Is card counting legal?

Card counting is a process whereby a player keeps track of certain cards played. The player counts only certain cards and assigns a tag to specific cards. The player then simply counts the tags of each card played. Card counting is used to determine the probability of the game and which player has an advantage over the other players. The term is almost exclusively used when tracking the ratio of high and low cards in Blackjack.

Is counting cards legal?

The issue of the legality of counting cards is a tricky one, and varies from country to country. The general rule of thumb is that if you are using your own brain to count cards, it is not illegal. However, the rule changes if you are using a computerised device.

You cannot use devices to assist you in card counting. All computerised aids in this strategy are illegal. In some areas, players caught using a device to assist them in counting cards could get arrested, or at least asked to leave the premises or disqualified from the game.

A casino will usually be on guard for card counting. They keep track of the players who play in a business like manner. They look out for players who seldom interact with the dealer or their opponents. They take note of players using a basic strategy. Casinos will usually count along with the suspected card counter. If a player raises his bet when the count is in favour, the casino will then become suspicious of card counting.

If you are caught card counting with a computerised device, the casino may do one several things. They may escort you off the premises, confront you, or even phone the police and have you arrested. They may also ban you from the casino altogether. They may also share your picture and profile to other casinos. These are extreme circumstances, and casinos a more lenient if you have not been wagering large sums of money.

A card counter doing a bad job will usually be allowed to continue playing. However, if you are suspected of card counting and are winning large sums of money, the casino will take further action. The best thing a casino can do to curb your card counting ways is to instruct the dealer to shuffle more frequently.  In this way the counter will have to continuously reset his count and will never see the positive count.

In order to prevent been identified as a card counter, there are several things a player can do:

Firstly, act in a relaxed and casual manner. Also, try to break your basic strategy from time to time. A casino will likely label you a recreational player if they see you are breaking your strategy. Finally, be careful with your wager. Try not to wager higher than 10 times your usual wager as this will draw suspicion. Also, it is recommended that you change your wager in proportion to the running count. This means that the wager is always changing, making it hard to notice increase.

Author bio

This article was written for Piggs Peak Casino and offers advice into the legality of counting cards in Blackjack.