To better understand the user experience for live dealer players in Asia, TESTA activated crowdsourced testers to assess game load times in eight key Asian markets: India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
TESTA’s robust crowdtesting quality assurance platform for iGaming—known as Qrowd Platform—is the source of this report’s data. It leverages an extensive network of real-world testers who gather authentic data using their personal devices in these regions.
By pinpointing top and bottom performers in these markets, this report reveals significant trends, technological impacts, and user experience insights—essential information for stakeholders in the live dealer casino industry.
- Live dealer casino load time: optimizing the first impression
- Top 8 emerging live dealer casino markets in Asia
- Live dealer casino game load time analysis by country
- Live dealer casino game provider comparison
- Further analyses by country
- Recommendations for providers and operators
- Player device-aware optimization
- The future of live dealer casino games in Asia
Live dealer casino load time: optimizing the first impression
Live dealer casinos combine real-time gameplay excitement with online convenience. However, their success heavily depends on load time—a crucial factor for first impressions. Slow loading can frustrate players and reduce engagement. In the competitive iGaming market, even slight delays may drive players to faster alternatives, impacting retention.
TESTA’s crowdtesting platform provides comprehensive market research and benchmarking, offering actionable insights for game developers and service providers to optimize their live dealer casino offerings. This Q2 2024 report follows TESTA’s previous Q1 2024 live dealer load time benchmark, offering a continuous assessment of performance across the Asian market.
TESTA's methodology
As a leading crowdtesting platform, TESTA specializes in providing accurate data collected by on-location testers using their personal devices.
- Testers visit the online casino platform.
- They log into their accounts and search for top live dealer casino games with a region-specific filter.
- Testers screen record their testing process and measure load times.
- Data and video footage are sent back to TESTA Qrowd Platform for analysis.
Top 8 emerging live dealer casino markets in Asia
This benchmark report covers eight of Asia’s most prominent iGaming markets, each with its unique blend of market dynamics, technological infrastructure, and player preferences.
- India: With a robust technological infrastructure, India leads in average load times, making it a key market for live dealer casinos.
- Indonesia: Rapid market growth and mobile gaming popularity underscore the importance of optimizing live dealer casino games for this region.
- Japan: A mature gaming market with high expectations, Japan demands seamless and uninterrupted live dealer experiences.
- Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam: These markets face varied network conditions that significantly impact load times, highlighting the need for targeted optimizations through a reliable crowdtesting platform.
- South Korea: Known for its advanced internet infrastructure, South Korea sets a high bar for live dealer casino performance.
- Thailand: Despite regulatory challenges, Thailand’s growing market offers significant opportunities for live dealer casino providers.
Live dealer casino game load time analysis by country
Top country: India
India tops the Q2 2024 rankings with an average load time of 11.26 seconds, reflecting the country’s strong technological infrastructure and the iGaming industry’s focus on optimization.
- This swift performance reflects India’s robust technological infrastructure and the increasing focus of game providers on optimizing their offerings for this thriving market.
- The country’s growing iGaming industry, coupled with a large and engaged player base, likely incentivizes providers to ensure smooth and quick access to live games, contributing to India’s top ranking.
Top performers (less than 20 seconds): India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea
These markets excel with load times under 20s, indicating a strong emphasis on user experience and advanced network infrastructure.
- These results indicate a strong emphasis on delivering a seamless user experience, supported by advanced network infrastructure and a competitive gaming environment.
- In Indonesia and Japan, the iGaming market is seeing rapid growth, encouraging providers to fine-tune their platforms for faster load times. South Korea’s impressive digital ecosystem also plays a key role in maintaining low latency, making it a leader in delivering optimal UX..
Sub-optimal performers (more than 20 seconds): Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam
These markets show room for improvement, with average load times exceeding 20 seconds. The Philippines, in particular, exhibited the most significant disparity in performance, highlighting the need for further optimization through a comprehensive crowdtesting platform.
- Malaysia’s 29.69s result fell just short of the half-minute mark, which shows that efforts can still be made to further improve load times in that region.
- In Vietnam, the average was 31.49s. While similar to Malaysia at first glance, 7MOJOS’s exceptionally long 74.68s may have been the culprit that dragged down the average. Nonetheless, the three other providers placing in front of 7MOJOS also had over 30 second long wait times, indicating a lackluster average even with the outlier removed.
