Drake Casino Live Review for Oceania

Drake Casino opened its virtual doors in 2012, but the people behind it have been in the online gambling industry since the earliest days. It’s a unique site with live games rarely seen in the region and some pokies and other games now only found here and at its two sister sites.

The live lobby was added about 7 years after launch when almost all the international operators realized they better get in on the action or risk losing part of the market. The best news is that the operators chose Fresh Deck Studios to provide their plug-in. Fresh Deck is a premier provider for players in markets without local licenses and regulatory oversight. Some proffer that it’s a facade for one or more of the top European live lobby providers that aren’t allowed to serve certain markets, but we’ll leave that part of it to the sages and diviners. All we know is the games are top-tier.

A few factors point to the fact that the live lobby is a bolt-on module, not something cooked up solely in-house and meant only to serve players in Oceania. Any one of these factors might be the first to pop onto your radar.

While the API is steadfast and secure, and the games are not only fair but engaging, none of the dealers speak with a local accent, and two tables in the small suite of games are actually hosted in Spanish.

Another thing you might notice is that you can’t even enter a game to observe unless you have money on the books. As expected, there’s no demo play, but simply registering an account and trying to open a game like live roulette is not enough. If the secure wallet isn’t connected with funds processed through the casino you will only receive an error message.

The last oddity is something that must be configured in the Drake back end and it relates to finance too, in a way. There are no bonuses for live dealer game play and if you have remaining wagering requirements left on a bonus you won’t be able to enter a game either.

Now, if that sounds like a bit of a put-off, it isn’t meant to be. It simply explains some things you might run into so we lay them out ahead of time. They’re not so much glitches as they are a testament to the bespoke proprietary Drake platform that has been operating seamlessly and securely for well over a decade.

Secure socket layers handle the encryption of the HTML5 website. It works perfectly in your web browser whether you visit using a desktop PC, a Mac, a smartphone, or any other portable device. All it takes is a secure browser on any device connected to the internet, you don’t even have to have broadband or use big chunks of cellular data to access the entire site from the bonus pages to the cashier and the sharp and glistening live games.

The Drake Customer Support Team is accessible seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, and the live lobby is open around the clock if you have any technical questions, process queries, or just to say hello.

The lobby represents quality over quantity. There’s a certain vibe to the gambling experience that could best be compared to LuckyStreak but we aren’t saying that’s who provides some of the games.

The live lobby is small with 6 tables covering roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

Spanish-speaking dealers cover one blackjack table and one of the American roulette wheels. English speakers host live blackjack, live American and European roulette, and live baccarat with seven optional side bets.

There aren’t any novelty or carnival games, just good old-fashioned live dealer streams.

Roulette

It’s a mystery why anyone would prefer American roulette with its double zero over the European version with one zero and a 2.7% house edge. Only one scenario comes to mind and that would be a Hail Mary bet called the “basket bet”. It’s only possible on the American wheel and it covers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3 for a house edge of 7.9% and a 6:1 payout as opposed to any other possible bet that holds a 5.26% advantage for the house. 

The adage that states something like just because you can doesn’t mean you should is clearly illustrated not only in choosing 00 over 0 but also if you were forced to play 00 why on earth would you reduce your return to player percentage for 6:1 payout when there are much better options on the board.

Blackjack

You can play live blackjack the way you like to here. The basic game moves along nicely without undue delays and the dealer is always engaged. A quick look at the rules will help you adjust basic strategy into an optimal strategy if you like to cut as much as possible of the house advantage.

The game is dealt from 8 decks and that makes side bets like Perfect Pairs possible. The game also offers an optional 21+3 side bet.

Perfect Pairs

This bet predicts that your first two cards will be identical – not only the same face or pip count but also the same suit. It’s the most volatile bet allowed and offers a return of 25:1 but you’ll give up quite a bit of RTP for that possibility with the house edge going up to a shocking 13% and then some. Add a little spice to your game with this bet now and then or save the bet for a Hail Mary or two when your bankroll starts to look a little too thin for comfort.

