Pixel Poker: Is This the Future?
Is the thrill of live poker getting old? Are today’s average live tables too slow paced to be enjoyable and perhaps even too laborious for less profitable casinos to operate? These are valid concerns that the interested parties in the poker world have been attempting to solve for some time.
Electric poker tables are one of the many fads to emerge in the poker industry – but are they good? The tables include HR touch screens that intend to replicate the traditional live poker experience closely.
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From inspecting your hand to placing a wager and other activities, everything is done with hand gestures. For example, placing cupped hands around hole cards will reveal them, whereas pressing the screen will check the cards. These features are easy to use and economical for the house, but they are not to everyone’s taste.
They sound like a fun idea, but are they? Well, this isn’t the first time we have heard about these no-dealer electronic poker tables. No dealer poker tables have been around for a while, and in our experience they were more of a miss than a hit in the past.
Poker Table History
Three electronic poker rooms have operated in Las Vegas. All of these are now history.
Excalibur tried its hand at Pokertek’s PokerPro tables in 2008. It was a complete failure. You will still find these electronic tables in some states that do not allow live cards, and cruise ships that don’t want to house dealers.
PokerPro digital tables surfaced in Las Vegas in 2013, in The Plaza hotel. The casino tried the relaunched machines, and eventually, the tables found a home at the Aliante Casino in North Las Vegas.
Both casinos indicated that the tables were a hit. The games, however, were a kind of sideshow and not serious in terms of stakes. Small cash games and tournaments are available at both casinos. For cash games, the blinds were usually $0.50/$1 or $1/$2, and the cost of the tournaments ranged from $6 to $33.
In 2016, the owners sold Pokertek (digital poker game developer). The new owner appeared uninterested in acquiring a Nevada gambling license, so the machines were removed from The Plaza and Aliante promptly and have not been seen in Nevada since.
The Pokertek website appears to be defunct. Its blog was last updated over a year ago, changing to an online casino promotion site rather than an industry web page.
So are electronic poker tables any good, or should we discard the idea entirely? Some may believe that the no-dealer electronic table’s history is enough to go on, while others may still think this idea has some potential.
Pros of Electronic Poker Tables
Plenty of Choice
The ten-seat electric poker tables are set up for Omaha action and Texas Hold ’em, ensuring that these popular poker games are covered. These tables, however, provide so much more than the opportunity to just play poker, it’s an entire experience.
Electronic poker tables attempt to emulate the live experience by allowing players to use hand gestures to control the game. Computerized poker tables include various side games for players to get involved with between hands, making for a more enjoyable gaming experience.
Players can choose from roulette, blackjack, baccarat, video poker, craps and even eSports as downtime side games.
Easy Access
Poker has always been popular in venues worldwide, especially in Nevada. However, many opportunities to play have closed in recent years since it was no longer financially sustainable to keep them open.
The issue of closures might have a remedy in the form of electric poker tables. These games are a fantastic alternative for smaller rooms because they require very little attention. After all, there are no live dealers, and players can buy in using casino tickets, cash and in some cases Crypto.
So, Which One Should I Choose?
From the standpoint of practicality, electronic poker tables have a lot to offer. These tables allow both players and casinos to deal more hands each hour, increasing their playing potential for both parties.
Digital tables are pretty similar to the entire online experience; thus, this notion will likely appeal to Gen Z or Millenials players (over the age of 21) who grew up playing online poker. However, for players who are accustomed to mainly playing live, this might not be as appealing.
There will always be people who distrust the Random Number Generators used in online poker games, but they’re likely the type to resist anything if computerization is at the core. You can hand out as many certifications or stickers as you think fit to show that your games have been tested, but some players will still be concerned.
Furthermore, there are no cards or chips to handle, which will inevitably detract from the experience. For many players who spend a lot of time on the felt, raffling chips has become second nature, so playing without something to keep your hands busy might be uncomfortable.
Overall, electronic or electric poker tables are a good concept, easy to use, and accessible, but they have yet to catch on in the same way as live casinos.
