There is little doubt that table games are synonymous with casinos. Visit any physical establishment, and you are likely to find roulette, blackjack, craps and so on. These games have been active in the industry for many decades. You can look back into previous centuries and find these games in play across countries. They will always draw people in.
It’s not only the land-based industry that has a connection to table games, either. The online sphere tends to feature its own selection of them for gamers to play. In recent years, they have come back into the limelight via live casino releases, too. These games provide you with the chance to have a land-based experience from home. Blackjack, roulette and baccarat stand out as being popular options by live dealer.
Even though they are popular, we haven’t seen any new table games created to play. There may be new releases from developers, but these tend to be variations on older games. Can you say you have seen a new type of table game launched in recent times? Most likely not.
Wouldn’t the casino gaming market like to see some new options to play from this sector? Here, we’ll take a look into why there aren’t any new table games. We want to know why the drive for these options isn’t as high as it is for online slots, for example.
New Table Games Do Exist
It may surprise you to learn that some developers have crafted new table games. The problem is that they haven’t had as much exposure as other casino games. Many of them do exist as new variations of old table games, of course. You only need to look at Triple Zero Roulette or Double Spin Roulette.
The Venetian casino in Las Vegas was the first to launch Triple Zero Roulette. This occurred in October of 2016. In fact, the Venetian installed two separate tables for this game into its casino. It didn’t take a long time for other venues to follow in suit, either.
Planet Hollywood did so in 2018, for example. Of course, there is an increased house edge in Triple Zero Roulette. That works in favour of the casino, so there’s little doubt about why the game came about. Especially in Vegas. While some players have had a punt on it, it’s quite a reviled version of roulette. That increased house edge is the reason why.
When it comes to the Double Spin version of roulette, this rose to popularity in South Africa. Sun International had exclusive rights to it, although worldwide demand came about, too. Players bet on this in the normal way. If they have a straight-up bet on a winning number, they can nominate a chip. This has to be equal to the table minimum at least, and this is when the Double Spin occurs. The player forfeits the payout on that chip and lets it ride. Should that number repeat, the chip nominated for the double spin pays out 1,250:1.
Again, that serves as another alternative of the standard version of roulette, though. Something else that came about as a result of two older games is Arizona Hold’em. This table game combines elements of blackjack with poker. Three face-down cards come to each player and the dealer receives two face-down cards. The dealer’s cards are community cards. Thus, players use them to create five-card hands. Arizona Hold’em is exclusive to Peermont Group hotels. They operate in South Africa, Botswana and Malawi.
One game that still has a certain sort of link to a table game but is altogether different is Dice Duel. Exclusive to Crown Resorts in Australia, this plays out with two 6-sided, coloured dice. These are usually red and gold. The idea behind the game is for the players to pick which die will display the higher number. A separate roll of each die takes place before the winning one comes to light. Players can bet on a specific number showing on either or both dice as well.
Another game that is exclusive to Crown Resorts is S7REAK. The object of this game is to draw seven cards of the same colour on a consecutive basis. Four different bets within are possible – Red, Black, Suit Up or No S7REAK.
You can also play Nutz at the Crown Resorts casinos. Five six-sided dice are in operation for it, with the goal being to roll one of eight different combinations. Elements of poker are also present in Nutz, and it is often compared to Yahtzee. It would be great if Crown Resorts gained a lot more acknowledgement for its novel games.
Unfortunately, it has found itself wrapped up in controversy instead. The latest instance of this came about in November 2022. The Crown Casino in Melbourne received a fine of $120 million for breaching Victorian gambling laws. Doubtless, that has had a bit of an impact on its credibility with players and the industry.
If you’re a poker fan, then you may have heard of Poker Bo. This serves as a fast-paced casino game, combining elements of draw poker and sic bo. Six full decks are in operation, and players start out by selecting which betting options to take. Six of these are available, including:
- Straight ‘n Up
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- Pair
- No Hand
- Specific Suit
A dealer then draws five cards. A comparison between these and the bets placed will then occur. Winners will receive a payout, and it is possible to have several winning hands based on the dealer’s draw. Again, Crown Resorts is the venue that provides Poker Bo.
