If you are somebody who can feel AI breathing down your neck and coming for your job, just like I can, then you’ll already be researching to find out exactly how this technology is going to transform your industry. If you work in the casino industry or are a fan of casino gaming, keeping tabs on the advances of AI is imperative.
It doesn’t matter if it’s roulette, poker, or blackjack, although the latter is our focus today, AI is going to be a game-changer in every field. Although blackjack has already had to adapt to a once-in-a-generation change when the internet first emerged, AI is looking to change it again. For some of the more traditional elements of blackjack, it could eradicate them and remodel the fabric of the game.
How The Internet Transformed Blackjack
For those who have been around long enough to remember the days when conventional casinos were the only route for blackjack gamers, the changes have been seismic. Compared to thirty years ago, the casino gaming industry has undergone an enormous transformation. It’s not unique in this regard; every other casino game has had to adjust accordingly, too.
However, online blackjack removed key elements of the game used in conventional casinos and marked a notable improvement in risk management, especially from a casino management perspective.
Those people who play blackjack online will know precisely what we are referring to. Instead of having to sit around in a traditional casino, watch the dealer change the shoe every 20 minutes, and pit bosses glaring over trying to spot mistakes, algorithm technology and enormous developments in the quality and fairness of RNG (Random Number Generator) technology meant that card counting in an online game is virtually impossible.
Fighting Back Against Card Counting
In the mid-20th century, a growing issue emerged with fraudsters seeking to exploit casinos. Some criminals would attempt to trip the wire on slots and receive erroneous payouts, but in the card-based realm of casino gaming, card counters would employ techniques to try to gain an upper hand over the casinos.
In the early days of blackjack card counting strategies, those seeking an edge would attempt to identify lazy dealers or shoes that were not changed frequently enough. If they were able to find a combination of these factors, then effective card counters could put the odds in their favour; however, they faced expulsion from specific casinos, with some even being criminally charged.
It wasn’t the sort of comedic twist that we saw in blockbuster films like The Hangover, where Alan, one of the most iconic characters with dozens of memorable moments and lines, including the famous card-counting scene.
In truth, conventional casinos were able to detect card counting long before then, and online casinos have further compounded this. They use random shoes for every hand, live dealer games run like clockwork with regular changes, and every game is monitored and recorded. Methods of card counting still exist, but casinos now have stopgaps in place that make it virtually impenetrable in the modern environment.
Burning Out The Final Embers Of Card Counting
While strategies still exist for card counters, and the rise of various gadgets available on the market, as well as those leveraged in online casino gaming, provide minimal opportunities for card counters to gain an advantage, casinos have pretty much this whole issue on lockdown.
Card counters were once prolific in the industry, but now they’re rare. While it would be hard for an average member of the public to spot them, as is evident in the social media clip below, which highlights casino card games with random members of the public, casinos are more savvy, and live dealers undergo extensive training to spot signs of card counting.
Why AI Will Signal The Last Dance For Card Counters
AI will be the final nail in the coffin for card counting, as it will be able to detect instances of card counting instantly, more efficiently, and can scour through thousands of hours worth of footage to squash any new patterns of card counting that emerge.
It’ll be used to detect obscure gambling patterns from users and those who are looking to leverage weaknesses on a casino site for financial gain. Casinos have already invested millions of dollars in AI, which is part of a broader, multi-trillion-dollar AI initiative that has occurred over the last two years, involving collaborations between some of the top tech companies, such as Meta and ScaleAI.
All of this will contribute to AI stamping out any signs of foul play on their sites and make it nearly impossible for shady operators and rogue players to gain the upper hand.
It’s impossible to determine how AI will shape online casino gaming, but protecting profits and closing existing loopholes is top of the agenda for many brands, and will be one of the determining factors in shaping the new future that will emerge between AI companies and casino platforms.
