Roulette Question. Is This Fair?

Is this fair? Here is a bit of information that I've been aware of for a while now, and that I find very troubling.

In the casino there is the ability to track the roulette wheels for bias. Using the current technology (TCSHuxley data logger or the Shuffle Master Rapid Roulette data downloads http://tcsjohnhuxley.com/...ette-wheel-analysis.html ) such information is readily available to the casino surveillance and table games manager. They can track biased wheels within the casinos.

Should the casino be allowed to leave biased wheels on the floor? (I'm not talking about a weak bias. I'm referring to wheels where the chi square is greater than 100 within the last 20k spins for example.)

Should the casino be required to post a sign for the player to see that notifies them that the wheel on which they are playing has tested positive for bias?

Should the casino be allowed to leave the biased wheel in play while keeping the bias problem a secret?

Should the casino be allowed to freely move such a biased wheel around to new positions within the casino?

I have formed my own opinions on what is fair, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Also, does anyone have an updated link to what is the required fitness of a roulette wheel in Las Vegas these days.

Thanks,

Keyser

I would think that if the casino had knowledge of a biased wheel they would think that the players will eventually discover such bias and profit from it. So its not in the casinos advantage to sit on this information for too long.

I feel It's not a matter of whether they exist. It's just a matter of degree.



It's more difficult than you might think to play a biased wheel. It's well beyond the means of the average player.

For one the volume of spins required to spot biased is larger than you might think, as is the needed bankroll. There are many other factors to consider as well, including playing conditions, wheel speeds, etc.



Casinos as a general rule won't replace a biased wheel unless it's losing money. In many cases a biased wheel that remains on the floor is generating revenue that may exceed the regular hold on a wheel. For example, if a wheel is negatively biased for the most commonly bet numbers, like the 17, and the zeros, then the house will take in more money than they would usually make. Why replace such a wheel? Which is the reason for my question. Is this ethical?



Again, I'm not talking about a slightly biased wheel. I'm talking about wheels that frequently kick out a chi square test greater than 100 or 150 after 20k trials. etc. Recent casino software dev. in the last 10 years does enable casinos to keep track of their wheel fitness.

Cheers!

Keyser

Here's my take on it:

It's up to the Commission to decide what parameters are used in determining if a wheel is biased enough to require repair or replacement. The parameters should NOT take into account which numbers or zones are popular amoung gamblers.

If there is a wheel that meets the parameters, then the casino, obviously, should not use the wheel. If they don't have a replacement wheel handy, I see no reason to do anything out of the ordinary other than to not open that table.

On the flip side, assuming that a wheel is slightly biased, but below the Commission's parameters to fix it, then I'd say that the casino does NOT need to let the players know, and IS free to move the wheels whenever they wish (OK, daily when the table is closed.)

Where is the line, ethically?

If the wheel is biased, and remains so during all phases of play, then I believe it is ethical for the casino to leave the wheel in action. They are taking as much of a risk as the players.

The line is crossed when the casino has the power to selectivly manifest the bias based upon what a player is betting. There are certain types of biases (tilts, for example) where just the raw numbers will not indicate a bias per-se, but conditions allow experienced dealers to shoot away from sections the player is betting (for high action). This, in my book, is unethical.

Another situation that is unethical is where the wheel is defective, but the defects only manifest (or, manifest differently) at certain speed ranges. It all comes out in the wash (the raw numbers may indicate a weak bias, but not a strong bias), but again the dealers have the power to manifest certain sections just by how fast the wheel spins (or, the ball type in use). This is also unethical (IMHO).

Finally, there are situations where the wheel is so strongly biased that the bias manifests under all conditions. As long as the wheel is open to allcomers at all times, I believe it is ethical for the casino to leave the wheel in action. But, it would be highly unethical for the casino to selectively put this wheel in action against players who are known to bet the numbers that are negatively biased, and take the wheel out of action for those players who bet the positively biased numbers. I don't see how the commission could avoid coming to this same conclusion. This is as close to cheating as it gets.

Oh. Wait a minute. I forgot. This is the Sovereign Nation of Nevada we're talking about.