California Senate Bill 549 - the Cliff Notes

If passed into law, this bill would allow the California tribes to sue California cardrooms over the player-banked games. If you're not familiar with the California casino/poker scene, a little review will help...

There are two completely different types of regulated casino/poker rooms in California.

Tribal casinos

Various California native tribes have compacts with the state that allow them to operate full ('Vegas-style', if you will) casinos. They have all the games you'd expect at any casino, and those games are played just as they're played in any other casino in the U.S. or around the world.

California DoJ regulated cardrooms

There are about 70 'cardrooms' in California, which are regulated by the California Department of Justice. They are permitted to spread card games, but crucially, they may not offer 'house-banked' games. That means that you can't gamble against the house. That's just fine for poker, but it doesn't work for typical casino 'pit' games.

The cardrooms have worked around this by allowing players to take turns banking various games that emulate traditional casino games such as blackjack, baccarat, and pai gow poker.

With time, those player-bankers have largely morphed into a couple of 'consortiums' that hire people to sit and act as bankers for the games. Such player-bankers are sometimes called 'Third-party Proposition Players,' or 'TPPP.' Everybody seems more or less satisfied with this arrangement, and these games provide vital revenue to the cardrooms.

DoJ-regulated cardrooms you might recognize: Capital Casino in Sacramento, Lucky Chances near San Francisco, Bay 101 and M8trix in San Jose. Club One in Fresno.

In the L.A. area – Bicycle, Commerce, Hawaiian Gardens, and Hollywood Park. Oceans 11 in Oceanside, near San Diego. Oh, I forgot to mention – Hustler Casino.

Could HCL survive if the bill is passed?

Also: the tribal casinos aren't subject to California's anti-smoking laws. There's smoking in the tribal casinos – there is no smoking in the DoJ-regulated cardrooms.

The tribes want the whole pie

Unsatisfied with having a monopoly on actual casino gambling in California, some of the tribal players are pushing through Senate Bill 549, which would allow them sue the DoJ-regulated cardrooms over the use of the TPPPs. 

As Haley Hintze wrote in her piece, "SB 549 would allow the well-funded tribal casinos to launch expensive litigation against any room offering TPPP games, while also exempting the California Gambling Control Commission from any adjudged damages..."

Here's what happens if SB 549 passes

The tribes, and their fleets of expensive attorneys, bring a tsunami of lawsuits down on the cardrooms. The biggest cardrooms (Hustler, Commerce, Bay 101, etc) hire their own fleet of expensive attorneys to fight for their very existence. And be sure that cost will be passed onto the customer.

But there's also this: for every big bright-lights 'California casino,' there are half a dozen tiny-to-small rooms. My list above represents 11 of the over 70 licensed cardrooms. Many of those rooms have only a handful of tables. Just recently, I had the opportunity to play in a five-table room in the Gold Country that gets a $1/3 game going 4-5 times per week. It was a great time, people were friendly, and it was the sort of experience that reminded me how fun poker can be. 

That Gold Country club cannot afford expensive attorneys. If SB 549 passes, that club probably has to close its doors. Many, perhaps most, of the smaller rooms, close down. And the golden age of poker in the Golden State would end.

Let's put it this way: if you play poker in a regular casino, how long do you think the poker room would be around if all of the slot machines and pit games were removed?

Look, political power plays are as old as politics, and I'm not surprised to see the tribes making this move. I'm not even sure I 'blame' them. But California poker is one of the prime engines of the game's health and growth in the U.S. In their quest for a monopoly, the tribes are more than happy to throw that poker engine in the trash.

Barry Collins from Forbes recently undertook an intriguing experiment: he used ChatGPT to analyze his play in online Texas hold ’em games, seeking to understand whether this AI could serve as a valuable poker tutor. Here’s how his experiment went.

How ChatGPT Analyzes Poker Performance

ChatGPT’s potential shines more in post-game analysis rather than live play advice. Collins pointed out that online poker platforms, such as GG Poker, allow players to download hand histories from their games. By uploading these histories to ChatGPT, players can receive detailed feedback on their decisions.

Collins tested this feature by submitting a 60-hand history from a recent cash game. ChatGPT analyzed his play across several hands, offering strategic advice and critiques. For instance, in one hand where Collins bluffed on the river with a large bet, ChatGPT recommended balancing bluffs with value bets to avoid predictability. This reflects sound strategy found in many poker guides.

The AI can also scrutinize specific hands where players won significantly or suffered substantial losses. Collins provided an example where he lost with a strong opening hand—a pair of kings. An ace on the turn led to cautious play, and ChatGPT validated his decision to fold in light of the betting patterns, affirming that it was a reasonable response given the circumstances.

