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Maryann Guberman has been a writer and editor with many gaming publications, including Sports Form, Card Player, Poker World, Player's Panorama and Systems and Methods. She also has written and edited numerous books on gambling.

Jan 25, 2008

Electronic Poker: Is it in Your Future?

Several (more than a dozen) years ago a company (the name escapes me) developed an electronic poker table which they tested in a Las Vegas off-Strip pub. It was a big flop -- a result that might be blamed on one or more factors. Poker wasn't a very popular game back then so perhaps the interest just didn't exist; the location of the club where the trial run took place was more or less a dive where a true test likely wouldn't happen; the company received little or no publicity to promote the machine's existence; and the old-timers waiting for suckers to show up at the limited number of poker rooms in Las Vegas would have none of it.

Take your pick. It was the wrong idea at the wrong time.

After all, the video poker machine was just beginning to outdistance table games in revenue and most inveterate poker player would not be caught in a corpse-like state in front of a slot machine.

That was then; this is now. Fast forward to the newest edition to the world of poker and we have the electronic poker table, in particular, one produced by a company called PokerTek and called PokerPro, which is a couple of years old now.

PokerPro is an electronic device about the size of a round poker table with ten cushy chairs (on wheels) that face a flat computer monitor. Someone might look at it and decide it's just a glorified slot machine but that would be simplifying the description. To get in action on the game a player must first register to play (with your current our about-to-be received player card) and then has to deposit money into that player account. With money on account the a player can to buy-in to whatever game he chooses or whatever game is available that he's willing to play.

The game can be used for ring games, single-table tournaments or multi-table events.

The game has a central screen for display of the community cards, a sensor so each player cannot see his own cards without cupping his hand over them. Warning messages (Are you sure you want to go all in?) follow actions to ensure the player doesn't make unwarranted moves by accident.

During a major tournament, several pro players tested the game and claimed to find that it surpassed their expectations.

Apparently these tables have started to appear in casinos and according to PokerTek the most popular location is on cruise ships. Now that's not surprising because once you're on that boat, in the only casino for hundreds, maybe thousands of miles, and you have nothing but electronic poker as a choice, naturally the PokerPro is going to get action.

But will it every take hold in major markets?

That remains to be seen, but I'm betting that, even though they've been on the market for several years, the tables will make a big splash very soon. They will make more money for the casino (more hands per hour, more rake), save money (fewer dealer salaries and health benefits, no need for an extra board), and they will replace the extra burden of finding enough dealers for big tournaments.

Now, not surprisingly, the table does not appeal to the people who prefer to play with their chips, who like the feel of the cards, and who don't understand technology. But the youngsters who were weaned on electronic games and online poker plus the oldsters who prefer interacting with a video poker version of gambling will love this technology.

It's likely the table will bulldoze its way into the hearts and minds of players a lot faster if it features some kind of introductory offer at selected casinos, specifically those that lure locals to its doors (We're speaking of Las Vegas here.) as the poker rooms of yore (meaning about six years ago) did. They offered $40 for $20 specials, extra comps to the restaurant, even show tickets to lure players. If PokerTek works this into its marketing plan, yes, I'll play their machine. And if I like it, I'll keep playing it.

What do you think?