N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 5324.10

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

Section 5324.10 - General provisions relating to blackjack games

(a) Equipment and layout.

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

(2) The layout for a blackjack table shall contain, at a minimum:

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

(ii) specific areas designated for the placement of wagers, which betting areas shall not exceed seven in number.

(iii) the following inscriptions describing:

(a) payout for blackjacks.

(b) the dealer shall draw on 16 and hit soft 17 or stand on any 17; and

(c) payout for insurance.

(iv)if the gaming facility offers optional bets, a separate area designated for the placement of the optional bet for each player.

(v) inscription that advises players of the payout odds or amounts for all permissible wagers offered by the gaming facility at such table. If the payout odds or amounts are not inscribed on the layout, a sign identifying the payout odds or amount for all permissible wagers shall be posted at each blackjack table.

(vi)an inscription indicating the payout limit per hand established by the gaming facility or a generic inscription indicating the game is subject to the posted payout limit. If the payout limit is not inscribed on the layout, a sign that sets forth the required information shall be posted at each blackjack table.

(3) Each blackjack table may also have an approved table game progressive payout wager system for the placement of progressive wagers. A table game progressive payout wager system shall include, without limitation:

(i) a wagering device at each betting position that acknowledges or accepts the placement of the progressive wager;

(ii) a control device that controls or monitors the placement of progressive wagers at the gaming table, including a mechanism, such as a lock-out button, that prevents the recognition of any progressive wager that a player attempts to place after the dealer has announced "no more bets;"

(iii) written procedures for the operation and use of the system and its components.

(4) If a blackjack table has an approved card-reader device attached to it, the floorperson assigned to the table shall inspect the card reader device at the beginning of each gaming day.

(b) Cards; number of decks; value of cards.

(1) Blackjack shall be played with at least one standard deck of cards with backs of the same color and design and at least one additional cover card. The cover card shall be opaque and in a solid color readily distinguishable from the color of the backs and edges of the playing cards. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the minimum number of decks used to play blackjack shall be:

(i) one or two, if dealt from the hand;

(ii) two, if the 20-point bonus wager or the in-between wager is authorized;

(iii) six, if any other or the optional bonus wager is authorized.

(2) The value of the cards contained in each deck shall be as follows:

(i) any card from 2 to 10 shall have its face value;

(ii) any jack, queen or king shall have a value of 10;

(iii) an ace shall have a value of 11, unless that value would give a player or the dealer a total in excess of 21, in which case, it shall have a value of one.

(3) If an automated card shuffling device is used, blackjack shall be played with at least two decks of cards and in accordance with the following:

(i) the cards shall be separated into two batches, with an equal number of decks included in each batch;

(ii) the backs of the cards in each batch shall be of the same color and design, but of a different color than the cards included in the other batch;

(iii)one batch of cards shall be shuffled and stored in the automated card shuffling device while the other batch is being dealt or used to play the game;

(iv)both batches of cards shall be continuously alternated in and out of play, with each batch being used for every other dealing shoe; and

(v) the cards from only one batch shall be placed in the discard rack at any given time.

(c) Splitting pairs.

(1) Whenever the initial two cards dealt to a player are identical in value, the player may elect to split the hand into two separate hands provided that the player makes a wager on the second hand in an amount equal to the original wager.

(2) When a player splits pairs, the dealer shall deal a card to the first incomplete hand on the dealer's left before proceeding to deal any cards to any other hand.

(3) After a second card is dealt to a split pair, the dealer shall announce the point total of such hand and the player shall indicate the player's decision to stand, re-split, if the second card is identical in value, draw or double down with respect thereto except that:

(i) a player may not split pairs after the third split on one betting position (a total of four hands) or after a double down wager has been made on that hand; and

(ii) a player splitting aces shall have only one card dealt to each ace and may not elect to receive additional cards.

(iii) The player is prohibited from splitting a pair of aces more than once. All other requirements of this section may apply to each hand that is formed as a result of splitting pairs more than once.

(d) Doubling down. Except for a natural blackjack, a player may elect to double down on the first two cards dealt to the player or the first two cards of any split pair on the condition that one additional card shall be dealt to the hand on which the player has elected to double down. In such circumstances, the one additional card may be dealt face down and placed sideways on the layout, perpendicular to the two cards forming the hand on which the player has elected to double down.

(e) Insurance wagers.

(1) Whenever the first card dealt to the dealer is an ace, each player shall have the right to make an insurance bet that wins if the dealer's second card is a king, queen, jack or 10 and shall lose if the dealer's second card is an ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9.

(2) An insurance bet may be made by placing on the insurance line of the layout an amount not more than half the amount staked on the player's initial wager, except that a player may bet an amount in excess of half the initial wager to the next unit that can be wagered in chips when, because of the limitation of the value of chip denominations, half the initial wager cannot be bet. All insurance wagers shall be placed prior to the dealer inserting the dealer's hole card into the card reader device or otherwise determining whether the dealer's hole card is a king, queen, jack or 10.

(3) All winning insurance wagers shall be paid at no less than odds of 2:1.

(4) All losing insurance wagers shall be collected by the dealer immediately after the dealer determines that the hole card is not a king, queen, jack or 10.

(f) Surrender.

(1) A gaming facility may, after the first two cards are dealt to a player and the player's point total is announced, allow the player to discontinue play on the player's hand for that round by surrendering one-half of the player's wager. All decisions to surrender shall be made prior to such player indicating as to whether the player wishes to double down, split pairs, stand or draw as provided in this Part and after the dealer has determined that the dealer's hand does not have a blackjack if the dealer's up card is an ace or 10.