Advanced Analysis with ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s capabilities seem extend beyond basic strategy advice. Collins explored advanced features by using the GPT store’s “Poker Hand Analyzer,” which runs Monte Carlo simulations. This tool calculates the likelihood of winning a hand by considering a range of plausible opponent holdings based on observed betting behavior.

In a specific scenario involving a pair of kings, ChatGPT provided instructions to run a Monte Carlo simulation using Python. Despite the technical complexity, the simulation offered a detailed probability analysis, suggesting Collins had a roughly even chance of winning with his hand. Comparatively, the PokerNews Odds Calculator gave a slightly higher winning probability but lacked the nuanced betting context considered by ChatGPT.

Recognizing ChatGPT’s Limitations

While ChatGPT provides valuable insights, Collins acknowledged its limitations. Its advice generally aligns with standard poker strategies found in books and videos by professional players. It effectively identifies common mistakes, such as over-betting weaker hands and missing potential straights.

However, Collins observed occasional inaccuracies in ChatGPT’s feedback. For instance, it once misidentified an unsuited hand as a “suited connector.” These errors, though minor, can undermine confidence in the AI’s recommendations.

Ultimately, while ChatGPT may not transform an amateur into a professional poker player, it serves as a useful tool for refining basic strategy and reviewing past performance. Collins learned that while he might not become an online poker millionaire with ChatGPT’s help, the technology offers a constructive supplement to traditional learning resources. So please read the title of this article:

After a long hiatus, blackjack is making a triumphant return to Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton, Oklahoma. The popular card game has been eagerly awaited by both patrons and staff alike, and its reintroduction is sure to bring a new level of excitement to the casino floor.

The decision to bring back blackjack was made after careful consideration by the casino’s management team, who saw the potential for increased revenue and customer satisfaction. With its fast-paced action and strategic gameplay, blackjack is a favorite among casino-goers, and its absence was keenly felt during its absence.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of blackjack to Comanche Nation Casino,” said General Manager, John Doe. “Our patrons have been asking for it for some time, and we are happy to be able to bring it back to our gaming floor. We believe it will be a big hit with our visitors.”

In addition to its return to the gaming floor, Comanche Nation Casino is also planning special promotions and events to celebrate the comeback of blackjack. Players can look forward to special tournaments, giveaways, and other exciting opportunities to win big while enjoying their favorite card game.

Caesars Palace is once again shuffling its casino floor, and its poker room is the space that again suffers. Sometime in the middle of July, its 18 table poker room will be closed while the casino renovates its high-limit slots area. It will be closed for at least two months and possibly longer, and it’s not known when and where the room will reopen.

The room was moved to its current location on the casino floor a decade ago so the casino could expand its Pure nightclub. It was once one of the best poker room in Las Vegas and hosted WSOP Circuit events and the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship.

Players would walk down a short hallway just off the casino floor into a space completely dedicated to poker. The fantastic large photos of well-known moments in sports hanging on the wall gave the room a classy, upscale feel which went away after Caesars expanded its famous nightclub.

Caesars Entertainment, which also owns and runs the World Series of Poker at its sister properties Horseshoe and Paris in Las Vegas, has opened WSOP-themed poker rooms at its properties around the country in the last several years.

Little by little we are becoming accustomed to the arrival of Neymar Jr. at the WSOP each year. The Brazilian seems to have found a passion in poker and everything seems to indicate that we will continue to see him in big tournaments for several more years. After breaking it in the cash games at Hustler Casino Live, Ney traveled to Las Vegas to participate in the WSOP 2024 and his arrival did not go unnoticed.

The Brazilian soccer star took a seat at the Horseshoe as soon as he arrived in Sin City. And he did it to compete in the Satellite Invitational that bears his name, along with several of his poker friends.

The WSOP organization wanted to receive him in the best way and organized an exclusive event for Ney and his friends, who filled the Horseshoe room to fill it with poker and joy.

The stars have descended upon the 2024 WSOP as the legendary @neymarjr arrives in style, bringing along a constellation of friends including @vegaspedro29 @Mister_Keating @ChrisEubankJr #wsop2024 pic.twitter.com/N7mlfMUBLI

— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 26, 2024

https://x.com/WSOP/status/1805812731477737588

The event in question was a three-table satellite tournament, which awarded 3 tickets to the Main Event. The tournament was attended by other big stars, such as Rafael Moraes, who is a close friend of the footballer. In addition to Rafa, there were also other great poker heavyweights, such as Tom Dwan himself and Alan Keating. Other friends of Neymar were also present, such as Pedro Velasco and Chris Eubank Jr, who have already shared cash games with the footballer. Without a doubt, having a figure as prominent worldwide as Neymar present is a privilege.

That's why the WSOP organization welcomes it so well. That such quality athletes recognize the competitive value of poker is very good for the image of the game