For a long time, slot machines have contributed the majority of gaming revenue to casinos, and table games were once considered on the brink of extinction. However, at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow in San Diego, several industry experts pointed out that table games still maintain strong momentum. This is due to several factors: their traditional status as the energy centers of casinos, increasing volatility and enhancing casino advantage through side bets, and electronic table games helping new players easily learn the rules. Honestly, no one expected that in the face of the strong presence of slot machines, table games would not only survive but also find a new way to thrive through "self-evolution".
Side Bets and Volatility: The New Engines of Table Games
Galaxy Gaming President and CEO Matt Reback stated that the table area on Friday or Saturday nights is the energy center of the casino, where players still crave the tactile experience—touching chips, seeing the cards, and handling the deck. Ari Mizrachi, Senior Vice President of Tangam Systems, added a key statistic: today, 50% of table players also play slot machines, whereas twenty years ago, this percentage was only around 10%. This means that the boundaries between the two types of players are blurring, with slot machine players seeking volatility, and table games successfully attracting this new audience by introducing side bet mechanisms similar to those of slot machines.
Take Light & Wonder's "Double Down Madness" as an example, this game allows players to double down on any hand, and continue to draw cards after doubling. The catch is, if the dealer gets 22 points, all bets without a side bet are considered a push—unless the player has placed a "22 Push" side bet, which pays 11 times if the dealer hits 22 points. This increases the average casino advantage from about 1% under basic strategy to between 4.8% and 5.7%. Mizrachi noted that side bets like Lucky Ladies and 21+3 have been widely accepted by players, even though they know the casino advantage is higher. He revealed that the average blackjack casino advantage in Nevada is as high as 12.7%, indicating that most players do not use basic strategy and are open to side bets, even craving the kind of "life-changing" volatility.
Electronic Table Games: Lowering the Barrier, But Not a Panacea
Electronic table games have consistently accounted for about 2% of the electronic gaming machine area in casinos, a percentage that has not changed much over the past twenty years. Jon Hanlin, Global President of Table Games at Light & Wonder, believes that ETGs are currently transitioning from a large venue experience to a standalone product or personal experience. For individual players, ETGs speed up decision-making and offer a non-threatening way to learn. Reback added that side bets like 21+3 and Lucky Ladies are also popular on ETGs, essentially serving as a hybrid product that caters to both traditional table players and slot machine players. For operators, ETGs solve staffing issues—if you want to offer low-limit tables, small bets, complex mathematical calculations, or progressive jackpots, dealers cannot manage alone, and ETGs provide a rich selection.
However, ETGs also have significant drawbacks. Mizrachi pointed out that in some jurisdictions, ETGs are classified as slot machines, and any winnings over $2000 require a W-2G form to be filled out, which can frustrate high-end players because each substantial win interrupts the game. Additionally, most casinos only offer 2x odds on craps on ETGs, which true table players would never accept—essentially saying "we don't want you to play ETGs".
Online Table Games and the Data Value of AI
Experts believe that online table games offer another advantage: real-time data. Hanlin frankly stated that operators in physical casinos have not yet invested enough funds to accurately generate data. Light & Wonder once developed RFID chips, but eventually shelved the project due to limited costs operators were willing to pay. However, artificial intelligence could change this situation by reducing data collection costs. Reback emphasized that AI is a data-consuming machine, the more data collected—whether through cameras, RFID, or seat sensors—the better the results. The real value lies in pattern detection, which helps in game protection and marketing. For example, by identifying patterns of player losses, timely interventions can provide compensation, show tickets, or rooms, making players feel the value of the experience and preventing them from making the "fatal decision" to leave the casino and never return.
All experts agree that table games are still a viable and healthy product for casinos. Reback concluded that with dealer interaction and social attributes, there will always be people who like to go to a place to talk to others—these people are the loyal fans of table games. For more global gaming industry trends and technological innovations, continue to follow PASA official website.
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