Visionary iGaming Blackjack

In 2008, Martin Reiner left his executive position at VueTec Ltd. to open his
own company. The result is
Visionary iGaming (ViG), which was one of the first companies into the live
dealer casino space.

Visionary has since become a leading business-to-business (B2B) provider of
live gaming solutions. They now offer products to both online and land based
casino operators in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Upon first glance, Visionary seems extremely focused on their B2B operation,
while offering a limited number of games.

This doesn’t immediately give us faith in their live blackjack. But is there
more than meets the eye with ViG blackjack?

Find out as we cover the general aspects of their blackjack games and discuss
each one individually. We’ll also cover more on the company’s history, their
services, and what other games they offer.

General Aspects of Visionary iGaming Blackjack

2 Games

Considering that Visionary iGaming has been open since 2008, we’re surprised
to see that they only offer two blackjack variations. After all, some of the
older providers have 3-5 variants.

Visionary’s games include standard live blackjack and Blackjack Early Payout.

The latter is unique because it offers you an early payout that’s higher or
lower than your current bet. If you opt to take the pay out, you receive an
automatic pay off and give up your hand.

Atmosphere

ViG’s games are run out of their studio in Costa Rica, which is designed
specifically for live gaming.

The studio features authentic casino carpeting and gaming tables, making it
feel like the action is taking place inside of a brick-and-mortar casino. This
feeling is perpetuated when considering the background noise, which sounds like
a bustling casino.

The blue table blends well with the black, grey, and white carpet to create
an original look.

We wouldn’t say that the casino atmosphere matches the elite providers like
Evolution Gaming and Microgaming. But it’s better than the majority of live
dealer gaming operations.

Dealers & Languages

The dealers from ViG are entertaining and lively. The ones we played with
were sociable at the table and had an upbeat attitude.

You can also look forward to playing with both English and Spanish-speaking
dealers. Given that the dealers all seem to be Costa Rica natives, their Spanish
is fluent while their English comes with an accent.

Stream Quality & Screen

The most-disappointing aspect of ViG blackjack is the stream quality, which
is grainy and makes the games feel dated.

While the dealers and atmosphere keep things fun, the video definition keeps
ViG from being a top-tier provider. Furthermore, it feels like you’re sitting in
a small, nondescript Costa Rican casino.

They used to only feature a small live dealer screen, surrounded by virtual
cards, chips, and a table. But if you choose the Blackjack HD version, you’ll
get a larger screen and view of the dealer.

Keep in mind that ViG still features plenty of their old-style tables too,
where a small screen is surrounded by a virtual table and options.

This look was common among live casinos in the early 2010s, given that live
dealer gaming was a relatively new concept back then. But most casinos these
days favor an authentic experience over oversized betting options and virtual
cards.

Table Layout

The table layout differs based on what type of blackjack experience you
choose, which you can see below:

• Blackjack HD

  The dealer, table, and studio take up the majority of the
  screen, while your bets and cards appear really small. Chip denominations
  and betting options are featured in a thin bar at the bottom of the screen,
  and your balance and bet size are displayed in a thin top bar.

• Other Blackjack Tables

  The dealer and studio atmosphere are featured
  in a small screen in the top center. To the left of the screen, you’ll see
  wins on the last 10 hands, while the right side shows the chat box. The
  bottom half of the screen is dedicated to oversized betting spaces, chips,
  and a virtual felt.

Based purely on looks, we prefer the HD version because it feels more like a
land-based casino experience.

