N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 5324.20

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 45, November 2, 2024

Section 5324.20 - Baccarat

(a) Equipment and layout.

(1) Baccarat shall be played at a table having on one side places for the players and on the opposite side a place for the dealer.

(2) A layout for a baccarat table shall contain, at a minimum:

(i) the name and/or logo of the gaming facility;

(ii) specific areas designated for the placement of wagers on the "Banker's hand," "Players hand" and the "Tie hand";

(iii) an inscription describing the tie hand payout;

(iv) the payout odds for all permissible wagers offered by the gaming facility, unless there is a sign posted pursuant to section 5323.12 of this Subchapter;

(v) numbered areas that correspond to the seat numbers for the purpose of marking vigorish;

(vi) if the gaming facility offers the dragon bonus wager, separate areas designated for the placement of the dragon bonus wager for each player;

(vii) if the gaming facility offers EZ baccarat:

(a) separate areas designated for the placement of the dragon 7 insurance wager, for each player;

(b) an inscription that advise players that a wager on the banker's hand that results in a dragon 7 shall push and be returned to the player unless there is a sign posted pursuant to section 5323.12 of this Subchapter;

(c) if the panda 8 insurance wager is offered, separate areas designated for the placement of the panda 8 insurance wager; and

(viii) areas designated for the placement of cards for the player's hand and banker's hand.

(3) If lammers are used for the purpose of marking vigorish, such lammers shall be placed in the chip tray or in a rack designed for the purpose of storing lammers and such rack shall be placed in front of the chip tray during gaming activity.

(4) Baccarat shall be played with at least six decks of cards with all backs identical in color and design and two additional cover cards. The cover cards shall be opaque and in a solid color readily distinguishable from the color of the back and edges of the playing cards.

(i) The value of the cards in each deck, regardless of suit, shall be as follows:

(a) any card from 2 to 9 shall have its face value;

(b) a 10, jack, queen and king shall have a value of zero; and

(c) an ace shall have the value of one.

(ii) The point count of a hand shall be a single digit number from 0 to 9 inclusive and shall be determined by totaling the value of all cards in the hand. If the total of the cards in the hand is a two-digit number, the left digit of such number shall be discarded as having no value and the right digit shall constitute the point count of the hand.

(5) A dealing shoe.

(6) In order to collect the cards at the conclusion of a round of play and at such other times as necessary, each baccarat table shall have a form of a discard rack.

(b) Wagers.

(1) Types of wagers at the game of baccarat.

(i) A wager on the banker's hand that shall:

(a) win if the banker's hand has a point count higher than that of the player's hand, unless EZ baccarat is being played and the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand result in a dragon 7;

(b) lose if the banker's hand has a point count lower than the player's hand; or

(c) tie and be returned to the player if the banker's hand and the player's hand have the same point count or if EZ baccarat is being played and the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand result in a dragon 7.

(ii) A wager on the player's hand that shall:

(a) win if the player's hand has a point count higher than that of the banker's hand and if EZ Baccarat is being played and the point counts of the player's hand and the dealer's hand result in a Panda 8;

(b) lose if the player's hand has a point count lower than that of the banker's hand or if EZ baccarat is being played and the point count of the banker's hand and the player's hand result in a dragon 7; or

(c) tie and be returned to the player if the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand are equal.

(iii) A tie bet that shall win if the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand are equal and shall lose if such point counts are not equal.

(iv) If offered by the gaming facility, a dragon bonus wager on player's hand or banker's hand, or both, which shall:

(a) win if the selected hand is:

(1) a natural and the other hand is not a natural;

(2) a natural 9 and the other hand is a natural 8; or

(3) not a natural and has a point count that exceed the point count of the other hand by four or more points;

(b) lose if the selected hand is:

(1) a natural 8 and other hand is a natural 9;

(2) not a natural and has a point count less than or equal to the point count of the other hand; or

(3) not a natural and has a point count that exceeds the point count of the other hand by less than four points; or

(c) tie and be returned to the patron if the selected hand is a natural and the other hand is a natural of equal point count.

(v) A dragon 7 insurance wager, if the table is designated for play as an EZ baccarat table, which shall:

(a) win if the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand result in a dragon 7; or

(b) lose if the point counts of the banker's hand and the player's hand do not result in a dragon 7.

(vi) A panda 8 insurance wager, if the table is designated for play as an EZ baccarat table, which shall:

(a) win if the point counts of the player's hand and the banker's hand result in a panda 8;

(b) lose if the point counts of the player's hand and the banker's hand do not result in a panda 8.

(2) Wager at baccarat shall be made by placing chips, plaques or, if applicable, a table game promotional coupon on the appropriate areas of the baccarat layout.

(3) A wager may not be made, increased or withdrawn after the dealer has announced "no more bets" and makes a visible hand motion indicating no more bets will be accepted.

