20 Global Gaming Business FEBRUARY 2019Player Disadvantages
Blackjack’s popular game play, social experiences and reputation as a “beat-
able” game ensure that it comprises roughly 50 percent of tables on the floor.
In recent years, however, casinos have used various methods to mitigate the
risks of advantage play. Side bets, for example, often have a greater house ad-
vantage than the base game.
“If you see a side bet on a game of blackjack, your best bet is usually to
not use it,” suggests Curtis.
And side bets aren’t the only way casinos make additional profit from
players. For those who understand the math behind games like blackjack, a
6:5 payoff versus a traditional 3:2 payoff is outrageous. But most recreational
players don’t know the difference.
“They don’t understand that 3:2 is 15:10 and 6:5 is only 12:10. Most
players haven’t been trained to do the math, or if they do understand the
math, they don’t understand the magnitude of difference,” says Curtis. A
few percentage points here and there drastically improves the profitability of
a table for the operator.
Moreover, nuances in the house rules are yet another way casinos may
create an edge for themselves.
“Can you resplit aces? Can you double down after splitting? Does the
dealer hit or stand on soft 17? One answer is better than the other in all
cases,” says Curtis, “but the recreational blackjack player has no idea.”
Couple these house rules with advancements in casino technologies—
like automatic card shufflers that deal anywhere from six to eight decks of
cards—and games are sped up, and casinos believe they’ve solved the advan-
tage play problem.
To some, it may seem like casinos should take advantage of their most
unassuming players. But, as is often the case, just because you can doesn’t
mean you should.
Curtis says, “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.”
Word-of-mouth goes a long way in the gaming industry, and it’s a way
of holding casinos accountable for treating their players fairly. Until there is a
universal industry standard, the incentive for casinos to offer better odds
than their competitors is the potential for increased popularity.The Social Side of Gaming
And while casino operators and game manufacturers are often primarily
data-driven, Rubin believes that the industry should be driven by the social
side of gaming, not the numbers. Casinos should provide patrons with op-
portunities to interact positively with friends, fellow players and dealers.
Players shouldn’t be greeted by isolation and unsmiling faces when seated at
a table game, as is often the case. Rubin believes that casinos need to reimag-ine what fun looks like for younger players and simultaneously breathe life
into a classic casino game—making game play more enjoyable for players of
all ages.
For now, however, countermeasures introduced to prevent advantage play
in blackjack contribute to the feelings of unease and intimidation that new-
comers experience. Rubin believes that these data-driven strategies ultimately
hurt casinos.
“All players should not be punished for the acts of a select few,” he says.
“Most players are not card counters, but we treat them like they are.”
Instead of creating strict rules and regulations, Rubin believes that a
casino’s profitability and success depend on the happiness of the people,
which depends as much on the friendliness of the encounter as the outcome
of the cards.
“Most dealers are part-time and haven’t been trained very well. They
don’t know how to spot card counters or interact with players,” says Rubin.
In the long run, a cost-saving strategy can lead to low morale because,
generally speaking, when dealers have fun, players have fun. Without the
proper training, dealers are simply taught how to deal quickly and efficiently,
often using automatic card shufflers to further expedite the dealing process.
Though speeding up the game should generate more revenue from an in-
creased number of hands, speeding up a game may also make players lose
faster and leave faster.
“Casinos are a people business, and data can’t be used to measure every-
thing because it doesn’t account for the human side of things,” says Rubin.
With social elements and innovative side bets, blackjack has the potential
to draw new players to the casino floor, as well as retain old ones. Starting
with the people, from attentive cocktail servers to properly trained dealers, we
want players to walk away feeling like winners—even after losing their last
chip. Frequent-hitting side bets, tables that pay 3:2, and advantageous house
rules should be what keeps these players coming back time and time again.
Though the data might show that this isn’t the fastest way to make a profit,
it’s the only way to ensure a happy, passionate base of loyal blackjack players.
Sources say that for now and for the foreseeable future, the biggest barrier
casinos need to overcome is getting millennials to sit down at their tables.
The games themselves aren’t the issue.
“The key to success in a game like blackjack,” says Sahl, “is creating a
more comfortable culture for younger players. Casinos should be asking
themselves how they can innovate the way table gaming is offered as a fun so-
cial experience.”Nicole Schultz is the global gaming capital coordinator of the International Gam-
ing Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, overseeing all communication
and public relations efforts, and a freelance writer for various publications.“All players should not be punished
for the acts of a select few. Most
players are not card counters, but we
treat them like they are.”
—Max Rubin, author ofComp City: A Guide to Free Casino
Vacationsand host of the world-famous Blackjack Ballp. 18 BJ:Layout 1 1/10/19 12:18 PM Page 20