Section 645a.5. Shuffle and cut of the cards; procedures for determining the starting position for dealing cards

(a) Immediately prior to commencement of play, unless the cards were preshuffled in accordance with § 603a.16(u) or (v) (relating to cards; receipt, storage, inspection and removal from use), after each round of play has been completed or when directed by the floorperson or above, the dealer shall shuffle the cards, either manually or by use of an automated card shuffling device, so that the cards are randomly intermixed. Upon completion of the shuffle, the dealer or device shall place the deck of cards in a single stack. The certificate holder may use an automated card shuffling device which, upon completion of the shuffling of the cards, inserts the stack of cards directly into a dealing shoe.

(b) After the cards have been shuffled and stacked, the dealer shall:

(1) If the cards were shuffled using an automated card shuffling device, determine the starting position in accordance with subsection (i), then deal the cards in accordance with § 645a.8, § 645a.9 or § 645a.10 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from a manual dealing shoe; procedures for dealing the cards from the hand; and procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe).

(2) If the cards were shuffled manually, cut the cards in accordance with the procedures in subsections (c)—(e).

(c) Upon completion of a manual shuffle, the dealer shall place the stack of cards on top of one of the cover cards. The dealer shall offer the stack of cards to be cut, with the backs facing away from the dealer, to the player determined under subsection (d). If no player accepts the cut, the dealer shall cut the cards.

(d) The cut of the cards shall be offered to players in the following order:

(1) The first player arriving at the table, if the game is just beginning.

(2) The player who accepts the bank under § 645a.12 (relating to player bank; co-banking; selection of bank; procedures for dealing), if offered by the certificate holder. If the bank refuses the cut, the cards shall be offered to the player to the right of the bank, and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise manner, until a player accepts the cut.

(3) The player at the farthest position to the right of the dealer, if there is no bank. If this player refuses, the offer to cut the cards shall rotate to each player in a counterclockwise manner.

(e) The player or dealer making the cut shall place the second cover card in the stack at least ten cards from the top or the bottom of the deck. Once the second cover card has been inserted, the dealer shall take the second cover card and all the cards on top of the second cover card and place them on the bottom of the stack. The dealer shall then remove the first cover card and place it on the bottom of the stack. The dealer shall remove one of the cover cards and either place it in the discard rack or use it as an additional cover card to be inserted four cards from the bottom of the deck. The dealer shall then determine the starting position in accordance with subsection (i) and deal the cards in accordance with § 645a.8, § 645a.9 or § 645a.10.

(f) After the cards have been cut and before the cards have been dealt, a floorperson or above may require the cards to be recut if the floorperson 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 either by the player who last cut the cards, or by the next person entitled to cut the cards, as determined under subsection (d).

(g) If there is no gaming activity at a Pai Gow Poker table which is open for gaming, the cards shall be removed from the dealing shoe and discard rack and spread out on the table face down unless a player requests that the cards be spread face up on the table. After the first player arriving at the table is afforded an opportunity to visually inspect the cards:

(1) If there is no automated shuffling device in use, the cards shall be mixed thoroughly by a washing of the cards, stacked, then shuffled and cut in accordance with this section.

(2) If an automated shuffling device is in use, the cards shall be stacked and placed into the automated shuffling device to be shuffled. The deck of cards already in the shuffler shall then be removed. Unless a player requests otherwise, the deck of cards removed from the shuffler does not need to be spread for inspection and reshuffled prior to being dealt, if the automated card shuffling device stores a single deck of shuffled cards inside the shuffler in a secure manner.

(h) A certificate holder may utilize a dealing shoe or other device that automatically reshuffles and counts the cards provided that the device is submitted to the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations and approved in accordance with § 461a.4 (relating to submission for testing and approval) prior to its use in the licensed facility. If a certificate holder is utilizing the approved device, subsections (b)—(g) do not apply.

(i) To determine the starting position for the dealing of cards, the certificate holder shall use one of the following:

(1) A Pai Gow Poker shaker in accordance with the following procedures:

(i) The dealer shall shake the Pai Gow Poker shaker at least three times to cause a random mixture of the dice. If a player is the bank, in accordance with § 645a.12, the player shall shake the Pai Gow Poker shaker instead of the dealer. The dealer shall ensure that the bank shakes the Pai Gow Poker shaker at least three times.

(ii) The dealer shall then remove the lid covering the Pai Gow Poker shaker and place the uncovered shaker on the designated area of the table layout. The dealer shall then total the dice and announce the total. If a player is the bank and the player inadvertently removes the lid, the Pai Gow Poker shaker shall be covered and reshaken by the bank.

(iii) To determine the starting position, the dealer shall count each betting position in order, regardless of whether there is a wager at the betting position, beginning with the dealer as number one and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise manner, until the count matches the total of the three dice. If a player is the bank, when counting the betting positions to determine the starting position for dealing the cards, the bank, instead of the dealer, shall be considered number one.

(iv) After the dealing procedures required under § 645a.8, § 645a.9 or § 645a.10 have been completed, the dealer shall place the cover on the Pai Gow Poker shaker and shake the shaker once. The Pai Gow Poker shaker shall then be placed to the right of the dealer.

(2) A computerized random number generator to select and display a number from 1 to 7. To determine the starting position, the dealer shall count each betting position in order, regardless of whether there is a wager at the betting position, beginning with the dealer as number one and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise manner until the count matches the number displayed by the random number generator. If a player is the bank in accordance with § 645a.12, when counting the betting positions to determine the starting position for dealing the cards, the bank, instead of the dealer, shall be considered number one.

(j) After the starting position for a round of play has been determined, a certificate holder may mark that position with an additional cover card or similar object approved in accordance with § 601a.10(a) (relating to approval of table game layouts, signage and equipment).

The provisions of this § 645a.5 amended June 12, 2015, effective June 13, 2015, 45 Pa.B. 2829. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (375863) to (375866).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 645a.5 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(9)—(23), 1205, 1206(f) and (g), 1207(1) and (2), 1208(1)(iii), 1209(b), 1212, 1213, 13A11, 13A12—13A14, 13A15 and 1802 and Chapter 13.

Cross References

This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 645a.4 (relating to opening of the table for gaming); 58 Pa. Code § 645a.8 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from a manual dealing shoe); 58 Pa. Code § 645a.9 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from the hand); 58 Pa. Code § 645a.10 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe); and 58 Pa. Code § 645a.12 (relating to player bank; co-banking; selection of bank; procedures for dealing).