Live Speed Blackjack was developed to offer players a faster-paced, more engaging alternative to traditional live blackjack. The core challenge was to streamline gameplay without sacrificing the immersive, premium feel expected from a live dealer product. My focus as Senior Product Designer was to create an interface that felt instantly familiar to blackjack enthusiasts while introducing subtle UI and interaction changes that supported the accelerated format.
Context
In the competitive live casino market, speed variants are an opportunity to attract a broader audience and increase table turnover. Our goal was to balance efficiency with clarity, ensuring that even at a higher tempo, players could make quick decisions confidently. This meant refining the betting workflow, optimising card animations, and enhancing the dealer–player interaction cues.
Details
Company:
Pragmatic Play
Time Frame:
Jun 21 – Aug 21
Role:
Involvement:
Web Interface, Prototyping
Overview
The aim of Live Speed Blackjack was to redefine the live blackjack experience by accelerating the pace of play while preserving the elegance, trust, and clarity of a premium live casino table. The design had to work seamlessly for both seasoned players and newcomers, ensuring the game felt familiar yet excitingly different.
Challenge
Speeding up a classic game introduced multiple UX challenges: decisions needed to be made faster, animations had to feel crisp without being jarring, and every interface element had to communicate critical information instantly. The goal was to deliver a frictionless experience where players could act confidently within shorter time frames, without losing the sense of immersion or connection to the dealer. This balance of pace and clarity was key to differentiating the product from both traditional blackjack and competitor speed variants.
Solution
The interface was redesigned to support faster decision-making through streamlined betting panels, intuitive visual cues, and optimised animations that kept the pace without overwhelming the player. Every touchpoint — from the table layout to in-game prompts — was crafted for clarity and responsiveness. The design maintained the premium, cinematic feel expected from Pragmatic Play, with consistent visual language across desktop and mobile to ensure players had a familiar experience wherever they played.
A key part of the solution was rigorous usability testing. By prototyping and iterating early, we fine-tuned the timing of animations, dealer cues, and betting windows until the flow felt natural, even at higher speeds. The result was a product that balanced the thrill of rapid gameplay with the trust and clarity of traditional blackjack
Results
Live Speed Blackjack successfully expanded the company’s live casino portfolio, attracting both existing blackjack players and new audiences looking for a faster-paced alternative. The optimised flow increased hand-per-hour rates without sacrificing user satisfaction, while the consistent visual identity strengthened Pragmatic Play’s reputation in the live dealer space.
The game became a key example of how product design can enhance both performance metrics and player engagement — proving that speed and usability can coexist when user experience is placed at the core of the design process.