How to Play

Here are the basic steps to playing ViG’s live dealer blackjack:

• You start by looking for an available seat at one of the live dealer
  tables. If you can’t find an open seat, you can also use the Bet Behind
  feature, which we’ll cover later.
• When you find an open seat, you have a limited amount of time to place a
  bet. Chip denominations are in the lower right-hand corner, and you can bet
  up to the table max.
• In the HD version, you’ll see a timer that counts down how long you have
  to wager. In the basic version, you’ll see a light that turns green, yellow,
  and red as you move closer to the end of the timer. In either case, you have
  15 seconds to place your bet.
• Also note that you can place a Pairs and / or Rummy (a.k.a. 21+3) side
  bet in the corresponding space(s) where you have a regular wager. The Pairs
  betting space is designated by two cards in a circle on the left, and the
  Rummy space is designated by three cards in a circle on the right.
• Once the timer reaches its limit, the dealer will announce that no more
  bets can be taken.
• The dealer will deal one face-up card to each player, including him /
  herself. They’ll then deal each player a second up card, and the dealer gets
  a face-down card.
• If the dealer’s up card is a 10, jack, queen, king, or ace, they’ll peek
  for a blackjack. If they have a natural blackjack and you don’t, then your
  bet is automatically lost. Assuming you both have a blackjack, the bet is a
  push. If you have a natural blackjack (21 on first two cards) and the dealer
  doesn’t, you automatically win a 2:1 payout.
• You now have the following options: hit, stand, double down, and split
  (w / pair). The dealer points to every hand to check each player’s
  action(s), just like in regular land-based games. You have up to 10 seconds
  to make each decision.
• Once you’ve completed your actions and wins / losses have been
  determined, the dealer will clear cards off the table and virtual chips will
  disappear too.
• After the round is over, you’ll have another 15 seconds to place your
  bet before the next round begins.

Chat

The chat box is in the upper left-hand corner in both table layouts. Here you
can type messages to both the dealer and fellow players.

Depending upon how busy and sociable the dealer is, they may respond to your
comments / questions.

Betting

As mentioned before, you have 15 seconds before each round to place your
bets. You have up to 10 seconds after receiving your initial two cards to decide
if you want to hit, double down, and split hands.

When betting, you choose one or more of the available chip denominations in
the lower right-hand corner.

Tipping

Every table features a virtual slot on the felt where you can put dealer
tips. The dealers clap together sometimes when you or another player tip them.

Platforms

Visionary Gaming software is available on all platforms, including PC, Mac,
and mobile devices.

We read that ViG wasn’t compatible with mobile devices in the past. But this
has changed because their products are not compatible with mobile devices, and
they’re designed in HTML5 for optimal smartphone / tablet play.

Music

One fun thing about Visionary iGaming blackjack is that they create a fun
atmosphere with popular music blaring in the back. The music isn’t on all of the
time, but it plays often enough.

Hours of Operation

Note that ViG doesn’t operate their live dealer casino 24 / 7.

We’re unable to find the exact hours of operation. But we played at Fairway
Casino in the evening, then returned later to find that ViG’s live casino had
gone offline.

Return to Player RTP

RTP for both of Visionary iGaming’s blackjack games is 99.31%, or a 0.69%
house edge.

This is standard when compared to other live dealer blackjack games across
the industry. But it’s low when compared to virtual online blackjack, which
often has an RTP between 9.50% and 99.80%.

Of course, it’s understandable why live dealer games have a lower house edge
because they hire dealers and must cover the production costs.

Visionary iGaming Blackjack Games

Live Blackjack

Rules

• Natural blackjack (21 on first two cards) pays 3:2.
• Dealer hits on a soft 17.
• Insurance pays 2:1.
• 6 decks.
• Double down on any two cards.
• Double down after splitting.
• No re-splitting.
• No hitting split aces.
• Dealer peeks for blackjack with ace or 10 up card.
• No surrender.

This game and Blackjack Early Payout are the first live dealer variants we’ve
seen where the dealer hits a soft 17. This rule increases the house edge by
0.2%, which makes it feel like ViG blackjack is unfair.

But there are other rules that help you out, including 6 decks (instead of
8), doubling down on any two cards, and doubling down after splitting.

Most live dealer gaming providers don’t allow you to both double down on any
two cards, and double down after splitting. These two player-friendly rules keep
ViG’s blackjack games competitive in terms of house edge.

Pairs Side Bet

As mentioned earlier, you can make side bets in ViG blackjack, including
Pairs and Rummy.

