Poker is a necessary annoyance for casino executives.

[iversonian]

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That's the underlying problem with these disneyland corporations, they want ALL their customers money. They're not satisfied with a tidy profit, they want ridiculously enourmous profits.

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I suppose you prefer the days when Vegas was barely a rest stop on the way to LA? Do you think Steve Wynn & Co. invested $630 million in the Mirage so he could keep dropping $3/hand in rake? Personally, I prefer the grandeur that is today's Vegas, and so do (#_of_2007_Vegas_tourists - #_of_1988_Vegas_tourists) other people. What do you think built these ridiculously luxurious mega-resorts if not ridiculously enormous profits / the anticipation of ridiculously enormous profits?

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It's not enough they have always made a killing at blackjack. Now they only pay 6/5 on half the games in town. Dealers hit soft 17. Any and all minute edges towards what was still "advantage: house" are being taken away. Soon blackjack will just be a booth where you write a check to parball corporation, LLC. They probably won't even provide a dank alley for you to die in without charging you.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then don't play. Or go to dingy old downtown where they still spread a decent game. I stopped doing that myself when I started making some decent money and decided I'd rather treat myself to a good time when I went to Vegas, rather than couting cards at the Four Queens even though the odds are better there.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

On the rare occasion I do play blackjack in this town, it is always downtown at the plaza or four queens. I was born during the day, but not yesterday.

And I don't begrudge businesses making a profit, not at all. I do begrudge businesses who screw both their customers and employees alike, motivated only by profits. These companies have forgotten that you can shear a sheep many times, but skin them only once.

There are businesses that both provide a product or service at a fair price, and make a very nice profit at the same time. Sometimes they even treat their employees very well. I do preferentially patronize these places whenever I can. The lucky lady in san diego is just such a place, which is why I played about 95% of my san diego poker there. Stan, kudos to you for running a great room and taking care of your customers.

Those days may be numbered, but that doesn't make it right. I'm sure walmart and harrahs would prefer that stan die in a gutter, but they're probably trying to figure out how to get a buck out of his dead carcus.

Corporate america is scum, plain and simple. The mega resorts could do much better in the long run by taking care of people now, even if that means slightly less profits today. They won't go broke, nor will their stockholders fail to collect their dividends. But for the most part, it seems they were born at night, last night.

Al

[JJT]

I don't understand about these new-fangled poker things. Are they like the poker machines in bar tops? Or, do several people play at them at one time? Does it mean that there are no longer cards and chips to handle? I'm not a great player, but I don't think I'd continue playing in such a soulless environment.

[EWillers]

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Corporate america is scum, plain and simple. The mega resorts could do much better in the long run by taking care of people now, even if that means slightly less profits today.

[/ QUOTE ]

If this were the case, then why hasn't the dominant model (as you describe it) been challenged?

If capitalism (when allowed to function) has proven anything it's that when there's a more efficient/better way of doing something, it will be discovered and implemented.

[Seb86]

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I don't understand about these new-fangled poker things. Are they like the poker machines in bar tops? Or, do several people play at them at one time? Does it mean that there are no longer cards and chips to handle? I'm not a great player, but I don't think I'd continue playing in such a soulless environment.

[/ QUOTE ]

yes, its basically a table with a central scree displaying the flop and players stack and each player has a screen with hole cards and options (check bet fold ...).

You need to put your hand on the screen to reveal the card, otherwise they are face down.

I played it once and really didnt enjoy. It was a 50+15$SNG and the stucture was crappy.

But I think it could work for :

-SNG (but with the structure and fee of online rooms)
-HU

These 2 things needs to be develloped in BM casinos and for low stakes it could be pretty good.

[iversonian]

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And I don't begrudge businesses making a profit, not at all. I do begrudge businesses who screw both their customers and employees alike, motivated only by profits. These companies have forgotten that you can shear a sheep many times, but skin them only once.

Corporate america is scum, plain and simple. The mega resorts could do much better in the long run by taking care of people now, even if that means slightly less profits today.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, that would be very convenient for you, if it were true; they'd make more money by doing what you want them to do. But where are your arguments in support of that bold contention? If you ask me, I think the best strategy is to take all their money as fast as you can (cost of *ahem* goods sold is lower that way) and then tell them you'll give them a free room & other bonuses next time they drop by -- exactly what they're trying to do now, incidentally. But what do I know. Maybe you're dead on about maximizing long term profits and this guy could learn a thing or two about the casino business by reading this thread.

[Bishop22]

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I for one would never regularly play these electronic casino poker games unless they were the only game offered within a 50 mile radius of my house.
I like live poker with cards and chips and that is what I want when I play live poker.

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Me too. Not only that, casinos are regulated in NJ so that there is an increase in employment. My opinion is that state government of NJ will never allow the dealers to be replaced by machines.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pokertek machines were already approved by the NJCC.

[laikeze]

But there will still be a place for dealers.

Halligan says casinos could charge a higher fee for the option of a live dealer similar to banks that have charged customers for using tellers instead of automated services such as ATMs


When you read the last line of the article it's pretty much in the hands of the casinos. When I first remember ATM's like 20 years ago,some people refused to deal with them and conitnued using the tellers. Since then the banks have slowly adjusted the mindest of the vast majority of the public. Now, pretty much all ATM's charge fees if your not a member of their bank, some banks even charge you if you withdrawal your money from another banks ATM, therefore getting double charged. (even at non fee ATM's my Bank Charges me).
Try having a paper check mailed to your home from your employer, instead of Direct Deposit, you run into roadblocks, such as banks charging you fees to have an account UNLESS you have direct deposit. With the younger workforce comfortable with ATMS and Direct Deposits and virtually no experience with bank tellers, it's completely in the Banks favor.
Now the casinos will do the same thing, those that really like the dealers and real chips will either have to adjust or be forced into to paying more for the dealer. Now, at first there will be alot of real dealer poker players, but slowly, they will decline until the vast majority of players will be playing these PokerTek like tables.
And the thing is, there isn't going to be any real reason for playing with a real dealer, players will soon realize that no tips and more hands per hour = more money. And to tell you the truth younger, more naive players may be quicker to try the electronic tables as they don;t have to 'interact' with a real person, since they are ATM and Direct Deposit comfortable.
This is just my opinion of how it may work out and for one enjoy real dealers and real chips.

[DeadMoneyWalking]

[ QUOTE ]

Try having a paper check mailed to your home from your employer, instead of Direct Deposit, you run into roadblocks, such as banks charging you fees to have an account UNLESS you have direct deposit. With the younger workforce comfortable with ATMS and Direct Deposits and virtually no experience with bank tellers, it's completely in the Banks favor.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why it's a [censored] pain in the ass the way they control us and are allowed to force direct deposit on people who don't want it. Our only recourse is to complain as often as possible.

[DayTripping]

Good point about the blackjack Al. I was at O'sheas recently and there was a game being dealt out of a SHOE that paid 6:5 blackjack. No gimmick at all, the dealers weren't dressed like [censored] or anything. Just a regular BJ game except 6:5 payout. I think a few years from now there will be no more 3:2 tables in Vegas at all.