The Fantasy Springs Resort Casino held a different kind of Texas Hold'em tournament recently – replacing the dealer, cards, and chips, with a set of automated touch screens. The casino have removed eight of their traditional poker tables to try out some 10-seat automated tables.
Player reactions have been mixed. Each player has only 40 seconds to decide on their move, and interaction between players has been greatly reduced. Local resident and poker couach Philippe Assous said that “You can't just start chit-chatting and acting like you're on ESPN.”
Assous also noted that there is a different feeling to the game – many players miss the feel of the chips, and the cards. Players spend more time focusing on what buttons to touch on the screen, rather than looking at other players to pick up tells from them.
Some players have been won over to the new tables – Dick Archer, a casino regular from Palm Desert, commented that the system means fewer dealer mistakes and less time wasted under the automated system.
The General manager of the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Paul Ryan, said that “We think this is the future [...] you can't make a mistake. Here, you can't embarrass yourself.” Ryan hopes that the system will attract players who are more accustomed to online poker games.
Other casinos are watching to see how the tables are received. They cost less to run, and Fantasy Springs have lowered their rake from $5 to $3 because of this, but it will take time to see if the tables become accepted by regular players.
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