Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) Hybrid gaming tables and electronic
wagering terminals used to play Blackjack shall comply with the requirements in
Chapter 605a (relating to electronic gaming tables).
(b) The layout for Blackjack played on a
hybrid gaming table shall be submitted to the Bureau of Gaming Operations for
approval in accordance with §
601a.10(a)
(relating to approval of table game layouts, signage and equipment) and
contain, at a minimum:
(1) The name or logo
of the certificate holder.
(2)
Three designated boxes for the placement of player's cards.
(3) A designated box for the placement of the
dealer's cards.
(4) A community box
for the placement of additional cards drawn by the dealer.
(c) Each electronic wagering terminal
connected to a hybrid gaming table shall contain, at a minimum:
(1) An electronic layout submitted to the
Bureau of Gaming Operations for approval in accordance with §
601a.10(a).
(2) A game rules icon explaining the rules of
Blackjack play, including that Blackjack pays 3 to 2, dealer stands on all soft
17s and insurance pays 2 to 1, and any rules selected by the certificate holder
regarding the action that may automatically be taken at the conclusion of the
countdown clock when a player does not elect to hit or stand.
(3) If the certificate holder is offering the
Buzzer Beater wager, a game rules icon explaining the optional wager and the
payout odds.
(d) Each
hybrid gaming table offering Blackjack must have a card reader device attached
to the top of the dealer's side of the table. The floorperson assigned to the
hybrid gaming table shall inspect the card reader device at the beginning of
each gaming day to ensure that there has been no tampering with the device and
that it is in proper working order.
(e) Unless a continuous shuffler is used,
each hybrid gaming table must have a discard rack securely attached to the top
of the dealer's side of the table. The height of each discard rack must either:
(1) Equal the height of the cards, stacked
one on top of the other, in the total number of decks that are to be used in
the dealing shoe at that table.
(2)
Be taller than the height of the total number of decks being used if the
discard rack has a distinct and clearly visible mark on its side to show the
exact height for a stack of cards equal to the total number of cards in the
number of decks to be used in the dealing shoe at that table.
(f) Blackjack played on a hybrid
gaming table shall be played with six decks or eight decks of cards that are
identical in appearance and a card shuffling device.
(g) The decks of cards opened for use at a
hybrid gaming table offering Blackjack shall be changed at least once every 24
hours.
(h) The value of the cards
shall be as follows:
(1) A card from 2 to 10
shall have its face value.
(2) A
jack, queen or king shall have a value of 10.
(3) An ace shall have a value of 11 unless
that value would give a player or the dealer a score in excess of 21, in which
case the ace shall have a value of 1.
(i) After receiving six decks or eight decks
of cards at the table, the dealer shall inspect the cards for any defects. The
floorperson assigned to the table shall verify the inspection.
(j) Unless the decks of cards received at the
table were pre-inspected and preshuffled in accordance with § 603a.16(u)
or (v) (relating to cards; receipt, storage, inspection and removal from use),
the cards shall be turned face down on the table, mixed thoroughly by a washing
of the cards, stacked and shuffled using an automated card shuffling device so
that the cards are randomly intermixed. Upon completion of the shuffle, the
cards shall be placed in the dealing shoe. Cards shall be dealt from a dealing
shoe that reads the value of the cards which must be located on the table in a
location approved by the Bureau of Casino Compliance in accordance with §
601a.10(g).
(k) A Blackjack wager
played on hybrid gaming tables shall be placed using each player's electronic
wagering terminal. Wagers, except an Insurance wager under §
633a.8 (relating to Insurance
wager), a Double Down wager under §
633a.10 (relating to Double Down
wager) or a wager on split pairs under §
633a.11 (relating to splitting
pairs), shall be placed prior to the first card being dealt for each round of
play.
(l) To participate in a round
of play, each player shall select a player position between one and three. To
compete against the dealer's hand, each player shall electronically place a
Blackjack wager.
(m) If specified
in its Rules Submission required under §
601a.10(a), a
certificate holder may offer to each player who placed a Blackjack wager, the
option of placing a Buzzer Beater wager that the player's hand will have a
point count of 19 or greater and will lose against the dealer's hand.
(n) At the commencement of each round of
play, the dealer shall, starting with the player position farthest to the
dealer's left that was selected by any player for that round of play and
continuing around the table in a clockwise manner, deal the cards as follows:
(1) One card face up to each player position
on the hybrid gaming table layout that was selected by any player.
(2) One card face up to the dealer.
(3) A second card face up to each player
position on the hybrid gaming table layout.
(4) A second card face down to the dealer.
(o) If the dealer's
first card is an ace, the dealer shall offer the Insurance wager or even money
in accordance with §
633a.8. If the dealer's first card
is an ace, king, queen, jack or 10, the dealer shall then determine whether the
hole card will give the dealer a Blackjack. The dealer shall insert the hole
card into the card reader device by moving the card face down on the layout
without exposing it to anyone at the table, including the dealer. If the dealer
has a Blackjack, additional cards may not be dealt and each player's Blackjack
wager and the Buzzer Beater wager, if applicable, shall be settled.
