Official Casino Blackjack Rules

Definitions

1.1

In these rules, unless the contrary intention appears:

"Act" means the Casino Control Act 1992;

"blackjack" means an ace and any card having a point value of ten dealt as the initial two cards to a player or a dealer except that this shall not include an ace and a ten point value card dealt to a player who has split pairs;

"burned" means to remove a card from play by placing it in the discard rack;

"casino promotional token or voucher" means a token or voucher issued by the casino operator to enable the player to have one free wager at a gaming table in the amount identified on the token or voucher. Promotional tokens and vouchers wagered at a table are forfeited after a round of play whether the wager wins or loses. If the wager wins, the player is to be paid the winnings in chips;

"casino supervisor" means a person employed in a casino in a managerial capacity relating to the conduct of gaming and includes a games supervisor;

"dealer" means a person responsible for the operation of the game;

"game supervisor" means a person responsible for the immediate supervision of the operation of the game;

"hard total" means the point total of a hand which contains no aces or which contains aces that are each counted as 1 in value;

"inspector " means a person appointed under section 106 of the Act;

"multishuffler" means a machine approved by the Casino Control Authority to be used for shuffling either four (4), six (6) or eight (8) decks of cards;

"point total" means the total value of cards in a hand;

"round of play" means a period of play commencing with the removal of the first card from the shoe or shuffling device by the dealer and concluding when the dealer, after drawing the last card, announces a result and if applicable, pays out winnings;

"shuffling device" means a card shuffling machine approved by the Casino Control Authority for use in the game of Blackjack, but does not include a "multishuffler";

"soft total" means the point total of a hand containing at least one ace counted as 11 in value;

"stand off" means where a wager shall neither win nor lose;

"Super Sevens wager" means an optional additional wager which may be made by a player in accordance with rule 12;

"void" means invalid with no result;

Table Layout and Equipment

2.1

The game of Blackjack shall be played at a table having on one side places for the players and on the opposite side a place for the dealer.

2.2

The layout cloth covering the table shall be marked in a manner substantially similar to that shown below [see image] with:

2.2.1

a minimum of five and a maximum of nine playing areas designated for the placement of wagers;

2.2.2

an area for the placement of insurance wagers;

2.2.3

inscriptions to the effect that -

2.2.3.1	blackjack pays 3 to 2,
2.2.3.2	the dealer must stand on 17 and must draw to 16, and
2.2.3.3	insurance pays 2 to 1;

2.2.4

the name and/or logo of the casino imprinted thereon.

2.3

The following equipment shall also be used in the game of Blackjack:

2.3.1	a card shoe or shuffling device from which all cards shall be dealt;
2.3.2	a discard rack capable of holding up to eight decks of cards.

2.4

The table shall have a drop box attached to it.

The Cards

3.1

The game of Blackjack shall be played with either three decks or four decks or six decks or eight decks of cards, each deck having 52 cards without jokers, with backs the same colour and design and a cutting card, provided however that the Super Sevens option described in rule 12 shall be played with either six decks or eight decks of cards.

3.2

The value of cards shall be as follows;

3.2.1	an ace shall have a value of 11 except when that would give a player or the dealer a point total in excess of 21, in which case, it shall have a value of 1 and except as provided in rule 11;
3.2.2	any card from 2 to 10 inclusive shall have its face value; and
3.2.3	any jack, queen or king shall have a value of 10.

3.3

Cards shall be checked by a dealer or a game supervisor prior to use on a gaming table.

3.4

Cards may be removed from the table and replaced with new cards, at the discretion of a casino supervisor, upon the completion of:

3.4.1	a round of play in which the cutting card is exposed and prior to a shuffle when a card shoe is used; or
3.4.2	any round of play when a shuffling device is used.

3.5

All cards used in the game of Blackjack shall be dealt from a card shoe or shuffling device specifically designed for such purpose and located on the table to the left of the dealer. All cards shall be dealt:

3.5.1	face upwards; or
3.5.2	the first two cards to each player may be dealt face downwards with the prior approval of an Inspector. In this instance the players must expose the first two cards prior to receiving a third card.

3.6

Where rule 3.5.2 applies, the cards may be handled by the player, but may not leave the area of the table layout, nor be held away from the table.

