News in Nevada

Gaming Ethics

I was interviewed for a show on casino gambling and the host asked hypothetical questions to average gamblers and gambling experts. Most of the questions they asked me on the show had to do with blackjack and I thought it would be fun if I turned around and asked you how you would handle these situations.

Suppose you are playing blackjack and a sloppy dealer exposes her hole card. What would you do if that happened? Would you tell the dealer? Or would you say nothing and use the information to your advantage when it came time to play out your hand?

Some players feel it is unethical to take advantage of the casino by knowing the value of the dealer’s hole card. However, I feel differently and said so.

My position when it comes to sloppy dealers is this. It is not my responsibility to ensure that dealers are following casino procedures. Floor supervisors and surveillance should be on the lookout for dealers who are not following procedures and correct them. Since the information on the dealer’s hole card was available to any player on the table, and since I wasn’t in cahoots with the dealer in a pre-planned cheating scam, I see no reason why a player can’t use the information to his or her advantage.

It turned out an official from the Nevada Gaming Board agreed with my conclusion. A sloppy dealer exposing her hole card is an issue that the casino needs to address and there is nothing illegal about a player taking advantage of the information in this scenario.

The host of the show fired this next question to me. “If you know the value of the hole card because of a sloppy dealer, would you share this information with one of your fellow players?” What would you do in this circumstance?

Several people that they interviewed on the show had mixed feelings about this. Some felt it was okay to use the information for their own benefit, but thought it was unethical to share that information with fellow players.

I felt otherwise. Blackjack is a social game; players often talk with each other. Now, I wouldn’t go out of my way to whisper to each player what the dealer’s hole card is, but if I had a friend or family member playing on the same table, I wouldn’t be averse to offering them advice on how they should play their hand based on what I knew was the dealer’s hole card.

Remember, it’s the casino’s responsibility to enforce their procedures and to be sure dealers aren’t exposing their hole card, and besides, there is nothing illegal about sharing information or offering another player advice on how to play their hand. You may not agree 100% with my response, but that is how I see it.

Another question the host asked me had to do with a cheating dealer. “What if you were playing blackjack and you have a strong suspicion that a fellow player and your dealer were involved in a cheating scam to bilk the casino? What would you do? Would you ignore the situation and just keep playing? Would you leave the table and discreetly inform a floor supervisor of the alleged cheating that you believe was going on? What would you do in this situation?

My response was to get off the table, and fast. The reason is that if the casino bosses discovered that the dealer was cheating, because you were playing on the table at the time the cheating occurred you could also have been implicated or at least held for questioning.

Plus, if the dealer was that good at cheating what’s to say the dealer wasn’t going to cheat you? I don’t remember what my response was regarding notifying a supervisor of the alleged cheating, but that’s a tough call. I could go either way on this and I guess even now I’m undecided whether I’d go out of my way and notify a supervisor or just leave (what would you do?).

J Aff Tie the Knot

Jennifer Lopez (the former J Lo) and Ben Affleck recently tied the knot at a tiny 12:30 a.m. ceremony at the Little White Chapel on Las Vegas Blvd. a few blocks south of Fremont Street. Apparently, they were running a little late for the midnight reservation after picking up their license at 11:30, but the chapel stayed open to accommodate the love-struck superstars, who were previously engaged, but then broke up in 2004. According to the breathless reports, Jennifer wore two white dresses, one sleeveless to the chapel, the other sleeved that she donned while Ben was changing into his white tuxedo in the men’s room. The witnesses were Ben and Jen’s five children from previous marriages; it’s the fourth marriage for Jen, 52, and the second for Ben, 49. The marriage license reportedly shows that Jennifer is changing her last name to Affleck.

Formula One Attraction Announced

Formula One has wasted no time making Las Vegas its own. Mere weeks after the late March announcement of the race itself, scheduled for November 25, 2023, the parent company picked up a 39-acre parcel at Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane for $240 million to establish a permanent presence here. Only a couple of months later, Formula 1 has revealed its plan for an “Experience” attraction on the property for Formula 1 fans. Speculation on the Experience at press time revolved around race simulators and a go-kart track, possibly a museum, definitely merchandising, almost certainly a bar and snack bar if not a full-scale restaurant, and whatever else the F1 creative team has up its sleeve.

Elton’s Last Hurrah

Originally not on the schedule for Elton John’s “last-ever” North American tour, one night at Allegiant Stadium has been added. The “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Final Tour” will stop in Las Vegas on November 1. It’s fitting that Elton includes Vegas on the tour; this is his most-played city in the world, with nearly 500 shows, including two multi-year residences, over the course of his 50-plus-year career.

Silverton Turns 25 with a Refresh

Silverton is turning 25 this year and will undergo a $45 million “reimagining.” The hotel rooms will be remodeled with three different “rustic-luxe” themes: Rustic Modern, Cowboy Kitsch, and Livin’ Lodge. The pool will also be redone. Both are scheduled to reopen early next year. The rest of the resort, including the casino, all the restaurants, and Bass Pro Shops, will remain open during the $45 million reconstruction.

What's News in Nevada . . .

Cannabis Lounge Regulations Approved

The Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board finally approved the regulations for pot-smoking lounges. Consumption is restricted to a specific lounge area; only cannabis can be ingested (no alcohol, tobacco, etc.); lounges must take steps to reduce worker exposure to secondhand smoke, cannabis-impaired driving, and other safety-related rules; and lounges must provide free water. The state will issue 20 licenses; a lottery will select the licensees if applications exceed 20. The first lounges could open by the end of the year.

Circus Cranks up Coin Slots

Circus Circus, the only Strip casino remaining where you can play coin-operated slot machines, has added $5 machines to keep its $1 slots company. The press release identifies the payback at 97.4%, so your expectation is to lose 13 cents per $5 token.

7 April