Month: January 2017

For generations, the slot machine and the roulette table were the two symbols of casinos worldwide. When you think of the word ‘casino’, I can guarantee you that these are the first images that come to your head, the bright lights and loud sounds of the slot machines and/or the relentless spinning of the roulette wheel. It’s not hard to imagine why that is – for years, that’s what everyone played. Movies from “Casablanca” and its famous roulette scene to “What Happens in Vegas” where the entire plot is kicked off by a surprising jackpot win from a slot machine have reinforced the notion that these are the games people play in casinos.

Except that’s not true. At least not in 2017.

While for over a century the games that were most popular in various casinos across the world were undoubtedly those that relied on pure luck and chance rather than skill, this has changed recently due to a culture shift. Until now, the notion in the Western world was that you needed to be persistent, not good. Work for 30 years in the same place, and you’ll undoubtedly become the manager one day even if you have no skill! It was rare, if not unheard of, to see someone young achieve success because that’s simply not how things worked. However, that notion doesn’t quite translate in the modern age of Silicon Valley billionaires who amassed their fortunes in their 20s not by being persistent or lucky, but by simply being very, very good at their jobs, better than everyone else in the field. You can’t tell someone you expect them to gamble on slots for 10 years if they’re looking to retire before they’re 25! Combine that with the fact that the videogame industry is bigger than it’s ever been, further teaching youngsters that it’s skill that is rewarded when they play rather than luck.

So, how does that change the gambling industry? In the US, more and more states have began adopting skill-based machines. Imagine playing a videogame that rewards you with money the better you play, or a slot machine whose bonus round is a game of Pac-Man, something like that. It’s a fantastic idea that has already proven effective in attracting a new generation of gamblers, but unfortunately, these types of machines are still illegal in the UK, and it might be a while before we see them legalized. So, what do the Brits do? According to statistics, they’ve began to run in droves to sites like http://www.realmoney-blackjack.com/live/ in an attempt to satisfy their own thirst for skill-based gambling. And honestly, you can’t exactly blame them. Excluding stuff like video poker (which is still WAY more luck-based than regular poker), blackjack, especially its live version where you play with a real dealer, is probably the most skill-based game you can play in a British online casino right now. Of course, the best case scenario would absolutely be if all skill-based games were legalized (which is what I hope would happen because it’s honestly a stupid law that hurts players more than it helps them), but until that happens, live blackjack might just be the best alternative we’ve got.