3.7

No person shall handle, remove or alter any cards used in the game of Blackjack other than as provided for in rule 3.5.2.

3.8

Each player at the table shall be responsible for correctly computing the point total of their hand and no player shall be entitled to rely on the point total announced by the dealer.

The Shuffle and Cut

4.1

The dealer shall either use a multishuffler (which shall be positioned adjacent to the Blackjack table and to the left of the dealer) or manually shuffle the cards so that they are randomly intermixed:

4.1.1	immediately prior to the start of play;
4.1.2	when the cutting card is exposed or drawn as the first card of a new round of play; or
4.1.3	at the completion of the round of play in which the cutting card is drawn.

4.2

After the cards have been shuffled, the dealer shall offer the stack of cards, with backs facing away from him/her, to the players to be cut. The player to cut the cards shall be:

4.2.1	the first player to the table if the game is just commencing;
4.2.2	the player on whose playing area the cutting card appeared during the last round of play;
4.2.3	the player at the farthest point to the right of the dealer if the cutting card appeared on the dealer's hand during the last round of play;
4.2.4	the player at the farthest point to the right of the dealer if the cutting card is exposed or drawn as the first card of a new round of play; or
4.2.5	the player at the farthest point to the right of the dealer if the cards are replaced in accordance with these rules.

4.3

If the player designated in rule 4.2 refuses the cut, the cards shall be offered to each player moving clockwise around the table until a player accepts the cut. If no player accepts the cut, a game supervisor shall cut the cards.

4.4

The person designated in rule 4.2 or 4.3 shall cut the cards by placing the cutting card in the stack at least one deck in from either end of the stack.

4.5

Once the cutting card has been inserted by the person designated in these rules the dealer shall take all cards in front of the cutting card and place them to the back of the stack, after which the dealer shall insert the cutting card in the stack up to half way in from the back of the stack. The stack of cards shall then be inserted in the card shoe for commencement of play.

4.6

When a shuffling device is used, the operation of rules 4.1 to 4.5 inclusive are amended to the extent necessary for the following to have effect:

4.6.1	prior to the start of play or the introduction of new cards in accordance with rule 3.4, the new decks of cards shall be manually shuffled by the dealer before being placed in the shuffling device;
4.6.2	cards shall be placed in the shuffling device to be shuffled;
4.6.3	the cards shall not be cut; and
4.6.4	the shuffling device takes the place of the card shoe.

4.7

The first card from the card shoe or shuffling device shall be burned by placing it face down in the discard rack and shall not be exposed.

Wagers

5.1

All wagers shall be placed by means of chips and/or casino promotional tokens or vouchers.

5.2

A wager by a player shall be placed on the appropriate playing areas of the blackjack layout prior to the first card being dealt for each round of play.

5.3

Except as provided in rules 8, 10.1, 11.1, 12.1 and 12.6 or until a decision and settlement has been made in respect of any wager, no wager may be handled, placed, increased or withdrawn after the first card of the round of play has been dealt.

5.4

Up to three players may wager on any one playing area of the blackjack layout but a casino supervisor may restrict the number of players to less than three.

5.5

Where more than one player wagers on a playing area the decisions with regard to the cards dealt to that area shall be called by:

5.5.1	the player who is seated at the playing area;
5.5.2	where there is no seated player, the player with the highest wager in the box;
5.5.3	where all wagers are of equal value, the player whose wager is nearest the dealer.

5.6

The dealer shall, prior to the commencement of a round of play, ascertain the player who shall call the decisions with respect to any playing area in accordance with rule 5.5.

5.7

The dealer shall ensure that:

5.7.1	the player calling the decisions places his/her wager in the portion of the playing area nearest to the dealer's side of the table; and
5.7.2	all other players wagering on the playing area place their wagers in a vertical line with the wager referred to in rule 5.7.1.

5.8

A player may be permitted to wager on more than one playing area at a Blackjack table providing that, where there are insufficient seats at the table to accommodate player demand, a player wagering on more than one playing area shall give up a playing area or playing areas to accommodate other players.

5.9

Where it is not possible to pay a wager exactly in chips it shall be paid to the next highest amount to which payment can be made in chips.