Pairs is a wager based on your ability to be dealt a pair on your first two
cads.

If you’re dealt any pair, then you receive an 11:1 payout on your side bet.
If you’re dealt anything other than a pair, the bet is a loss.

The idea of wagering on getting a pair seems like a harmless bet, especially
when considering the 11:1 payout. But the house edge is 11.25%, making this a
wager to avoid.

Rummy Side Bet

Often called 21+3, rummy is a wager on the three-card hand created by your
first two cards and the dealer’s up card. If you win this bet, you earn a 9:1
payout on your wager.

Here are the three ways you can win:

• 3-card straight (e.g. 5 6 7)
• 3 cards of the same value (e.g. 8d 8h 8s)
• 3 cards of the same suit – a.k.a. flush (3d 5d 10d)

The house edge on rummy is 3.24%, making it a much friendlier wager than the
pairs bet.

Live Blackjack RTP

99.31% for the main game.

How to Play

The playing process for this game works exactly as described in the General
Aspects section.

Strategy

The main rules to consider with regard to this game’s strategy is how there
are multiple decks; the dealer hits on a soft 17; and there are no double down
restrictions.

Here’s a look at blackjack strategy that meets these conditions:

• Your total is 5 to 8: always hit.
• Your total is 9: double down when dealer’s up card is 3 to 6. Hit when
  their card is 2 and 7 to A.
• Your total is 10: double down when dealer’s up card is 2 to 9. Hit when
  their card is 10 to A.
• Your total is 11: double down when dealer’s up card is 2 to 10. Hit when
  their card is A.
• Your total is 12: hit when dealer’s up card is 2 to 3 and 7 to A. Stand
  when dealer’s card is 4 to 6.
• Your total is 13 to 16: hit when dealer’s up card is 2 and 7 to A. Stand
  when their card is 3 to 6.
• Your total is 17+: always stand.
• Your cards are A2 to A3: hit when dealer’s up card is 2 to 4 and 7 to A.
  Double down when their card is 5 to 6.
• Your cards are A4 to A5: hit when dealer’s up card is 2 to 3 and 7 to A.
  Double down when their card is 4 to 6.
• Your cards are A6: hit when dealer’s up card is 2 and 7 to A. Double
  down when their card is 3 to 6.
• Your cards are A7: double down when their card is 2 to 6. Stand when
  dealer’s up card is 7 to 8. Hit when their card is 9 to A.
• Your cards are A8+: stand when dealer’s up card is 2 to 5 and 7 to A.
  Double down when their card is 6.
• Your cards are A9+: always stand.
• You have a pair of 2’s or 3’s: split when dealer’s up card is 2 to 7.
  Hit when their card is 8 to A.
• You have a pair of 4’s: split when the dealer’s up card is 5 to 6. Hit
  when their card is 2 to 4 and 7 to A.
• You have a pair of 5’s: double down when dealer’s up card is 2 to 9. Hit
  when their card is 10 to A.
• You have a pair of 6’s: split when the dealer’s up card is 2 to 6. Hit
  when their card is 7 to A.
• You have a pair of 7’s: split when the dealer’s up card is 2 to 7. Hit
  when their card is 8 to A.
• You have a pair of 8’s: always split.
• You have a pair of 9’s: split when the dealer’s up card is 2 to 6; 8 to
  9; and A. Stand when their card is 7 and 10.
• You have a pair of 10’s: always stand.
• You have a pair of aces: always split.

Blackjack Early Payout

Rules

Blackjack Early Payout’s rules are the same as in the standard live blackjack
version that we covered above. The only difference is the early payout option,
which we’ll cover in the How to Play section.

Side Bets

The same Pairs and Rummy side bets are available in Blackjack Early Payout.

Return to Player RTP

99.31% for the main game.

Visionary iGaming doesn’t list RTP for the early payout option.

But casino actuary Michael Shackleford (a.k.a. Wizard of Odds) studied the
early payout offers and estimates that the return is around 98%.

