How to Play Blackjack with Friends Online

Learn how you can play online blackjack with friends and other real people.

If you’re old enough to gamble, the equipment your parents needed to play blackjack with their friends was far different from what you’ll need today. Back then, a deck of cards and a decent sized table – preferably with some comfortable chairs around it – would do the trick. Or, they could car pool to the nearest casino and gather around an open blackjack table. Today, you need none of these things (except the friends, of course).

Thanks to impressive advancements in modern technology, you can play blackjack with friends online, anytime, from anywhere. All you need is the smartphone in your pocket. Or, from the comfort of home, any computer, laptop or tablet connected to your home WiFi network will do the trick. So long as you’re of adult age, residing somewhere within the borders of Canada, you can even bet real money on the games.

How to Play Blackjack with Friends Online

Playing blackjack over the internet with real people is not a new concept. We’ve had such access since Playtech held the soft-launch of the very first ‘live dealer online casino’ in 2003. It wasn’t the greatest technology, catering to a niche market of players – those with the most elaborate (expensive) computer set-ups of that time. Things got a lot better in 2006 when Evolution Gaming launched its state-of-the-art live casino platform, making high-quality live blackjack tables available to all players, regardless of their system budget. Technology has only gotten better since.

What’s come to fruition more recently is the ability to choose the people you want to play with. Instead of being automatically seated with random players from all over the planet, we now have the option of playing blackjack online with people of our choosing, such as friends and family members.

The contents of this page will teach you everything you need to know about partaking in free and real money blackjack games over the internet. You’ll learn the difference between RNG and live dealer games, and the pros/cons of playing on a mobile device or desktop computer, either in-browser or via mobile application (download). And, of course, we’ll offer advice on things like where to play, and how to pay and get paid. Please refer to the table of contents below to discover the topics you want to know more about.

Table of Contents

• Choosing the Right Hardware and Software
  • Hardware: Mobile Device or Computer?
  • Software: App (download) or Browser (no download)?
  • RNG vs. Live Dealer Blackjack
• Know Thine Enemy (hint: it’s the casino)
  • Play Blackjack with Friends
  • Play Blackjack with Random People
• Gambling for Payment or Entertainment
  • Play for Fun – No Cash Involved
  • Play for Real Money
    • Fiat Money (CAD, EUR, GBP, USD, etc.)
    • Crypto Currency (BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, etc.)
• Online Casinos & Apps w/ Private Blackjack Tables
  • Blackjack Legends (Free, Browser, App, Friends)
  • BlackjackOnline (Free, Browser, Friends)
  • Blackjackist (Free, Browser, App, Friends)
  • Vegas World Casino (Free, Browser, App, Friends)
  • Black Jack (Free, Browser, App, Friends)
  • Bao Casino (Real Money, Crypto, Browser, Live Games)
  • Pinnacle Casino (Real Money, Crypto, Browser, Live Games)
  • Playamo Casino (Real Money, Crypto, Browser, Live Games)
  • TrueFlip Casino (Real Money, Crypto, Browser, Live Games)
  • Wild Tornado (Real Money, Crypto, Browser, Live Games)

The Right Hardware & Software for Online Blackjack

When we talk about gaming hardware and software, hardware refers to the tangible, physical equipment you can touch and hold, while software refers to intangible components, such as a mobile app or your device’s operating system. Let’s get started with the hardware side of the equation.

Hardware: Computers vs. Mobile Devices

Online gaming hardware refers specifically to what type of device you’ll be playing on. Basic options include a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these devices brings to the table.

Desktop Computer

The argument for a desktop computer relies solely on the power of the system. If you plan on running a graphic-intensive game with high quality visuals and fast-paced animations, or if you intend to run multiple live dealer blackjack tables simultaneous, a good desktop system with plenty of RAM is critical. You can go with a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux; whichever you prefer working with. Most online blackjack programs run in a web browser, on an HTML5 build, which offers cross-platform compatibility with all devices. The only downside to choosing a desktop is that it’s not portable, forcing you to do your gaming in one set location.

Laptop Computer

A laptop is the prime choice if you like the basic perks of playing on a desktop, without limiting your mobility. A well-equipped laptop’s adequate screen size provides the same multi-tabling functionality, combined with high-quality graphics and speed. You can even take your laptop outside of the house, so long as you’re able to tether to a secure WiFi, such as enabling your smartphone as a hotspot.

Tablet Device

A tablet is a smaller, less cumbersome version of a laptop, although it lacks a full keyboard (unless you purchase one separately). Compared to a smartphone, it’s got a larger screen, making it easier on the eyes. Plus, you can take it with you all about the house, or anywhere else you can get a secure WiFi connection. To use it in your daily travels, you can tether it to your smartphone’s mobile network for a small fee, or pay a little more for a dedicated mobile network. Just don’t connect to a public WiFi (see warning below).

Smartphone Device

The most convenient of all options is a smartphone, such as an Android or iOS device. Most Blackberry and Windows phones will work too, although you may not be able to download your favorite blackjack game as an app. The advantage of playing blackjack with friends on a mobile device is that it’s boundlessly portable. Using your phone’s secure mobile network, you can log in and play anytime, from anywhere your travels may take you.