(i) If the first card dealt to the dealer is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, the dealer shall collect immediately one-half of the wager and return one-half to the player.

(ii) If the first card dealt to the dealer is an ace, king, queen or jack, the dealer shall place the player's wager on top of the player's cards or designated area for insurance wagers. When the dealer's second card is revealed, the hand shall be settled by immediately collecting the entire wager if the dealer has blackjack, or by collecting one-half of the wager and returning one-half the wager to the player if the dealer does not have blackjack.

(2) If the player has made an insurance wager and then elects to surrender, each wager shall be settled separately and one wager shall have no bearing on the other.

(g) Drawing of additional cards by players and dealers.

(1) A player may elect to draw additional cards whenever such player's point count total is less than 21, except that a player:

(i) electing to double down shall draw only one additional card; and

(ii) splitting aces shall have only one card dealt to each ace and shall not be permitted to receive additional cards.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subdivision, a dealer shall draw additional cards to the dealer's hand until the dealer has a total of 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21, at which point no additional cards shall be drawn, unless the gaming facility requires the dealer to draw an additional card if the dealer has a soft 17, so long as the table inscription indicates such soft-17 rule.

(3) A dealer shall draw no additional cards to the dealer's hand if doing so would have no effect on a game outcome.

(h) More than one player wagering on a box.

(1) In the games of blackjack, Spanish 21, blackjack switch and multiple-action blackjack, the gaming facility may permit one to three people to wager on any one box the layout, provided that the first person wagering on that box consents to additional players wagering on such box.

(2) Whenever more than one player wagers on a box, the player seated at that box shall have the exclusive right to call the decisions with regard to the cards dealt to such box. In the case of no seated player, the person with the highest wager in the box shall have such right.

(3) The player calling the decisions with respect to any box shall place a wager in the portion of the box closest to the dealer's side of the table and all other players wagering on such box shall place their wagers immediately behind and in a vertical line with the aforementioned wager.

(4) Whenever more than one player is wagering on a box and the player calling the decisions decides to double down, the other players may also double their wagers but shall not be required to do so. In any event, only one additional card shall be dealt to the hand that is subject to the double-down decision.

(5) Whenever more than one player is wagering on a box and the player calling the decisions decides to split pairs, the other players shall either make an additional wager to cover each split pair or the player's wager shall only apply to the first blackjack hand dealt after the split.

(6) Whenever more than one player is wagering on a box, each player shall have the right to make an insurance bet, without regard to whether the other players on that box make such a bet.

(i) Irregularities.

(1) After the initial two cards have been dealt to each player and the dealer and a card is drawn and exposed to the players in error, such card shall be dealt to the players or dealer as though it were the next card drawn from the shoe. Any player refusing to accept such card shall not have any additional cards dealt to such player during such round. If the card is refused by all players and the dealer cannot use the card, the card shall be burned.

(2) If the dealer misses dealing a card in the dealer's hand, the dealer shall continue dealing the first two cards to each player and then shall deal the appropriate number of cards to the dealer's hand.

(3) If no cards are dealt to the player's hand, that hand shall be declared dead and the player shall be included in the next deal. If only one card is dealt to the player's hand, at the player's option, the dealer shall deal the second card to the player after all other players have received a second card.

(4) If, after receiving the first two cards, the dealer fails to deal an additional card or cards to a player who has requested such card, then, at the player's option, the dealer shall either:

(i) deal the additional card or cards after all other players have received their additional cards but prior to the dealer revealing the dealer's hole card; or

(ii) call the player's hand dead, return the player's original wager and place the player's cards into the discard rack.

(5) If the dealer inserts the dealer's hole card into a card reader device when the value of the dealer's first card is not an ace, king, queen, jack or 10, the dealer, after notification to a supervisor, shall continue play only if the particular card reader device in use does not provide the dealer or any player with the opportunity to determine the value of the hole card.

(6) If a gaming facility implements the procedure by which on additional card is dealt face down to a hand on which a player has elected a double down and the dealer inadvertently deals such card face up, play shall continue and the player's wagers shall be settled in completion of the round of play.

(7) In the game of Spanish 21, if a 10 card of any suit is found in the shoe, such card shall not be used in the game and shall be removed and destroyed according to the requirements set forth in subdivision (o) of section 5322.15 of this Subchapter. If more than one 10 card is found in the shoe during the dealing of the cards, the round of play shall be void and the cards shall be re-shuffled. Play for that shoe shall cease and the decks shall be removed from the shoe and a floor supervisor shall verify that all 10s have been removed prior to the dealer reshuffling and resuming play. The floor supervisor may also elect to place new decks into play.

(j) Whenever the cover card is reached in the deal of the cards, the dealer shall continue dealing the cards until that round of play is completed, after which the dealer shall reshuffle the cards, including the cards remaining in the dealing shoe if a single dealing shoe is used.

(k) At the conclusion of a round of play, all cards still remaining on the layout shall be picked up by the dealer in order and in such a way that they can be readily arranged to indicate each player's hand in case of question or dispute. The dealer shall pick up the cards beginning with those of the player to the dealer's far right and moving counterclockwise around the table. After all the players' cards have been collected, the dealer shall pick up the dealer's cards against the bottom of the players' cards and place them in the discard rack.

(l) No player or spectator shall handle, remove or alter any cards except as permitted by this section and no dealer or other gaming employee shall permit a player or spectator to engage in such activity.

(m) Each player at the table shall be responsible for correctly computing the point count of such player's hand and no player shall rely on the point counts required to be announced by the dealer pursuant to this section without the player checking the accuracy of such announcement.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 5324.10

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