(c) Opening of table for gaming.

(1) After receiving the six or more decks of cards at the table, unless the cards have been pre-shuffled and pre-inspected according to the requirements set forth in section 5322.16 of this Subchapter, the dealer shall shuffle and inspect each deck of cards as required in subdivision (c) of section 5322.15 of this Subchapter.

(d) Wager payout; vigorish.

(1) The gaming facility shall pay out winning wagers made on the player's hand at no less than the odds of 1:1.

(2) The gaming facility shall pay out winning wagers made on the banker's hand at no less than the odds of 1:1, except that the gaming facility shall extract a vigorish on the amount won at either four percent or five percent of such amount. Wagers shall be accepted in $5 increments only, and therefore the vigorish shall increase in 20-cent increments if the vigorish is four percent or in 25 cent increments if the vigorish is five percent. The gaming facility may collect the vigorish from a player at the time the winning payoff is made or may defer collection to a later time provided, however, that all outstanding vigorish shall be collected prior to reshuffling the cards in a shoe. The amount of any vigorish not collected at the time of the winning payout shall be evidenced by the placement of coins or lammers reflecting the amount owed imprinted thereon, along with the seat number of the player owing such vigorish.

(i) The gaming facility shall post at all baccarat tables the vigorish percentage in effect.

(ii) When four percent vigorish is in effect, the gaming facility shall use 20-cent denomination lammers and 25-cent denomination lammers when five percent vigorish is in effect.

(iii) The vigorish percentage shall be the same for all baccarat tables at all times, and any change to the vigorish percentage shall be done uniformly for all baccarat tables throughout the gaming facility. Vigorish percentages in midi baccarat and mini baccarat may differ from the vigorish percentage in baccarat.

(3) If the gaming facility offers EZ baccarat, no vigorish shall be collected.

(4) A winning panda 8 insurance wager, as set forth in subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of this section, shall be paid at odds of 25 to 1.

(5) A gaming facility shall pay a winning dragon bonus wager in accordance with one of the following pay tables. The gaming facility may change the pay table used following the conclusion of a round of play, provided that prior notice has been provided to the commission.

Bonus wager	Pay table A	Pay table B	Pay table C
Natural tie	Push	Push	Push
Natural winner	1:1	1:1	1:1
Win by 4 points	1:1	1:1	2:1
Win by 5 points	2:1	3:1	2:1
Win by 6 points	4:1	4:1	4:1
Win by 7 points	6:1	7:1	4:1
Win by 8 points	10:1	8:1	10:1
Win by 9 points	30:1	20:1	30:1

(e) Shuffle and cut of the cards. Prior to commencement of play, the dealer shall remove the first card from the shoe and place such card face up and then remove an additional amount of cards equal to the value of the first card drawn and burn those cards. For purposes of this subdivision, face cards and 10s count as 10 and aces count as 1.

(f) Dealing the game of baccarat.

(1) At the commencement of play, the dealer calling the game shall offer the shoe to the player in seat number one at the table. If such player rejects the shoe or if there is no one in seat number one, the dealer shall offer the shoe to each of the other players, in turn, counter-clockwise around the table until one of the players accepts the shoe.

(2) The player who accepts the shoe is the curator and shall be responsible for dealing the cards in accordance with this subdivision and the instruction of the dealer calling the game.

(3) There shall be two hands dealt in the game of baccarat, one that shall be designated the player's hand and the other designated the banker's hand.

(4) At the commencement of each round of play, the dealer calling the game shall announce "no more bets," after which the dealer shall instruct the curator to commence dealing the cards by announcing "cards."

(5) The curator shall deal an initial four cards from the shoe. The first and third cards dealt shall constitute the first and second cards of the player's hand. The second and fourth cards dealt shall constitute the first and second cards of the banker's hand. After the cards are dealt to each hand, the dealer calling the game shall place the cards face up in front of the dealer.

(6) After the initial four cards have been dealt, the dealer calling the game shall announce the point count of the player's hand and point count of the banker's hand.

(7) Following the announcement of the point count of each hand, the dealer calling the game shall instruct the curator whether to deal a third card to each hand using the procedures set forth in paragraphs (10) through (13) of this subdivision.

(8) Any third card required to be dealt by the dealer's instruction shall first be dealt face up to the player's hand and then to the banker's hand by the curator.

(9) Whenever the cover card appears during play, the cover card shall be removed and placed to the side and the hand shall be completed. Upon completion of that hand, the dealer calling the game announces "last hand." After the last hand is dealt, the cards shall be re-shuffled.

(10) If the point count of either the player's hand or the banker's hand after the initial two cards are dealt to each is a natural, no more cards shall be dealt to either hand.

