Live entertainment traditionally encompassed any form of entertainment that one would have to attend in person, but the digital era has changed how we define this phrase. Streaming services are now seen as a form of live entertainment as well. Audiences are beginning to redefine the very concept thanks to the emergence of real-time, online entertainment.
Long before the internet gained prominence, television was redefining live entertainment. Athletic competitions and musical performances were televised live and in real time. Many saw this as another form of live entertainment, despite not actually being present at the site of the event. There has long been precedence for the definition of “live” to change.
This brings us to live casinos. Online gambling platforms have brought streaming to the casino realm. Human dealers broadcast themselves in real time, interacting with players live and guiding the game forward. Meanwhile, players are interacting with dealers through text or voice chat. Let’s look at where live casinos fit in the world of live entertainment.
Are Live Casinos Truly Live?
One of the big questions that the greater community has been asking is whether live casinos are even truly live. After all, players still interact from a screen away from the action. They aren’t even on camera most of the time, with most preferring to use text chats to make their calls. Can we truly say that this is a form of live entertainment?
The truth of the matter is that the definition of live entertainment has changed quite drastically in the past few decades. In fact, debates regarding what is and isn’t live pre-date the internet. We brought up the big role television played in redefining how we describe the word “live.” Most sporting competitions are broadcast in real time on TV, and many people would say that this is a form of live entertainment.
However, there are still those who hold a more traditional view of what defines live entertainment. Many believe that one must sit at a venue like the Ontario Theatre to truly say that they’ve experienced live entertainment. This last definition excludes live casinos from being considered among other titans of live entertainment. However, it also excludes many other classic examples.
The New Age of Live Entertainment
Some believe that live entertainment should be unmarred by the progression of technology. The theatrical performance has been around since ancient times, and visiting the theatre today would be no different than doing so a century ago. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that one could perform the same shows today as they could back then.
However, that isn’t really true. Although classic plays like Hamlet or Oedipus Rex are unmarred by the progress of technology, there are many modern plays that rely entirely on new devices to function. Art is a reflection of the culture in which it was created. It is unfair to separate the theatrical performances of today from the society in which they are being performed.
If we agree that all art is marred by technological progress, then we must also concede that the definition of live entertainment has changed. Seeing a live concert at home is not the same as experiencing it in person. However, if one is viewing an artist performing in real time under the pressure of making a mistake, the experience is still there on some level, even through the screen.
The definition of live entertainment has changed with the times. A human dealer at a live casino is working with customers in real time, and they are performing the tasks asked of them as if the customer were in the room with them. For all intents and purposes, live casinos are a form of live entertainment.
Two Types of Live Entertainment
Although this logic may seem sound, there are still many who refuse to embrace the new era of live entertainment. We certainly can’t blame anyone who feels this way. After all, there is no denying that watching a play being performed in person is still not the same experience as seeing a videotape of that same play.
However, we also can’t deny that there are people who appreciate being able to see a live broadcast on TV or play a game at a live casino. Therefore, we can only come to one conclusion: there are two distinct types of live entertainment, and they appeal to different people. There is the live and in-person approach, and then there is the live and in real-time approach.
Theatrical performances and live concerts fall under the former category. Here the audience is seated before a stage. The entertainers perform their parts and the audience feels as though they’ve made a real connection with the artists. It is an old-school mentality that values face-to-face interaction between the consumer and the work that they are admiring.
On the other hand, we have live shows and live casinos. The focus here is not necessarily on seeing the piece of work face-to-face. Instead, the idea is to experience it in real time, as the creator intended. Live casinos definitely fall under this category. However, one might also include online content creators who stream for hours each day, hoping to make a connection with their audience.
A Shift in the Culture
The era of the internet has certainly brought changes to our culture and our outlook on art and entertainment. Internet celebrities can have just as loyal and passionate of an audience as Hollywood stars. Most of us prefer to go to the internet for films and television rather than attending cinemas or theatres. Broader society understands that we are on the precipice of a new age.
Perhaps this is why many people are so passionate about defending live entertainment as being in-person. Many are afraid that the internet is making culture a lot less personal, and they may see live entertainment as the last bastion of social interaction. The good news is that the internet is capable of bringing us closer together as well. Advancing technology could have just as much of a positive effect as a negative one.