close-up, to guarantee complete visibility of gameplay and dealer actions.
- What role do cameras play in live casino streaming?
In live casino studios, cameras capture gameplay for fairness and create broadcast-quality streams that engage remote audiences. Features like high-resolution sensors, low-latency transmission, and seamless integration with digital platforms ensure that live dealer games feel authentic, synchronized, and immersive.
- How do casino cameras help with fraud prevention?
Fraud attempts tend to happen in quick moments. Hence, cameras with high FPS, global shutter, and multi-angle coverage make sure these actions are recorded with clarity. When paired with analytics or AI-driven detection, they provide casinos with powerful tools to spot anomalies in real time.
- What makes e-con Systems’ cameras perfect for casinos?
e-con Systems’ cameras incorporate high-resolution imaging, low-light performance, minimal noise, and advanced features like onboard ISP, LFM support, and long-distance transmission. They are compatible with platforms like NVIDIA, Qualcomm, NXP, Ambarella, and x86, making them ideal for table game monitoring and live streaming.
Ranjith is a camera solution architect with over 16 years of experience in embedded product development, electronics design, and product solutioning. In e-con Systems, he has been responsible for building 100+ vision solutions for customers spanning multiple areas within retail including self service kiosks, access control systems, smart checkouts and carts, retail monitoring systems, and much more.