Given that this game offers 99.31% RTP when you use regular strategy, you’re
better off not taking early payouts.

How to Play

The playing process is largely the same as what’s covered in the General
Aspects section. But the key difference is that you can accept an early payout
and end the hand with a guaranteed payoff.

Here’s a look at how this works:

• You’re dealt J-5 and the dealer’s up card is 7.
• When it’s your turn to bet, you’ll see a small green box in the low
  right-hand corner with a number in it.
• This number represents the amount of money the casino is offering you to
  quit the round and surrender your hand.
• If you click the green box, you’ll automatically receive the total, and
  you’ll wait until other players in the round are finished.
• If you don’t like the amount being offered, continue playing as normal.
• Every additional card that you receive in your hand causes the early
  payout amount to change.

Here’s an example of the last point:

• You bet $10, and you’re offered an early payout of $6.20 for your J-5
  hand versus the dealer’s 7.
• You hit for another card and receive a 4.
• With your total now at 19, the casino offers you a $15.80 payout.

The latter is definitely a more-attractive offer than the $6.20 you were
being offered in the beginning. But as we’ll cover in the strategy section,
these payouts don’t offer a better long-tern return than when you play the hands
as normal.

Strategy

The main strategy for Blackjack Early Payout is the same as what’s discussed
in live blackjack.

As for the early payout feature, this is a random amount offered by the
software that’s relatively close to the expected value of your hand / situation.
Here’s an example:

• You bet $10.
• You’re dealt 10-K, and the dealer’s up card is 10.
• You’re offered an early payout of $15.
• You’ll make a guaranteed $5 profit by taking the early payout, and avoid
  the possibility of pushing or losing if the dealer draws 10 or ace,
  respectively.

This sounds like a sweet deal, but the problem is that your chances of
winning this hand are greater than the 1.5-to-1 payoff (50% profit) that you’re
being offered.

Let’s break this down by looking at the odds of you winning, vs. pushing or
losing with in this situation.

To simplify this example, we’ll assume that no other players are at the
table. Also note that ViG uses a 6-deck shoe for all of their games:

• Each deck contains 32 cards (2 to 9 all four suits) that won’t give the
  dealer a better score than you, or 192 cards in total (6 decks x 32 cards).
• Each deck contains 16 cards (10 to K all four suits) that will cause a
  push, or 96 cards in total. Given that three of these cards are already on
  the table, there are 93 cards with a 10 value left.
• There are 24 aces left in the shoe that will cause you to lose. Adding
  the 93 cards, there are 117 cards that will cause a push or loss for you,
  versus 192 cards that won’t.
• Doing the math (117 / 309), the dealer only has a 37.86% chance of
  pushing or beating you with their hole card.

Of course, the dealer must draw to a hard 17 before the hand is over. But
even when they draw again after getting a 2 to 6, you still hold a large
advantage in this situation.

This isn’t to say that the software won’t ever offer you a good deal. But
you’ll see far more situations like the one described above than you will offers
that are worth taking.

This being said, we recommend that you stay clear of the early payout option.

Live Blackjack Tournaments

In addition to the regular blackjack games offered by ViG, they also feature
live tournaments as part of promotions.

The tournament promo that we see at the time of this writing is called the
Live Dealer Cup Tournament, and it features more than just blackjack.

€24,400 is being given out across a four-month span, which each month being
dedicated to a single live casino game. And the top 25 finishers of each month
earn a share of the prize pool, with €2,500 going to first place.

The live blackjack portion is running throughout the month of April, and
players are encouraged to check out the leaderboard to see where they stand in
relation to the prize pool.

Every dollar / euro / pound wagered earns players a leaderboard point, with
the top 25 positions receiving prizes at the end of the month.

As you can see, these aren’t blackjack tournaments in a traditional sense.
But it’s still exciting that Visionary iGaming participates in these
leaderboard-style tourneys

Where is Visionary iGaming Blackjack Found?

