Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) In lieu of
the card shuffling and inspection procedures to be followed at an open gaming
table set forth in
13:69E-1.18, a casino licensee may
elect to:
1. Pre-inspect and pre-shuffle cards
prior to the delivery of the cards to an open gaming table; or
2. Use a licensed vendor to supply
pre-shuffled and pre-inspected cards.
(b) If a casino licensee elects to
pre-inspect and pre-shuffle cards, the process shall occur at a closed gaming
table or another location approved by the Division and shall be performed by a
dealer and verified by a casino supervisor with no concurrent supervisory
responsibility for open gaming tables. The procedures required by (b)1 through
7 below shall be recorded by the surveillance department and each such
recording shall be retained by the casino licensee for not less than seven
days.
1. Upon receipt of the decks of cards
pursuant to
13:69E-1.18(c)2,
the dealer shall perform the procedures in (b)2 through 7 below independently
for each batch of cards that will be sealed in a container, with the number of
decks of cards in each batch being equal to the number of decks of cards
required for the table game in which they are intended to be used.
2. The dealer shall visually inspect the back
of each card to assure that it is not flawed, scratched or marked in any way
that might compromise the integrity or fairness of the game.
3. The dealer shall then shuffle the cards,
manually or using an approved automated shuffling device, in a manner permitted
by the applicable rules governing the table game at which the cards will be
utilized.
4. To ensure that there
are no missing or extra cards, the dealer shall inspect the cards utilizing a
machine approved by the Division. The machine shall issue a receipt that shall,
at a minimum, include:
i. The manufacturer,
model and serial number of the card inspection machine;
ii. The name or identification number of the
dealer who operates the machine;
iii. The location at which the inspection is
performed;
iv. The date and time of
the inspection;
v. The manufacturer
and type of cards, the number of decks, and the table game for which the cards
are inspected;
vi. The result of
the inspection and, if failed, the identification of any missing or extra
card(s); and
vii. The number of the
seal to be used on the clear container in which the cards will be placed
pursuant to (b)7 below.
5. If the inspection fails, the casino
licensee shall follow the procedures set forth in
13:69E-1.18.
6. Upon completion of the pre-inspection and
pre-shuffling of the cards in the batch, the dealer and supervisor shall sign
the receipt certifying that the cards were pre-inspected and pre-shuffled in
accordance with this subsection.
7.
For each batch of pre-inspected and pre-shuffled cards the dealer shall place
the cards together with the receipt required by (b)4 above in a clear container
that conforms to the requirements of
13:69E-1.18(f).
The container shall be sealed with a pre-numbered label unique to such
container. Procedures for the maintenance and security of unused seals, and the
distribution, return and reconciliation of seals used on containers holding
pre-inspected and pre-shuffled cards shall be detailed in the casino licensee's
internal controls.
8. The sealed
containers of cards shall be transported by a:
i. Table games supervisor to the gaming pit
of the gaming tables where they will be utilized and either locked in the pit
stand in accordance with
13:69E-1.18(c) or
(d), or placed in a locked cabinet in the
gaming pit, the keys to which shall be available only to table games
supervisors and subject to sign-out and sign-in procedures; or
ii. Table games supervisor or a casino key
employee designated in accordance with the provisions of
13:69E-1.18(c)
and a casino security officer to an approved primary card storage area or poker
card storage area where they shall be placed back into card inventory and
segregated from cards that have not been pre-inspected and pre-shuffled. A
record of the transport of the sealed containers of cards to the card storage
area shall be maintained by the casino security department.
9. When cards are needed for play,
each container of cards shall be delivered by a table games supervisor to an
open gaming table. Upon delivery, the table games supervisor shall unseal the
container, place the decks of cards on the gaming table in front of the dealer.
The supervisor shall record on the receipt contained within the container, the
date, time and shift that the container was opened, and the pit and table
number where cards are to be used. Once the information has been recorded, the
supervisor shall sign the receipt, and retain the receipt and container at the
gaming table.
(c) If a
casino licensee elects to use a licensed vendor to supply pre-inspected and
pre-shuffled cards, the manufacturer shall:
1. Obtain approval from the Division for the
automated shuffling device used to pre-shuffle cards; and
2. Implement a process for shuffling and
packaging cards which shall, at a minimum, include:
i. Visual inspection of the back of each card
to assure that it is not flawed, scratched or marked in any way that might
compromise the integrity or fairness of the game;
ii. Verification that each package of cards
contains the correct number and is constituted in accordance with the specific
rules of the game the cards are intended for use;
iii. Inserting the cards in a package with a
tamper-proof seal(s) that bears a conspicuous indication if the package has
been opened. The exterior of the package shall indicate:
(1) The total number of decks contained
within the package; and
(2) The
game(s) the cards are intended for use; and
iv. Generation by the automated shuffling
device in use, of a receipt to be inserted in the sealed package which shall
include the information in (c)2iii(1) through (4) below:
(1) The total number of cards and decks
contained within the package;
(2)
The date and time the cards were shuffled and verified;
(3) Identification of the manufacturer's
employee who performed the process in (c)2 above; and
(4) The manufacturer, model and serial number
of the device used to shuffle the cards.
(d) Cards inspected and shuffled
in accordance with (c) above shall be delivered in accordance with
13:69E-1.18, to an open gaming
table in the manufacturer's sealed packaging. Prior to using the cards at a
gaming table, a table games supervisor shall inspect the package for evidence
of tampering. If there is evidence of tampering, all cards in the package shall
not be used and the casino licensee shall follow the procedures set forth in
13:69E-1.18.
(e) Upon opening the package in (c) above,
the table games supervisor shall record on the receipt contained within the
package, the date and time that the package was opened, and the pit and table
number where cards are to be used. Once the information has been recorded, the
table games supervisor shall sign the receipt, place the cards on the table in
front of the dealer, and retain the receipt and original package at the gaming
table.
(f) For all pre-inspected
and pre-shuffled cards, upon the initial use and patron request the dealer
shall perform a strip or riffle shuffle of the cards and then cut the cards in
the manner prescribed by the rules governing the particular table
game.
(g) Upon removal from a
gaming table, pre-inspected and pre-shuffled cards shall be placed in the
original container or package as applicable, in which they were delivered to
the table together with the receipt, and returned to the security department
for inspection as required by
13:69E-1.18.
(h) The Division may, at any time, require a
casino licensee to provide any container or package of pre-inspected and
pre-shuffled cards.
