Table Games Competing with Slot Machines

Because table games do not bring in as much money as slot machines, there usually aren’t as many of them in a casino. The casinos are usually relegated to the number of gaming positions they can have, and every time they add a table game they have to remove a slot machine – which is just not good for revenue. But even though the number of table games seems to continue to fall, the amount of money that players are dropping at the tables is increasing.

They are finding that table games have a following, and those that want to play are still playing with more money. The drop – or the amount left at the table, is increasing per table game. The numbers are still less than what slot machines bring in, but that is because not only are there more slot machines than table games, the slots bring in more money than the tables do.

Among the table games, Blackjack is the most popular, a fact that many find surprising considering the amount of air time that Texas Hold ‘em seems to get. But Blackjack is considered the friendliest of the table games in that most people can at least count to 21.

With slot machines bringing in more and more technological advances table games need to step up to the plate. Last month’s Global Gaming Expo showed that the gaming companies are trying to find new advances in the table game industry as well as the slot machine industry. They are researching ways to make the mainstays of the industry more hip and happening for a younger crowd. They are also looking into electronic table games that would actually eliminate live dealers – something that casinos are interested in but not necessarily the dealers.

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