Before I talk about the use of electronic devices to help advantage players beat the house edge, I would like to make it clear where I have drawn my personal line-in-the-sand when it comes to the legal, moral and ethical issues involved.

My Legal, Moral and Ethical Viewpoint
I accept a casino’s right to prevent the use of any device, mechanism or algorithm designed to reduce the house edge below that approved by legislation.

I further accept the right of any authority to enact laws to provide penalties for any person who uses any form of device, mechanism, algorithm or trick to affect the outcome of a game.

Whilst I accept a casino’s right to protect its business from those people that are able to predict the outcome of a game, I do not believe that it should be a criminal offence to do so.

In a nutshell;

If you affect the outcome of a game you are cheating and should be treated accordingly.If you predict the outcome of a game it should not concern the authorities, it should be a civil matter between you and the casino.

The Use of Electronics in a Casino Environment
Professional gamblers and casino operators have a lot in common; they both strive to make greater and greater profits each year. To help them achieve this, professionals turned to electronics and the microprocessor.

A casino environment poses many problems in this regard; one can hardly sit at a gaming table with a PC, keyboard and monitor. High-power concealable gaming devices are a little known but highly developed and sophisticated section of computer technology. Generally, electronics and computers are employed in all areas of a professional’s operation: -

• Professionals use computers for beating games like Blackjack, Baccarat, Caribbean Stud and Roulette.

• A variety of electronic hardware is used by spotters to relay information on and off the gaming floor

• Professionals use computer software to analyze shuffles, learn card counting, calculate advantages and learn playing strategies for numerous casino games

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