- With an average wait of 49.97s to complete the loading for the streams, Filipino players are forced to wait for nearly a minute for their live dealer casino experiences. The Philippines also exhibited perhaps the most extreme performance disparity, with last place Livegames taking 160.66s to load and first place Evolution at 7.57s.
Live dealer casino game provider comparison
Not all providers were present in every country tested. But Evolution loaded with consistent speed in all 8 countries. Top speed went to Asia Gaming but their performance was only tested in two countries. The other notable performance was Livegames, with an abysmal 160.66s game download time.
Further analyses by country
This section looks at the specific performance of live dealer casinos across key Asian markets. Each country presents unique challenges and opportunities, with load times varying significantly based on local infrastructure and market conditions. These analyses provide insights into how providers can optimize their offerings to meet the distinct needs of each region, ensuring competitive advantage and improved player satisfaction.
India
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Asia Gaming (5.71s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (16.81s)
India’s live dealer casino market is booming, fueled by better internet, higher incomes, and growing interest in online gaming. While live dealer games are now crucial in India’s iGaming scene, challenges persist.
Q2 data shows Asia Gaming leading with a 5.71-second load time. Evolution and Playtech follow closely, all under 20 seconds. This highlights India’s competitiveness and the need for ongoing optimization across diverse devices.
Despite having fast internet overall, India faces regional disparities. Providers should use regional CDNs and ensure compatibility with common devices across states to address these issues.
Indonesia
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Pragmatic Play (7.81s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (28.41s)
Indonesia’s live dealer casino market is booming, driven by mobile gaming’s popularity among its young, tech-savvy population. Despite infrastructure and regulatory challenges, these games are becoming integral to Indonesia’s iGaming scene.
Q2 data shows Pragmatic Play leading with a 7.81-second load time, with Evolution and Bombay Live close behind, all under 20 seconds. This performance underscores Indonesia’s competitiveness and the importance of local optimization.
Indonesia’s varied geography creates network quality disparities. Providers should optimize for low bandwidth and deploy regional CDNs for consistent performance across the archipelago, enhancing user experience in this growing market.
Japan
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Evolution (9.61s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (26.08s)
Japan’s live dealer casino market blends tradition with technology, appealing to a mature, discerning audience. Strong internet infrastructure and advanced devices enhance its appeal.
Q2 2024 data shows Evolution Gaming leading with a 9.61-second load time. Other top providers also performed well, with sub-20 second load times, highlighting Japan’s competitive market.
Japan’s market demands quality. Providers must ensure seamless experiences for high player expectations, as shown in TESTA’s Japanese iGaming UX benchmark. Optimizing for latest devices and smooth streams is crucial for player loyalty.
Malaysia
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Creedroomz (13.72s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (68.01s)
Malaysia’s live dealer casino market shows promise despite infrastructure and regulatory hurdles. Players face minimal legal risks, as platforms are the primary targets of enforcement.
Q2 2024 data reveals Malaysia’s struggle with load times, averaging 29.69s. Top providers like Creedroomz and Pragmatic Play achieved sub-20-second loads, while others lagged behind, potentially impacting player retention.
To improve, providers should optimize for low bandwidth, ensure device compatibility, and implement regional CDNs to enhance the gaming experience.
The Philippines
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Evolution (7.57s)
- Slowest: Livegames (160.66s)
The Philippines’ live dealer casino market thrives on immersive gaming experiences, supported by PAGCOR regulation. A strong gaming culture and growing internet access fuel the sector’s expansion.
Q2 2024 data reveals stark contrasts: Evolution Gaming leads with a 7.57-second load time, while Livegames lags at 160.66 seconds. This vast gap highlights infrastructure challenges and the potential impact on player retention.
The performance spectrum underscores the need for regional CDNs to enhance load times. TESTA’s collaboration with Jade Gaming demonstrates how targeted optimizations can significantly improve player satisfaction and overall gaming experience.
South Korea
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Pragmatic Play (11.09s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (22.56s)
South Korea’s live dealer casino market thrives on the country’s world-class internet infrastructure. This digital foundation makes it one of Asia’s most attractive markets for live dealer games, where connection quality directly impacts stream responsiveness.
