Avanti Studios: Gustaf Hagman introduces AI dealers to Live Casino

The live casino landscape is facing a technological paradigm shift that challenges the established model of physical studios and thousands of employees. Gustaf Hagman, co-founder of LeoVegas, and Jonas Delin, founder of Authentic Gaming, have teamed up to launch Avanti Studios. Their mission is to blend the social engagement of live casino with the efficiency and integrity of RNG-based gaming. Based in Stockholm, the company uses motion-capture technology to digitize the movements of experienced land-based croupiers, transforming them into real-time digital avatars via artificial intelligence.

This approach differs fundamentally from industry leaders like Evolution. While traditional providers rely on massive workforces in physical locations, Avanti focuses on digital production. Hagman notes that the underlying production model has remained largely unchanged for nearly two decades. By using Unreal Engine, facial expressions, eye contact, and dealer interactions are rendered so lifelike that players are expected to forget they are interacting with a digital human within minutes. This allows operators to offer tables in any language and at any stake level without the need for physical expansion or massive recruitment drives.

Numbers and facts

Avanti Studios achieved significant milestones before the first hand was ever dealt. Tier-one operators bet365 and Entain signed partnerships within months of the company's inception, well before any games went live. A major breakthrough occurred in Spain, a market that has historically restricted live gaming mostly to roulette. Avanti successfully convinced regulators to clear Live Blackjack and Toro vs. Matador Live. Hagman attributes this success to high transparency: since there are no physical cards and outcomes are generated by a certified Random Number Generator (RNG), the potential for human error is eliminated.

Supported by Genting, which has backed Avanti twice, the company maintains a strategic advantage. This is notable as Genting previously acquired Authentic Gaming from Hagman and Delin for 15 million Euro back in 2019. Hagman emphasizes that Genting's roles as investor and customer are strictly separated, ensuring no preferential treatment on the product roadmap. The primary advantage of this digital model is capacity; an operator requesting 50 tables instead of five is simply a matter of server scaling rather than physical real estate.

Background

Avanti Studios was born from the realization that the traditional live casino model is reaching its economic limits. Low-stake tables often struggle to cover overhead costs including salaries and rent. Hagman and Delin are leveraging their experience from both the operator side (LeoVegas) and the supplier side (Authentic Gaming) to remove these barriers. In their motion-capture studio, real croupiers are recorded in specialized suits to capture their individual habits and mannerisms.

"The outcome of every hand is determined by a certified RNG. That is a genuine difference from traditional live casino, where the cards are physical, and it’s deliberate – it means every outcome is auditable to the same standard as any other certified game." - Gustaf Hagman, Co-founder of Avanti Studios

This transparency is intended to build player trust. However, the biggest question remains whether users will warm to digital dealers. Hagman is optimistic, citing the mainstream acceptance of digital influencers and news presenters. Early feedback from operators and players has been described as very encouraging.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, Avanti's development is highly relevant due to the strict regulations of the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). Currently, legal online table games like blackjack and roulette are rare in Germany as licenses are handled at the state level. Avanti's technology could bridge this gap. Because the games are RNG-based, they are regulatorily similar to virtual slot machines, which fall under the supervision of the GGL (Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder).

However, players in Germany must still adhere to the 1 Euro per spin limit for slots and the 1,000 Euro monthly deposit limit via the LUGAS system. Any Avanti games would need to be listed on the GGL whitelist to be legal. If approved, this technology could offer German players a legal social gaming experience that complies with strict player protection laws. The lack of physical cards potentially makes monitoring easier for the GGL.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

German online casinos with a GGL license are under constant pressure to differentiate themselves from illegal offshore providers. Integrating Avanti products could be a unique selling point. Since the costs for digital tables are significantly lower than physical studios, German operators could theoretically offer better payout rates or innovative bonus formats within the legal framework. The scalability also allows for dealers specifically rendered for the German market, speaking perfect German and reflecting local culture. This would significantly aid the channeling of players into the legal market by providing a superior experience compared to traditional RNG table games without dealers.