Will online betting kill the traditional blackjack tables? By Al O’Grady
You cannot get away from the ubiquitous cell phone. Wherever you go and whatever you do someone (especially those under 35) is always staring at that device. They can be texting a friend, checking their email, updating their Facebook page or they can be following the hottest video making the rounds on Instagram. They could also be playing blackjack on any number of Internet gaming sites that have surfaced over the last five years. So this raises the question, will online casino sites put the traditional brick-and-mortar casino out of business?
One Dealer’s Opinion
While you can be playing blackjack at home in your pajamas and not worry about dressing up to go on the town, some people still want to go out. Gambling is a form of entertainment and, for the Friday and Saturday night crowd that want to get out and do something, the casino is a viable option. It is an experience that just cannot be replaced with the cell phone. Blackjack isn’t just hitting and sticking. It is a social interaction with the dealer and other players. This can make the outing that much more enjoyable, but the opposite is also true, thereby making a case for the online casino. Maybe a player does not want to be surrounded by amateurs who detract from the evening. I freely admit the counterpoint does not help my case, but humans are social beings. Those looking for a social outing will outnumber those looking for a moment of solitude.
The Feel of Chips
Gamblers like to hold chips in their hands. They would rather see an actual pile grow in front of them instead of a slick graphic trying to resemble the same effect. It is not the same. At any time, you can leave the table and go to the cashier’s window and get actual cash. Depending on the online casino site, you may have your winnings on hold. However, if you can get paid out right away, it is an electronic funds transfer of some type. It may show up in your account but did you get to hold the cash in your hand? The one thing better than holding chips in your hand is cash. Can the cell phone match that same thrill?
There are ways how the two can complement each other. Perhaps you have someone new to the game. They might be learning basic strategy for the first time. Playing on the cell phone can give them a forum where they are playing for micro stakes and the intimidation factor is not there. They can practice until they become proficient with basic strategy without embarrassing themselves in front of expert players. This is a positive for online gambling. But the bigger picture is to train for the main event.
You Can’t Count Cards Online
For those who are card counters, the old-fashioned table and chairs are the only way to go. You want to keep a running count, and you want to ensure the running count is legitimate. With an online game, how do you know true randomness is at play or if it is subjected to a certain algorithm? With actual cards and a shoe, there is no algorithm. You can experience true fluctuations and true randomness.
High-net-worth players will choose the actual casino over the online world. Why? One word: Comps. Depending on the scale of the player’s bankroll, the high-net-worth player can get free meals, free hotel rooms, tickets to shows and even plane fare to the city. I am sure the online sites have some type of rewards programs but I highly doubt it will match that of a major Casino.
The Veil of Anonymity
One area that both the traditional casinos and the online-casino industry are facing has to do with problem gamblers. Who has more of a gambling issue? The guy who showered, bought some breakfast and then played at the table for an hour or the guy who did not even get out of bed, and was playing more blackjack on his phone after playing at the tables last night?
Playing online caters more to the problem gambler than the old-fashioned table. Players can play under the veil of anonymity for as long as they want. They have no one to stop them or advise them to slow down.
Online gaming will continue to be growing issue for problem gamblers and the only thing the digital world has are self-exclusion programs. Here’s a prediction: Someday there will be a class-action lawsuit where the wife saw her husband squander the couple’s life savings and the gambling site did not show its due diligence scrutinizing the source of the funds. Just a thought.
Slots Don’t Take Time Off
Casinos are a multi-million-dollar industry and they will maximize profit wherever they can, end of story. If one day it shows that the online-gaming division is more profitable than the traditional tables, some 20-something business school grad might suggest closing the table games. This move would be short sighted.
From a retail perspective, the slot machine generates the most revenue on a square-footage basis. The slot machine does not take vacations, does not call in sick and does not talk back to the boss. It can generate 10 times the revenue of table games.
So why doesn’t the casino replace all table games will slot machines today? The answer is simple – product variety for the gambler The casino also knows that not everyone is a slot player and that couples go to the casino. Quite often, the wife goes to the slots while the hubby plays blackjack. One complements the other.
In Conclusion …
Casinos could get rid of table games today to maximize profit, yet they do not. There is a micro way of viewing a business and a macro way. Casinos are in it for the long haul and for the big picture. Despite the explosion of online gaming, the traditional tables are not going away in my humble opinion.
Good luck at the tables and don’t forget to tip the dealer.
If someone wants to count, let them. This would truly make blackjack a game of chance for all.
Good luck at the tables and don’t forget to tip the dealer.
There are also a lot of roulette betting strategies as well as the various casino bonuses but they are for another edition of Casino Life Magazine.
*** This exclusive article was originally published in the May 2026 edition of Casino Life Magazine Issue 188 Volume 22***