5.10	A casino supervisor may, where a card shoe is in use, restrict any person who has not made a wager on the first round of play to wagering the minimum wager displayed at the table on any subsequent round of play prior to a reshuffle of the cards occurring.
5.11	Any person who, after placing a wager on a given round of play declines to place a wager on any subsequent round of play may, when a card shoe is in use, be restricted by a casino supervisor to wagering the minimum wager displayed at the table until that shoe of cards is completed and a re-shuffle occurs.
5.12	A Gaming Shift Manager may limit a player to one playing area and to the minimum wager for that playing area displayed on the sign at the Blackjack table. An inspector must be notified prior to a player being limited to a table minimum wager.
5.13	Notwithstanding rule 5.8, a casino supervisor may reserve a series of playing areas at a table for the sole use of a specific player.

6.	Minimum and Maximum Wagers
6.1	The minimum and maximum wagers permitted on each playing area shall be shown on a sign at the table. Unless stated on the sign, wagers are not required to be made in multiples of the minimum. The sign may also state the minimum unit in which wagers may be made above the table minimum.
6.2	Any wager less than the stated minimum or greater than the stated maximum made by a player and not rejected prior to the first card being dealt for a round of play shall be treated as a valid wager.
6.3	A casino supervisor may alter the limits on a gaming table at any time except that a minimum wager can only be changed to a higher minimum if a sign indicating the new minimum and proposed time of change has been displayed at the table at least 20 minutes before the change.
6.4	A casino supervisor may allow a player to wager in excess of the stated maximum wagers permitted on that table, provided that a sign denoting the new minimum and maximum wagers for that player is placed on an appropriate area of the table.

7.	Initial Deal
	The dealer shall call "no more bets" and starting from the left and continuing clockwise round the table, shall deal a card in sequence to each playing area containing wager/s and a card to the dealer's position. In a like manner the dealer shall then deal a second card to each of the wagered playing areas.

8.	Insurance
	Where the dealer's first card is an ace, a player may place an insurance wager, equivalent to not more than half the amount placed as his/her initial wager, that the dealer's second card will have a value of ten. All insurance wagers shall be made before the commencement of the subsequent deal and are to be placed on the insurance line of the layout.

Interim Settlement

9.1

Upon completion of the initial deal and before the subsequent deal;

9.1.1	where a player has a blackjack and the dealer's card does not have a value of ten or is not an ace, the dealer shall either pay the wager(s) on that hand at odds of 3 to 2, remove the cards dealt to that playing area and place them in the discard rack or, with the approval of a Pit Manager or above, pay said wager(s) at Final Settlement in accordance with rule 15.1.1;
9.1.2	where a player has a blackjack and the dealer's card is an ace, the dealer shall, at the players request, pay the player in settlement an amount equal to the initial wager. In this instance, any insurance wager made by the player shall be void and returned to the player; or
9.1.3	where a player has a blackjack and the dealer's card has a value of ten, the dealer shall make no payment nor remove any cards from that playing area until the outcome is determined under rule 15.

10.

Subsequent Deal

10.1

The dealer shall, beginning from the left, announce the player's point total and allow the player to indicate whether he/she wishes to:

10.1.1	double in accordance with rule 11;
10.1.2	split pairs in accordance with rule 12;
10.1.3	stand by electing to receive no additional cards; or
10.1.4	receive an additional card(s).

10.2

A player having a point total less than 12 shall be required, subject to rule 11, to receive an additional card or cards until his/her hand has a point total of not less than 12.

10.3

A player may elect to receive additional cards, subject to rules 11 and 12, whenever his/her point total is less than 21 except that a player having blackjack or a hard or soft total of 21 may not draw additional cards.

10.4

As each player indicates his/her decision(s), the dealer shall deal face upwards whatever additional cards are required to give effect to the decision(s) and shall announce the point total of the player's hand after each additional card is dealt.

10.5

Where a player's point total exceeds 21, any wager on that hand shall lose and the dealer shall immediately collect the cards from that hand and place them in the discard rack.

11.	Doubling
11.1	A player may elect to double, by wagering an amount equal to their original wager, on the first two cards dealt to him/her or the first two cards of any split pair on the conditions that the point total of the first two cards total 9, 10 or 11 and that one, and only one, additional card shall be dealt to the hand on which the player has elected to double.
11.2	In such circumstances, the one additional card shall be dealt face upwards and placed sideways on the layout.
11.3	An ace in the first two cards of any double situation shall have a value of 1 and not 11.
11.4	If the player controlling the playing area elects to double, player(s) with a wager on the same playing area shall also have the option to double on that hand before the additional card is dealt. If the other player(s) do not double, the condition that only one additional card shall be dealt to that hand remains unchanged.
11.5	If the dealer obtains blackjack after a player doubles, the dealer shall only collect the amount of the player's original wager.