(11) If the point count of the banker's hand on the first two cards is 0 to 7, the player's hand shall draw or stay in accordance with the following:

Player's hand	Third-card determination
0 to5	Draws
6 to 9	Stays

(12) If the point count of the player's hand on the first two cards is 6 or 7, the banker's hand always shall draw on totals of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and stand on totals of 6, 7, 8 and 9.

(13) The total of the initial two cards dealt to the banker's hand along with the third card dealt to the player's hand determines if a third card is dealt to the banker's hand in accordance with the following:

Banker having	Draws when player's third c	ard is Stays when player's third card is
0,1,2	0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7
3	0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9	8
4	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7	0,1,8,9
5	4, 5, 6, 7	0,1,2,3,8,9
6	6,7	0,1,2,3,4,5,8,9
7	Stands	Stands
8,9	Natural stand	Natural stand

(g) Announcement of result of round; collection and payment of wagers.

(1) After each hand has received all the cards to which the hand is entitled pursuant to this section, the dealer shall announce the final point count of each hand indicating which hand has won the round. If the two hands have equal point counts, the dealer shall announce "tie hand." If the table is an EZ baccarat table and the point count of the banker's hand and player's hand result in a dragon 7 or a panda 8, the dealer shall announce "dragon 7" or "panda 8," as the case may be.

(2) After the result of the round is announced, the dealer first shall collect each losing wager. With the exception of an EZ baccarat table where no vigorish is collected, the dealer shall, in accordance with one of the following:

(i) starting at the highest numbered player position at which a winning wager is located and proceeding in descending order to each next highest number player position, first pay each winning wager and then, returning to the highest numbered player position at which a winning wager was located and proceeding in like order, mark or collect the vigorish owed by each player;

(ii) starting at the highest numbered player position at which a winning wager is located and proceeding in descending order to each next highest numbered player position, first mark or collect the vigorish owed by each player and then, returning to the highest player position at which a winning wager is located and proceeding in like order, pay each winning wager;

(iii) starting at the highest numbered player position at which a winning wager is located, pay such player's winning wager and immediately thereafter mark or collect the vigorish owed by such player and then, proceeding in descending order to the next highest number player position at which a winning wager is located, repeat this procedure until each winning wager is paid and the vigorish owed by each player is either marked or collected; or

(iv) starting at the highest numbered player position at which a winning wager is located, mark or collect the vigorish owed by such player's winning wager and then, proceeding in descending order to the next highest player position at which a winning wager is located, repeat this procedure until the vigorish owed by each player is either marked or collected and each winning wager is paid.

(3) The gaming facility may use any the procedures set forth in paragraph (2) of this subdivision on any baccarat table; provided, however, that the same procedure shall be used for all baccarat tables located within the same gaming pit.

(h) Continuation of curator as such; selection of new curator.

(1) It shall be the option of the curator, after any round of play, either to pass the shoe or remain as curator except that:

(i) the curator shall pass the shoe whenever the banker's hand loses; and

(ii) the dealer or floorperson assigned to the table may order the curator to pass the shoe if the curator unreasonably delays the game, repeatedly makes invalid deals or violates this section.

(2) Whenever a voluntary or compulsory relinquishment of the shoe occurs, the dealer shall offer the shoe to the player immediately to the right of the previous curator and, if such player does not accept the shoe or there is no player in that position, the dealer shall offer the shoe to each of the other players, in turn, counterclockwise around the table. The first player to accept the shoe when offered shall become the new curator. If no player accepts the cards, the dealer shall turn the cards over and place the cards on the designated areas of the layout.

(i) Irregularities.

(1) A card found face up in the shoe shall not be used as the first card of the next hand of play. If the card has been disclosed, the dealer either shall:

(i) remove the first card from the shoe and place such card face up and then remove an additional amount of cards equal to the value of the first card drawn and burn those cards. For purposes of this subparagraph, face cards and 10s count as 10 and aces count as 1; or

(ii) choose to deal a complete hand in accordance with subdivision (f) of this section that no player shall wager upon.

(2) A card drawn in excess from the shoe, if not disclosed, shall be used as the first card of the next hand of play. If the card has been disclosed, the discard procedures described in paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall be implemented.

(3) A third card dealt to the player's hand when no third card is authorized pursuant to this section shall become the third card of the banker's hand if the banker's hand is obligated to draw. If, in such circumstances, the banker's hand is required to stay, the card dealt in error shall become the first card of the next hand unless such card has been disclosed. In such case, the disclosed card and an additional number of cards equal to the value of such card shall be drawn face up from the shoe and placed in the discard rack.

(4) If there are insufficient cards remaining in the shoe to complete a round of play, that round shall be void and a new round shall commence after a new shuffle is completed.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 5324.20

Adopted New York State Register November 16, 2016/Volume XXXVIII, Issue 46, eff. 11/16/2016

Amended New York State Register June 2, 2021/Volume XLIII, Issue 22, eff. 6/2/2021