Last but not least, Super Easy Aces is another novel table game that you can play. It began operating at the Primm Valley Resort in Primm, Nevada. That occurred in 2018, but by 2019 it had expanded to other venues. The game uses a 54-card deck, made up of:
- Two Jokers
- 25 Aces
- 12 Deuces (three of which are diamonds)
- Eight 3s (two of which are diamonds)
- Seven 4s
Players place their bets before any cards come into play. They bet on an ace, deuce, three or a joker. The dealer then deals cards out, one card face-up to each player and one card face-down to themself. If anyone receives a 4, they lose. All other cards payout if the player has wagered on such and their card is that one.
Why Are There No Big, Well-Known New Table Games?
It is, of course, great to see new table games do exist. Of course, few people want to travel to a specific venue to play them. Why are these games not more well-renowned and accessible around the world?
We have seen a variety of versions of blackjack and roulette. We have seen the introduction of options like Speed Baccarat, and so on. These all take their foundations from existing, traditional table games, though. Even some of those highlighted earlier as “new” incorporate features of well-known games. This could very well be one of the primary reasons behind the lack of something 100% unique. People, especially gamblers, like to know what they’re playing. They like to know what they are coming up against in a game lobby.
Games that have been around for decades and centuries are a lot more familiar. There is also the fact that players see success stories of others on these games. It was in 2008 that the then-owner of Newcastle United football club won £1.3 million on roulette. His visit to an exclusive casino saw him take a single spin of the wheel. From that, he received a monumental payout. Players are often inspired by this kind of activity. Even though as a billionaire businessman he didn’t need the money, gamblers revelled in his win. If he can do it, then it could be the case that they can, too.
Casinos know that familiarity is a key reason for players to keep coming back for more. Roulette, blackjack and other table games have built up their faithful players. This has gone on through decades of gameplay in land-based casinos to the online world. There is an underlying question about this, though. If these games are popular, why is it that slot games are responsible for more revenue?
Well, you need to take a look at the house edge on these games. Table games tend to favour the player a lot more than slots do. Of course, casinos want to be able to gain as much profit as possible from their players. In due course, so too do software developers responsible for the games. In that respect, why wouldn’t they put more focus on creating games that provide this?
Slot games bring a lot more appeal on the whole. They come with inviting themes, exceptional graphics, flashing lights, and so on. They even have various special features built into them to trigger. This is why many people have a particular interest in playing them more so than table games. Slot machines provide high levels of entertainment to gamers. At the same time, they bring in high levels of revenue for the casinos offering them.
Table games aren’t quite as good at this, because people are able to gain more from them. Of course, there will still be those people who lose when playing blackjack or roulette. Yet there is a lot more room for minimising losses with table games. Slots don’t offer the same kind of capabilities. With this in mind, there is little wonder that casinos aren’t screaming out for new table games. They want to maintain as much profitability as possible. Casino game developers around the world also want to bring revenue in. Demand from the casinos for slots and other high-revenue games will likely remain high. It’s not as high when you look at table games.
There isn’t a week goes by without a new slurry of slot machine games coming out. Various developers are in a constant state of working on these games. They all have the same mechanics behind them, and thus, they all look to bring in profit for the casinos. You may see a new variation of a table game launched every now and then. Yet this is the same sort of blackjack or roulette game with a slight alteration built into it. An extra side bet may be available, for example. If you know anything about side bets, you’ll know that the house edge on these is higher. So, in essence, new table game variations tend to work in favour of the house, too.
The Potential for New Table Games in the Future
We’ve all seen the increase in popularity of live casino games, right? Well, these are also new in nature, on the whole. Yet they aren’t new table games as such. They provide the standard game with a live dealer streamed in high definition. Some developers have taken the decision to create unique live casino games. Yet these don’t follow a table-game setup. Often, they include money wheels or take their cues from popular online slots. Thus, they don’t cater to the new table game scenario.
Even looking at the potential releases for 2023 in table games, you won’t find anything out of the ordinary. Baccarat, blackjack and roulette are all on the cards. Yet these aren’t novel. There’s nothing that people haven’t heard of before waiting for release. The idea of something different to that which is unfamiliar could be an issue for many people.
The truth of the matter remains that casinos want to capitalise on their games as much as possible. They’ll keep a few table games around to cater to those who very much enjoy playing them. For the most part, they will continue down the same path that they always have. Integrating slot machines and other options that bring a good return to them.