12.

Super Sevens (Optional)

12.1

The casino operator may in its discretion offer players the opportunity to make Super Sevens wagers in accordance with this rule.

12.2

Where the Super Sevens wager is offered, and the game of Blackjack is played at a table with a layout cloth marked in a manner substantially similar to that shown in diagram B, any player may elect to place a Super Sevens wager before the round of play commences. The Super Sevens wager shall be placed in the appropriate playing area of the layout corresponding to the area where the initial wager was placed. Up to three Super Sevens wagers shall be allowed per playing area.

12.3

The amount required to make a Super Sevens wager shall be displayed on a notice at the table, and a player wishing to make a Super Sevens wager must first have placed an initial wager in one or more playing areas.

12.4

Where a Super Sevens wager is made and:

12.4.1	the first card dealt to the player's hand in that round is a seven (of any suit), the player shall win and be paid odds of three to one, unless the next card dealt to the hand is also a seven;
12.4.2	the first two cards dealt to the player's hand in that round are both sevens (of different suits), the player shall win and be paid odds of fifty to one, unless the next card dealt to the hand is also a seven;
12.4.3	the first two cards dealt to the player's hand in that round are both sevens of the same suit, the player shall win and be paid odds of one hundred to one, unless the next card dealt to the hand is also a seven;
12.4.4	the first three cards dealt to the player's hand in that round are all sevens, but are not all of the same suit, the player shall win and be paid odds of five hundred to one;
12.4.5	the first three cards dealt to the player's hand in that round are all sevens of the same suit, the player shall win and be paid odds of five thousand to one; or
12.4.6	any card other than a seven is dealt as the first card to that player, that player loses the wager.

12.5

If the first two cards dealt to a playing area on which a Super Sevens wager has been made are both sevens, and the option to split in accordance with rule 12 is taken, the next card dealt shall decide the settlement of the Super Sevens wager in accordance with rule 12.4, and that wager shall then be deemed completed.

12.6

Winning Super Sevens wagers shall be paid, and losing Super Sevens wagers collected, by the dealer as soon as the outcome of the Super Sevens wager is known.

13.	Irregularities
13.1	A card found turned face upwards in the card shoe or shuffling device shall be burned by placing it in the discard rack.
13.2	Subject to rule 13.5, a card dealt or burned in error shall be dealt to the players or the dealer as though it were the next card from the shoe or shuffling device.
13.3	Subject to rule 10.2, a player who refuses to accept the card referred to in rule 13.2 shall not receive any additional card during that round of play.
13.4	Where the card referred to in rule 13.2 is refused by all players it shall become the dealer's next card.
13.5	A card exposed and dealt in error to the dealer's completed hand shall be burned by placing it in the discard rack.
13.6	Should any round of play contain an error caused by the incorrect dealing of a card, every effort must be made to reconstruct that round of play in such a way as to cause the sequence of cards dealt to be as it should have been had the error not occurred. However, should every effort to reconstruct the round of play fail, then the casino supervisor may authorise that round being declared void and the wagers shall then be returned to the players.
13.7	If there are insufficient cards remaining in the shoe to complete a round of play, all of the cards in the discard rack shall be shuffled and cut in accordance with rule 4 and the dealer shall then complete the round of play and the game shall continue in accordance with these rules.
13.8	Subject to rule 5.5, where a player makes a wager in accordance with rule 5 and is not present to make decisions with regards to the cards dealt to the playing area containing the wager, cards shall be dealt to the playing area in turn by the dealer until the point total of the cards exceeds 11.
13.9	Should the dealer forget to burn the first card from the card shoe or shuffling device in accordance with rule 4.7, then play shall continue with that card remaining in play.

14.

