Card Counting: Is It Illegal?

Card counting is a strategy used in blackjack to determine whether the player or the dealer has an advantage on the next hand. Card counters keep track of the high and low cards that have been dealt and use this knowledge to modify their bets and playing styles. While card counting is not illegal, it is considered cheating by many casinos, which have the authority to ban anyone they believe to be employing this method. In this article, we will explore the legality of card counting and how it can affect your casino experience.

Card counting is not illegal

Card counting is a strategy used by blackjack players to determine whether the player or dealer has an advantage on the next hand. It is based on statistical evidence that high cards (aces, 10s, and 9s) benefit the player, while low cards (2s through 7s) benefit the dealer. Card counting is not illegal under British law, nor is it under federal, state, or local laws in the United States, provided that no external card-counting device or person assists the player.

Card counting is often associated with movies and tales of audacious gamblers, and many people believe it to be illegal. This perception has been fuelled by Hollywood films such as "21", which inaccurately portrays card counters being chased, threatened with guns, and handcuffed by casino staff. However, this is far from reality. While card counting is not illegal, it is essential to understand the nuances and perspectives surrounding this practice.

Firstly, casinos strongly oppose card counting as it disrupts the delicate balance of odds they have established to ensure their profitability. By tracking the ratios of high and low-value cards, players can predict the likelihood of favourable outcomes and adjust their bets accordingly, tipping the odds in their favour. This directly undermines the "house edge" that casinos rely on to maintain their business model.

Secondly, while card counting itself may not be illegal, casinos have the prerogative to protect their interests and maintain a fair gaming environment. Casinos are private businesses and reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at any time. They may ask suspected card counters to leave and even blacklist them, making it challenging for those individuals to enjoy casino games elsewhere. Casinos employ various strategies to counteract card counting, including using multiple decks, shuffling machines, and trained personnel to identify suspicious behaviour.

Lastly, it is important to distinguish card counting from cheating. Card counting is a mental exercise that involves keeping track of cards and using mathematical calculations to improve one's chances. It does not involve hidden devices, false play, or any form of manipulation. Cheating, on the other hand, involves illegal activities such as manipulating gaming devices, using insider information, or altering the game's element of chance, and is punishable by law.

Casinos can ban players they believe to be counting cards

Card counting is a strategy used in blackjack to determine whether the player or the dealer has an advantage on the next hand. Card counters keep track of the high and low cards that have been dealt and use this knowledge to modify their bets and playing styles. While card counting is not illegal, casinos are typically opposed to it and some may even prohibit players that they believe are doing it.

Casinos in Las Vegas, which are private property, will simply prohibit a known card counter from playing blackjack in their casino. Some casinos have also been known to 'rough up' counters to discourage other people from doing it. While card counting is legal in the UK and the US, with no laws in either nation prohibiting it, it is frowned upon by casinos and many will eject counters if they are caught.

In the US state of New Jersey, casinos are forbidden from banning card counters as a result of a New Jersey Supreme Court decision. In 1979, Ken Uston, a Blackjack Hall of Fame inductee, filed a lawsuit against an Atlantic City casino, claiming that casinos did not have the right to ban skilled players. The New Jersey Supreme Court agreed, ruling that "the state's control of Atlantic City's casinos is so complete that only the New Jersey Casino Control Commission has the power to make rules to exclude skillful players."

Therefore, while card counting is not illegal, those who practice it should be aware that casinos have the right to ban players they believe to be counting cards and may employ various techniques to prevent card counting from occurring.

Card counting is a mathematical technique

Card counting is based on statistical evidence that high cards (aces, 10s, and 9s) benefit the player, while low cards (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, and 7s) benefit the dealer. High cards increase the player's probability of hitting a blackjack, which often pays out at 3 to 2 odds. They also increase the probability of the dealer busting, especially if the dealer shows a low up-card (2-6).

Card counters assign a point score to each card that estimates its value. Basic card counting systems assign a positive, negative, or zero value to each card. When a card is dealt, the count is adjusted by that card's counting value. For example, the Hi-Lo system, the most common card counting system, subtracts one for each 10, jack, queen, king, or ace and adds one for any card between 2 and 6. 7s, 8s, and 9s count as zero and do not affect the count.

Card counters do not need unusual mental abilities or to track or memorize specific cards. Instead, they keep a running count of the values of the cards dealt. This running count is then used to calculate a "true count" or count per deck, which takes into account the number of decks used. For example, a running count of +5 with 6 decks remaining is a different scenario from a running count of +5 with only 1 deck remaining.

Card counting is not illegal under British law or federal, state, or local laws in the United States, as long as no external card-counting device or person assists the player. However, casinos object to the practice and may ban players believed to be counters. Atlantic City casinos, following a New Jersey Supreme Court decision, are forbidden from banning card counters.

Card counting is a complex strategy that requires dedication and practice to master. It involves understanding basic blackjack strategy, learning a counting system, converting the running count to a true count, and overcoming casino distractions. While it is not illegal, it is important for card counters to develop an act and avoid drawing attention to themselves to avoid being barred from casinos.

Card counting is not about memorisation

Card counting is a strategy used in the game of Blackjack to determine whether the player or dealer has an advantage on the next hand. Card counting is based on statistical evidence that high cards (aces, 10s, and 9s) benefit the player, while low cards (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, and 7s) benefit the dealer. Card counters do not memorise specific cards, but assign a point score to each card that estimates its value. They then keep a running count of the sum of these values.

Card counting systems assign either a positive, negative, or zero value to each card. When a card is dealt, the count is adjusted by that card's counting value. Low cards increase the count because they increase the percentage of high cards in the deck. High cards decrease the count for the opposite reason. For example, in the Hi-Lo system, each 10, jack, queen, king, or ace subtracts one from the count, while cards between 2 and 6 add one. 7s, 8s, and 9s count as zero and do not affect the count.

Card counting is a complex strategy that requires practice and dedication to master. It is not simply a matter of memorisation but involves understanding the underlying probabilities and statistics of the game. Card counters must also be able to quickly calculate and adjust their running count as cards are dealt. While card counting is not illegal, casinos may ask suspected card counters to stop playing or ban them from the casino.

Casinos use countermeasures to hinder card counters

Card counting is a strategy used by blackjack players to determine whether the dealer or the player has an advantage on the next hand. It is not illegal under British law or federal, state, or local laws in the United States, as long as no external card-counting device or person assists the player. However, casinos consider it a threat to their profits and may employ countermeasures to hinder card counters.

Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, are forbidden from banning card counters due to a New Jersey Supreme Court decision. As a result, these casinos have increased their use of countermeasures. Here are some of the tactics casinos use to hinder card counters:

• Decreasing penetration, or the number of cards dealt before a shuffle, which reduces the advantage of card counting.
• Banning known counters from playing blackjack, all other games, or even entering the casino property.
• Shuffling the cards when a player increases their wager or when the casino feels the remaining cards favor the player (preferential shuffling).
• Changing the rules for splitting, doubling down, or playing multiple hands, or changing the table's stakes.
• Not allowing players to enter a game until a shuffle occurs (no mid-shoe entry).
• Forcing a player to flat bet, preventing them from changing the amount they bet during a shoe.
• Canceling comps earned by counters.
• Confiscating chips.
• Detention of suspected card counters.

Some jurisdictions, like Nevada, have few legal restrictions on these countermeasures, while others, like New Jersey, impose limits. While some countermeasures may be disadvantageous to the casino, such as reducing playing time and house winnings, casinos are generally willing to implement them to protect their profits.

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