WARNING: If you’re gambling online for real money, it is never recommended to connect via public WiFi. Playing on an unsecured network gives anyone with the right knowledge the ability to see everything you do over that unsecured connection. That may include the use of logins and passwords, as well as the transmission of monetary deposits and withdrawals.

Software: Downloading Apps vs. In-Browser Gaming

If you choose to play online via desktop or laptop computer, you’re almost guaranteed to be gaming in-browser. Due to lack of PC/Mac compatibility, downloads are beyond rare these days. Mobile devices, on the other hand, often give the user the option to play in their mobile browser, or download an app to their smartphone or tablet. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons associated with web browser vs. downloadable applications.

In-Browser Gaming

There was a time when downloads were always preferred. However, that was before HTML5 overtook the now-obsolete language of Flash-based Java Script. Today’s in-browser games are built for visual quality, speed, and compatibility across all platforms.

Mobile App Download

A mobile app certainly has its advantages. For one, you can drop its icon on your mobile desktop for instant one-tap access. Apps also tend to keep the user signed in, so you don’t have to enter a login/password every time you want to play. However, social casino apps – the free-to-play variety (no real money) – are notorious for ads and in-app purchases. Some of these can get really annoying, really quick.

If you’re going to download an app, I generally recommend choosing one that offers real-money blackjack games, whether you actually intend to play for real money or not. You can play for free as long as you like, and won’t get bombarded with ads. They also give their players endless free chips to play with, whereas a social casino will limit your chips, then encourage you to pay real money for more (despite the fact that you can never exchange them back for real money).

RNG vs. Live Dealer Blackjack – What’s the Difference?

This is another software matter, relating to how a game is played out. RNG games are run on a computer program, using non-deterministic algorithms. Live dealer blackjack games are – as the name implies – real games. They are just like the ones you’d find in a land-based casino. Continue reading below for a more detailed description of each.

Random Number Generator (RNG) Blackjack

Computer programs have long utilized random number generators to produce non-deterministic results, based on actual real-world probabilities. An RNG Blackjack game incorporates the actual number of cards in a real deck or shoe, requiring the computer to put those cards in random order (algorithmic shuffling). Every new hand of blackjack requires the computer to digitally reshuffle those cards in a new random order. Thus, the games genuinely mimic the randomness and unpredictability of a real deck of cards. But alas, the results are 100% computer generated.

Live Online Blackjack Games

Live blackjack software does not utilize an RNG, but rather a real deck/shoe of cards, dealt by a real professionally trained dealer, at a real blackjack table. They are the closest thing to playing in a land-based casino, without actually traveling to or entering said casino. The difference is that the games are live streamed from a studio (or actual casino) using high-tech video and audio equipment. So, instead of being seated at that table, you are seated in front of your computer or mobile device, watching it all take place in real-time, able to interact with the game as if you were there in person.

Know Thine Enemy – Playing 21 with Real People

If you are familiar with the game of blackjack, you probably figured out already that I chose the title “know thine enemy” because it sounds cool – not because your friends, or any other real people you may be playing with, are your opponents. Any moderately experienced blackjack player knows full well that the enemy is the house (i.e. the casino), represented by the dealer. Even the dealer isn’t your enemy, because they are only following house rules to produce a hand.

But alas, this section entails the types of players you are competing with, or alongside (not against). Those two categories include actual friends, as in people you know and have chosen to play with, versus random people you’ve never met before, who may be located pretty much anywhere on the planet.

Playing Blackjack Online with Friends (People You Know)

Unfortunately, this option is far less common, but it does exist. All you need to do is find a web-based or mobile blackjack operator that allows you to create “Private Tables”. When creating a private table , the creator is able to set a password and send out a special link to their friends via email or text message. Your friends can tap the link, then enter the password when prompted, granting them access to the table.

The only downside is that you won’t find any blackjack sites that allow you to create real money private tables. There’s a good reason for it – to prevent collusion. Card counting in blackjack can give players an advantage, and when the players at the table know each other, they are capable of sharing information about their hands. Thus, the casino must protect itself by disallowing real money private blackjack tables.

Playing Online Blackjack with Other People (Strangers)

The most common way to play blackjack online with real money, and real people, is to do it anonymously, with perfect strangers. While it’s possible for two or more friends to join the same live dealer blackjack table, it’s more likely that they’ll end up on different tables, or that they’ll be playing in a “common draw” blackjack game.

Common draw games, such as Evolution Gaming’s Live Infinite Blackjack, offer unlimited seating as only one hand is dealt to all players. While everyone receives the same starting hand, each player has the option of finishing out the hand however they wish, choosing to stand, hit, double, or split, as applicable. In this way, collusion is impossible, and the number of seats unlimited; a win-win for the casino.

