Virtual PokerTek May Take Over Casino Poker Tables

High hopes for North Carolina to get rid of all the chips to stack, cards to flip and dealer to tip. PokerTek is a fully electronical table where players can enjoy poker with just a touch of their finger. Las Vegas players might want to replace poker rooms and the felt of the table for a computer touch screen or maybe not?

David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas said, "It's two trends. It's poker, which is really a huge hit right now, and it's labor-saving technology, which is really popular with the casinos. It's a great idea and it's an idea that's in keeping with a lot of trends."

The computer generated new poker games would mean high percentage of casino pots being collected and there would be no more costs for the dealer's salary and benefits. Pokertek CEO, Lou White, said poker player will surely enjoy playing poker and yet they don't have to tip the dealer either. "Poker players want to play more hands."

Poker stars Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan has already endorse PokerTek but not other players like Harold Smith, 40, from Fredericksburg and Sean Ward, 36 of Flagstaff Arizona.

Smith commented Friday, "I like the chips and you know, I like to have people play with the chips and do tricks with the chips. Here, what are you going to do, tap your fingers on the screen?"

Ward seconded, "Electronics kind of scare me. Seeing the randomness coming out of the deck as opposed to computerized randomization - it's a little bit more, I guess, visual. I don't know about trustworthy, but at least you're seeing it."

PokerTek's play will be automated so there would be less error or confusion. The screen will also give the players options to choose from.

Rodney Dofort, vice president of casino operations for Miami-based Carnival Corp said, "We were a little skeptical, because poker is essentially an interactive game. We were quite pleasantly surprised by the almost immediate acceptance of it that first week." He installed a table on a Carnival cruise ship this spring.

Casinos want to try PokerTek and so they lease from them, paying a fee to license the company's software PokerTek.

August 16, 2006
Brian Nelson