Section 651a.5. Shuffle and cut of the 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 dealing shoe of cards is dealt or when directed by a 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 the dealing shoe.

(b) After the cards have been shuffled and stacked, the dealer shall offer the stack of cards to be cut, with the backs facing away from the dealer, to the player as determined under subsection (c). If no player accepts the cut, the dealer shall cut the cards.

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

(1) The first player to the table if the game is just beginning.

(2) The player on whose betting area the cover card appeared during the last round of play.

(3) If the cover card appeared on the dealer’s hand during the last round of play, the player at the farthest position to the right of the dealer. If this player refuses, the offer to cut the cards shall rotate to each player in a counterclockwise manner.

(4) If the reshuffle was initiated at the discretion of a floorperson or above, the player at the farthest position to the right of the dealer. If this player refuses, the offer to cut the cards shall rotate to each player in a counterclockwise manner.

(d) The player or dealer making the cut shall place a cover card in the stack at least ten cards in from the top or bottom of the stack. Once the cover card has been inserted, the dealer shall take all cards on top of the cover card and the cover card and place them on the bottom of the stack. The dealer shall then insert the second cover card in the stack at a position at least 1/4 of the way in from the bottom of the stack. The stack of cards shall then be inserted into the dealing shoe for commencement of play.

(e) After the cards have been cut and before the cards have been placed in the dealing shoe, a floorperson or above may require the cards to be recut if the floorperson or above 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 player entitled to cut the cards, as determined under subsection (c)(4). The stack of cards shall then be inserted into the dealing shoe for commencement of play.

(f) A reshuffle of the cards in the shoe shall take place after the cover card is reached in the shoe as required under § 651a.8(d) (relating to procedure for dealing the cards) except that a floorperson may determine that the cards should be reshuffled after any round of play.

(g) If there is no gaming activity at the Casino War table which is open for play, the cards shall be removed from the dealing shoe and the 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 is afforded an opportunity to visually inspect the cards, the cards shall be:

(1) Mixed thoroughly by a washing of the cards, stacked, then shuffled and cut in accordance with this section, if there is not an automated shuffling device in use.

(2) Stacked and placed into the automated shuffling device to be shuffled, if an automated shuffling device is in use. The batch of cards already in the shuffler shall then be removed. Unless a player requests otherwise, the batch of cards removed from the shuffler does not need to be spread for inspection and reshuffled prior to being dealt, if:

(i) The automated card shuffling device stores a single batch of shuffled cards inside the shuffler in a secure manner.

(ii) The shuffled cards have been secured, released and prepared for play in accordance with procedures submitted to the Bureau of Gaming Operations and approved in accordance with § 465a.2 (relating to internal control systems and audit protocols).

(h) A certificate holder may utilize a dealing shoe or other device that automatically reshuffles and counts the cards, provided that the device is approved by the Bureau of Gaming Laboratory Operations, 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.

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 651a.8 (relating to procedure for dealing the cards).