FEBRUARY 2019 http://www.ggbmagazine.com^19Google search can solve. For young players, a fear of messing up hangs in the
air. This feeling is only amplified when surrounded by dealers and seasoned
players who are never hesitant to criticize when mistakes are made.
“How is a new player supposed to learn when they’re afraid to ask any
questions?” Sahl says.
The elements of uncertainty in a live game of blackjack need to be experi-
enced to be understood, but the elements that make the game exciting also
create a barrier of entry to the most novice players. And though bar-top and
electronic blackjack games provide an opportunity to privately learn some of
the rules and strategy, these games don’t give players the chance to learn the
more intimidating, but also exhilarating, unwritten social rules.
For example, says Sahl, “Players are expected to know not to touch their
cards once they are dealt, and they need to know which hand gesture means
‘hit’ and which hand gesture means ‘stay.’ Unless, of course, you’re playing at
a table where you are expected to pick up your cards and there is an entirely
new set of rules to follow.”
Though blackjack can offer the skill-based and social elements that
younger players want—including memorable interactions with friends, play-
ers and dealers—we have to first encourage millennials to view blackjack as
their game.
“Part of the trick is not only to think about what the millennial wants as
an individual, but to think about what a group of millennial friends wants to
play together,” says Sahl.
A game like roulette, though it offers no real skill, provides socialization
with simplicity and without uncertainty. And although the social space of the
casino needs to be improved upon, we can’t forget that the existing game of
blackjack also has room for innovation.Changing the Game
As the industry adjusts the blackjack experience to be more friendly and
inviting, innovative additions to the blackjack table, like side bets, progres-
sives and electronic apparatus, should be what keeps both new and experi-
enced players coming back for more.
“When compared with other table games, blackjack has seen the most
changes over the years, and often these changes cater to recreational players,”
says Roger Snow, vice president of table games for Scientific Games. “Not too
long ago, serious players would hunt down the best blackjack game in terms
of rules and number of decks. But now players are there to have fun, and
these changes are designed to cater to that audience.”
For operators and manufacturers, satisfying both old and new customers
becomes a difficult balancing act. For hardcore players, the base game of
blackjack may become repetitive after a while, and side bets like 21+3, Lucky
Ladies and Buster Blackjack, along with progressives like Blazing 7s and
Super 4, introduce more ways to win and keep things interesting.
“Everything needs to evolve. The genie’s not going back in the bottle and
blackjack’s not going back to what it was,” says Snow.
But different side bets appeal to different players, according to Snow.
“Experienced players know that these types of bets favor the house, so
side bets need enough volatility to entice them to play.”
Sahl agrees, noting, “Good side bets will always be important for casinos
as a source of increased revenue, and players like them because they provide
variation and volatility to the traditional game. With some side bets paying
100-to-1, 300-to-1 or even 500-to-1, most players will always be enticed by
the potential to turn $1 into $100.”
However, according to Max Rubin—casino consultant, author of Comp
City: A Guide to Free Casino Vacations, and host of the world-famous Black-
jack Ball—a key component of side bets should be hit frequency, not neces-
sarily volatility. Rubin is personally a fan of Buster Blackjack because of its
simplicity and hit frequency. Players win if the dealer busts, which, in a good
game of blackjack, should happen often. And, as a bonus, in certain cases
payouts on Buster Blackjack can be huge—as much as 250-to-1.
Sahl also believes that electronic blackjack games create additional room
for innovation, and that these versions are on the rise for several reasons.
These games allow novice players to brush up on their skills with relatively
low stakes—as low as 25 cents per hand, versus the typical $5 per hand mini-
mum at a table—as well as removing much of the intimidation factor that ac-
companies first-timers in live table games.
Despite the surge in popularity, however, electronic blackjack games
don’t currently provide the same socialization opportunities as live games.
The electronic games are a great way to learn the basics, but the socialization
opportunities in live table games are what carve out the future of blackjack
for millennials.“The question isn’t just about innovating the
games themselves.Instead, we should be
asking ourselves if the way we are
introducing the social side of table games like
blackjack is appealing to millennials.”
—Dan Sahl, Associate Director, UNLV International
Gaming Institute’s Center for Gaming Innovation“Once word gets out
that one casino has
better odds than another,
players will patronize
that casino even if they
don’t understand the
math behind why.”
—Anthony Curtis, Publisher, Las Vegas
Advisorp. 18 BJ:Layout 1 1/10/19 12:18 PM Page 19