Table Games in Casinos - Fashionable Elegance and Modern Rise in Popularity

Author: Matthew Haynes

Once upon a time, the only type of gambling activity you could engage in gambling venues was table casino games, especially in the early days of Las Vegas. The likes of poker and roulette essentially dominated the strip before blackjack and craps came along in a much simpler form.

Casinos were often at capacity despite there only being a few options for players to engage in, though this never appeared to be a problem. Croupiers were a different breed, having to deal cards slowly due to there being no rail on the tables; players played their hands slowly. Still, table games had a particular type of draw to them. For a number of decades, they dominated; eventually, large amounts of money often being at stake.

The Evolution of Casino Table Games

Casino table games evolved over time. Rules were tweaked, tables changed in size, and popularity increased. It was the nature of the beast; gambling was at the height of its powers, being a vital contributor to the economy, and it was only going to become stronger.

As the decades passed and times changed, so did the attitude towards table games. It wasn’t just Las Vegas, where you could play them, but also in several other locations around the world.

A certain glamour became associated with table games in casinos. Compared to the earlier years when table games, and by extension, casinos, would mainly just be associated with men, elegant women soon saw the attraction, which started to add a particular type of class to them.

It became common to see attractive, sophisticated women sitting at tables playing blackjack or even poker; often, they were able to use their beauty to their own advantage - a tactic that was used to put male players, or even croupiers, off their game.

Casinos were then quickly flooded with slot machines; the allure of big jackpot payouts often enough to draw people away from the tables - bright lights and jovial music issuing from them being an effective strategy to tempt players.

The internet saw a dramatic change as everything became even more convenient for players. Live casino sites had everything, though; more notably, slot games became considerably more attractive to players where it was possible for them to quickly win hundreds of dollars in just a few seconds.

Playing table games online especially, for many, appeared to lose its appeal - an element of patience was required, and not being able to see others in person was seen as a disadvantage.

How Demographics Affect Gambling Trends

There is a general consensus that older demographics spend more playing table games due to the patience they are willing to have, especially with games such as poker, which can often take hours at a time.

In the US, especially, older players continue to be more attracted to playing table games - certainly games such as blackjack, baccarat and poker, which tend to require more thinking about. Games such as roulette and craps, however, provide instant results and are preferred by younger gamblers.

Certainly, Millennials, with the fact that they have grown up in an age of having everything quickly and at their fingertips, means that being accustomed to instant gratification makes games such as craps and roulette a lot more popular. The former also has an element of fun to it - being able to throw dice across a table in the hope that they land in the section that is required.

The Resurgence of Table Games in Gambling

Over the last few years, casino table games have witnessed a surge in popularity, especially following the global pandemic, which saw an increase in online gambling generally.

Table games have been almost as popular as slots over the last few years, which still retain the top spot as far as popularity is concerned; however, it appears that the former is close to rediscovering its previously magnetic attraction.

Definitely, that is the case as more and more people find their way back into brick-and-mortar casinos, where table games are considered to be a lot more exciting. Also, it is believed that there is now more of a yearning for an authentic experience in the world of digital overload, which has seen a revival of table games, especially in some of London’s most prestigious casinos.

Furthermore, the presence of online casinos has enabled those who feel daunted by playing table games in a land-based casino to be able to learn the ropes first - this is being attributed to a recent rise in the popularity of table games, especially in land-based casinos.

The fact that games like blackjack and poker are not just solely luck but have an element of skill has also seen these become fashionable again. Strategy also has a big part to play - more so than slot games. This, combined with the ego satisfaction that comes with being able to prove yourself against other players, is what people get a kick out of when it comes to table games.

What Does the Future Hold?

What appears to be for sure is that gambling on table games is back on the rise - especially as people are starting to enjoy them in the form of live dealer games. What we may also see is online gambling brands start to combat this in a bid to attract more people to use their table games.

It could well be the case that casinos, especially in the US, where online gambling is growing exponentially, brands such as BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel begin to push table games aggressively with clever promotions and registration incentives.

Segmentation in the online gambling industry is still relatively in its infancy, though using table games as an example, these may well become the focus of brands and an important part of their growth strategy moving forward.

It will also be interesting to see how other markets around the world react to a resurgence in table games. The UK gambling market has recently been the subject of regulation - especially from an online slot perspective with sounds having to be limited that may cause people to gamble more, in addition to betting limits for spins, so focusing on table games could well make up for potential losses.

Regardless of what happens, one thing that cannot be ignored is that table games are making a comeback, and they definitely appear to be just as fashionable as they were a hundred years ago.