How Do Casinos Catch Card Counters? (Online & Offline)

Card counting, a popular blackjack strategy since the 1960s, has remained a controversial topic in the world of gambling. 

While not illegal, it’s highly frowned upon by casinos, leading to stringent measures to try and detect and deter card counters. 

This King Casino blog delves into the mechanisms casinos may employ to identify card counters, both online and offline, and the potential legal implications surrounding this practice.

Card Counting: Is It Legal?

Contrary to popular belief, card counting is not considered illegal in the majority of jurisdictions, including the UK. However, it’s viewed as an unfair advantage by casinos and is often against their terms and conditions. 

Therefore, while card counters may not be breaking the law, they could be breaching the casino’s policies, which can lead to repercussions ranging from account suspension to banning.

How Do Casinos Notice Card Counters?

Casinos have developed various techniques to try and detect card counting, some of which are:

Increased Deck Numbers

Historically, blackjack was played with a single deck of cards, making it easier for card counters to try and keep track. To counter this, casinos introduced the use of multiple decks, increasing the complexity of counting and reducing its effectiveness.

Frequent Shuffling

By shuffling cards frequently, casinos can disrupt the rhythm of any card counters. Continuous shuffling machines (CSMs) are especially effective, as they shuffle cards after each round, making card counting virtually impossible.

Changing Betting Spreads

Card counters tend to adjust their bets based on the count. By limiting the range of bet sizes casinos may prevent counters from potentially capitalising on favourable counts.

Enhanced Surveillance

Modern casinos can employ advanced surveillance systems to monitor players’ behaviour and detect patterns associated with card counting. Some even use facial recognition technology to identify known card counters.

How Do Card Counters Avoid Getting Caught?

Despite the advanced detection measures, some card counters still manage to evade detection through various tactics, such as:

Playing at Different Casinos

By frequently changing their playing location, card counters may potentially avoid being recognised and tracked.

Disguising Betting Patterns

Card counters may use cover strategies to try and hide their betting patterns and may avoid detection.

Working in Teams

Working in teams can allow card counters to track multiple tables simultaneously, making it harder for casinos to detect suspicious activity.

Can Casinos Punish You or Keep Your Winnings For Counting Cards?

While card counting isn’t illegal, casinos reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. If a player is suspected of card counting, the casino may ask them to leave or even ban them. 

However, they cannot legally confiscate a player’s winnings unless they can prove the player cheated.

How Do Online Casinos Prevent Card Counting?

With the increasing shift towards online gambling, casinos have adapted their anti-card counting measures for the digital world. Online casinos often employ software that makes counting virtually impossible. This includes:

Continuous Shuffling

Similar to physical casinos, online platforms also use continuous shuffling to try and prevent card counting. Some games may also run using Random Number Generators (RNGs), which can ensure fair and nearly unpredictable outcomes.

Multiple Decks

Many online blackjack games use multiple decks and do not fully use one deck before switching to another, making counting difficult.

Player Bans

Just like physical casinos, online platforms also reserve the right to ban players suspected of card counting.

In conclusion, while card counting isn’t illegal, it’s considerably frowned upon by casinos, leading to various countermeasures to try and detect and deter card counters. 

As the landscape of gambling continues to evolve, card counters may find it increasingly difficult to practise their strategy, both online and in physical casinos.