Shuffling Device Malfunction

14.1

This rule, and rules 14.2 to 14.3, apply if all of the following conditions are satisfied:-

14.1.1	a shuffling device is in use for a game of Blackjack; and
14.1.2	it becomes evident, in a round of play for which 1 or more cards have been dealt, that the shuffling device is no longer capable of operating in the way it is intended to operate; and
14.1.3	the malfunctioning of the shuffling device has not operated to the disadvantage of the casino operator or a player; and
14.1.4	another shuffling device is readily available; and
14.1.5	it is practicable to transfer cards to another shuffling device.

14.2

Where a shuffling device malfunctions without causing any damage to the cards in the shuffling device, the cards in the shuffling device must be transferred to another shuffling device and the game continued.

14.3

Where a shuffling device malfunctions and causes damage to any card in the shuffling device:-

14.3.1	the damaged cards in the malfunctioning shuffling device are to be removed from play; and
14.3.2	the undamaged cards still in the malfunctioning shuffling device are to be transferred from the malfunctioning shuffling device to another shuffling device; and
14.3.3	the damaged cards are to be replaced with cards from a new deck, and the replacement cards are to be placed in the shuffling device containing the cards transferred from the malfunctioning shuffling device; and
14.3.4	the game is continued.

14.4

Where a shuffling device malfunctions and the casino operator or a player is disadvantaged by reason of the malfunction, the round of play is terminated, and the amount wagered by each player must be returned to the player.

14.5

Where a shuffling device malfunctions and rules 14.1.4 or 14.1.5 cannot be satisfied:-

14.5.1	each player must be given the opportunity to have each amount wagered by the player in the round of play returned to the player; and
14.5.2	any damaged card must be replaced with cards from a new deck; and
14.5.3	the replacement cards, if any, and any undamaged cards in the shuffling device are to be shuffled and cut in the same way as applies under rule 4; and
14.5.4	the round of play for the players who elected not to have their wagers returned is completed using a dealing shoe.

15.

General Provisions

15.1

A person shall not, either alone or in concert with any other person, use or control at or near a gaming table or location related to the playing of a game a calculator, computer, or other electronic, electrical or mechanical apparatus or device that is capable, with respect to a game or a part thereof, of recording, projecting, analysing or transmitting an outcome or the changing probabilities or the playing strategies to be used.

15.2

Rule 15.1 shall not apply to use or control by an agent or employee of the casino operator or an inspector where such person is acting in the course of their duty.

15.3

Where a casino supervisor is satisfied that a person has contravened any provision of rule 15.1, he/she may:

15.3.1	declare that any wager made by the person is void;
15.3.2	direct that the person shall be excluded from further participation in the game;
15.3.3	exclude the person from the casino in line with the provisions of section 79 of the Act;
15.3.4	cause the person(s) in possession of a prohibited device to be detained until such time as an inspector or a police officer has attended and assumed responsibility for the situation.

15.4

A casino supervisor may invalidate the outcome of a game if:

15.4.1	the game is disrupted by civil commotion, fire, riot, brawl, robbery, an act of God; or
15.4.2	any fraudulent act is perpetrated by any person that, in the opinion of the casino supervisor, affects the outcome of the game.

15.5

Where the outcome of a game is invalidated under rule 15.4, all wagers made by the players for that particular result may be refunded provided that a casino supervisor may direct that the wager of any player referred to in rule 15.4.2 be forfeited.

15.6

A player shall not be advised by an employee of the casino on how to play, except to ensure compliance with these rules.

15.7

No spectator or any player wagering at any table may, unless requested by a player, attempt to influence, influence or offer advice to that player regarding that player's decisions of play.

15.8

A casino supervisor may close a gaming table at which players are present provided a sign showing the proposed time of closure has been displayed at the table for at least 20 minutes before the closure.

15.9

A player who abstains from placing any wagers for three consecutive rounds of play, while all other seats or positions at the table are in use, may be required to vacate his/her seat or position.

15.10	Players and spectators are not permitted to have side bets with or against each other.
15.11	Any dispute or complaint concerning a casino game shall be referred for decision in the first instance to a game supervisor, subject to a review (if requested) by a casino supervisor. The decision of the casino supervisor shall be final, subject to rule 15.12.
15.12	Complainants in all unresolved disputes shall be advised of the presence of, and their right to consult, an inspector. Where a complainant requests review of the decision by an inspector, the inspector shall investigate the complaint in accordance with section 110 of the Act.
15.13	A copy of these rules shall be made available for inspection upon request.

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