What is Your Take on Apple/smart watches at table games?

What is your take on Apple/smart watches at table games? Are they not allowed at the tables in Las Vegas? I work at a casino in Canada and this was in a recent discussion we had. I read something about the Bellagio banning them in 2015. Anything recent? Even your or Andrew Uyal's thoughts/opinions?

[Editor's Note: Andrew Uyal, mentioned by name in the question, was more than happy to tackle the smart-watch issue for this answer.]

This question gives me hope. It means I'm not the only one out there with smart watches on the brain. It's something we don't hear a lot about, but I've thought about it and revisited it time and again over the last few years.

It's an interesting issue that the casino gaming world will likely have to deal with at some point. When might that be? Whenever it is, we don't seem to be there yet. We've asked around, querying other insiders, but have found no evidence of an official rule or policy banning or otherwise regulating smart watches. It's not hard to understand; new rules and regulations that sweep the world and become industry standards are hard to start. Who's going to make the first move?

But let's get into the issue here. Do these watches pose some possibilities for scams? Maybe. Card-counting apps would be much more accessible on a smart watch, but think about this: Card counting isn't illegal, though if you use electronics to do it, it is. So is it worth it to introduce electronics to card counting at the risk of going to jail? Probably not. Same goes for hole carding. It's not illegal to catch a glimpse of a hole card. But if you use a camera on a smart watch to do it, you're breaking the law.

There are some other possibilities of using the camera to record or transmit video, but these could be performed more effectively with hidden cameras that are smaller and have already been out there for decades. Using a big watch strapped to your wrist instead would be a downgrade.

As for my opinion on it, as usual, it's complicated. It's my nature as an advantage-play and game-protection guy to be suspicious of new technology. But the fact is, there have been no reports of any real scams or threats caused by smart watches. And all the possibilities we've thought through are already doable with lower risk and, in many instances, better tech. That's not to say this -- or any other -- evolving technology won't present a challenge at some point. That's possible and maybe even likely. But as of right now, like I say, we're not there yet.

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Randall Ward Jul-12-2021

smart watches

haven't seen that many but could see they might be a distraction

Dave_Miller_DJTB Jul-12-2021

AP app

I don't own a smartwatch, but aren't their apps tied to an app on the smartphone? The watch doesn't have much computing power. It's merely a BlueTooth peripheral of the phone.

Although I don't develop apps, I can certainly see an app for AP teams, where the phone makes the watch vibrate, without the watch face lighting up. With such an app, a two person team can use the phone and watch for counting or other advantage purposes.

I.E. One person is the player, wearing the watch, while the partner has the phone and is observing the table from a distance, counting or whatever. He then signals the player by making the watch vibrate. Or even vibrate in different patterns to mean different things.

Lots of possibilities there.

Yeah, game protection is gonna have trouble catching that situation.

Kevin Lewis Jul-12-2021

Soon, not an issue

The government chips that will be implanted in us at birth will come with sophisticated card-counting software. However, that may not be all that helpful, as there will be a 100% income tax to pay for the chips.

I for one welcome our new robot overlords.

Roy Furukawa Jul-12-2021

I am surprised

I have an Apple watch, but never wear it to Las Vegas to avoid any potential problems because rules can change quickly. I am surprised they don't already have a rule for wearers to take off the watches while playing.

mhernandez116 Jul-12-2021

Nice definitive answer

A smartwatch doesn't provide any capabilities that can't already be accomplished in other, better ways.  But who knows?  Maybe some d-bag will figure out a way to hold up the game even more by checking a basic strategy card on the watch on EVERY SINGLE HAND.

Question of the Day - 12 July 2021

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