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TABLE GAMING
Blurring the edge
Traditional, live table gaming has been undergoing a quiet revolution
that seems to be picking up the pace. Hybrid games are moving into
the middle ground between electronic gaming and slots on one hand,
and traditional tables. Casino International checks out the territory...
T
en years ago, DigiDeal came into being to live players seated at the table, who will be able to opt
bring a simple concept to reality – to take to play Inspired’s Multi-Win Roulette and, soon,
physical cards away from table games. Baccarat on Inspired’s own multi-content terminal.
Traditional card games require casinos to Taking lives games out onto what amount to slot
account for cards pretty much the same machines has major advantages in jurisdictions, such
way as they account for currency, and also mean that as the UK, where limits are set on the number of slots
dealers have to have a set of specialist skills in order can be located in a facility – terminal games are not
to run a live table. The ‘eureka’ moment that led to classed at slots.
DigiDeal’s foundation was the idea of removing
physical cards from play entirely – and idea that led Live Draw Poker partnership
to the company’s first patented product, the DCS TCSJOHNHUXLEY has been working with Project
(Digital Card System). Coin to develop Live Draw Poker, which turns a live
Add in the Virtual Chip System, a bill acceptor and poker game into content that can be delivered to the
a ticket printer, and the DCS platform can be run Accuplay platform. The aim is clear: to bring a live
without a human operator, which is part of the vision game to many more people on the floor, but also to
that led to DigiDeal’s Digital Table System, DTS. make the entry cost for the player lower and the
Again, offering seven player seats and a live hosting reduce the potential embarrassment factor of a
facility, DTS can be set up to use traditional chips, or novice player, who can pick up the game playing solo
offer full virtual play by using on-screen virtual chips on a slot terminal, rather than as part of a group of
and player banking through its built-in bill validation players at a live table.
and ticket printing technology. Compatible with all And that’s one of the advantages of a system like
SAS back-end management systems, in its full virtual TouchBet Roulette, as TCSJOHNHUXLEY’s Product
configuration, DTS effectively becomes a slot Communication Manager, Luke Davis explains:
machine in many “slot only” jurisdictions. Larger, 12- “TouchBet Roulette encouraged me try some bets I
inch touch screens enhance the player experience… wouldn’t have tried before, and I certainly learned
One of a host of electronic multiplayer
And to round off the DigiDeal range, the DTS-X about the more complex bets for which you have to
table games: the DigiDeal DTS-X.
Table is a non-hosted Linux-based table game system call the dealer a live table the bets for you. There’s a
that can be configured for 4 to 10 players. With 15- fear factor for new players, akin to going to an
inch inch player LCD touch screens, the DTS-X uses a auction for the first time…and on a live table, you
large centre display to display the game action. can feel exposed.”
Other game designers and equipment “There’s also the anonymity with TouchBet– a high
manufacturers moved from other start points, but hitter can sit next to someone eking out a betting
mixing live and automated table action to deliver a budget of £10, and no-one need know if the players
new or hybrid experience wasn’t exclusive to DigiDeal. keep one area of their screen covered. There isn’t a
big pile of high-value chips or a small stack of low
Mixing live and automated gaming denomination chips in front of the players to give
For instance operators who already run a live their positions away…”
Blackjack table will soon be able to add a new
revenue stream with Inspired Gaming’s Automated A better deal for dealers?
Blackjack system. Live play is tracked by a camera, Semi-automated gaming, using technology to take on
and the game is dealt by a human croupier taking some of the functions of a live dealer, can allow the
direction from a dealer console. dealer to relax more, safe in the knowledge that the
In its 'fully automatic' mode, the system, which can mechanics of the game and of betting, and the
be ‘bolted on’ to a live table, allows an unlimited security issues are largely being taken care of by the
number of players to participate remotely, and bet on system. This means a reduced need for time and
Bringing live poker action to a slot near
multiple hands, via electronic terminals. A second money spent on training dealers in technical skills,
you: TCSJOHNHUXLEY and Project Coin. mode allows remote terminal players to 'back bet' on and allows operators “to get personalities who can
40 MARCH 2009
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