(p) After the procedures in subsection (o)
have been completed, if necessary, and if the player position:
(1) Has Blackjack and the dealer's upcard is
a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, the Blackjack shall be electronically paid in
accordance with subsection (v)(1). If any Buzzer Beater wagers were placed on
that player position, the losing Buzzer Beater wagers shall be
cleared.
(2) Does not have
Blackjack, each player shall electronically indicate whether he wishes to
double down as permitted under §
633a.10, split pairs as permitted
under §
633a.11, stand or draw additional
cards. A player who takes no action by the conclusion of the countdown clock
will be deemed to stand on his hand.
(q) If any player elects to double down,
split or draw additional cards, the dealer shall draw additional cards face up.
The drawn cards shall be used as community cards for all player
positions.
(r) A player may elect
to electronically hit to draw additional cards whenever the point count for his
chosen player position is less than 21, except that:
(1) A player having Blackjack or a hard or
soft total of 21 may not draw additional cards.
(2) A player electing to make a Double Down
wager will utilize only the first community card.
(s) After the decisions of each player
position have been implemented and all additional community cards have been
dealt, the dealer shall turn the hole card face up. A additional cards required
to be dealt to the hand of the dealer shall be dealt face up. The dealer shall
draw additional cards until he has a hard or soft total of 17, 18, 19, 20 or
21.
(t) A player's Blackjack wager
shall:
(1) Win and be electronically paid in
accordance with the payout odds in subsection (v)(1) if:
(i) The total point count of the player's
hand is 21 or less and the total point count of the dealer's hand is in excess
of 21.
(ii) The total point count
of the player's hand exceeds the total point count of the dealer's hand without
exceeding 21.
(iii) The player has
a Blackjack and the dealer's hand has a total point count of 21 in more than
two cards.
(2) Push if
the total point count of the player's hand is the same as the
dealer's.
(3) Be lost if:
(i) The total point count of the player's
hand is in excess of 21 and the total point count of the dealer's hand is 21 or
less.
(ii) The total point count of
the dealer's hand exceeds the total point count of the player's hand without
exceeding 21.
(iii) The dealer has
a Blackjack and the player's hand has a total point count of 21 in more than
two cards.
(u) If any player placed a Buzzer Beater
wager, the player's Buzzer Beater wager shall:
(1) Win and be electronically paid in
accordance with subsection (v)(3) if the player's hand was a 19, 20, 21 or a
Blackjack and the dealer's hand was equal to or greater than the player's hand
without exceeding 21.
(2) Lose and
be electronically collected if:
(i) The
player's hand beat the dealer's hand.
(ii) The dealer's hand beat the player's hand
and the player did not have a 19, 20, 21 or Blackjack.
(v) Payout odds:
(1) Each winning Blackjack wager shall be
paid electronically at odds of 1 to 1 with the exception of player Blackjack
which shall be paid at odds of 3 to 2.
(2) A winning Insurance wager shall be paid
electronically at odds of 2 to 1.
(3) A winning Buzzer Beater wager shall be
paid electronically at the following odds:
|
Player Hand
|
Dealer Hand
|
Payout Odds
|
| Blackjack |
Blackjack |
5 to 1 |
| 20 |
20 |
5 to 1 |
| 20 |
21 or Blackjack |
30 to 1 |
| 19 |
19 |
5 to 1 |
| 19 |
20 |
10 to 1 |
| 19 |
21 or Blackjack |
10 to 1 |
(w) A certificate holder may offer a version
of Blackjack on a hybrid gaming table whereby the dealer does not receive a
hole card. If offering this version of Blackjack, subsections (a), (c)(1) and
(2) and (d)-(k) apply in addition to the following provisions.
(x) To participate in a round of play, the
player shall electronically place a Blackjack wager. If specified in its Rules
Submission required under §
601a.10(a), the
certificate holder may offer to each player who placed a Blackjack wager the
option of placing electronically a Royal Match 21 wager, a Bet the Set wager or
a Kings Bounty wager as provided in § 633a.6(e)(4)-(6) (relating to
wagers).
(y) At the commencement of
each round of play, the dealer shall deal the cards as follows:
(1) One card face up, which shall be used as
all players- first card.
(2) A
second card face up, which shall be used as the dealer's first card.
(3) A third card face up, which shall be used
as all players- second card.
(4)
Cards dealt after the first three shall be community cards and may be
designated to a player or to the dealer depending on the choices each player
makes with respect to his hand.
