Question of the Day - 20 September 2025

[Editor's Note: This question is answered by our own man behind the curtain, Andrew Uyal.]

Vegas is indeed changing. 

The town has always evolved with the times and will continue to do so. Sometimes, the changes make sense. The resorts got bigger. They offer more amenities, activities, and shows. Sometimes, we hate the changes. Resort fees, paid parking, and 6-5 blackjack tables are the bane of our existence. But the changes will continue to come whether we like them or not. 

As for craps, it's an interesting question, given that so much of the conversation around the changing and arguably worsening conditions of the tables in Las Vegas centers on blackjack and roulette. Could the conditions worsen on the crap table? I suppose they could. It's certainly not out of the question. Casinos and game creators flirt with fine lines, finding the balance between a game still being fun while maintaining a high enough house advantage. The latest dip into the pool of worse conditions at craps is crapless craps. In my opinion, this game has done an excellent job of worsening the conditions of the game while keeping it fun and doing one more thing as a bonus: simplifying a sometimes dauntingly complicated layout. 

That's not the question, though. The question is whether the conditions on the base game of craps will change. In short, I don't think so. Games do tend to evolve. But the base games normally tend to be still available, though sometimes at a higher minimum. Even as 6-5 blackjack has become more prevalent, 3-2 tables haven't gone away. They're still available, though normally at a higher price. Triple-zero roulette is popping up more and more, but single-zero roulette tables are still available in some casinos, though again at a higher price. 

If craps were to evolve into a mutilated version of itself, like crapless craps, it would have to become so accepted by the gambling public that it could take over the casino floor, while still maintaining high volume. This would cut the number of regular tables and likely make them come with, you guessed it, a higher price. 

Now, for the record, I don't foresee this happening. Or rather, I haven't heard or seen anything from the casino side that indicates an intention to replace the game with something worse. That would surprise me. The game is already very good for the casino. It's fun, playable for long periods of time, and has a high expected return. The volatility can be high, but some casinos combat that with lower max bets on the odds. Craps makes a lot of money for the casinos and isn't susceptible to advantage play. It can be vulnerable to cheating, but that's a conversation for another day.

Bottom line: I don't see the basic bets on the dice layout being replaced any time soon.