21+3

The house advantage goes up to 2.74% with this side bet but the payout is always 9 to 1.

Baccarat

Play a straight game with a very low house edge for bets on the Player’s hand or Banker’s hand with the edge going up along with the potential payout, giving players three basic bets to make. If you like to push your luck for a more invigorating game there are seven additional bets available ranging from Big and Small to Player Pair bets.

Other Ways to Play at Drake Casino Oceania

Live games aren’t the only way to play the cards and tables here.. If you want to set your own pace and work on strategy the random number generator games might be the way to go. Alternatively, if you like to pick up the game speed and take advantage of a blistering winning streak, you can do that too.

Look for digital animated RNG blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and Teen Patti. Video poker and instant win games like Keno are on tap too along with almost 700 pokies.

The slot selection is very interesting and ranges from repurposed Cryptologic-style (NextGen) 9-line games to 3D BetSoft titles with multi-tiered bonus rounds. Of course, the classics are on the menu too with several 3-reel titles.

House-wide progressive jackpots and random jackpots underlie more than half the slot games. You can play them by potential payouts in three categories or simply choose the “progressive jackpots” tab for a good mix of games.

Drake Casino Casino Promotions for Oceania 

The site seems to have a big focus on recruiting and retaining players. There’s no other reason to provide such a generous welcome package and ongoing incentives. You will see some of the offers on this page, if you only see one super high percentage match bonus for signing on and you want more, be sure to look a little deeper or simply visit the casino to find more. They usually give players two or three chances to score in the opening offer – if the first big match doesn’t result in a cashout you will probably have at least two more attempts.

Looking at the overall scheme of things here we see it laid out as a Player Journey, a path already mapped out, something players who like to play with bonuses can rely on. 

Every wager earns rewards

You will receive Rewards points as soon as you start playing, which you can trade for extra spin bonuses, cash credits, or entries into sweepstakes.

Daily bonus spins

Simply enter the daily promo code given when you check in to receive daily spins if you enjoy playing the pokies. You must deposit once a week to keep receiving bonus spins; otherwise, they will stop giving them out. Deposit to extend your bonus spins by one week.

Daily Cashback

Every day in the afternoon following a lost deposit, you’ll get a percentage cashback.

Expanding reload bonuses

You should anticipate receiving reload bonuses on each deposit after your third one. The system will take care of everything and upgrades happen automatically – keep playing to keep growing over the 10 levels.

Extra bonuses 8x a week

Special reloads and extra spins are awarded in the lobby and in the newsletter so be sure to sign up for email alerts if you like to play with bonuses.

Unified rewards system

You will discover even more perks and use a unified rewards account by signing up for one or both of the sister sites (Gossip Slots/VIP). Surrender them for bonus cash or buy sweepstakes tickets to win bonus spins to use at any of the sibling sites.

Tournaments

Check the tournament section in the drop-down 3-line menu to find weekly table game competitions with a $1,000 prize pool or longer duration slots tourneys with pools as high as $25,000.

Notes of interest

Be sure to check the terms and conditions for game weightings if you play RNG table games, video poker, or instant win games. Wagering requirements can carry over so always zero out your balance between bonuses to avoid friction. Customer service can do it for you if needed. Tournament winnings that are paid as bonus funds should be cashed out completely or your balance zeroed out to avoid confusion. 

Visa, Mastercard, and American Express offer instant deposits with immediate access to all the games. Cryptocurrency deposit speeds can range from less than a minute to 30 minutes depending on network congestion and other crypto-specific variables.

Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Ripple are supported for deposits and Bitcoin is also supported for withdrawals. The other current method for withdrawals is bank transfers.

If you want to deposit with Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency but only have a debit card or credit card, follow the link provided in the cashier section to buy crypto with your regular card and deposit right away.