Minimum Standards for Blackjack

PURPOSE: This rule establishes a set of minimum standards for the game of Blackjack. (1) The following words and terms, when used in this rule, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. (A) “Bart Carter Shuffle” means the shuffling procedure whereby approximately one deck of cards is shuffled after being dealt, segregated into separate stacks and each stack is inserted into pre-marked locations within the remaining decks contained in the dealing shoe. (B) “Determinant card” means the first card drawn for each round of play to determine from which side of the two (2)-compartment dealing shoe the cards for that hand shall be dealt. (C) “Double shoe” means a dealing shoe that has two (2) adjacent compartments in which cards are stacked separately and which permits cards to be dealt from only one (1) compartment at any given time. (2) A person who, without the assistance of another person or without the use of a physical aid or device of any kind, uses the ability to keep track of the value of cards played in Blackjack and uses predictions formed as a result of the tracking information in his/her playing and betting strategy shall not GAMING COMMISSION be considered to be cheating. (3) A Class B licensee may implement any of the following options at a Blackjack table provided that the casino licensee complies with the notice requirements contained in 11 CSR 45-5.060: (A) Persons who have not made a wager on the first round of play may not enter the game on a subsequent round of play until a reshuffle of the cards has occurred; (B) Persons who have not made a wager on the first round of play may be permitted to enter the game, but may be limited to wagering only the minimum limit posted at the table until a reshuffle of the cards has occurred; (C) Persons who, after making a wager on a given round of play, decline to wager on any subsequent round of play may be precluded from placing any further wagers until a reshuffle of the cards has occurred; (D) Persons who, after making a wager on a given round of play, decline to wager on any subsequent round of play may be permitted to place further wagers, but may be limited to wagering only the minimum limit posted at the table until a reshuffle of the cards has occurred; and (E) Use a double shoe with a determinate card that selects which shoe to deal from during a particular hand. (4) If a Class B licensee implements any of the options in section (3) of this rule, the option shall be uniformly applied to all persons at the table; provided, however that if a Class B licensee has implemented either of the options in subsection (3)(C) or (D) of this rule, an exception may be made for a patron who temporarily leaves the table if, at the time the patron leaves, the Class B licensee agrees to reserve the patron’s spot until his or her return. (5) Immediately prior to the commencement of play and after any shuffle of the cards, the dealer shall require that the cards be cut in a manner set forth in the Class B licensee’s internal controls as approved by the commission. Such internal controls shall be subject to the following conditions: (A) If the “Bart Carter Shuffle” is utilized and the cards in the discard rack exceed approximately one (1) deck in number, the dealer shall continue dealing the cards until that round of play is completed after which he shall remove the cards from the discard rack and shuffle those cards so that they are randomly intermixed. After the cards taken from the discard rack are shuffled, they shall be split into three (3) separate stacks and each stack shall be inserted into pre-marked locations within the remaining decks contained in the dealing shoe. (6) A floor supervisor or above may direct the dealer to shuffle the cards after any round of play is completed and all wagers have been resolved. (7) After the cards have been cut and before any cards have been dealt, a floor supervisor may require the cards to be recut if he or she determines that the cut was performed improperly or in any way that might affect the integrity or fairness of the game. If a recut is required, the cards shall be recut, at the Class B licensee’s option, by the player who last cut the cards, or by the next person entitled to cut the cards, as determined by the Class B licensee’s internal controls. AUTHORITY: section 313.004, RSMo 2000 and section 313.805, RSMo Supp. 2010.* Original rule filed Dec. 17, 1999, effective Aug. 30, 2000. Amended: Filed Feb. 28, 2007, effective Oct. 30, 2007. Amended: Filed July 28, 2010, effective Feb. 28, 2011. *Original authority: 313.004, RSMo 1993, amended 1994; 313.805, RSMo 1991, amended 1993, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2010.