Q2 2024 data shows South Korea maintaining solid load times across providers. Pragmatic Play and Evolution lead, with most providers achieving sub-20 second load times. This performance highlights the positive impact of South Korea’s advanced network capabilities.
Despite good average load times, providers must continue optimizing for the latest devices and evolving player preferences. In South Korea’s competitive market, even slightly slower load times could lead players to switch to faster platforms.
Thailand
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Evolution (10.53s)
- Slowest: Pragmatic Play (60.05s)
Thailand’s live dealer casino market is growing despite strict regulations, driven by a thriving economy and entertainment demand. Performance varies widely among providers.
In Q2 2024, Evolution led with a 10.53-second load time, followed by Ezugi at 14.05 seconds. The top 4 providers achieved sub-20 second load times, while the bottom two lagged significantly.
7MOJOS and Pragmatic Play struggled with load times of 46.07 and 60.05 seconds respectively. Pragmatic Play’s inconsistent performance across markets highlights the impact of regional optimizations like CDNs on content delivery.
Vietnam
Benchmark summary:
- Fastest: Pragmatic Play (11.14s)
- Slowest: 7MOJOS (74.68s)
Vietnam’s live dealer casino market is growing, driven by rising incomes and improving infrastructure. However, slow internet speeds remain a challenge, requiring providers to optimize their offerings.
Q2 2024 data shows Pragmatic Play, Evolution, and Asia Gaming leading with sub-20 second load times. Other providers like Ezugi and Live88 lagged behind with 30-40 second load times. This performance gap highlights the importance of regional CDNs in determining market success and player satisfaction.
To succeed in Vietnam, providers must optimize for local internet conditions. Strategies include using advanced video compression (e.g., h265, avif) while ensuring compatibility with older devices. Partnering with crowdtesting-based QA solutions like TESTA can help providers effectively navigate these challenges.
Recommendations for providers and operators
To enhance live dealer casino performance and ensure a top-tier player experience, providers and operators should prioritize strategic technical improvements. These recommendations offer a path to faster load times and more reliable gameplay across diverse markets.
Server location and quality
- Proximity to servers: The physical distance between the player and the server hosting the live dealer game can impact load times. Servers closer to the player reduce the time needed to establish and maintain the connection.
- Server capacity and load: If the server is handling too many users at once or lacks sufficient resources, it can slow down the load time for new players trying to join the stream.
Content delivery network (CDN)
- Regional CDN nodes: The presence of CDN nodes near the player can dramatically reduce load times by caching and delivering content more efficiently. Properly distributed CDNs ensure that data travels shorter distances.
- Edge nodes: The use of edge computing can further enhance load times by processing data closer to the user, reducing the need to send data back and forth over long distances.
Optimization of streaming protocols
- Video compression and streaming protocols: The method used to encode and stream video data, such as HLS or WebRTC, can affect load times. Efficient compression and low-latency protocols ensure that streams load quickly without sacrificing quality.
- Adaptive bitrate streaming: This technique adjusts the video quality based on the user’s internet speed, allowing the stream to start quickly at a lower quality and improve as bandwidth allows.
Player device-aware optimization
- Device compatibility: The player’s device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, or PC) needs to be well-optimized to handle live streams. Taking into account whether target-market players are using outdated hardware or software can help reduce load times and improve overall performance.
- Resolution and graphics settings: Players may experience slower load times if their devices struggle to render high-definition streams. Providers should offer adjustable resolution settings to accommodate various device capabilities.
The future of live dealer casino games in Asia
The future of live dealer casino games in Asia is bright, driven by technological advancements and growing demand for online entertainment. Improving internet infrastructure will enable more players to access high-quality, immersive experiences. Providers will need to innovate to meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated and diverse player base.
However, market expansion brings challenges. Providers must optimize for varying regional conditions, including network speeds and device diversity. Evolving regulatory landscapes in the region are also paving the way for white-market operations.
Navigating these changes while maintaining top-tier player experiences is crucial for growth. TESTA’s crowdtesting-driven feedback can help companies thrive in emerging Asian markets. For detailed market insights or customized solutions to benefit your iGaming business:
- Contact us: Experience first-hand how TESTA’s crowdtesting can benefit your iGaming operations.
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About the author
Rebecca CHEN
TESTA Marketing coordinator