Is It Illegal to Count Cards?

For as long as there have been casinos, there have been people who hope to beat the house and win big money. It’s a simple reality and for as long as card games exist there are always going to be people who learn to count the cards in a deck to give themselves the best chance of winning.

Thanks to Casino Vibez we’ve gathered some great info – so let’s dig into it.

What is Card Counting?

Card counting is a system used in card games, particularly Blackjack because it allows the player to weigh up the chances of what card is coming next. In a normal game, the dealer will use a single pack of cards. That means that the likelihood of a particular card appearing in the next hand is affected each time a new card is dealt.

To understand how counting cards works, you should first know how Blackjack works. The game is fairly simple in that it requires the player to beat the hand of the dealer without going above the number 21. Cards are all assigned a numerical value, and every player starts off with two cards. One of the dealers’ cards is then hidden right until the end of the game. When a player says “Hit” it means they are asking for another card. If they choose “Stand” then it means they will hold on to what they have until the end of the turn. When a player goes over the number 21 they are bust and the dealer wins.

A player makes the decision, in theory, based on gut instinct – but in reality, it is possible to memorize which cards have and have not been played yet. This allows the player to determine the likelihood of their handing beating that of the dealer. It might seem difficult at first, but anyone with good memory and the time to spare learning the process can become a master at it.

Counting cards can significantly improve a player’s chances of winning a game, and once mastered, can make it playing Blackjack a quick way to win some cash.

Is it Illegal?

Technically, no. The reason why card counting is not necessarily an offence is because it is simply a trick that requires a player to use their brain and think. Casinos don’t like you doing it, but it’s difficult to stop a person counting cards especially if they have a good game face.

However, even though counting cards isn’t technically illegal, that doesn’t mean that casinos can’t ask you to stop playing a game if they suspect that you’re doing it. Casinos will often find ways to stop people from playing at their tables in the future, or might ban you entirely from their casino franchise if they believe that you are a card counter. The reason is simple, too – you’ll be losing the casino money!

Technically this method isn’t cheating, and technically it isn’t illegal, but you probably shouldn’t expect the casinos to be happy about it if they catch you doing it. If you’re really good at hiding the fact you’re counting then you’re going to do just fine, and you will be statistically more likely to win more games than other players. But it’s a gamble in itself!

How Do Casinos Spot It?

So if casinos are willing to ban card counters, then that means there are telltale signs.

Given the fact that so much cash is on the line for a casino, new ways of finding card counters are being developed and utilized all the time. In fact, casinos are investing more than ever in technology and experts who can spot the signs of a card counter and take steps to stop them from doing it in the future.

There are foolproof ways of catching a card counter, but there are things casinos can do to stop people from doing it. A common trick used by casinos is to implore the dealers, waitresses, or other members of staff to regularly strike up a conversation with players. This simple trick hides their intentions behind customer services but distracts players long enough to make counting cards difficult.

Facial recognition technology is also being incorporated into many casino operations, which allows an establishment to track people across the venue and identify people who have been caught card counting before. This serves as an extra incentive for people to play by the rules the casino prefers, as you might just be barred forever if you’re caught!

Dealers may also shuffle the deck after a player increases their wager, or simply shuffle the deck more frequently to catch people out. If you play online poker or Live Casino poker online, then the deck might even be replaced after every hand.

Card counting isn’t illegal, but casinos don’t like it and you shouldn’t expect to get an easy ride if they catch you. Casinos don’t like it when you win money!

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.