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Is Live Blackjack Dead In The U.S.?
Blackjack has always been one of the most popular games in the live casinos. It has been played in gambling halls since the 1800s, and it was played before than in France as Vingt Et Un. No one could have ever imagined that there would come a day when live blackjack would start to decline in popularity, but that day may be here thanks to the rise of online blackjack.
For many years now online gambling has been illegal in the US. In 2018-2019 that started to change. Congress first mandated that states could choose their own path on things like online sports betting, and many states have also passed or introduced legislation to allow online blackjack and other casino games for real money. This prompts the question: is live blackjack dead in the US?
Some Interesting Data From Las Vegas
If we go back a few years to the start of online gambling legislation in the US we can get a picture of how the measures have affected live blackjack in Las Vegas. There are various entities that track live player data, and the casinos also have to report their revenues in filings to the Secretary of State and IRS.
According to the data the blackjack revenues for many casinos in Las Vegas have actually increased since states have started to legalize online betting. This is in contrast to what many people thought might happen if the online version of the game were made legal. Instead of keeping players away from the live casino, online blackjack may be bringing them in.
Is Online Blackjack Good for Live Blackjack?
There is a logical argument to be made that online blackjack could be good for live blackjack. The reason is simple. New players who get exposed to the game online then decide that they would like to try their skills at the live blackjack table. Many of them may have never been to a live casino before. In other words, online blackjack for real money drives interest in the live version of the game.
People can be intimidated by making a visit to a live casino. They don’t know how to make bets and wind up losing money Playing blackjack online gives them a chance to learn the rules of the game in an environment where there is no pressure. They can also bet for as little as $1 per hand. It is much easier to feel comfortable as a newcomer when you are only risking a very small amount of money.
How Live Casinos are Fighting Back
There are plenty of live casino operators that are fighting back against the rise of online gambling and blackjack. These casino companies are trying to keep their own operations afloat, and they need blackjack to be profitable so that they can stay in business. To do this casinos are taking several measures.
New variations of blackjack are being introduced to players. These variations of the game can include progressive jackpots like those offered by big slot machines. Players like the chance that they can win a million dollars on a single spin of the wheel, and they feel they same way about blackjack. In some live casinos today there are Triple 7 blackjack games that have paid players life changing money.
Many of the players who enjoy these variations of the game are not really interested in blackjack as a rule. They prefer other games like slot machines. The casinos know that they have to get slot machine players interested in other games in order for the casino to thrive.
Some casinos are also offering better perks and benefits to players who have a VIP or player rewards card. This makes players want to come back often and spend money in the casino.
Reasons Online Blackjack is Killing Live Blackjack
Is live blackjack in the US dying? Maybe so, and there could be some reasons that online blackjack is killing it slowly. Perhaps the most obvious of these reasons would be that online blackjack is more convenient.
Players do not have to travel long distances to play online blackjack. They can enjoy it right from the comfort of their home with a smartphone, tablet, or computer. It can be expensive to drive to a live casino, and there are also plenty of people who don’t live near a live casino to begin with.
It is also cheaper to play blackjack online in many cases. The minimum bet can be $1. In a live casino it can cost as much as $10 to play a single hand. That keeps many new blackjack players away from the game.
Finally, online blackjack is becoming legal in more US states. States have started to realize that they can no longer justify illegal online gambling. There is too much to be gained from making it legal in terms of the revenues that can be generated. To play real money blackjack we recommend that you try one of the recommended casinos to play blackjack, many of which are iphone casinos. You can read the Casino Max review, High Country casino review, or Roaring 21 review to name a few.