ViG blackjack is found at a large variety of online casinos that operate in
both regulated and unregulated markets. Here’s a list of some of the casinos
where you’ll find their blackjack games:

• 7Reels Casino
• 7Spins Casino
• 21Dukes Casino
• Casino Estella
• CasinoExtra
• Celtic Casino
• Fairway Casino
• Kings Chance
• Lucky31 Casino
• Paris VIP Casino
• Thebes Casino
• Winward Casino

None of these casinos are among the gaming industry giants. But as you can
see, ViG is offered at enough online casinos that it’s not hard to find their
products.

Visionary iGaming History

As discussed in the introduction, Visionary iGaming was founded by Martin
Reiner.

The MIT graduate and former banking / exchange executive worked as CEO of
VueTec and positioned them to be a leader in the live gaming market.

But Reiner and the board of directors agreed to part ways in 2007 because of
philosophical differences about the direction of VueTec.

He took two other members of VueTec’s management team with him, including
Ryan St. James (Head of Business Development) and Janice Ader (V.P of Online
Casino Operations).

Upon launching Visionary iGaming in 2008, Reiner also introduced his patented
Blackjack Early Payout game. Blackjack Early Payout is a unique game that sees
players offered a guaranteed payout to surrender their hand.

Reiner has previously been quoted as saying that he believes the days of
players getting excited over 3D graphics and random number generator (RNG) games
are gone.

While we know this isn’t true today based on the popularity of 3D slots,
Reiner was correct in that live casino games are a growing segment of the
marketplace.

Today, Visionary iGaming services 40 operators, employs over 100 people,
deals to over 25,000 real money players each month, and sees over €1.2 billion
wagered on their tables each year.

Visionary iGaming Services

ViG is a B2B operation that provides a full range of casino services,
including a live integrated casino, live turnkey casino, and live promotions.
Below you can read more on each of these services.

Live Integrated Casino

This option is for casino customers who want to integrate Visionary iGaming’s
live dealer products into their own infrastructure.

This means that an established brand like William Hill or Bovada Casino can
just license ViG games, given that they don’t need anything else from the
company. Here are the finer points of what come with ViG’s integrated casino:

• One Wallet Integration

  Players bet with ViG’s games, but their balance
  is maintained on the host casino’s platform.

• Funds Transfer Integration

  Players can specify the amount of money
  they want to transfer from the casino’s platform to ViG. Once a player
  closes their live dealer session, the funds return back to the casino
  platform.

• Live Casino Back Office

  This service offers comprehensive reporting
  and details on all transactions.

• RNG Casino Games

  Although Visionary doesn’t make their own RNG games,
  they offer such products from Betsoft Gaming and Pragmatic Play.

• Customer Support

  ViG offers customer support upon request.

Live Turnkey Casino

Those who want to launch an online casino, but don’t have the software yet,
can use Visionary’s turnkey operation. This allows operators to quickly get
started with live dealer gaming, RNG games, customer service, licensing, and VIP
management tools.

• Content Management System (CSM)

  This allows users to create,
  customize, and market their live online casino in real-time.

• RNG Casino Games

  The same 200+ RNG games from Betsoft and Pragmatic
  Play, including 3D slots, table games, and video poker.

• Payment Processing and Cashier

  ViG supports major payment methods like
  bank wire, Neteller, Skrill, Visa, and MasterCard.

• Affiliate Marketing

  ViG’s software is integrated into leading
  affiliate management systems.

• Live Casino Back Office

  Same options as the integrated casino.

• Customer Support

  ViG’s customer service is multilingual and available
  24 / 7, 365 days a year.

Live Promotions

Earlier we covered how Visionary iGaming runs live tournaments / leaderboard
races. But they also feature several other promotional services, which you can
read about below.

• Jackpots

  Upon request, Visionary will work with casino operators to
  offer progressive jackpots on any game. ViG claims that they’re the only
  live gaming company that does this.

• Private Events

  Any casino that wants to hold a live raffle or have
  tournament winners announced at the tables can coordinate this with ViG.

