The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Agency's regulator has come up with a new set of technical standards covering electronic live dealer game tables for 40 casinos.
The new regulations define the electronic live dealer game table as a device that cannot be started or played 'without significant human interaction', and can provide an opportunity for lovers to 'choose a game to play from among a specified number of games'.
The new standard reportedly does not limit the number or type of games that can be offered via an electronic live dealer game table, but mandates that such units must be approved by Macao authorized laboratories before they can be deployed on the casino floor.
Electronic live dealer game tables still involve dealers spinning roulette wheels, throwing dice or drawing cards, but differ from more traditional non-electronic game tables in that all betting arrangements and payment tasks are performed electronically through a computer. Electronic devices have recently become popular among players who may suspect fully automated machines. Casinos like the fact that higher gaming speeds often yield higher per seat returns, despite a lower minimum wage compared to live dealers,
Total sales of electronic live dealer gaming tables at Macau casinos reportedly hit $146.54 million in the first nine months, up from $111.14 million seen overall. The unit is reportedly more popular among operators because a single employee can play the game through a large video screen, allowing it to play to up to 60 players compared to up to nine competitors generally allowed in a more traditional live dealer table.
The new standard also requires that all electronic live dealer table games provide the same 'probability' defined by rules and payments as a more traditional counterpart while messaging in Chinese and English.
The new rules do not simply limit the number of games players can enjoy simultaneously in a single electronic live dealer game table, with regulations designed to 'specify sufficient requirements and controls to ensure the operation of dealer-operated electronic table games in a fair, secure, reliable, and auditable manner'.