Online Blackjack for Fun or Real Money

One of the most interesting things about playing blackjack online is that you have the choice of playing for real money, or just for fun. How many land-based casinos do you know that give you that option? On the other hand, pros and cons do exist on each side, depending on what you want to gain from the experience. In addition to these topics, we’ll also outline the possibility of real money players wagering with fiat money (i.e. CA$) or crypto currency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge, etc.)

Playing for Fun – No Cash Involved

Every online blackjack website and mobile app promotes a free-play option. Social casino apps thrive on the fact that their games are 100% free to play. Real money online casinos hope you will deposit and place real bets, but you don’t have to. You can choose to play in ‘practice/demo mode’ for as long as you like. Which is right for you? Let’s examine.

Free Social Blackjack

Social blackjack apps are great for convenience and functionality, and are the most likely to support private tables. However, there’s a trade off for that free-play access. First, you’ll be subject to watching video advertisements. If it’s a low frequency of quick running ads, that’s fine, but some apps force you to watch long ads with a high frequency rate, and that can get incredibly annoying.

As for in-app purchases, most apps offer them. No big deal, right? Unfortunately, many of today’s social casino apps have gotten stingy, greatly limiting the number of free chips you’ll receive to a small amount every few hours or so. Or, you might get a chunk of free chips for completing various tasks and achievements. If you bet and lose all these chips, the app encourages you to buy more with real money, even though you can never exchange them back for cash. You don’t have to buy them, of course, but until you’re eligible to collect more free chips, you can’t continue playing.

Practice at Real Casinos

Free play at real money casinos eliminates the constant ads and ‘buy now?’ pop-ups. If you run out of chips, they will gladly give you more, over and over again. These operators already have a throng of paying customers, and are perfectly willing to let you play for free, for as long as you wish, in the hopes that one day you might choose to deposit and play for real money, too.

You may even be offered special promotions in which you can earn real money and/or cash-equivalent bonuses without making a deposit; an opportunity to win money without risking any of your own first. Such promotions are getting more and more rare these days, but they do still exist. Just remember to read the fine print before taking advantage of such offers.

Play for Real Money

If it’s a genuine gambling experience you seek, you’ll want to choose a legitimate real money online casino. There will be more stipulations to look for, like Canadian player acceptance and available payment methods that meet your needs. More importantly, the operator needs to be licensed in a reputable jurisdiction, and have at least a few years of positive customer satisfaction ratings under their belt.

A legitimate license ensures that the operator is in compliance with the regulatory guidelines of its licensing authority. The strictest regulators include the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), and any provincial gaming authority of Canada (ALC, BCLC, OLG, Loto-Quebec, etc.)

When choosing a real money online casino, it’s also important to consider how you want to pay for your wagers, which brings us to…

Gambling with Fiat Money (CAD, EUR, GBP, USD, etc.)

Fiat money applies to any real-word form of currency. In Canada, we use Canadian Dollars (CAD). Americans use US Dollars (USD). Europeans have a variety of currencies, depending on their location; Euro (EUR), British Pounds (GBP), Swedish Krona (SEK), etc.

To play blackjack with fiat money, you can make a deposit using your credit card, debit card, prepaid / gift card, bank account, Interact, iDebit, mobile payment app (i.e. Apple Pay, Google Pay), or any of a number of eligible web wallets, like PayPal, Neteller, or ecoPayz. Make sure you know what payment methods are accepted, and that your preferred method is available, before signing up. Here’s a list of common casino payment methods for Canadian players.

• Debit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro)
• Interac e-Transfer
• MuchBetter
• Neosurf
• ecoPayz
• Paypal
• Neteller
• Skrill
• Instant Banking by Citadel
• Paysafecard
• MiFinity
• eCheque
• iDebit
• InstaDebit
• International Bank Transfer

Betting with Crypto Currency (BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, etc.)

Crypto casinos are a whole other breed of iGaming entertainment. Many of them offer anonymous gambling options, meaning you don’t have to sign up an account with all of your sensitive information. All you need is a username and password, and a valid crypto Wallet ID to move money in and out of your account.

• Learn More: Gambling Online with Crypto in Canada

Different crypto casinos accept all sorts of digital tokens. Some deal only in the major coins, like Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum. Others offer a full list of cryptos for depositing, betting, and cashing out. Use the links below to explore additional information about eligible crypto currencies for gambling online.

• Bitcoin – BTC
• Binance – BNB
• Bitcoin Cash – BCH
• CasinoCoin – CSC
• Ethereum – ETH
• Dogecoin – DOGE
• ChainLink – LINK
• Litecoin – LTC
• Tronix – TRX
• Tether – USDT
• Monero – XMR
• Ripple – XRP
• Verge – XVG

Online Casinos & Apps w/ Private Blackjack Tables

Above, we detailed a lot of differences in the various ways to play online blackjack. We’ve described the difference between playing with friends versus random people, social blackjack apps versus real money online casinos, as well as variations between playing in a web browser or with a mobile app. We also described real-money gambling with fiat money versus crypto currencies. In hopes that you’ve read and come to appreciate some of these options, we’ve set up the informative tables below detailing the various features supported by each of the blackjack software programs that made our list.