• News Ticker

  Visionary’s news ticket scrolls across the bottom of the
  screen and allows casinos to advertise promotions.

• Custom Marketing Materials

  Casinos can request custom images or videos
  of ViG’s dealers promoting their product. Visionary will even conduct a
  dedicated photoshoot or commercial if desired.

Other Visionary iGaming Games

Earlier we discussed how Visionary iGaming doesn’t offer a lot of variety in
its game selection. Beyond live blackjack and Blackjack Early Payout, the only
other games they offer are baccarat and two roulette variations.

But the good thing about baccarat is that it offers interesting side bets.
Keep reading to find out more on these side bets and the games.

American Roulette & European Roulette

The American roulette screen is set up like many of the blackjack tables, and
you’ll see the following:

• Live action taking place in a small screen in the top center.
• Chat box in the upper left-hand corner.
• Previous wins in the upper right-hand corner.
• Roulette board taking up most of the bottom half.
• Betting options and chip denominations in a thin bar at the bottom.

Each round begins with you placing your virtual chips on the roulette board.
You have 15 seconds before the dealer announces no more bets and sends the ball
spinning.

After the dealer spins the ball in the wheel, his / her screen will shrink,
and you’ll see an expanded view of the wheel.

This is a necessary part of live dealer roulette because it allows you to
better see the results. Our only complaint is that the live dealer screen is so
small to begin with that it’s barely visible next to the wheel close-up.

Baccarat

The baccarat games offer a larger live casino screen than American & European
roulette.

The live casino screen takes up two-thirds of the screen, which does a good
job at creating a land-based casino atmosphere. Meanwhile, the betting spaces
are compacted so that they take up as little of the screen as possible.

Of course, you can still expect the basics like a chat box, betting options,
and chip denominations in different areas of the screen.

The best part about ViG baccarat is that different variations and side bets
are offered, including the following:

• Live Super 6

  Also known as no commission baccarat, this game only pays
  50% on banker bets that win on 6.

• Super 6 Side Bet

  This is a wager on if the banker will win with a
  score of 6. If they do win with a 6, then the bet pays 12:1.

• Dragon Bonus Bet

  This is a side bet on if the winning hand is a
  natural (8 or 9), or if a hand wins by at least 4 points. You can wager on
  either the Banker Dragon or Player Dragon (no payout specified).

• Pairs Side Bet

  The Pairs bet wins if the first two cards dealt to the
  player or banker are a pair (e.g. 9h 9d). You can wager on Player Pair or
  Banker Pair, which pay 11:1, or you can bet on Either Pair, which pays 5:1.

Conclusion

Overall, we find more good aspects to Visionary iGaming blackjack than bad.

For starters, this is the only company that provides Blackjack Early Payout.
In essence, this works like the game show Deal or No Deal, where you’re offered
a payout to quit.

As covered in Blackjack Early Payout’s strategy section, you’re better off
not taking the payouts. But the margin is slim enough (2% house edge) that you
can occasionally take these deals for fun.

Another likeable aspect of ViG blackjack is the atmosphere and dealers.

The combination of the carpet / tables and friendly dealers make for a fun
and entertaining atmosphere. It’s also a plus that popular music plays in the
background, which inspires some of the dealers to dance.

One more good point to this blackjack operation is the bilingual dealers,
helping both Spanish and English players enjoy the action here.

The biggest downside – and it’s a BIG one – is the low-quality stream. At a
time when industry leaders like Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, and NetEnt are
continually improving their streams, ViG is getting left in the dust.

Given all of the other things to like about this live dealer software, we
hope that ViG improves their stream quality in the near future.

The other downside is that Visionary features a small variety of games, with
only two different blackjack variations. Although two blackjack games are the
norm, it doesn’t do anything to separate ViG from the pack.

But even with these drawbacks, Visionary iGaming offers a good overall
blackjack experience. Assuming you visit one of the previously covered casinos,
then you’ll want to check out ViG’s live dealer blackjack action too.