(z) If the dealer's first card is an ace, the
electronic wagering terminal shall offer the Insurance wager in accordance with
§ 633a.8. Each player shall electronically indicate whether he wishes to
place an Insurance wager, if applicable, or to surrender as permitted under
§ 633a.9 (relating to surrender), double down as permitted under §
633a.10, split pairs for a total
of two hands as permitted under §
633a.11, stand or draw additional
cards. A player may elect to electronically draw additional cards whenever the
point count for his chosen player position is less than 21, except that a
player having Blackjack or a hard or soft total of 21 may not draw additional
cards. A player who takes no action by the conclusion of the countdown clock
will be deemed to stand on his hand provided that if the certificate holder
selects different options, such as a player's hand of an 11 will automatically
hit if the player takes no action at the conclusion of the countdown clock,
those options shall be explained to the player in the game rules icon as
provided in subsection (c)(2).
(aa)
After the decisions of each player position have been implemented, the dealer
shall deal a community card face up which shall be used as follows:
(1) If the player's two cards gave the player
Blackjack, the community card dealt shall be used as the dealer's hole card. If
the hole card:
(i) Also gave the dealer a
Blackjack, the player's Blackjack wager shall push and be electronically
returned to the player and, if applicable, the winning Insurance wager shall be
electronically paid in accordance with subsection (ee)(1).
(ii) Did not give the dealer Blackjack, the
player's winning Blackjack wager shall be paid in accordance with subsection
(ee)(2) and the losing Insurance wager, if applicable, shall be electronically
collected.
(2) If the
player's two cards did not give the player Blackjack but the player elected to
stand and not receive additional cards, the first community card dealt shall be
used as the dealer's hole card. If the hole card:
(i) Gives the dealer a Blackjack, no
additional community cards shall be designated to the player or dealer's hand
and the player's losing Blackjack wager shall be electronically collected. If
applicable, the winning Insurance wager shall be electronically paid in
accordance with subsection (ee)(1).
(ii) Did not give the dealer Blackjack, the
losing Insurance wager, if applicable, shall be electronically collected. The
community cards revealed thereafter shall be added to the dealer's hand in
accordance with subsection (bb).
(3) If the player's two cards did not give
the player Blackjack and the player elected to hit, split pairs or double down,
the first community card shall be added to the player's hand. If a player:
(i) Split aces or doubled down in accordance
with §§
633a.10 and
633a.11, the player's hand shall
be complete after the first community card is dealt and the player may not hit
to receive additional community cards. After the first community card is
designated to the player's hand, if the player's hand is over 21 before any
additional cards are revealed, the player's losing Blackjack wager shall be
electronically collected. The community cards revealed thereafter shall be
added to the dealer's hand in accordance with subsection (bb).
(ii) Elected to hit or split pairs, other
than aces, the player may then stand or may elect to continue to hit and
receive additional community cards added to the player's hand until the point
count of each of the player's hands is a hard or soft 21 or less. If the
player's hand is over 21 before the dealer's second/hole card is revealed, the
player's losing Blackjack wager shall be electronically collected. Once a
player stands, the community cards revealed thereafter shall be added to the
dealer's hand in accordance with subsection (bb).
(bb) Once the player has made all
decisions with respect to his hand or hands, the next card dealt shall be
designated to the dealer's hand. If the dealer's two cards:
(1) Gives the dealer a Blackjack, no
additional community cards shall be designated to the dealer's hand and the
player's losing Blackjack wager shall be electronically collected. If
applicable, the winning Insurance wager shall be electronically paid in
accordance with subsection (ee)(1). If a player split pairs and the dealer's
second card gave the dealer Blackjack, the amount of the original wager of the
player shall be electronically collected and if the player's split hand did not
exceed 21, the additional amount wagered in splitting pairs shall be
electronically returned to the player.
(2) Does not give the dealer a Blackjack, the
losing Insurance wager, if applicable, shall be electronically collected. The
additional community cards dealt thereafter shall be designated to the dealer's
hand until the point count of the dealer's hand is a hard or soft total of 17,
18, 19, 20 or 21.
(cc) A
player's Blackjack wager shall win, lose or push as provided in subsection
(t).
(dd) If any player placed a
Royal Match wager, a Bet the Set wager or a King's Bounty wager, those wagers
shall be electronically settled in accordance with §
633a.7(g)(4)-(6)
(relating to procedure for dealing the cards; completion of each round of
play).
(ee) Payout odds:
(1) A winning Insurance wager shall be paid
electronically at odds of 2 to 1.
(2) Each winning Blackjack wager shall be
paid electronically at odds of 1 to 1 with the exception of player Blackjack
which shall be paid at odds of 3 to 2.
(3) The certificate holder shall pay out
winning Royal Match and the Crown Treasure bonus as provided in §
633a.13(f)
(relating to payout odds; payout limitation).
(4) The certificate holder shall pay out a
winning Bet the Set wager as provided in § 633a.13(g).
(5) The certificate holder shall pay out a
winning King's Bounty wager as provided in § 633a.13(h).
